Moonta, South Australia
Encyclopedia
Moonta is a town located on the Yorke Peninsula
of South Australia
, 165 kilometres north-northwest of the state capital of Adelaide
. It is one of three towns known as the Copper Coast or "Little Cornwall" for their shared copper mining history.
It is about 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) southwest of Kadina
, site of the famous Wallaroo Mines, and 19 kilometres (11.8 mi) south of the port of Wallaroo
. At the 2006 census
, Moonta had a population of 3,350. There are several distinct localities or hamlets surrounding Moonta, including Moonta Mines, Yelta, North Yelta, Moonta Bay
, Port Hughes
and Simms Cove.
It is thought that the name "Moonta" is derived from Moontera, an (Indigenous) Narungga word meaning 'impenetrable scrub'.
was navigating the coastline of Southern Australia in 1802 he explored the coastline near Moonta. British settlers arrived in the Moonta area in the 1840's, as pastoralists, but there was no significant development until the 1860's, primarily because of the lack of water. The scrub in the area was difficult to penetrate (as testified by the town's name) so the first settlers had a hard time clearing the land.
Large and rich deposits of copper
were discovered at Moonta in 1861 by shepherds from Walter Watson Hughes
' sheep farm. This became a prosperous mine, named Wheal Hughes
, with other mines soon to follow. The town was laid out in 1863 and a horse drawn tramway to Wallaroo was established in 1863. Following advertising by the South Australian Government, Cornish
miners arrived in Moonta soon afterward. The mines at Moonta proved to be the richest mines in the whole of South Australia by 1917, exceeding the total wealth created by all other mines since 1836, the year of establishment of South Australia. The population of Moonta in 1875 was 12,000. The primary copper mining operations ceased in 1923, but smaller-scale operations recommenced in the area in the 1990s, and geological explorations continue.
location, above Goyder's Line
. Moonta is surrounded by mallee
scrub. The centre is located four kilometres inland and is 20 metres above sea level. Moonta has a dry Mediterranean climate with seasonal temperatures a few degrees above Adelaide
's temperatures. The temperature ranges are similar to those of Kadina
and the weather patterns are similar to those of both Kadina and Adelaide.
Following the demise of copper mining, the district successfully merged into dry-grain farming. Moonta's surrounds are used for growing barley
, wheat
and other crops such as legumes, canola
, chickpea
s and field peas. Barley from the region is considered to be some of the best in the world.
miners' cottages and churches, giving the town a historical feel. There are several eateries in the town centre, as well as at Moonta Bay.
The nearby locations of Moonta Bay, Port Hughes and Sims Cove are on the foreshore and are rapidly developing. They are extremely popular locations for retirement. The beaches, with fine white sand, are popular with recreational anglers and sailboarders. The natural state of the coast has largely been retained.
Tourism is a significant local industry, focussing on the availability of beachside accommodation- including several caravan parks and a motel.
North Yelta is an old mining village just north of Moonta. Like Moonta, it has an historic ambience.
Moonta also contains the Wheal Hughes Tourist Mine at the site of Wheal Hughes
, the Moonta Heritage Site, the Moonta School of Mines and a folk museum.
The popular three-day Kernewek Lowender
Cornish festival is held every odd year in May in the Copper Triangle towns, where each of the three towns hosts the festival for one day.
governs Moonta at the municipal level. Moonta lies in the state electoral district of Goyder
and the federal electoral Division of Grey
.
Yorke Peninsula
The Yorke Peninsula is a peninsula located north-west and west of Adelaide in South Australia, Australia, between Spencer Gulf on the west and Gulf St Vincent on the east. It has geographic coordinates of...
of South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, 165 kilometres north-northwest of the state capital of Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
. It is one of three towns known as the Copper Coast or "Little Cornwall" for their shared copper mining history.
It is about 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) southwest of Kadina
Kadina, South Australia
Kadina is a town located on the Yorke Peninsula of South Australia, approximately 144 kilometres north-northwest of the state capital of Adelaide. The largest town of the Peninsula, Kadina is one of the three Copper Triangle towns famous for their shared copper mining history...
, site of the famous Wallaroo Mines, and 19 kilometres (11.8 mi) south of the port of Wallaroo
Wallaroo, South Australia
Wallaroo is a port town on the western side of Yorke Peninsula in South Australia, 160 kilometres north-northwest of Adelaide. It is one of the three Copper Triangle towns famed for their historic shared copper mining industry, and known together as "Little Cornwall", the other two being Kadina ...
. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Moonta had a population of 3,350. There are several distinct localities or hamlets surrounding Moonta, including Moonta Mines, Yelta, North Yelta, Moonta Bay
Moonta Bay, South Australia
Moonta Bay is located in the Copper Coast region of Northern Yorke Peninsula South Australia, adjacent to the historic town of Moonta and Port Hughes. At the 2006 census, Moonta Bay had a population of 2,042....
, Port Hughes
Port Hughes, South Australia
Port Hughes is a small coastal town in the Copper Coast region of South Australia on Northern Yorke Peninsula. It is considered a satellite town of Moonta which is located directly to the east of Port Hughes...
and Simms Cove.
It is thought that the name "Moonta" is derived from Moontera, an (Indigenous) Narungga word meaning 'impenetrable scrub'.
History
Prior to European settlement, the Moonta area was occupied by an indigenous community known as the Narungga. When Matthew FlindersMatthew Flinders
Captain Matthew Flinders RN was one of the most successful navigators and cartographers of his age. In a career that spanned just over twenty years, he sailed with Captain William Bligh, circumnavigated Australia and encouraged the use of that name for the continent, which had previously been...
was navigating the coastline of Southern Australia in 1802 he explored the coastline near Moonta. British settlers arrived in the Moonta area in the 1840's, as pastoralists, but there was no significant development until the 1860's, primarily because of the lack of water. The scrub in the area was difficult to penetrate (as testified by the town's name) so the first settlers had a hard time clearing the land.
Large and rich deposits of copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
were discovered at Moonta in 1861 by shepherds from Walter Watson Hughes
Walter Watson Hughes
Sir Walter Watson Hughes was a pastoralist, public benefactor and founder of the University of Adelaide, South Australia.-Early life:...
' sheep farm. This became a prosperous mine, named Wheal Hughes
Wheal Hughes
Wheal Hughes was a copper mine in the 19th century, but is now a tourist attraction in Moonta, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia.The mine is named after Walter Watson Hughes a Scottish sea captain who had emigrated to South Australia in 1840...
, with other mines soon to follow. The town was laid out in 1863 and a horse drawn tramway to Wallaroo was established in 1863. Following advertising by the South Australian Government, Cornish
Cornish people
The Cornish are a people associated with Cornwall, a county and Duchy in the south-west of the United Kingdom that is seen in some respects as distinct from England, having more in common with the other Celtic parts of the United Kingdom such as Wales, as well as with other Celtic nations in Europe...
miners arrived in Moonta soon afterward. The mines at Moonta proved to be the richest mines in the whole of South Australia by 1917, exceeding the total wealth created by all other mines since 1836, the year of establishment of South Australia. The population of Moonta in 1875 was 12,000. The primary copper mining operations ceased in 1923, but smaller-scale operations recommenced in the area in the 1990s, and geological explorations continue.
Geography and climate
Moonta exists in a semi-aridSemi-arid
A semi-arid climate or steppe climate describes climatic regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not extremely...
location, above Goyder's Line
Goyder's Line
Goyder's Line is a boundary line across South Australia corresponding to a rainfall boundary believed to indicate the edge of the area suitable for agriculture. North of Goyder's Line, the rainfall is not reliable enough, and the land is only suitable for grazing and not cropping. The line traces a...
. Moonta is surrounded by mallee
Mallee Woodlands and Shrublands
Mallee Woodlands and Shrublands is a Major Vegetation Group which occurs in semi-arid areas of southern Australia. The vegetation is dominated by mallee eucalypts which are rarely over 6 metres high...
scrub. The centre is located four kilometres inland and is 20 metres above sea level. Moonta has a dry Mediterranean climate with seasonal temperatures a few degrees above Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
's temperatures. The temperature ranges are similar to those of Kadina
Kadina, South Australia
Kadina is a town located on the Yorke Peninsula of South Australia, approximately 144 kilometres north-northwest of the state capital of Adelaide. The largest town of the Peninsula, Kadina is one of the three Copper Triangle towns famous for their shared copper mining history...
and the weather patterns are similar to those of both Kadina and Adelaide.
Following the demise of copper mining, the district successfully merged into dry-grain farming. Moonta's surrounds are used for growing barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
, wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
and other crops such as legumes, canola
Canola
Canola refers to a cultivar of either Rapeseed or Field Mustard . Its seeds are used to produce edible oil suitable for consumption by humans and livestock. The oil is also suitable for use as biodiesel.Originally, Canola was bred naturally from rapeseed in Canada by Keith Downey and Baldur R...
, chickpea
Chickpea
The chickpea is a legume of the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae...
s and field peas. Barley from the region is considered to be some of the best in the world.
Economy
Moonta, the town centre, consists of old limestoneLimestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
miners' cottages and churches, giving the town a historical feel. There are several eateries in the town centre, as well as at Moonta Bay.
The nearby locations of Moonta Bay, Port Hughes and Sims Cove are on the foreshore and are rapidly developing. They are extremely popular locations for retirement. The beaches, with fine white sand, are popular with recreational anglers and sailboarders. The natural state of the coast has largely been retained.
Tourism is a significant local industry, focussing on the availability of beachside accommodation- including several caravan parks and a motel.
North Yelta is an old mining village just north of Moonta. Like Moonta, it has an historic ambience.
Moonta also contains the Wheal Hughes Tourist Mine at the site of Wheal Hughes
Wheal Hughes
Wheal Hughes was a copper mine in the 19th century, but is now a tourist attraction in Moonta, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia.The mine is named after Walter Watson Hughes a Scottish sea captain who had emigrated to South Australia in 1840...
, the Moonta Heritage Site, the Moonta School of Mines and a folk museum.
The popular three-day Kernewek Lowender
Kernewek Lowender
The Kernewek Lowender is a Cornish-themed biennial festival held in the Copper Coast towns ofKadina, Moonta and Wallaroo on Yorke Peninsula, South Australia....
Cornish festival is held every odd year in May in the Copper Triangle towns, where each of the three towns hosts the festival for one day.
Governance
The District Council of the Copper CoastDistrict Council of the Copper Coast
The District Council of the Copper Coast is a local government area in South Australia located in the Copper Coast region of the Yorke Peninsula....
governs Moonta at the municipal level. Moonta lies in the state electoral district of Goyder
Electoral district of Goyder
Goyder is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is a 10,406.4 km² rural electorate based around the Yorke Peninsula and taking in the towns of Ardrossan, Bute, Corny Point, Edithburgh, Maitland, Minlaton, Moonta, Owen, Port Wakefield,...
and the federal electoral Division of Grey
Division of Grey
The Division of Grey is an Australian Electoral Division in South Australia.The division was created in 1903 and is named for Sir George Grey, who was Governor of South Australia 1841-45 ....
.
See also
- Copper CoastCopper Coast*This article is about a region in Australia. For coast of County Waterford, Ireland, see Copper Coast .Copper Coast is a region of South Australia situated in Northern Yorke Peninsula and comprising the towns of Wallaroo, Kadina, Moonta, Paskeville and Port Hughes. The area approximately bounded...
- Cornish emigrationCornish emigrationThe Cornish diaspora consists of Cornish people and their descendants who emigrated from Cornwall. The diaspora is found in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa and Brazil....
- Wheal HughesWheal HughesWheal Hughes was a copper mine in the 19th century, but is now a tourist attraction in Moonta, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia.The mine is named after Walter Watson Hughes a Scottish sea captain who had emigrated to South Australia in 1840...
- Kernewek LowenderKernewek LowenderThe Kernewek Lowender is a Cornish-themed biennial festival held in the Copper Coast towns ofKadina, Moonta and Wallaroo on Yorke Peninsula, South Australia....
- Swanky beer