Port Pirie, city in southern Australia, in the state of South Australia, lying near the northern end of Spencer Gulf, an arm of the Indian Ocean. Port Pirie is southeast of Port Augusta and northwest of Adelaide. The city has been a major port and industrial center since about 1900. It processes and exports lead ore from the extensive Broken Hill reserves of New South Wales, as well as rare oxides and precious metals such as gold and silver. Port Pirie has chemical industries and is the outlet for grain from the agricultural area north of the city. A major railway and coastal highway connect Port Pirie with the rest of Australia. Telowie Gorge and Mount Remarkable National Park are nearby. The city was founded in the 1870s and designated a municipality in 1876. In 1953 it became a provincial city. Population (1996) 13,633.
