Burra Burra Branch National Trust of South Australia

About Us

In 1845 Thomas Pickett and William Steair (two shepherds) found copper ore samples along the Burra Creek which led to the discovery of the Burra Burra Mine.  The mine was operated by the South Australian Mining Association of which Henry Ayers was Secretary.

Cornish miners came to Burra for underground copper mining between 1845 and 1867.  The water table was reached in 1847 so to allow access to the copper that was below the natural water line, several enginehouses were built during the mine’s underground operation period with only one enginehouse in operation at any one time. 

The crushed ore was carted by bullock dray to Port Adelaide which took approximately a month for the return journey.  The ore was then shipped to Swansea in Wales for smelting until a smelting works commenced operations at Burra in 1859.

Up to 5% of the world’s copper and some of the richest copper came out of the Burra Burra mine which earned the name ‘Monster Mine’.  The mine also saved the fledgling colony of South Australia from bankruptcy in its early days.

Underground mining ceased in 1867 and from 1870 to 1877 the first open-cut was dug by hand before the mine closed.