Saddleworth, South Australia


Saddleworth is a small town in the Mid North region of South Australia. The town is situated on the Gilbert River and along with neighbouring towns of Riverton, Rhynie and Tarlee the local area is known as the Gilbert Valley. The town is bisected by the Barrier Highway. At the, Saddleworth had a population of 425.
Saddleworth was originally established as one of many settlements on the road to Burra, and was named after Saddleworth Lodge pastoral station, a local landholding which itself was named after a town of Saddleworth in Greater Manchester, England. Joseph Dunn applied for a Publican's Licence to open a new Saddleworth Lodge in March 1846, and it was granted on the 14th of March 1846. The Burra railway line passed through the town from 1870 until the early 2000s.
An old store on the Barrier Highway has been converted into a museum which focuses on the history of Saddleworth and the nearby towns of Waterloo, Marrabel, and Manoora.
Saddleworth is in the District Council of Clare and Gilbert Valleys local government area, the state electoral district of Frome and the federal Division of Grey.
The town has a 3 km long Heritage Walking Trail which provides an insight into the history of the area..
In May 2016 the local store burned down. The store was also home to the town's Post Office.

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