Kapunda

Kapunda
This is the Kapunda Mine Chimney. It was made to air out the mines and get rid of the stench which gave the miners "Miners cough"	Copper was first discovered at Kapunda by Francis Dutton in 1842. He went into partnership with Capt.Bagot who had also noticed the green colour of the rocks in the area. They purchased 80 acres of land for 1 pound (2 dollars) an acre, but it took two years for samples to be taken to Britain, tests to be undertaken, and the results to return to South Australia. The results were remarkable!! The copper was 22.5 percent pure which was probably the richest ever found in the world!! By 1861 as the sign in the Bagot museum reveals there were: 43 miners, 106 pitmen, 23 children, 82 labourers, 13 boys and 36 smelters and furnacemen. The mine at this time was employing 302 men and 36 boys.
The Mine Dutton sold 25% of his share of the mine for $30,000 in 1846. He eventually became premier of South Australia before returning to England. There were several pastoralist/mine owners who would enter politics and become premier. Long after the closer of its Copper Mine, Kapunda had its own gold rush at the Moppa Fields. Within days claims were pegged out, Tents went up and a Blacksmith opened up for business.
Sir Sidney Kidman Sidney Kidman left his Norwood home when he was 13. During the 1880's Kidman made some important decisions. He sold his share of the Broken Hill mine. Which he later regretted for the rest of his life. He went into partnership with his brother Sackville in 1884 and a year later married Bel Wright of Kapunda. Although hurt badly during the severe drought of 1900-1903. In 1903 he bought another land and got hold of Carandotta and Lake Albert, which he sold after 6 months of $50,000. During the first World War, Kidman gave Wool, Meat, Horses, Ambulances and Planes.	Kapunda Kapunda is the oldest copper mining town in Australia. When the mine closed the town had a population well over 2,000 people. Before the discovery of copper, land was occupied by a number of pastoralists and some Aborigines who occasionally annoyed them by killing their sheep.
	This statue of a Copper Miner is standing at the entrance to Kapunda. It shows what the miners wore and the tools they used.
This is a picture of a Copper Miner at Kapunda	The Kapunda A terrible disaster to a British emigrant ship, bound for Australia took place off the coast of Brazil. The Kapunda, a sailing vessel, built of iron, 1095 ton register. The Kapunda left London on December 11th and Plymouth on December 18th. She was bound for Fremantle in Western Australia. She had on board 4 cabin passagers,268 steerage passengers Dr. Bentham (The doctor) and a crew of 40. She was run by Captain John Masson. News came on Monday from Pernambyco that Ada Melmore had been in a collision and both sank south of Maceio. Part of the passengers of The Kapunda were picked up by the Ulysses. The number lost on board The Kapunda must be more than 200, in any case , and maybe nearly 300. There are indeed 298 missing which includes woman and children. It was impossible to lower any boats from the Kapunda. The Helling Family August Helling was born at Burra on May second 1849, the son of a miner. He got a job as ore dresser at the Kapunda Copper Mines and stayed there for a number of years. Next we find Mr.Helling in the Northern Flinders Ranges at Blinman with a butcher business.
© Copyright 2002 Naarah B.
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