Moonta Yorke Peninsula SA

Travelled: 114km via Port Victoria, Maitland to Moonta on the Yorke Pensinsula’s Copper Coast South Australia.

Stay: Moonta- free RV area close to town

After a very gusty night and not a very good sleep, we didn’t hang around Barker Rocks, having our coffee then heading off. Yesterday the car was dusty, this morning after travelling along the wet dirt roads, we were caked in mud… In Port Victoria we parked out at the very extensive boat ramp to have our breakfast. It was once the 4th largest port in South Australia primarily due to the windjammers leaving from here loaded with bagged grain to take to Europe via Cape Horn, from 1879 until 1949. We gave the jetty a miss as the wind was not inviting and threatened to ruin our hairstyles.

So we continued on to Maitland driving through some rich agricultural land. The town is essentially located in the middle of the peninsula and is a main shopping hub. After consulting the Petrol App we fill up on some fuel $1.32 and put more air in the tyres (as we will be on bitumen for a while). Mark manages to find a hose and washes off the bulk of the mud and then we point our nose towards Moonta. The northern part of the Yorke Peninsula is known as the Copper Coast incorporating the main towns of Moonta, Wallaroo and Kadina. As you might have guessed this area derives its name from the mining that occurred here mainly from the late 1800’s to early 1900’s. 

We find a nice sheltered spot out of the wind in the huge RV area and then set off to explore the town and mining history, armed with some maps and info from the tourist office. As you know I love a visit to the tourist office ..

But first we need to fortify ourselves with a famous and delicious Moonta Cornish Pasty. Many miners came from Cornwall UK and hence every odd year they hold the worlds largest Cornish festival (we miss it by a week)! 

We walk along the main street taking note of the numerous historical buildings.

The Town Hall

Methodist Church 

We then drive out to the historical mining area. There is a lot of interesting information about the mines that were here and are now mainly ruins.

Miners Cottage garden.

Mining equipment display.

Copper leaching the stones..

 Eventually we hit information overload and decide to have a look at Moonta Bay and brave the winds to walk out on this L shaped jetty.

Returning to town we do a bit of shopping before heading back to Traky.