What is Moonta famous for?

Published by Anaya Cole on

What is Moonta famous for?

Apart from contributing to an economic explosion, the immigrants brought us Cornish architecture and the delicious Cornish pasties. Today, one of the things Moonta is most famous for is its Cornish pasties which can be found at the local bakeries and cafes.

What does Moonta mean in Aboriginal?

impenetrable scrub
The name “Moonta” is reportedly derived from munta-muntara or moontera, an Aboriginal word for “thick scrub place” or “impenetrable scrub”.

What did they mine in Moonta?

2 years later in 1861, a shepherd noticed copper traces on a wombat burrow, leading to the establishment of the Moonta Mining Company, which became one of the richest copper mines in Australia.

Who discovered copper in Moonta?

Patrick Ryan
Copper was discovered at Moonta in 1861 by a shepherd, Patrick Ryan, working for Captain WW Hughes. By 1876 dividends on the rich Moonta Mine totalled 100 million pounds – the first Australian mine to reach this figure. By this time Moonta was the largest town in country South Australia, with a population of 12,000.

Why was the Moonta Mines Museum built?

The Moonta Branch of National Trust SA was established in 1964 to preserve the local mining history, buildings and artifacts and to conserve the heritage listed Moonta Mines area for future generations.

When did Moonta mines close?

1923
The mine finally closed in 1923, after which the Moonta Mines locality sharply declined, although the cementation works continued in use until 1943. The Moonta Mines State Heritage Area was declared in 1984.

When was the Moonta Mines Museum built?

1878
The Moonta Mines Museum The museum is located in the former Moonta Mines Model School, built in 1878. The school remained an active and important centre for the Moonta Mines community for ninety years and closed in 1968.

Why is it called the Copper Coast?

The area is so named because copper was mined from there in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a significant source of economic prosperity for South Australia at the time. These three towns are known for their large Cornish ethnicity, often called “Little Cornwall”.

Who discovered copper in South Australia?

South Australia has a rich history of copper mining, dating back to the 1840s when Cornish miners and their families poured into hubs such as Burra, Kapunda and Moonta to partake in the copper boom. Salomae Haselgrove investigates what’s ahead.

Which town is the copper?

Copper was named for the copper mining in the region, including at the Blue Ledge mine just over the state line in California. The town had a post office from 1924 until 1932. The elevation of Copper is 1,949 feet….

Copper, Jackson County, Oregon
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GNIS feature ID 1140097

What is the population of the Copper Coast?

The local government areas of Copper Coast, Barunga West and Yorke Peninsula span the 250 km length of the Peninsula, with a population of 28,400 people. Almost half the population live in the closely-situated Copper Coast towns of Kadina, Wallaroo and Moonta. Kadina (pop.

Is Moonta Australia’s Little Cornwall?

Moonta likes to promote itself as ‘Australia’s Little Cornwall’ which is why it claims that its Cornish pasties are the best; its museum is a celebration of Cornish culture in Australia; it is the largest centre for the famous biennial Kernewek Lowender Cornish Festival; and its remarkable Wesleyan Church can hold a congregation of 1,250.

Who were the first miners at Moonta?

The first miners at Moonta were Comishmen, who used methods developed in Cornwall over several centuries. Cornish miners were recruited from Burra Burra, Kapunda, the Victorian Goldfields and from Cornwall to work in the mines.

Where is the Moonta railway station?

The Moonta Railway Station, located off the Spencer Highway at the eastern end of town, now serves as the Moonta Tourist Office. The town’s first railway station was built in 1878.

When was the Moonta Mines Uniting Church built?

The Moonta Mines Uniting Church was built in 1865 and is still in regular use. It has the largest seating capacity of any church outside of Adelaide. The Company was initially known as the Tiparra Mining Company but later changed to the Moonta Mining Company and was financed with a loan of £80,000 from Elder Smith & Co Ltd.