Strathalbyn, South Australia
Encyclopedia
Strathalbyn is a town in South Australia
, in the Alexandrina Council
. The town has a population of 3894 people.
horse tram to Goolwa
and Victor Harbor
from 1869, and the line was extended to Mount Barker
and Adelaide
and upgraded for steam engines from 1884. It was cut off again in 1995 when the main line was converted to standard gauge
. SteamRanger
still run historic tourist trains on the isolated broad gauge line, including stops at Strathalbyn.
Strathalbyn has 4 pubs on the centre of town, The Victoria, The Robin Hood, The Terminus, and the Commercial. It is also host to an annual collectors, hobbies and antique fair, held the third weekend of August every year. Other popular events are the Strathalbyn Rotary Club's renowned Duck Race,, the Strathalbyn Show, and the collaborative Street Parade and Carols by Candlelight. There are also markets on every Sunday at the railway station.
on the banks of the River Angas
. The Children's Bridge is a pedestrian bridge over the river in the park.
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, in the Alexandrina Council
Alexandrina Council
Alexandrina Council is a local government area covering the north east portion of Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia. The Alexandrina Council was formed in 1997 by the amalgamation of the former District Council of Strathalbyn, the District Council of Port Elliot and Goolwa, and a portion of the...
. The town has a population of 3894 people.
History and Culture
The town was founded in 1839. Strathalbyn was once connected by broad gaugeBroad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
horse tram to Goolwa
Goolwa, South Australia
Goolwa is a historic river port on the Murray River near the Murray Mouth in South Australia, and joined by a bridge to Hindmarsh Island. The name "Goolwa" means "elbow" in Ngarrindjeri, the local Aboriginal language....
and Victor Harbor
Victor Harbor, South Australia
Victor Harbor is a city located on the coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula, about 80 km south of Adelaide, South Australia. The city is the largest population centre on the peninsula, with an economy based upon agriculture, fisheries and various industries...
from 1869, and the line was extended to Mount Barker
Mount Barker, South Australia
Mount Barker is an expanding city, home to 10 258 residents that is 33 kilometres up the South Eastern Freeway, east of Adelaide, in South Australia. It is the seat of the District Council of Mount Barker, is the largest town in the Adelaide Hills, and is one of the fastest growing areas in the...
and 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...
and upgraded for steam engines from 1884. It was cut off again in 1995 when the main line was converted to standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
. SteamRanger
SteamRanger
SteamRanger is an historic train society in South Australia running trains on the Victor Harbor railway line. They are the only group regularly running broad gauge steam locomotives in South Australia...
still run historic tourist trains on the isolated broad gauge line, including stops at Strathalbyn.
Strathalbyn has 4 pubs on the centre of town, The Victoria, The Robin Hood, The Terminus, and the Commercial. It is also host to an annual collectors, hobbies and antique fair, held the third weekend of August every year. Other popular events are the Strathalbyn Rotary Club's renowned Duck Race,, the Strathalbyn Show, and the collaborative Street Parade and Carols by Candlelight. There are also markets on every Sunday at the railway station.
Geography
Strathalbyn is 60 km southeast of AdelaideAdelaide
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...
on the banks of the River Angas
River Angas
The River Angas is a small river rising on the eastern side of the Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia. Its headwaters are near Macclesfield and it flows generally southward through Strathalbyn, emptying into Lake Alexandrina near the town of Milang....
. The Children's Bridge is a pedestrian bridge over the river in the park.
Mining Industry
Small lead, zinc, gold and copper mines operated in the area in the later part of the 19th century, but these have all been long closed, and did not have a significant effect on the development of the town. In 2008, mining company Terramin established an underground zinc mine with the decline portal and much of the above-ground operation situated in a quarry east of the town, injecting an estimated $29 million dollars into the local economy and creating around 100 jobs. The mine will yield zinc and lead, with small quantities of silver, gold and copper and is expected to operate for seven years. This proposal is opposed by "The Residents For A Future Strathalbyn Inc." who are concerned about ecologically unsustainable development within their district.