Peter Squires fears Old Tailem Town will close without heritage protection

Peter Squires, 85, fears his pioneer village will be lost after he goes but an SA TV icon has offered to help preserve it.

Peter Squires, the 85-year-old owner of SA’s iconic Old Tailem Town, is pleading with the state government for help to ensure his life’s work stays open once he passes.

Mr Squires, who is currently battling cancer, has been building the town since 1982, collecting large artefacts from “olden Australian times” and his efforts have turned the old family farm into a town with 115 authentic buildings on 15 streets.

Peter Squires of Old Tailem Town Pioneer Village hopes to get the site heritage listed to ensure it remains part of South Australia once he passes away. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

However, he is worried it will all disappear when he dies and wants a commitment from the government to keep it open and protect it with a heritage listing before that happens.

“I believe that the land Tailem Town is built on should be protected as a historical site,” Mr Squires said.

“I really want the government to get serious and make the decision to recognise how valuable the site is because Tailem Town truly is valuable.”

Peter Squires Creator of Old Tailem Town Pioneer Village has seen a boost in visitors after media personalities Andrew ‘Cosi’ Costello and Peter Goers promoted the attraction. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

The site contains 115 buildings on 15 streets. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

Andrew ‘Cosi’ Costello – an SA icon himself – has recently visited Old Tailem Town to get more people through the doors and has offered to help Mr Squires through the red tape of getting the site heritage listed.

“Old Tailem Town needs the support of this state,” Cosi said.

“The town is essentially a library of our state’s history.

“Surely it’s worth preserving and best of all, all the work has been done.

“Pete, over the last few decades, has set everything up, but at 85 years old he now needs a bit of a hand to keep it preserved for years to come.”

Saturday 30th September Creator Peter Squires of Old Tailem Town Pioneer Village has seen a boost in visitors. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

A Heritage of SA spokesman said a nomination for heritage listing needed to be discussed with a heritage assessment officer before making a submission.

“Nominations are assessed against seven heritage criteria … a place must meet at least one of those criteria to be provisionally entered by the SA Heritage Council on the SA Heritage Register,” the spokesman said.