River Murray Towns: Paringa

• Situated about 240 kilometres north-east of Adelaide, Paringa is close to the South Australia-Victoria border.
• Its name is thought to derive from a word meaning 'land near the river' or 'whirlpool'.
• Because of its proximity to Renmark, the Paringa area was included in the Chaffey's irrigation settlement established in 1887.
• In the 1890s Harry 'Breaker' Morant worked on a station at Paringa. He went on to enlist and serve in the South African (Boer) war and subsequently entered Australian mythology when court marshalled and executed by the British.
• The town of Paringa was laid out in 1917.
• The Paringa Bridge, constructed in 1927, is one of only two opening bridges in South Australia. The other is at Port Adelaide. The Paringa Bridge is technically a 'lift span' bridge as it has a section that lifts up to allow large vessels through. It carries both road and railway traffic.
• In 1930 construction of Lock 5, near Paringa, was completed.
• Paringa is now a gateway to the Riverland region and home port of many houseboats and pleasure boats.

Further reading

Pictorial history of Renmark: celebrating 100 years, 1887-1987 incorporating the Renmark & Paringa Districts / compiled, produced and arranged by Elizabeth Storry ... [et al.] Renmark, S. Aust.: Murray Pioneer, 1987.

The District Council of Paringa: 50 years of local government, 1916-1966. [Renmark]: The Council, 1966.

Links

MurrayRiver.com - Paringa

Sydney Morning Herald Travel: Paringa