MOONTA - SOUTH AUSTRALIA - 5558 | ||||
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Population: 2,500, Height above sea level: 15m Latitude: 34.03.00 Longitude: 137.36.00 Location: 150km north west of Adelaide Highway: Off Highway 1 at Port Wakefield Nearest Major Town: Adelaide Nearest Airport: Adelaide Touring Area: Yorke Peninsula | <
The impressive Information Centre in Moonta. Download a free A4 map of Moonta. | |||
Originally known as Tiparra, Moonta is one of the Copper Triangle Towns on the Yorke Peninsula
just north of Adelaide. The region has a deep Cornish tradition due to the influx of Cornish
miners who went there last century to work in the mines. There are many historic
sites around the area, many of them preserved by the National trust. The copper deposits were discovered by a local shepherd, Paddy Ryan, in 1861. The Moonta Mining Company took over the find and his share paid over 2 million dollars in dividends for his discovery. Thousands of miners, including experienced Cornishmen, came to the area which was worked until the 1920s when low prices and rising labour costs saw the mines close. The town now services an agricultural region. There is an Interpretive Copper Mines Walk or Drive which visits many of the now historic sites including the Hughes Pump House, tailings dumps and mine offices. PLACES OF INTEREST: ACCOMMODATION & SERVICES: |