South Australia (Clare Valley)
Burra
Copper was discovered around Burra in 1845, and soon a bustling town had grown around the site. The Burra, as it was known, consisted of a series of small townships based around the nationalities of the miners who lived there. Kooringa and Redruth were Cornish, Aberdeen- Scottish, Llywchwr- Welsh and Hampton- English. Although the mines were spent in little more than thirty years, the character of Burra remains intact thanks to a caring community. While the town economy is today based on the pastoral industry especially merino sheep farming, the copper heritage is evident everywhere.
Several museums interpret the old mines site, and numerous historic residential and public buildings have been restored and put to contemporary use. Burra's Passport system is an inviting and novel way to see the town's many attractions - simply collect your key from the Burra Tourist Office, and head off at your own pace on an eleven kilometre tour of heritage buildings, museums, mine shafts and lookouts.

Attractions
  • THE BURRA MINE AND ENGINE HOUSE MUSEUM This extensive archaeological site offers visitors an excellent opportunity to view the remains of Australia's earliest mining phase. Its features include the world's only reconstructed Cornish engine house, an excavated tunnel with access to the pumping shaft, walking trails and lookouts, an 1884 powder magazine and ore dressing tower. Morpheu's Enginehouse has a comprehensive display on beam engines and engine houses.
  • THE BURRA MINE AND ENGINEHOUSE MUSEUM This extensive archaeological site offers visitors an excellent opportunity to view the remains of Australia's earliest mining phase. Its features include the world's only reconstructed Cornish engine house, an excavated tunnel with access to the pumping shaft, walking trails and lookouts, an 1884 powder magazine and ore dressing tower. Morpheu's Enginehouse has a comprehensive display on beam engines and engine houses.
  • MINERS' DUGOUTS In the 1840s, as many as 2000 miners and their families lived in these dugouts along the river bed. Although floods drove many out and into homes built by the mine company, some miners remained in the dugouts rather than pay rent. Eventually the mining companies refused to employ workers who lived in the dugouts. For access, a key can be obtained from the Burra Tourist Office.