The Mt Marley access road is now doing double duty. As well as its usual service as a sealed road that takes people up a steep hill to the well known viewing area above the town, it has officially become the keeper of a rather antique name that has a fundamental place in the history of Stanthorpe.
In a low key but important moment in the history of Stanthorpe last week (22 February), some councillors and council staff gathered to see the erection of a signpost that gives the access road a new name. Well, a new name that is actually an old name, to be precise.
Local history buff Jim Barnes was there to talk about some of the history of the area. Stanthorpe, named after ‘Stannum’ tin and ‘thorpe’ town, was originally a private township called Stannum. But the latter-day town has been without the tin-inspired name in a street title since the original Stannum Street was subsumed into another name celebrating Stanthorpe’s past, Davadi Street, when the road fronting the railway station and running from Lock Street to Folkestone was extended to High Street.
The decision to give the access road the historic name was made during the 150th anniversary of Stanthorpe last year. As Stanthorpe owes its existence to the discovery of tin and the resulting tin rush in 1872, it was fitting that the Latin word for tin be resurrected to commemorate the 150-year landmark.
Stannum Drive, as it is now to be known, is close to the eastern boundary of the original private township of Stannum and is also close to Kettle Swamp Creek, which was the site of extensive tin mining.
