The Bon Accord Mine Complex is owned and administered by the National Trust, Burra, and is concerned with preserving, studying and exhibiting items that help in illustrating and explaining the story of the Burra area. The display includes a working forge, a six metre by five metre model of the Burra Mine depicting traditional underground mining in 1860 and, in the old waterworks building, an original mine shaft from which Burra pumped its water supply until 1966. In the grounds stands an 1859 mine captains cottage, now owned and operated by the National Trust as self-contained, bed and breakfast accommodation. Guided tours are available between 1pm and 3pm every day. The museums can be visited either individually or free with the purchase of a Burra Heritage Passport. Guided tours for groups are available by arrangement.
The Powder Magazine was erected in 1847 and is the oldest remaining mine building in Australia. It stored gunpowder used in blasting at the mine. The building has an arched stone roof for strength and was lined with sheepskin for safety. The National Trust restored it in 1976. Admission to Powder Magazine is included in the Burra Heritage Passport, available from the Burra Visitor Information Centre, 2 Market Square, Burra. Can be opened with a key at anytime when on the Burra Herritage Passport.
Come to the Goyder Region, just next door to Clare Valley, and visit the heritage mining town of Burra. Hidden away in its own little cup-shaped valley, the town's pride and joy is the Burra Regional Art Gallery. This Gallery is situated within the old Telegraph and Post Office building from which J McDouall Stuart sent his message in December 1862, to inform the South Australian authorities that he had successfully crossed Australia. See if you agree with us, that outside the big centres, this is one of the best small regional galleries in Australia. Attend a lively opening or browse our diverse works by emerging and established artists, sourced Australia wide. The gallery is also home to the historic ST Gill collection of 1847 Burra Mine views. Exhibitions details, artist profiles, annual competitions and much more can be found on the gallery website.
At Morphetts Enginehouse Museum visitors will see the only known reconstructed Cornish enginehouse in the world. A guide will explain the workings of the engine and pump system used to de-water the mine. Visitors are encouraged to examine the three-storey building and information displayed. Outside visitors may walk through an underground adit and view the mineshaft. Original pumping equipment along with the remains of several mine buildings are on display. An unforgettable experience. Guided tours are available daily between 10am and 12:30pm either individually or free with the purchase of a Burra Heritage Passport. Guided tours for groups and school groups are available by arrangement.
1856 gaol, used in the South Australian Film Corporation film, "Breaker Morant". The gaol was closed in 1894 and later used as a girls' reformatory. It features displays depicting the life and living conditions of prisoners and reformatory inmates. Entrance to the Redruth Gaol is included in the Burra Heritage Passport, available from the Burra Visitor Information Centre, 2 Market Square, Burra. Can be opened with a key anytime when on the Burra Heritage Passport.
The Unicorn Brewery was built in 1873 and consisted of a tall malting tower, offices, cooper's workshop, steam engine and boiler to operate the pumps, and manager's residence. The cellars were excavated and completed in 1873. Due to new licensing laws, introduced at the turn of the century, the Brewery closed in 1902 and the buildings demolished for their stone in 1911. The cellars, storeroom, manager's residence and walls of the brewery block still remain, and have seen recent restoration work carried out in stage one of the project. Entrance to the Unicorn Brewery Cellars is included in the Burra Heritage Passport, available from the Burra Visitor Information Centre, 2 Market Square, Burra. Can be opened with a key anytime when on the Burra Heritage Passport.
For Tony and Susan Thorogood, making superb apple wine has become a brilliant obsession and has seen them become leaders in the field of boutique hand made ciders, apple wines, apple liqueurs and apple beer. For each golden glass there is a story - one Tony and Susan are happy to share with visitors to their cellar door. Their organic and chemical free orchard was established in the heritage mining town of Burra in 1990 where they planted more than 70 different apple varieties. Frosty winters and hot summers have proven ideal for the old European apple varieties, which transform into beautiful wines. Fruit is crushed using an old Italian basket press and then fermented and matured in oak. And make no mistake, the fine apple wines available from Thorogoods are thoroughly alcoholic and follow century old traditions. Groups and coaches by appointment only.
Built in 1847, pre-dating Redruth Gaol, this fine complex consists of police station, stables, lockup and police residence. The Burra Police Lockup was built because of the influx of population and the number of hotels in the town during Burra's mining boom. The cobblestone courtyard reputedly faces towards London. In 1851, the police force in Burra comprised six men. Entrance to the Police Lockup and Stables is included in the Burra Heritage Passport available from the Burra Visitor Information Centre, 2 Market Square, Burra. Can be opened with a key at any time when using the Burra Heritage Passport.
A True Country Golf Experience, The Burra Golf Club Incorporated invites you to enjoy our 18-hole golf course with watered fairways and greens. The Burra Golf Course is situated on the Barrier Highway, only 160 kilometres or two hours drive north of Adelaide. Set in picturesque surroundings fringed with established native trees and there is a well-placed dam. Visitors and groups are welcome. Clubs can be hired at the BP Motor Co, corner of Kingston and Thames Streets, Burra.
In 1851, up to 2,000 miners and their families lived in these dugouts along the riverbed. Floods drove many people out into the homes built by the mining companies. Wages were low, but some miners continued to live in poor conditions with the constant threat of floods and disease, rather than pay rent. By 1860, the dugouts were virtually deserted. Entrance to the Miners' Dugouts is included in the Burra Heritage Passport, available from the Burra Visitor Information Centre, 2 Market Square, Burra (open seven days per week and public holidays 9am to 5pm, closed Christmas Day). Can be opened with a key at anytime when using the Burra Heritage Passport.