Yudnamutana, South Australia
Encyclopedia
Yudnamutana is an historic mining valley in the Northern Flinders Ranges
, North West of Arkaroola
on the edge of the wilderness sanctuary. It is accessible by four-wheel drive
from the south. Ancient mining sites give the opportunity for ecologically responsible bush camping, but no supplies are available. Walks across the crests of the mountains deliver splendid views over the Flinders Ranges into the plains of the outback
. The northern pass hosts black rocks
of magnetite
.
tribe, of Indigenous Australians
prior to Europeans. They were stone age
hunter-gatherers and inhabited much of the area to the south.
style deposit. A copper deposit was found, in 1859, by A Frost and H Gleeson.
Yudnamutana was the site of an early South Australia
copper mine
. First mined in 1862, it reached fame in Adelaide
shortly after when a four tonne block of ore was paraded through the streets. A drought in 1869 forced the closure of the mine because not enough water was available for animals used for transport at the mine.
Another attempt was made at mining the site at the start of the 20th century, though this also closed by 1912. Transport was easier this time but ore still had to be drayed to the train line at Farina
, 100 km away. All that remains of this settlement are two large boilers, some mine shafts, some dugouts and the cimetery.
Flinders Ranges
Flinders Ranges is the largest mountain range in South Australia, which starts approximately north west of Adelaide. The discontinuous ranges stretch for over from Port Pirie to Lake Callabonna...
, North West of Arkaroola
Arkaroola, South Australia
Arkaroola Village is the settlement and resort at the hub of a wilderness sanctuary in the Northern Flinders Ranges in South Australia, adjacent to Gammon Ranges National Park and the Mawson Plateau....
on the edge of the wilderness sanctuary. It is accessible by four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
from the south. Ancient mining sites give the opportunity for ecologically responsible bush camping, but no supplies are available. Walks across the crests of the mountains deliver splendid views over the Flinders Ranges into the plains of the outback
Outback
The Outback is the vast, remote, arid area of Australia, term colloquially can refer to any lands outside the main urban areas. The term "the outback" is generally used to refer to locations that are comparatively more remote than those areas named "the bush".-Overview:The outback is home to a...
. The northern pass hosts black rocks
Black Rocks
See also Black Rocks The Black Rocks is a small outcrop of natural gritstone, in between Cromford and Wirksworth, situated in the Derbyshire Peak District , England...
of magnetite
Magnetite
Magnetite is a ferrimagnetic mineral with chemical formula Fe3O4, one of several iron oxides and a member of the spinel group. The chemical IUPAC name is iron oxide and the common chemical name is ferrous-ferric oxide. The formula for magnetite may also be written as FeO·Fe2O3, which is one part...
.
Indigenous people
This area was inhabited by the AdnyamathanhaAdnyamathanha
The Adnyamathanha or Adynyamathanha are an Indigenous Australian people from the Flinders Ranges, South Australia. Adnyamathanha is also the name of their traditional language....
tribe, of Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
prior to Europeans. They were stone age
Stone Age
The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
hunter-gatherers and inhabited much of the area to the south.
European settlement
This area was first settled by pastoralists in the 1850's but prospectors followed shortly after, hoping for another BurraBurra, South Australia
Burra is a pastoral centre and historic tourist town in the mid-north of South Australia. It lies east of the Clare Valley in the Bald Hills range, part of the northern Mount Lofty Ranges, and on Burra Creek. The town began as a single company mining township that, by 1851, was a set of townships ...
style deposit. A copper deposit was found, in 1859, by A Frost and H Gleeson.
Yudnamutana was the site of an early 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...
copper mine
Copper extraction
Copper extraction techniques refers to the methods for obtaining copper from its ores. This conversion consists of a series of chemical, physical, and electrochemical processes. Methods have evolved and vary with country depending on the ore source, local environmental regulations, and other...
. First mined in 1862, it reached fame in 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...
shortly after when a four tonne block of ore was paraded through the streets. A drought in 1869 forced the closure of the mine because not enough water was available for animals used for transport at the mine.
Another attempt was made at mining the site at the start of the 20th century, though this also closed by 1912. Transport was easier this time but ore still had to be drayed to the train line at Farina
Farina, South Australia
Farina is a town in the far north of South Australia. The mean annual rainfall is 163.6 mm, although it is highly variable. At the 2006 census, Farina had a population of 55....
, 100 km away. All that remains of this settlement are two large boilers, some mine shafts, some dugouts and the cimetery.