On our trip south from the Flinders Ranges we decided to stop and spend three days here and explore the town and its surrounding area.
We camped at the showground for $15 per night. This fee included power, water and a dump point and was located just 2 km north of town.
It was the first surveyed mining town in Australia, and by 1851, it was Australia's largest inland town thanks to the discovery of the largest copper deposit in the world.
Many of its historic buildings are still intact giving the visitor a window to the past.
The information centre as a heritage passport. It cost us $50 with our senior concessions along with a refundable $50 for a key that gives access to eight locked sites. Included is a booklet which lists another 38 sites around town. It took us two full days to cover all the sites listed.
The open cut mine produced 50,000 tonnes of copper which in the early years was transported to Port Adelaide, before being shipped to Wales for smelting and refining. In 1894 smelters were built near Burra to save on the huge transport costs.
Some of the sites which require the passport and key include:
With the influx of people and the lack of accommodation, the Miners Dugouts were dug into the banks of Burra Creek and it was estimated that around 600 were dug. A flood devastated the area and by 1860 they were virtually deserted.
The Police Lockup and Stables were erected in 1847, with the cells used until the Redruth Gaol was built in 1856.
Redruth Gaol was built in 1856 and housed 30 prisoners both male and female but then it was renovated after the prisoners were moved to another gaol and reopened to house girls and finally closing in 1922.
The 1997 film, Breaker Morant was filmed here.
Located in Paxton Square, the row of 33 cottages were built from 1849 onwards. Malowen Lowarth Cottage has been furnished in the period.
Unicorn Brewery Cellars were built in 1873 and operated until 1902.
Hampton Township built from 1857 housed up to 30 miners cottages. The township also contained quarries which supplied the stone for many of the buildings in Burra. It was finally abandoned in the 1960s.
The town caters for travellers with many cafes and restaurants. We enjoyed a lovely Sunday lunch at La Pecora Nera (The Black Sheep) and can highly recommend their wood-fired pizzas.
On the outskirts of town, this old homestead was used as the cover on the Midnight Oils
"Diesel and Dust" album cover....
Very interesting, we will have to put that into the visit one day list 👍
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