This tiny outback town was dying until the locals stepped in to save it | ABC Australia

Mount Mary, a tiny South Australian town of 36 people, has a pub, a handful of houses and now an op shop, providing brand new opportunities to invite people in. Volunteers, including Karen Dreckow, have been working to restore their community hall for four years ahead of the op shop opening. Alongside local publican Donna Manders, who is passionate about activating her new rural home, Mount Mary looks like it has a bright future ahead.
Story by Anita Ward.
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[@gaius_enceladus]

NZer here - good stuff! Go Mt Mary! There's nothing like a quiet country town to let you relax and unwind.

[@jennyc1846]

I love tiny towns, especially ones where not everyone was born there. Nothing harder than trying to fit into a small town where everyone is related. You rock ladies good luck with your venture and merry Christmas from Western Australia 🦘🦘🦘🎅🤗

[@MySteamChannel]

I was on the last (steam) train thru Mt Mary on the Morgan line as a young lad in 1969 hauled by loco 526, Duchess Of Gloucester. The Mt Mary pub is awesome and we used to do a run there from Adelaide on the Harley M/cycles....well worth a visit!

[@edwardfletcher7790]

I love stories like this 👍

[@user-ri3ud9pc2c]

In the 1980s 1990s there used to be touring motorcycles events here. In a jar the remains of a brown snake minus head that a local bit off Live for a drunken bet. True. I met him. Lovely pub.

[@cheriemoulang2413]

You are now on my bucket list to visit

[@herbnalis3723]

Places like this are perfect retirement suburbs . No congestion, overcrowding, or high crime rates.

[@sundancer442]

I used to have a large block of land out there. Beautiful spot. :)

[@aprilsmith3683]

Gem of a tiny town story... 🇿🇦

[@glentomkins8044]

It makes a nice change to hear some good news about rural Australia. Go Mt Mary!

[@debbiesimmons3081]

I used to have a block at Morgan. Mt Mary pub food was the best.

[@CassTrashPuppy]

Love Mt Mary 😍

[@aussierheinhardt4390]

I could move there from brisbane. Seems nice to escape from the dense city into quiet town. Cos my health are not that good and i need a place for chillax. 😘😘😘😘😘

[@iamasmurf1122]

railway corporations in australia should be ashamed of themselves closing down a lot of rail

[@merellacurtis222]

Lovely

[@krazed0451]

It's only ever going to be locals who step in, the government doesn't act.

[@Robert-qi6mb]

A great little video.

[@kenward3058]

GO AUSTRALIA

[@lokesh303101]

Relaxed ☺️! Infrastructure is really important, Hybrid works, in the outbacks, could generate the demand.

[@christoering8139]

GOLD

[@henrygriffiths102]

Great spot east of here on the Murray river. Riverland SA

[@psychedelicprawncrumpets9479]

I feel bad for Karens that aren't Karens

[@cjames21]

These small towns are the real heart beat of Australia! The state governments and big city people have lost touch and simply aren’t Aussies any-longer but rather just people who could be in any large western city in the world

[@victorsamsung2921]

Went to White Cliffs in NSW many years ago. Had been living in Sydney. Agree with what you're saying as a consequence. I felt love, warmth and compassion in White Cliffs.

[@jasonhedley9435]

Good stuff

[@1969cmp]

Set up a gel balling skirmish facility, natural terrain, car wrecks, bunkers. They will come.

[@nothinyaseehere9449]

We tried that haha there’s a dirtbike park with multiple tracks just up the road and Morgan is a 15 20 minute drive

[@anonymouscitizen6165]

@1969cmp...that's a great idea make it post apocalyptic mad Max style or Zombie apocalypse style.

[@michaelfeast9869]

The op shop doesn't have Eftpos or Square for goodness sake.

[@bas4903]

What op shop has?

[@nothinyaseehere9449]

What’s square?

[@flamingarrow167]

Stay in the city then.

[@brettbrett9973]

How do you make a living ?

[@nothinyaseehere9449]

There’s businesses in nearby towns. The Barossa is only an hours drive