Regional Profile

The Port Pirie region includes the city of Port Pirie which is located 225 km north of Adelaide on Spencer Gulf. The region covered by the Southern Flinders Ranges Development Board extends to Wilmington in the north and to Yacka southwards.

Other rural townships in the region include Melrose, Wirrabara, Laura, Booleroo Centre, Gladstone, Crystal Brook and Redhill.

The economy of the region is largely based on agriculture and resource processing. These key economic drivers are supported by a range of service industries. Port Pirie and to a lesser extent the rural townships within the region provide retail, commercial and community services for a population of about 23,400.

Zinifex Port Pirie Smelter is the largest lead smelter in the world and also produces significant volumes of zinc, silver, copper and gold. Value of production at the Port Pirie Smelter is around $280 million per year of which $70M is exported. Production has increased slightly through the 1990s, however, the direct labour force employed by Pasminco has fallen from 1,330 in 1990 to 690 in 2006.

A significant industrial service sector has grown to service the smelter and other resource industries within northern South Australia. About 130 people are employed in engineering workshops. Other trade based services, transport companies, suppliers, construction firms and labour supply contractors derive a significant proportion of their revenue from the industrial sector.

Agriculture remains the most significant economic activity outside the city of Port Pirie. Cereal grains, grain legumes and emerging crops such as canola are the principal commodities produced.

Sheep for wool, prime lambs and beef cattle represent the major livestock activities. Value of agricultural production varies significantly due to climatic conditions and global terms of trade, however, the region produces commodities worth around $100 million each year.

While tradition cropping and livestock systems remain dominant features of agriculture there is evidence of diversity within the rural sector. Intensive land use activities such as olive production and viticulture are emerging.

Small scale feed lotting of beef cattle exists and dairy farming is evident within the higher rainfall areas associated with the Southern Flinders Ranges and Northern Mount Lofty Ranges.

The Wirrabara district supports a commercial plantation pine forest with associated timber milling. Commercial fisheries continue in the Spencer Gulf albeit at a lower scale in catch tonnage and employment terms.

A viable agribusiness sector is spread across rural townships in the region. Firms supplying fertilisers, farm chemicals, plant and equipment are key employers in smaller towns. A number of light engineers and agricultural machinery manufacturers add to the significance of the agribusiness sector.

Value added agricultural commodity processing is a significant feature of the Port Pirie regional economy. An export abattoir located in Port Pirie and dairy processing facilities at Laura and Port Pirie are the largest employers in this sector.

Timber milling, country slaughterhouses and seafood processing provide additional employment at a small scale. Retail, wholesale and personal services represent about 25% of employment within the region and reflects the importance of this sector in providing services and employment. This sector has exhibited steady growth since the early 1990's with a high proportion of services and employment based in the regional centre of Port Pirie.

Tourism is an emerging industry, however, there is evidence that this sector is underdeveloped given the natural attributes of the Southern Flinders Ranges, Spencer Gulf and the historical and cultural assets found in Port Pirie and surrounding rural towns. The tourism industry is typified by underdeveloped raw product and small tourism enterprises which struggle to develop sufficient market exposure to ensure commercial sustainability.

The population of Port Pirie represents about 61% of the region. Regional population has declined slowly since the 1970s and continues to decline at a rate of around 0.5% per year. The region has slightly less people aged between 20 and 45 compared to the rest of the state. This feature illustrates a trend of out-migration of younger and middle aged residents pursuing higher education and career opportunities.

Employment levels in the region are relatively stable, however, increasing participation rates have seen chronic levels of unemployment persist in the region. A trend away from full time employment to part time employment is a feature of the labour market which is shared with other regions throughout the state. The city of Port Pirie had the highest rate of unemployment among the six regional cities in South Australia at 18.7% in 1996. The unemployment rate for the region was 11.4% in 1996 which was the second highest of the 13 regions in South Australia. The Unemployment rate is currently 6.1%, an all time low.

The future of the Port Pirie regional economy continues to be linked to the fortunes of two dominant drivers, namely, agriculture and minerals processing. While there has been some growth within emerging sectors in recent years, the economy remains narrowly based. Agriculture and minerals processing have continued to provide new investment and productivity improvements, however, these industries are mature and the likelihood of new employment growth is unlikely in the medium to long term.

Tourism & Arts Centre

Loading Wheat

Unspoilt Bushland

Beetaloo Reservoir

Thriving Retail, Port Pirie

Wheat Silos, Port Pirie

Spencer Gulf Sunset