Blanchetown

Blanchetown South Australia
Dead gum trees in the Murray River near Blanchetown in 1989
Blanchetown
Coordinates	34°21′S 139°36′E / 34.350°S 139.600°E / -34.350; 139.600Coordinates: 34°21′S 139°36′E / 34.350°S 139.600°E / -34.350; 139.600
Population	210 (2011 census)
Established	1855
Postcode(s)	5357
Location	130 km (81 mi) northeast of Adelaide
LGA(s)	Mid Murray Council
State electorate(s)	Sturt
Federal Division(s)	Barker
Localities around Blanchetown: Brownlow, Mount Mary Eba, Morgan Murbko, McBean Pound Steinfeld, Annadale Blanchetown Paisley Sandleton, Sedan Fisher Swan Reach

Blanchetown is a small township in South Australia, on the (west) bank of the Murray River, 130 km northeast of Adelaide.  The Blanchetown Bridge is the western-most (and farthest downstream) of the four crossings of the Sturt Highway over the Murray River.  During the nineteenth century it was an important transportation centre on the lower Murray.  In modern times Blanchetown has been described as "a strange mixture of historic buildings and temporary shacks built by holidaymakers on the banks of the river". Blanchetown is widely regarded as the entrance to the Riverland district.

Blanchetown was originally surveyed in October 1855 as Blanche Town. It was named after Lady Blanche MacDonnell, the wife of the Governor of South Australia, Sir Richard MacDonnell. The Governor selected the site personally, to replace an earlier settlement of Murrundi (or Moorundee) - five kilometres downstream - which was subject to flooding. Murrundi had been chosen as the base of the Protector of Aborigines by Edward John Eyre since 1841.

There had been a ferry crossing at Blanchetown since 1869 (private before 1879, then Government-run).  In February 1876 Blanchetown was described as a "small but ambitious settlement, containing a dozen houses, and having a population of about 50 people".  The buildings in the township were "substantially built of a stone quarried in the neighbourhood".  The post and telegraph office, the hotel and store were described as "the main buildings".

When land was first sold at Blanche Town it was on the "understanding that a railway should be made there, and some of the allotments consequently fetched as much as £1,200 per acre".  By 1876, however, it was apparent that the railway would by-pass Blanchetown.  It was reported that "the inhabitants regard the non-fulfillment of this promise as savouring of repudiation".  The railway line connecting Adelaide with the town of Morgan, upstream of Blanchetown, was opened in 1878.  This development adversely affected the progress of Blanchetown and resulted in a decline of steamer traffic to the town.