Historic SA tourist attraction Old Tailem Town is a hidden gem in plain sight

A pioneer village offering an authentic glimpse into the past has been described as one of SA’s greatest tourist attractions, but an under-appreciated hidden gem.

It’s the country’s biggest pioneer village providing a time capsule into South Australia’s past.

But Old Tailem Town is a place many locals have driven by without stopping.

That’s until now, with some start-studded reviews boosting traffic at the tourism attraction located just a few kilometres out of Tailem Bend on the Princes Hwy between Adelaide and Melbourne.

Last week, Andrew ‘Cosi’ Costello visited the hidden gem and put a call to arms out to his social media followers.

Cosi implored people who had been driving past the under-appreciated and overlooked village but never stopped to not keep making the same mistake.

“We need to get people back to Old Tailem Town so we don’t lose it,” he said.

Sunday Mail columnist Peter Goers visited in July and said he was “completely charmed” by Old Tailem Town.

He described it as “pristine as Disneyland but less phony”.

“It’s one of SA’s greatest tourist attractions and it needs your love,” Mr Goers wrote.

The man behind the village is 85-year-old Peter Squires.

Old Tailem Town has been a passion project for Mr Squires, who continues to keep the park open every day of the year, apart from Christmas.

The passionate history-lover hopes to continue to do so, despite a new personal battle.

Mr Squires started chemotherapy last week after learning he has cancer but has no immediate plans to slow down.

Peter Squires has seen a boost in visitors to Old Tailem Town after Andrew ‘Cosi’ Costello and Peter Goers promoted the site. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

It all started in 1982, on land inherited from his grandfather, when Mr Squires set about building his dream before he opened the doors to the public in 1987.

Mr Squires’ passion for the preservation of Australian history led him to recreating a glimpse into how life once was in Australia, collecting authentic old buildings from around the country.

Just metres back from the busy freeway and up on the rise overlooking the River Murray are 115 buildings spread across 15 streets in a recreation of an olden-day Australian town.

Some of the buildings are more than 100 years old and have stories of their own.

But many South Aussies have driven past Old Tailem Town without even knowing what was behind his fences.

Mr Squires started chemotherapy last week, but has no plans of slowing down. Peter Squries, Pic Roy VanDerVegt

Mr Squires said about 6000 schoolchildren visited each year but outside of the school trips, visitors were mainly interstate travellers and had often been scarce.

It’s a familiar tale Mr Squires hears; “I’ve been past so many times but have never stopped in”.

“I hardly see any South Australians,” he said.

However, Mr Squires said all that was changing with the recent attention bringing 100s of visitors through the gates.

Peter Goers described Old Tailem Town as a less phony version of Disneyland. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

For Mr Squires, it’s the people that do make the decision to give into their curiosity that makes staying open worth it.

“It’s a kaleidoscope of different people you get to meet coming past and I just enjoy engaging and sharing stories,” he said.

Old Tailem Town is open 9am until 4pm, seven days a week (not open Christmas Day).

Originally published as Historic SA tourist attraction Old Tailem Town is a hidden gem in plain sight