Kapunda

Kapunda is an Australian town of about 3,150 inhabitants situated 79 km away from Adelaide in South Australia on Light River. The city's name is inspired by the local Aborigines who named a source in the urban area cappie oonda. The town was founded in 1842 after the discovery of a rich copper deposit. Kapunda is also referred to as the oldest mining town in Australia.

History

Copper ore was mined in Kapunda 1842-1878. The ore-bearing vein with a copper content of 22.5 percent was one of the richest deposits ever found on Earth. Originally, the ore was mined with shovel and pickaxe and transported by oxen to Port Adelaide, where it was shipped to Swansea in Wales and smelted there. The ox - transporting two tons of ore to the ships took about six days. 1850 were reduced in month 100 tons of ore. Due to the copper mining, the city developed and about 1851 there were about 2000 people there. During this time the ore was not shipped, but copper produced locally in smelters that had been manufactured in Germany. 1852 was found in Victoria at Bendigo and Ballarat gold. This meant that many workers moved on and the mine orphaned. Only after three years returned to the miners and in 1857 returned to normal the mining operation.

Copper mining ended in 1878 and the mining equipment was sold the following year. The rich copper vein was exhausted, in addition came the discovery of a copper deposit near Burra with a four times larger deposits. The mining industry in Kapunda was true until 1912 continue to operate, but with little degradation quantities. In the mine a total of 12,800 tons of copper were mined.

Copper mining attracted people from Wales, Ireland and Germany. The miners and the workers engaged in the smelting came from England. The German immigrants beat the wood for firing the smelter and their wives set forth agricultural products and brought them to market. At the miners remembered today an eight-meter high statue, called Map Kernow. The name means in the Cornish dialect Son of Cornwall. Was unveiled the statue on June 5, 1988.

Close to the city there is an occurrence of marble, the Kapunda Marble, with dark blue to white texture. For this marble Parliament House was built in Adelaide.

Kapunda is known for its horse breeding, who founded the so-called Cattle King Sir Sidney Kidman. In the resort every year there will be a world famous horse sale week. To Kapunda mainly cereals are grown now. The place also is a center of the wine trade of the nearby wine-growing Barossa Valley.

Tourism

The place is located next to numerous historical buildings, the Kapunda Museum. The present museum building was since 1866 a church of Baptists, which was produced with the financial assistance of George Fife Angas and used until 1948. Until 1960, was located in the building an engineering school. Later, the Kapunda Museum moved into the building in which the story Kapundas is shown. It also contains a collection of historical record players and motorcycles.

The mining history of the site can be viewed by visiting the Mine Lookout and the copper smelter with fireplace at the abandoned copper mine. The Cottages, where the miners lived with their families, are still present.

Since 1976, the Kapunda Celtic Music Festival is held annually ..

In the town there are hotels, motels, guest houses, rates for Bed & Breakfast, Caravan parks, holiday homes and restaurants.

Pictures

Kapunda Institute and Soldiers' Hall of Honour

The abandoned open pit, which is a part of the Kapunda Museum

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