K A P UN D A. (1879)
Kapunda, the
subject of our illustration, is an important township situate in the electoral
district of Light, about 4 miles north of the metropolis, with which it is
connected by rail.
Kapunda was
originally a mining township, and up to a very short time back active
operations were still conducted at its mines, which possess a peculiar interest
as having been the first opened up in this colony, and their discovery no doubt
stimulated the search for minerals which shortly after resulted in the
discovery of the celebrated Burra Mine, and still more recently in that of the
world-renowned Moonta and Wallaroo Mines.
Kapunda is a native term, signifying a place
of smoke, — an almost prophetic designation, seeing that for many years after
the mines were opened smelting operations were carried on here when the
sulphurous smoke from the furnaces of the smelting works justified the name
given to the locality by the aboriginals. "During the past few years the mines
have been worked by a Glasgow Company, who substituted the precipitating
process for smelting ; but operations have gradually been suspended, and over
the once famous Kapunda Mine — the copper from which was especially valuable
for electrical purposes — " Ichabod " may now be written.
Originally a mining
township, as we have said, Kapunda as years rolled on became the centre of a
gradually enlarging wheat-growing district ; so that prior to the opening up of
the Northern Areas it was the boast of the district that it grew more than
one-third of the total cereal produce raised in the colony. This led to the
establishment of local agricultural implement manufactories, several of which
have flourished to such an extent as to lead one to suppose that the true South
Australian gold diggings are to be found in the machinists yards.
Kapunda has also of
late years become one of the leading markets for the disposal of horse stock
and cattle. Irrespective of the many irregular sales, monthly sales are held, the
proceeds of which, on an average, amount to £7,000 monthly.
We have said that
Kapunda is connected by rail with the metropolis. For many years it was the
most northerly point to which the iron horse travelled, being the depot of the
traffic to all the more northerly districts ; and it suffered considerably for
a time when the line to the Burra via Roseworthy diverted much of this traffic.
At present it is passing through the throe of
another somewhat similar crisis, its railway having been just extended to the
banks of the Murray at the North-West Bend, which some fear will have an
adverse influence on the prosperity of the town, whilst others again hold than
the influence will be beneficial rather than otherwise, and have evidenced
their faith by the expenditure of large sums in building business and other
premises. Like Adelaide, Kapunda may be called a place of churches ; the
Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, Wesleyans, Baptists, Congregationalists,
Primitive
Methodists, and Bible Christians, each living their own places of worship. The
town, which possesses a very capacious, well-arranged Model School, and an
excellent Mechanics' Institute, also boasts a local newspaper, the Herald,
which has entered on the sixteenth year of its existence. For some years past
Kapunda has had the advantage of local gasworks, and before the present year
has passed away will have in operation what will prove a greater boon — a
well-arranged system of water supply. Of public offices Kapunda has a capacious
court house and a commodious post and telegraph station.
The National Bank of Adelaide, and E., S.,
& A.C. Banking Companies have each a branch in Kapunda ; and there are
several large well-conducted hotels, as also a number of shops, stores,
agricultural implement manufactories, a flour-mill, & c..
The affairs of the town are managed by a
Mayor and Town Council, half of the members of which are elected annually for a
term of two years. The population of Kapunda proper is about 3,000 ; but in
addition there are several suburbs largely populated, and the district as a
whole is closely settled. Within the past year or two the greatest wants of the
town have been supplied, chiefly through the liberality of Mr. F. H. Dutton, of
Anlaby, a large estate situate about ten miles east of Kapunda. These are a
hospital and a recreation ground ; the former was erected at a cost of £4,000,
and has been of great utility ever since it was opened in Nov. 1877. Dutton
Park, which was the name given to the recreation ground in recognition of Mr.
Dutton's liberality, contains 40 acres of land immediately abutting on the western
boundary of the town. Half of this has already been planted and laid out as a
park and cricket ground, the local club having recently completed the
construction of an oval at an expense of about £100.
On the whole, Kapunda may be described as being both a thriving and pretty
town. Owing to the demand for timber at the mine the neighbourhood has become
tolerably bare of trees, and up to a few years back a notion prevailed that
neither flowers, fruit, nor vegetables could be grown within a certain radius
of the mines ; but during the last few years this has been shown to be a
fallacy, and the appearance of the place has
been considerably improved by the number of trees which have attained a goodly
size, as also of the neat gardens which are now so common.
'OUR ILLUSTRATIONS.', The Illustrated Adelaide News,
(1 February 1879), p. 6., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article224815221
