Pasminco Tours at Port Pirie: In the Mid North region of South Australia

There's no escaping the Pasminco lead smelter's role as the economic mainstay of Port Pirie. The enormous grey smokestack towers 250 metres above the city. That's more than the length of Footy Park - and Mark Bickley should know - he got his first job there. He started as an apprentice electrician when he left school.

Mark admits it's still an impressive place to walk into. The stokers shoving molten lead along a channel in the blast furnace is an awesome sight.

The lead and zinc smelter, the biggest in the world, covers 100 hectares and employs about 700, operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The lead and zinc industry began in 1883 when the rich deposits of lead, zinc and silver were discovered at Broken Hill. And luckily for the locals, Pirie was the closest seaport. The rest is history.

Now, everyone can get a closer look at the smelter because Pasminco runs weekly bus tours of the plant. They're held every Wednesday and begin at the Port Pirie Tourism and Arts Centre. Call 1800 000 424 to book.

Pasminco Smelter Tours
Contact Port Pirie Regional Tourism & Arts Centre,
3 Mary Elie St,
Port Pirie.

Bookings 1800 000424