Page 369 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

THE Y ORKE AND EY RE PENINSULAS  367

Originally proclaimed in 1872,
it is now the service centre for
the surrounding community.
The pretty town, laid out on
a classic grid pattern, retains
many fine examples of colonial
architecture, including the
Maitland Hotel, built in 1874,
and the 1875 St Bartholomew’s
Catholic Church.
The CYP National Trust
Museum has an agricultural and
folk collection housed in four
buildings and focuses on the
region’s history and development. The original general cargo shed, which now houses the Maritime Museum, Port Victoria
E CYP National Trust Museum When mining finished, the port The Farm Shed Museum and
Cnr Gardiner & Kilkerran terraces. was important for agricultural Tourism Centre has interesting
Tel (08) 8832 2220. Open 2–4pm Sun, exports. The Wallaroo Heritage displays on mining and folk
public & school hols. Closed Good Fri, and Nautical Museum is in history of the area.
25 Dec. & 7 the old post office.
Moonta, once home to E Wallaroo Heritage and
Australia’s richest copper mine, Nautical Museum
contains a group of sites and Jetty Rd. Tel (08) 8823 3015.
Open 10am–4pm daily.
buildings in the Moonta Mines Closed 25 Dec. & 7
State Heritage Area. The 1870
Miner’s Cottage is a restored P Moonta Tourist Office
wattle and daub cottage. The Verran Terrace. Tel (08) 8825
history museum is in the old 1891. Open 9am–5pm daily.
Moonta Mines Model School. Closed 25 Dec. & 7
Also of interest is the Moonta E Farm Shed Museum and
Mines Railway, a restored light­ Tourism Centre
gauge locomotive. 50 Moonta Rd. Tel (08) 8821 2333.
Kadina, where copper was Open 9am–5pm Mon–Fri, 10am–
originally found, is the Yorke 4pm Sat & Sun. Closed Good Fri,
Peninsula’s largest town. 25 Dec. & 7

Fishing and Diving on the Yorke Peninsula
Miners’ cottages at Moonta Mines,
Little Cornwall There are fantastic opportunities for on­ and offshore fishing and
diving in the waters off the Yorke Peninsula. Many of the coastal
5Little Cornwall towns have jetties used by keen amateur fishermen, and around
Edithburgh anglers may catch tommy ruff, garfish and snook. Divers
@ Kadina. @ Kadina. n 50 Moonta can enjoy the southern coast’s stunning underwater scenery with
Rd, Kadina 1800 654 991. brightly coloured corals and fish.
Offshore, the wreck of the Clan Ranald near Edithburgh is a popular Clan Ranald near Edithburgh is a popular Clan Ranald
The three towns of Moonta, dive and, off Wardang Island, eight wrecks can be explored on a
Kadina and Wallaroo were unique diving trail. Angling from boats can be equally fruitful and
established after copper dis­ local charter boats are available for hire.
coveries on Yorke Peninsula
in 1859 and 1861. Collectively
the towns are known as “The
Copper Coast”, and Moonta as
“Australia’s Little Cornwall”. Many
miners from Cornwall, England,
came here in the 19th century
seeking their fortunes. The
biennial festival “Kernewek
Lowender” (see p46) celebrates
this Cornish heritage. The wealth
created by the mines has left the
towns with fine architecture.
Wallaroo, the site of the first
copper ore smelting works, was A diver approaching a small shoal of fish in waters off the Yorke Peninsula
also a shipping port for ore.