42-796: The Skilly Hills are a range of hills which make up part of the Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia's Mid North region. They comprise several long parallel ridges of low hills which run generally north south, parallel to the Horrocks Highway , forming part of the western geographical boundary of the Clare Valley . For government administration, they are in the Hundred of Upper Wakefield, County of Stanley. The most prominent peaks are Tower Hill and Mount Oakden,
84-524: A cycling trail). The Victor Harbor railway line (now used only for recreational purposes) largely skirts the eastern edge of the ranges. North of Adelaide, there was a railway to Angaston in the east of the Barossa Valley, and former railways to Truro and across the ranges near Eudunda to Morgan on the Murray River . The ranges form part of the water supply for Adelaide, and there
126-567: A few smaller towns such as Moculta and Springton . All of these towns are part of the Barossa local government . The townships of Greenock , population 1087, Seppeltsfield , population 138, and Maranaga, population 104, are located on the western ridge of the valley in Light Regional Council . Many facilities not available in these towns are usually supplemented in nearby Gawler . In recent years, increased development in
168-659: A major role in the Barossa, being the main source of employment for many residents. The many hectares of vineyards are the most distinctive feature of the area, especially when viewed from the Mengler Hill lookout, positioned on the Barossa Range which forms much of the eastern side of the valley. The success of the wine industry has historically been celebrated every two years with a week-long Barossa Valley Vintage Festival. The festival draws visitors from all over
210-507: A nineteenth-century gold rush like those interstate, but gold was mined near both Echunga and Williamstown (in the Barossa). Other mines in the southern ranges include a nineteenth-century silver-lead mine at Talisker near Cape Jervis, which features many remaining old buildings, and the limestone mine at Rapid Bay , which ceased operations much more recently. Copper was mined at Kapunda , Truro and Kanmantoo and may be again [1] and
252-532: A number of endemic orchids. Similar habitats can be found on the offshore Kangaroo Island which is included by the World Wildlife Fund in the Mount Lofty woodlands ecoregion . The mountains are home to a number of marsupials such as the koala , western gray kangaroo , southern brown bandicoot along with the egg laying echidna . Birds include the southern emu-wren which is endemic to
294-485: A threat to habitats and wildlife. Protected areas tend to be small and fragmented. Barossa Valley The Barossa Valley ( Barossa German : Barossa Tal ) is a valley in South Australia located 60 kilometres (37 mi) northeast of Adelaide city centre . The valley is formed by the North Para River . It is notable as a major wine-producing region and tourist destination. The Barossa Valley Way
336-525: A traditional thin broth, simple in composition, once typically consumed throughout the British Isles , especially in Ireland and Scotland , particularly by the working class , as well as by soldiers and seafarers. By the 1860s the creek was often called Skilly Creek, there then being districts called Upper (later Higher) Skilly and Lower Skilly, with schools in each. Upper Skilly also became called
378-476: A zinc (and lead, silver and gold) mine is proposed near Strathalbyn [2] . Quarries dot the ranges, the most spectacular and massive of which are in the Adelaide foothills; they supplied much of the quartzite which is to be seen in the enduring "sandstone architecture" of early Adelaide. Today, only a single railway crosses the ranges: the major Adelaide to Melbourne railway line , which was first constructed in
420-614: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Mount Lofty Ranges The Mount Lofty Ranges are a range of mountains in the Australian state of South Australia which for a small part of its length borders the east of Adelaide . The part of the range in the vicinity of Adelaide is called the Adelaide Hills and defines the eastern border of the Adelaide Plains . The Mount Lofty Ranges stretch from
462-552: Is also home to the only conservation park in the northern ranges, Spring Gully . The northern end of the ranges are home to two curiosities: a tiny township by the name of Yongala , familiar to South Australians for commonly being the coldest place in the state (being a hundred kilometres inland, and on a somewhat elevated plateau as with much of the Mid North). The other curiosity is a locality near Orroroo called "Magnetic Hill". The name stems from an optical illusion that creates
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#1732797543086504-480: Is an extensive infrastructure of reservoirs, weirs, and pipelines, on the Torrens , Onkaparinga , Little Para and Gawler River catchments. Mount Bold , South Para , Kangaroo Creek , and Millbrook reservoirs are the largest. The northern ranges, often confused with the southern Flinders Ranges , and sometimes referred to as the "Mid-North ranges" or "central hill country", stretch from hills near Kapunda in
546-399: Is overshadowed by the wine industry, significant food production occurs in the Barossa Valley, including: The Barossa Valley holds a weekly Farmers' Market , supplying local produce which is sold directly by the producer. The week-long Barossa Vintage Festival is held biennially, in odd-numbered years. The festival runs for around a week in autumn , and traditionally marks and celebrates
588-414: Is the main road through the valley, connecting the main towns on the valley floor of Nuriootpa , Tanunda , Rowland Flat and Lyndoch . The Barossa Trail walking and cycling path is 40 kilometres (25 mi) long, and passes the main towns, starting from near Gawler on the Adelaide Plains , to Angaston to the east of the valley. The traditional owners of the land including the Barossa Valley are
630-452: The Battle of Barrosa , in which he fought in 1811. The name "Barossa" was registered in error, due to a clerical error in transcribing the name "Barrosa". The area is approximately 13 by 14 kilometres (8.1 by 8.7 mi). The three major towns of the Barossa have distinctive characteristics. Tanunda is generally recognised as the most German of the three, with traditions dating back to
672-529: The Flinders Ranges near Hallett . The mountains have a Mediterranean climate with moderate rainfall brought by south-westerly winds, hot summers and cool winters. The southern ranges are wetter (with 900 millimetres (35 in) of rain per year) than the northern ranges (400 millimetres (16 in)). The part of the ranges south of and including the Barossa Valley are commonly known as
714-563: The Peramangk people, who comprise a number of family groups. Evidence of their thousands of years of occupation can be seen all around the area, in the form of artefacts, scar trees and shelter paintings. The Barossa Valley derives its name from the Barossa Range , which was named by Colonel William Light in 1837. Light chose the name in memory of the British victory over the French in
756-499: The Skilly Hills . Mining, although totally absent today, was once a major industry in the northern ranges. The copper mine at Kapunda, just north of the Barossa, operated from 1842 to 1877 and was a major boost to the infant State's economy, but was soon overshadowed by the large workings at Burra , further north. The mine here operated from 1845 to 1877 with a few minor interruptions, and was superseded by even larger workings on
798-519: The Yorke Peninsula . As testament to the volume of copper at Burra, however, the mine re-opened as an open-cut in 1971, before closing again ten years later. The Clare Valley lies in a shallow fold of the northern Mount Lofty Ranges just southwest of Burra. It is yet another world-class wine-producing area, and is a very popular weekend tourist destination for people living in Adelaide . It
840-621: The 1840s when the first German settlers arrived in the area . Since many of the German settlers came from Prussian Silesia , they called the Barossa Neu-Schlesien , or " New Silesia ". The German influence survives to this day ( see Barossa German ). Angaston , in contrast, is considered the English town as it was settled predominantly by Cornish miners and others from Britain . The third, and largest town, Nuriootpa ,
882-399: The 1870s and has had only minor realignments since (the most significant of which was the boring of a new tunnel at Sleeps Hill). Passenger services used to run from the city to Bridgewater in the heart of the hills and ranges, but now stop at Belair in the foothills. A railway approached the ranges at Willunga (although it was closed and removed in the 1960s and has since been replaced by
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#1732797543086924-467: The Adelaide region, trending northeast to southwest defining these blocks: All the fault zones are still active today, along with the rest of the ranges, and minor earthquakes are relatively common. Larger quakes in the southern ranges are fairly rare: the last to hit a major centre was the 1954 Adelaide earthquake that occurred on 1 March. It measured 5.5 on the Richter scale . A significant aspect of
966-535: The Barossa or McLaren Vale to become suburbs of Adelaide." The Character Preservation (Barossa Valley) Act 2012 was subsequently passed by the South Australian Parliament. In 2021, 25,066 people lived in the Barossa Valley. Most inhabitants live in Tanunda, Nuriootpa, Angaston, Williamstown and Lyndoch , each having over 1,000 people. The remaining population lives in the countryside, or
1008-929: The Fleurieu Peninsula. There are a number of reptiles including the endangered Adelaide pygmy blue-tongue skink . Biodiversity losses have been severe in the ranges due to the clearance of temperate woodlands. The hillsides have largely been cleared of woodland for fruit growing and other agriculture and the urban growth of Adelaide particularly on the lower slopes, leading to loss of habitat and local extinction of wildlife species including all species of bettong and quoll marsupials and birds including regent honeyeater ( Xanthomyza phrygia ), swift parrot ( Lathamus discolor ), king quail ( Coturnix chinensis ), brown quail ( C. ypsilophora ), and azure kingfisher ( Alcedo azurea ). Clearance and agriculture are ongoing and livestock grazing continues to cause damage to habitats while introduced cats, foxes and rabbits are
1050-587: The Lutheran primary school at Lyndoch, hosts the Barossa Airshow annually as its fundraiser. Major Town Populations: As a rural region, there is also significant population outside of the town centres (not shown here). The Barossa Valley railway line runs through several townships in the valley. The line opened in 1911 and was last used in June 2014. It has since been closed. The wine industry plays
1092-539: The Onkaparinga Valley. Although no major mines operate in the southern ranges today, there are several large disused ones, and a myriad of small ones. An iron sulfide mine at Brukunga , northeast of Mount Barker, operated from 1955 to 1972, proving a valuable source for the production of superphosphate fertilisers vital for the postwar development of the State's outlying agricultural areas. The runoff from
1134-570: The Skilly Hills, a name recorded in common usage by at least 1877. The high rainfall in the Skilly Hills contributes to the Skillogalee Creek being one of the few permanently flowing watercourses in the region. There are no towns of significance within the Skilly Hills but there are several towns and townships nearby which service the area, including Penwortham, Leasingham, Watervale , and Auburn . The town of Clare serves many of
1176-506: The South Mount Lofty Ranges, and the highest part of this section is the summit of Mount Lofty (710 m or 2,330 ft). The part of the ranges nearest Adelaide is called the Adelaide Hills and, further north, the Barossa Range . The ranges encompass a wide variety of land usage, including significant residential development, particularly concentrated in the foothills, suburbs of Stirling and Bridgewater , and
1218-515: The area has seen opposition from the local communities. The region has a strong German Lutheran history, and many residents identify themselves as Lutherans. Some towns have more than one Lutheran church. Tanunda, for example, has Langmeil, St. Paul's, Tabor and St. Johns. Nuriootpa has St. Petri and Holy Trinity. Angaston has Zion and Salem (Penrice). Each major town has a Lutheran primary school. Tanunda has Tanunda Lutheran School, Nuriootpa has Redeemer, and Angaston has Good Shepherd. St. Jakobi,
1260-512: The commercial needs of the district. Land use is mainly mixed farming and sheep grazing. In recent decades wine and olive oil production have become important elements of local commerce. These attractions, plus the picturesque hills, support a tourism industry, resulting from which there are quite a few bed and breakfast establishments in the region. 33°58′S 138°36′E / 33.967°S 138.600°E / -33.967; 138.600 This South Australia geography article
1302-499: The completion of the year's vintage season , at the end of March and beginning of April. A variety of wine-themed events are held during the festival, including wine tastings and competitions, musical events, food events with local produce, balls and parades. The Barossa Vintage Festival was first held in 1947, to celebrate the end of the grape harvest, and the end of hostilities in World War II , and has run continually since. It
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1344-452: The geology of the Adelaide area is a number of Tertiary marine sands deposits, many of which have been extensively quarried. One of these deposits is around the outer-northern suburb of Golden Grove ; another area is around McLaren Vale . The natural habitat of the mountainsides is woodland of eucalyptus trees mixed with golden wattle acacia trees on the lower slopes, all with an undergrowth of shrubs and herbs. The flowers include
1386-543: The impression that a car rolls uphill. The ranges are part of the Adelaide Rift Complex . The southern ranges and slopes of Mount Lofty overlooking the Adelaide Plains have been block-faulted to form a half- graben structure. The ranges when viewed from the beach or city have a "stepped" appearance, reflected in an early name for the ranges, "The Tiers". There are several major normal faults in
1428-478: The largest. The other significant parks in the southern ranges are Deep Creek National Park , on the rugged southern shores of the Fleurieu Peninsula, and Para Wirra Conservation Park at the southern edge of the Barossa Valley. There are many wineries in the ranges. Two wine regions in particular are world-renowned: the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale . Grapes are also grown in the Adelaide Hills and
1470-522: The latter being named after local pioneer John Oakden . The name Skilly Hills is a slang derivation from nearby Skillogalee Creek , a watercourse that rises near Penwortham and flows southward, generally parallel to the Skilly Hills, to become a tributary of the Wakefield River . The creek itself was named by a government survey party of 1840 (perhaps with a certain irony concerning their rations) after skillogalee (usually spelt skillygalee),
1512-448: The mine unfortunately proved quite toxic for the local environment, and efforts have been underway since to alleviate the damage. A small short-lived silver and lead mine in the foothills of the ranges at Glen Osmond was first opened just two years after the founding of the State in 1836: it is significant for being not only the first metal mine in the history of the State, but the first in all Australia. South Australia never experienced
1554-737: The region as well. Marananga is home to the only sub-regional wine competition in Australia, hosted by the Gnadenfrei Lutheran church community since 2004 and focussed solely on benchmarking wines produced on the Western Ridge of the valley. The Barossa Valley is a rich source of some of the oldest Shiraz vines in the world. Shiraz vines planted as early as 1847 by Johann Frederick August Fiedler on Lot 1, Hundred of Moorooroo (the township of Tanunda) are still in commercial production today by Turkey Flat Vineyards. Although it
1596-536: The south to arid ranges beyond Peterborough in the northeast. The highest peak in this section (and in all the Mount Lofty Ranges – despite the name) is Mount Bryan (936 m or 3,071 ft). Other significant peaks include New Campbell Hill (714 m or 2,343 ft) and Stein Hill (605 m or 1,985 ft), which overlooks Burra . The northern ranges include Belvidere Range , Tothill Range and
1638-481: The southernmost point of the Fleurieu Peninsula at Cape Jervis northwards for over 300 kilometres (190 mi) before petering out north of Peterborough . In the vicinity of Adelaide, they separate the Adelaide Plains from the extensive plains that surround the Murray River and stretch eastwards to Victoria. The Heysen Trail traverses almost the entire length of the ranges, crossing westwards to
1680-449: The towns Mount Barker and Victor Harbor in particular. Several pine plantation forests exist, most significantly around Mount Crawford and Cudlee Creek in the north and Kuitpo Forest and Second Valley in the south. Several protected areas exist near Adelaide where the hills face the city in order to preserve highly sought-after residential land: Black Hill Conservation Park , Cleland National Park and Belair National Park are
1722-534: The world, and has entertainment for all tastes including a huge street parade, concerts and gourmet dining. The Barossa Valley is primarily known for its red wine, in particular Shiraz . Normally, large proportions of Barossa Shiraz are used in Penfolds Grange , Australia's most famous wine. Other main grape varieties grown in the region include: Riesling ; Semillon ; Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon . Fortified wines have been traditionally produced in
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1764-448: Was influenced by both German and British settlers, and today is the commercial hub of the Barossa and it is where most of the larger stores are located. In February 2011, South Australian Premier , Mike Rann , announced that special legislation would be introduced to protect the unique heritage of the Barossa Valley and of McLaren Vale . He said: "Barossa and McLaren Vale food and wine are key icons of South Australia. We must never allow
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