South Australia (Flinders Ranges)

Blinman
At the northern end of the Flinders Ranges National Park, Blinman was a thriving copper town between 1862 and 1830. Robert Blinman's discovery of the metal in 1859 built up high hopes for the future of the town that bears his name. Some old mine machinery, early buildings and an historic cemetery remain as a reminder of the town's history.
Attractions
  • THE NORTH BLINMAN HOTEL Built in 1869 it still retains much of the atmosphere of the early outback. An old miner's cottage, built in 1862, the Post Office (1862) and the Police Station (1874) are in the town's main street.
  • CHAMBERS GORGE East of Blinman, the rugged topography is broken by the placid rock pools of Chambers Gorge. There are good examples of Aboriginal rock carvings here.
  • NUCCALEENA Thirty kilometres from Blinman, this mine once promised to be the most productive in the northern Flinders Ranges. A number of substantial stone buildings appeared in 1860, most still stand. The first steam engine used in this area was brought to Nuccaleena. A devastating three-year drought ended the mine's operations in 1866.