Burra, South Australia European colonisation of South Australia began with the founding of the South Australia Company. A brave initiative to build a colony with young families of tradespeople, rather than convict labour. The first of these new settlers arrived … Continue reading The Places we Love – Mines, Wines & Saltbush Lamb
Day 4 Wednesday 14/8/2024 Moorook to Peterborough, 24.5 It wasn’t at all cold last night and we wake to a glorious morning with the rising sun peeking through the trees. The Murray is calm and the pelicans are swimming. Purple … Continue reading Flinders Ranges – Ants in our pants
April 2024 I recently read an article by someone complaining about the boredom of retirement and no longer having the chance to learn new things. If you are a regular reader of this blog, you’ll know that this really got … Continue reading Getting an Education – Mining & Geology – Uranium, Copper, Iron Ore & Coal
Across the street from our caravan park in Burra is the last remnant of the old Unicorn Brewery, its vast underground cellars. There is little to see above ground but a few ventilation shafts, but underneath one can only imagine what it must have been like when in full operation. Continue reading Unicorn Brewery
The Burra Passport Tour is a wonderful concept and being able to pick and choose what historical sites to visit is a big plus. Up on the hill behind Redruth there is a small village of stone ruins known as … Continue reading Burra Passport Tour – Hampton Village
Guidebook in hand and still engrossed in the history of Burra we stop outside Smelter’s Home Hotel which for a time was operated by Woody’s ancestors in the nineteenth century. A tradesman pops out and suggests that we should meet the owner. Val is a charming lady who knows the history of the pub and of all its publicans. It is Australia’s oldest unrenovated hotel. In the early days when there was a death in the district the pub was used as a mortuary, which has to be better than using the butcher shop. Back when the miner’s dugouts in … Continue reading Burra Passport Tour – Smelter’s Home Hotel
Continuing our informative Passport Touring of Burra I’m intrigued by the stonework of the Redruth lockup. We find its replacement, the more austere Redruth gaol to be quite unnerving. You know that feeling when the hairs go up on the … Continue reading Burra Passport Tour – The Gaols
Continuing our tour of Burra: In the heart of Burra township hobbit like miner’s dugouts pock the walls of the Burra Creek. When the copper mine was in operation and not enough housing available this was known as Creek Street … Continue reading Burra Passport Tour – Miner’s Dugouts
Burra is a Hindu name meaning Great and the creek was originally known as Burra Burra Creek. When copper was discovered ‘company’ housing was built for miners and additional land was opened for purchase thus The Burra as it was … Continue reading Burra Passport Tour – Copper Mine
In historic Burra, SA our caravans back onto the Burra creek in the little caravan park. Ducks wander the park and swim noisily about in the creek below. A small bridge leads to the heart of this charming heritage town with its vine clad verandas and flagstone footpaths. Perhaps we’re biased as Woody’s ancestors settled here back in the 1850’s but we can almost sense their presence, it is a town that is easy to be captivated by. The Caravan Park manager is a bit of a character and he tells us where to park our vans and asks us … Continue reading The pub?
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