Wolseley, South Australia

The town was surveyed in 1884, and initially named Tatiara, which was described as an "Aboriginal word from the Jackegilbrab Tribe which HC Talbot states is divided into six clans (Kooinkill, Wirriga, Chala, Camiaguigara, Niall & Nunkoora)". The railway station was named after Lord Wolseley, who was the Commander-in-Chief of the British Army.{{cite web |url=http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/# |id=SA0027361, SA0016322, SA0065544, SA0044004 |title=Placename Details: Wolseley |publisher=Government of South Australia |access-date=4 August 2015}} The name of the town was changed to match the name of the station on 20 February 1941.{{cite web|last1=McEwin|first1=A. Lyell|title=ALTERATION OF NAMES OF TOWNS AND PLACES|url=http://www8.austlii.edu.au/au/other/sa_gazette/1941/8/225.pdf|website=The South Australian Government Gazette|publisher=South Australian Government|access-date=24 April 2018|page=225|date=20 February 1941}}

File:Wolseley fuel tanks.jpg

Early in World War II, RAAF No. 12 Inland Aircraft Fuel Depot was established at Wolseley, with an initial capacity of {{convert|1.27|ML|impgal USgal}} in three tanks camouflaged to look like farm buildings. The depot started operations in 1942 and three additional tanks were added later. It was disbanded on 14 June 1944.Interpretative sign at the site west of Wolseley It is listed on the South Australian Heritage Register as the Wolseley Inland Aircraft Fuel Depot.{{cite web | url=http://maps.sa.gov.au/heritagesearch/HeritageItem.aspx?p_heritageno=21067 | title=Former Wolseley Inland Aircraft Fuel Depot including pump house, drum filling platform and six fuel tanks | publisher=Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources | work=South Australian Heritage Register | access-date=5 June 2016}}

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The Adelaide–Wolseley railway was opened from Adelaide east to Wolseley railway station in the early 1880s built to {{RailGauge|1600mm|allk=on}} broad gauge. The Serviceton railway line from Melbourne reached Serviceton in Victoria in 1886, and the three miles from Wolseley to Serviceton was completed by the South Australian Railways in 1887, completing a broad gauge rail link between Adelaide and Melbourne. Around the same time, the Mount Gambier railway line {{RailGauge|1067mm|lk=on}} narrow gauge railway extended to Wolseley station from the south, creating a break-of-gauge rail junction.

By May 1883, rail construction had not yet been completed, but trains were able to operate regularly from Bordertown on the Adelaide line and from Custon on the Mount Gambier line, continuing through Naracoorte to Kingston SE.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article78994790 |title=WOLSELEY. |newspaper=The Border Watch |location=Mount Gambier, SA |date=12 May 1883 |access-date=4 August 2015 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}

In 1881, the Government of South Australia authorised the construction of a {{track gauge|3'6"}} railway from "University Block No. 3" near the southern border of the Hundred of Tatiara to Border Town.{{Citation | title=Tatiara and Bordertown Railway 44 Vic., 1881, No. 200 | publication-date=2009-05-14 | publisher=Government Printer | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/37694484 | access-date=4 August 2015 }} It had previously authorised the construction from Naracoorte to that point in 1879.{{Citation | title=Naracoorte and Tatiara Railway 43 Vic., 1879, No. 131 | publication-date=2008-06-20 | publisher=Government Printer | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/37694232 | access-date=4 August 2015 }}

In the 1950s the break-of-gauge was abolished by the conversion of the Mount Gambier line to broad gauge. The line to Mount Gambier has been out of use since the conversion of the Adelaide – Melbourne line to {{RailGauge|1435mm|allk=on}} on 12 April 1995, pending possible conversion to standard gauge. If it is converted, it will become the first railway line in Australia to have ever been converted to all 3 gauges.

In 1936, to help overcome some of the inconveniences of the break of gauge, containers were introduced to allow though shipment of goods without the need for transshipment.{{cite news |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/74158927/7298810 |title=New Freight Containers For S.E. Railway Services. |newspaper=The Advertiser|location=Adelaide |date=23 April 1936 |access-date=26 October 2011 |page=19 |via=National Library of Australia}}

Wolseley is located in the federal division of Barker, the state electoral district of MacKillop and the local government area of Tatiara District Council.

• Wolseley Common Conservation Park

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{{Limestone Coast|state=collapsed}}

{{Tatiara District Council localities}}

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Category:Towns in South Australia

Category:Limestone Coast