INTRODUCTION
As an ex-'Quornie' I feel compelled to point a gnarled finger at my quaint little town, as there is more to it than meets the eye.

Where is it?
Situated 332km from the state capital Adelaide, it is located in the mid-north of the state of South Australia and is considered the "Gateway to the Flinder's Ranges". There are many places to visit along the way to Quorn if you're driving from Adelaide. It's a good stop over town on your way through the Flinder's Ranges.

I took it all for granted when I was a wee one, and our modest population there at the time was around 800. It hasn't grown much more than that,and has been an international tourist draw for decades.

Brief History
Quorn is a historical town as you will notice if ever you pass through there. It dates back to the 19th century andis named after Quorndon, in Leistershire and was established in 1878 as a railway town, where a rail line was built North to Pt. Auguata and beyond, eventually reaching Alice Springs some 1260km (782m) away deep into the Northern Territory.

Many houses built from settlement times are still standing and still used today and have a beautiful colonial architecture. The Post Office, Railway Station and local churches especially have a rustic feel. Foster's Emporium store on 1st street is a testimony to that. It still has the old coin-pulley system to shoot change from department to department! Quite funny to see them demonstrate that.

'Yarn with the locals!
The locals are friendly and the lifestyle is laid-back. Take time to browse the stores, there's really not many of them in a small town like this but the locals will happy to chat with you about places to see while you're in the area...or about anything at all for that matter!

Filmography History
It is because of it's historic look that Quorn has seen many movies filmed there, sometimes right in the main street! Some of the more notable films were Mel Gibson's 'Gallipoli' (I applied to be an extra in that film...alas, I didn't get it), 'The Light Horsemen', and 'The Shiralee', starring Bryan Brown. The sets cost less because Quorn is already a Pioneer town, so very few alterations are needed for it to look 'authentic' for filming old movies.

If you're expecting to get pampered, waited on hand and foot, try Adelaide. This probably won't be the place for you. Part of Quorn's appeal is it's rustic charm and is a good opportunity to 'rough it' in true Australian conditions. That being said I don't mean pitch a tent and unroll your 'swag' on the main street!

Where to stay, where to eat
The Austral Inn provides accommodation and also decent meals (my mother was the cook there many years ago!) and also a caravan park rentals for the more 'back-to-basics' travellers. A Bed & Breakfast has been established in Quorn also, called Endilloe Lodge B & B.
Good home cooked meals are available in the Austral Inn 7 days a week, and all the other pubs offer meals.
Old Willows Brewery Restaurant located on Quorn Rd has been another addition since my departure. Try it out for a meal!

Mmmmm...beer!
Along the main street theres a pub one very corner, 5 in all so if drinkings your game...then this can be one challenging pub-crawl! All are located on Railway Tce, Quorn's main st.

Best time to visit
The climate there is dry, arid and during Summer, parts of the Flinder's Ranges including Hawker can top temperatures at 126 degrees in drought-like conditions, so be aware. Timing is everything.
The best time to visit Quorn and the Flinders' is around September/October when it's more pleasant. This is Springtime there and many of the wildflowers are out in bloom during these months and is a major draw-card for international tourists.

Things to do in Quorn...ride the Choo-Choo!
The Flinder's Ranges is a great place to set your own pace, so give yourself time to take it all in. The Pichi Richi Railway is perhaps Quorn's most renowned feature. It features several old restored steam engines to thrill any train buff, some dating back to before the turn of the last century.

At the Train Station on Railway Tce, Quorn's main street, daily train tours are conducted, and will take you through the Pichi Richi Pass into beautifully rugged scenic hillside country to Woolshed Flat and back, a two hour trip. Longer trips are available up to 6 hours round trips to Port Augusta. Tour information can be found online at the link at the bottom of this page.

Or explore the Flinder's Ranges
4 Wheel Drive tours also leave from Quorn. Wallaby Tracks Adventure Tours take you to scenic spots deep intothe Flinder's Ranges and is a recommended way to see the outback. They weren't around when I lived there, so that seems to be a recent addition.

Or drive yourself on two self-drive scenic Arden Hills Props 4WD adventure trails, mountain bikes are encouraged, (and can be rented from Flinder's Bikes & Bytes in Quorn). You must need to know how to handle an off-road vehicle. Bring a picnic lunch, plenty of fly-spray and enjoy the day!

Great camping locations
Wilpena Pound and Warrens gorge, north of Quorn are also great areas to see. Forested with pines and eucalypts, you can camp there and follow several walking trails up into the surrounding hills. Also many ruins are dotted throughout the Flinders', some dating back to pioneer times.

Other things to do...
There are also camel tours if you're game enough! Just take your camera along as the scenery will be worth the bruised butt!

Another feature that wasn't around when I was a kid is the Four Winds Cultural Guiding, located near the Dutchman Stern conservation park northof Quorn. It is an Aboriginal run site that hosts visitors and educates them in Indigenous culture around a campfire, discovering native foods, flora and fauna education and walking tours. The business is located in Quorn.

The surrounding peaks of Quorn
The Dutchman's Stern itself is a large peak near Quorn, 820m at the summit and gives a wonderful panorama view of the surrounding valleys.

Devil's Peak is a smaller peak located just a few miles from Quorn and is a popular walking trail to the summit, 670 meters above sea level. It gives a breathtaking view of the countryside, but be careful, it gets windy up there!

Mt Brown is the only mountain nearby and stands 900m. These are all part of the Flinder's Ranges which stretch north of Adelaide, to 250 miles through the outback and are quite breathtaking.

Pay Quorn a visit
I could go on about my cute little town but it's already turned into an epic saga, not a review!
All these places I've mentioned, information, tour times, prices, accommodation etc. can be found in Quorn. The Railway Station located on Railway Tce  is a good source of information, they have all the brochures on Quorn and the Flinder's Ranges.

Additional information I have scrounged online (as computers were just Commodore 64's when I lived there last!) so I hope I have provided some useful updated information.

If you ever find yourself travelling South Australia, spare a thought for Quorn, Gateway to the Flinders'!

Thanks for reading. Here's a link to what Quorn has to offer:

http://www.australianexplorer.com/tourist_attractions/quorn.htm

Recommended: Yes

Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Sep - Nov