Curramulka

Curramulka, nicknamed "the Currie", is a town in the Australian state of South Australia on the Yorke Peninsula. Curramulka is within easy driving distance of the coastal resort towns of Port Victoria and Port Vincent and is 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) north-east of Minlaton.

Curramulka South Australia
Institute, built in 1885
Curramulka
Coordinates	34°41′46″S 137°42′39″E[1]
Population	304 (SAL 2021)[2]
Established	12 September 1878 (town)[3] [4]
Postcode(s)	5580[5]
Time zone	ACST (UTC+9:30)
• Summer (DST)	ACST (UTC+10:30)
Location	185 km (115 mi) W of Adelaide 94 km (58 mi) S of Kadina 14 km (9 mi) NE of Minlaton
LGA(s)	Yorke Peninsula Council
Region	Yorke and Mid North[6]
County	Fergusson[1]
State electorate(s)	Narungga[7]
Federal division(s)	Grey[8]
Localities around Curramulka: Wauraltee Sandilands Pine Point Koolywurtie Minlaton Curramulka Pine Point Port Julia Sheaoak Flat Minlaton Ramsay Port Vincent
Footnotes	Adjoining localities[1]

There are caves nearby.

History

The Hundred of Curramulka was surveyed in 1874. The name is derived from the Aboriginal words curre (emu) and mulka (deep water hole), referring to the nearby caves.^[9]

Farming land was first opened up in the mid-1870s, and Curramulka flourished the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Port Julia was used to ship produce from the town.^[10]

The Curramulka Institute, a mechanics' institute, was built in 1885. Additions were built in 1906, 1922, and 1939, and in 1934 the building was transferred to the local council. It still stands for use by the community in 2020.^[9]

After the more northerly town of Ardrossan developed as the main regional port for wheat and wool, Curramulka's importance diminished, but it started to grow again in the 21st century.^[10]

On 19 November 2009 a large fire started in paddocks near Curramulka.^[11] The front was about 700 m (2,300 ft) long and burnt about 400 ha (990 acres).^[12]

Caves

Nearby is an extensive chain of limestone caves. They were first explored in 1850, and major extensions discovered in 1984. They have 14 km (8.7 mi) of known passages in an area of approximately 400m x 300m and depth 46m.^[13] Corra-Lynn is the longest cave in the region.^[14]

Football

Ngadjuri man Vince Copley became coach and captain of the Curramulka AFL team (in the now defunct Southern Yorke Peninsula Football League), reached the premiership in 1957, 1958, and 1959. It was his first experience of being welcomed into white people's homes, after experiencing racism in other country towns. In those days, the town was affectionately referred to as "the Currie".^[15]

See also

• List of cities and towns in South Australia

References

1. "Search results for 'Curramulka, LOCB' with the following datasets selected – 'Suburbs and localities', 'Counties', 'Government Towns', 'Hundreds', 'Local Government Areas', 'SA Government Regions' and 'Gazetteer'". Location SA Map Viewer. South Australian Government. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
2. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Curramulka (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
3. Morgan, William (12 September 1878). "Untitled proclamation re the "Town of Curramulka"" (PDF). The South Australian Government Gazette. Government of South Australia. p. 728. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
4. "Curramulka South Australia". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 February 2004. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
5. Australia Post – Postcode Search Archived 30 December 2012 at archive.today
6. "Yorke and Mid North SA Government region" (PDF). The Government of South Australia. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
7. Narungga (Map). Electoral District Boundaries Commission. 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
8. "Federal electoral division of Grey" (PDF). Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
9. Hancock, Joelie (2023). "Curramulka". Institutes Of South Australia. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
10. "Curramulka, South Australia". Travelmate. Archived from the original on 23 February 2012.
11. "Curramulka blaze burns out of control". ABC News. 19 November 2009. Archived from the original on 8 February 2011.
12. Pedler, Emma (19 November 2009). "Curramulka fire". ABC (none). Retrieved 23 November 2023.
13. "Corra-Lynn Caves, Curramulka, Yorke Peninsula" (PDF). SA Heritage Register (Fact Sheet). Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Retrieved 30 September 2014.^{[permanent dead link]}
14. "Caving in South Australia". Cave Exploration Group (South Australia). Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
15. Phillips, Sandra (10 January 2022). "Vince Copley had a vision for a better Australia – and he helped make it happen, with lifelong friend Charles Perkins". The Conversation. Retrieved 23 November 2023.

External links

• Yorke Peninsula website