Miners dugouts

 

 

A rapid influx of miners in mid 1840 saw an acute shortage of housing in the new township. The miners provided their own houses by digging into the soft clay banks of the Burra creek. By 1851 about 1800 people in a total population 4,400 lived in nearly 600 dugouts. Later that year three floods devastated "Creek street" with loss of many lives. By 1860 the area was deserted.

 

 

 

Unicorn brewery cellars built 1873 @ a time when there were 9 hotels in town & competed with an existing brewery. This is one of the many tunnels under the brewery.

Paxton cottages

The mine built these rows of cottages for the Cornish miners & their families. 3 rooms, packed dirt floor, garden & outhouse out the back. It housed 60 families. 3 rows of cottages on 3 streets overlooking a common

 

 

Malowen Lowarth cottage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Redruth Goal

Erected in 1856 it was the first goal in Sth Aust outside Adelaide. It housed 30 male & female prisoners. When it closed in 1897 it was renovated & opened as a Girls' reformatory & closed in 1922. It was also a family home to 2 families during this time.

 

Recognise this !!!! The film Breaker Morant was filmed here

 

 

 

 

 

Police Lockup & Stables

Police lockup & stables 1847. Erected @ rear of police station the cells were used as a temporary goal until Redruth goal was completed 1856

 

 

 

 

 

Thunder box !!!!!

 

 

Peek a boo!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Redruth courthouse 1857.

Burra Monster Mine (Copper)

The Monster mine as this mine became known, was the largest metal producing mine in Australia up until 1860. It had a large influence on the economy of the struggling colony of Sth Aust, producing 50,000 tonnes of copper metal between 1845 & 1877, when operations ceased.
Burra township has come up with a novel way for tourist to discover the historic township & all it has to offer by "Burra Passport", which allows you into the different places with a key.

 

 

 

 

Ore dressing tower & ore floor 1870. The dressing tower ws erected in 1870 to treat ore from the open-cut workings

 

 

 

 

Powder magazine 1847. Oldest remaining mine building in Aust. It was used to store gunpowder for blasting of the ore from the rock faces

 

 

 

Bob doing what boys "DO" peeing behind the sign !!!!

 

Peacocks chimney @ entrance to mine site built 1857

Burra near Clare Valley SA

Decided to go for a drive today & discover some more about the history of mining town Burra. Copper was discovered in 1845. Miners flocked from all parts of the world, most of them hailing from UK, especially Cornish & set about making the town a little piece of Cornwall & bringing with them their traditions (cornish pasties)!!

 

Windfarm on the road into Burra

 

Back drop on the stage in Burra Town hall

 

Historic display in town hall