Bowmans, South Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bowmans South Australia
Bowmans Location in South Australia
Population	203 (2006 census)
Postcode(s)	5550
Location	125 km (78 mi) north of Adelaide
LGA(s)	Wakefield Regional Council
State electorate(s)	Narungga
Federal Division(s)	Grey
Localities around Bowmans: Beaufort Goyder Whitwarta Port Wakefield Bowmans Saints Kallora Erith

Bowmans (34°09′S 138°15′E / 34.150°S 138.250°E / -34.150; 138.250; postcode: 5550) is a locality in South Australia's Mid North. At the 2006 census, Bowmans had a population of 203. It is named after R and C Bowman who were "pastoralists in area."

Transport and industry

Bowmans is passed by the Adelaide-Port Augusta railway line and Port Wakefield-Auburn Road (route B84). There is a railway spur servicing Balco Australia hay processing and sidings servicing grain receival bunkers operated by Viterra. The main industries in the area are cereal, hay and sheep farming.

This road was one of the early country roads in South Australia, as the Great Western Road for delivering copper from the mines at Burra to the port at Port Wakefield. It was used for this purpose from 1848 until 1857 when a railway from Gawler to Port Adelaide provided a more attractive transport option.

From 1870, Bowmans was a station on the Port Wakefield-Hoyles Plains tramway which ran inland from the port along a similar alignment to the road. This was built to 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) narrow gauge and initially used horses instead of steam locomotives.

In 1923, the railway from Adelaide north towards Port Pirie was built as 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) broad gauge and crossed the Port Wakefield line at Bowmans. Both lines passed through the station but there was little infrastructure provided for transhipping goods or passengers. The break of gauge was solved in 1927 when the Western System, including the Port Wakefield railway, was converted to broad gauge as well.

The Port Wakefield railway has been closed and removed. The Adelaide-Port Augusta railway line has been converted to 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) standard gauge and rerouted to bypass the station and township. The alignment of the southern entrance to the station is now the spur to service the Bowmans Rail intermodal terminal.