Melrose, South Australia
Encyclopedia
Melrose is the oldest town in the Flinders Ranges
. It is in the shadow of Mount Remarkable, 265 km north of Adelaide
. At the 2006 census
, Melrose had a population of 431.
The first European explorer in the area was Edward John Eyre
in 1840, closely followed by settlers coming to farm the area. Copper was discovered and mining started in 1846, but it was not economic, and ceased in 1851. The mine was opened again three more times, the latest closure was in 1917.
Today, Melrose is the base for visitors to the Mount Remarkable National Park
and centre for the local farmers.
When it was opened in 1848, the police station in Melrose was the base of the largest police district in the world. A constable, two troopers and an Aboriginal tracker
were responsible for an area extending to the Timor Sea
.
In June Melrose is home to the Fat Tyre Festival, an off road bike celebration exploring local bike trails and crowding parades of freak bikes.
Flinders Ranges
Flinders Ranges is the largest mountain range in South Australia, which starts approximately north west of Adelaide. The discontinuous ranges stretch for over from Port Pirie to Lake Callabonna...
. It is in the shadow of Mount Remarkable, 265 km north of Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Melrose had a population of 431.
The first European explorer in the area was Edward John Eyre
Edward John Eyre
Edward John Eyre was an English land explorer of the Australian continent, colonial administrator, and a controversial Governor of Jamaica....
in 1840, closely followed by settlers coming to farm the area. Copper was discovered and mining started in 1846, but it was not economic, and ceased in 1851. The mine was opened again three more times, the latest closure was in 1917.
Today, Melrose is the base for visitors to the Mount Remarkable National Park
Mount Remarkable National Park
Mount Remarkable is a national park in South Australia , 238 km north of Adelaide.Edward John Eyre named Mount Remarkable in June 1840...
and centre for the local farmers.
When it was opened in 1848, the police station in Melrose was the base of the largest police district in the world. A constable, two troopers and an Aboriginal tracker
Aboriginal tracker
In the years following British settlement in Australia, aboriginal trackers or black trackers, as they became known, were enlisted by settlers to assist them in navigating their way through the Australian landscape...
were responsible for an area extending to the Timor Sea
Timor Sea
The Timor Sea is a relatively shallow sea bounded to the north by the island of Timor, to the east by the Arafura Sea, to the south by Australia and to the west by the Indian Ocean....
.
In June Melrose is home to the Fat Tyre Festival, an off road bike celebration exploring local bike trails and crowding parades of freak bikes.