Kapunda Heritage Trail: Ron strolls the trail in the Mid North region of South Australia
The rolling farming country of the mid north was made famous by one of South Australia's most famous sons, the late great author Colin Thiele. There was no "sun on the stubble" the day we visited - just sweeping vistas of newly sown cropping country.
And every so often, a scar on the land - but this scar eventually helped heal a desperately sick colony.
Kapunda was the first really significant metal mine in Australia. It operated from 1844 to 1879 and while it may not have been the biggest mine in Australia, it was certainly one of the most productive. They say the ore that came out of here was of exceptional quality and the discovery was made at a crucial time in South Australian history.
Located an hour's drive northeast of Adelaide, the Kapunda Copper mine hauled South Australia back from the brink of bankruptcy and helped finance the construction of some of the most impressive buildings in the State. And it's inside the Thomson Building in Main Street that Kapunda's story comes to life.
The exhibition in the Visitor Centre about Kapunda's history includes many of the town's characters like wealthy pastoralist Frederic Dutton, who built impressive Anlaby Homestead on the outskirts of town. And Sir Sydney Kidman, the cattle baron whose saddle bags take pride of place in the underground interpretive centre. But to truly understand this town's impressive past you need to hit the road on the Kapunda Heritage Trail. It takes in many of the landmark buildings, which prove this place really hit pay dirt.
Jaci Thorne, Visitor Centre: "In the 1860s and 70s it was at its peak with about 10,000 people and to put that into perspective, there's about two and a half thousand people in the township today. So back then there were 10,000 people and that's around the time that both these buildings were also built."
The old Baptist Church is one of the treasures of Kapunda and so too is Bob Tilbrook, one of the volunteers working in what is now the town's museum.
Bob Tilbrook, Volunteer: "Originally this was the church primary school. You've got to realise there was no regular departmental schools. This was a private school and there would have been 4 classrooms in here."
The hard-earned proceeds from the Kapunda copper mine also meant the locals had a few bob to spend on much needed creature comforts. With increased retail spending came innovative ways to keep the money and the orders moving around the stores which were established by the old Eudunda Farmers' Cooperative. That included the flying foxes that were used to send the money to the cashier in another part of the store. There's a working model in the museum
Another of the museum's prized possessions is Bagot's Cup. Made of stirling silver, it immortalises a copper mine, which pumped much needed money back into the colony of South Australia. It was given to Charles Harvey Bagot on his retirement and departure back to England. Bagot and another landowner Frederick Dutton played crucial roles in transforming this part of country South Australia
Bob Tilbrook, Volunteer: "They were both landowners in the vicinity and were the first to find the copper. They kept it quiet until they purchased 80 acres of land where the mine was originally sited. Then they joined forces and within two years they were mining."
Today the mine site - the miners' cottage in nearby Pug Town and the more grandiose buildings which owe their very existence to South Australia's very first mining boom - are all part of the Kapunda Heritage Trail. Trail maps can be obtained from the Visitor Information Centre in Main Street.
Kapunda Heritage Trail
Heritage Maps
Kapunda Visitor Centre
Main StreetPublished 9th August 2009
