Melrose, South Australia

Melrose is the oldest town in the Flinders Ranges, South Australia. The town was once named "Mount Remarkable".[3] According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the town is relatively small, with a population of 347 reported by the 2016 census. At the 2011 census, Melrose had a population of 406, indicating that in recent years there has been a substantial drop in population.[1]

Melrose
South Australia
Melrose Township with Mount Remarkable in background
Melrose
Coordinates32°49′S 138°11′E
Population406 (2011 census)[1]
Established1840
Postcode(s)5483
Location265 km (165 mi) N of Adelaide city centre
LGA(s)District Council of Mount Remarkable
State electorate(s)Stuart
Federal Division(s)Grey
WebsiteMelrose
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall
? ? 550 mm
21.7 in
Localities around Melrose:
Wilmington Wilmington Willowie
Wilmington
Baroota		 Melrose Booleroo Centre
Baroota Bangor
Murray Town		 Murray Town
FootnotesAdjoining localities[2]

The town is known for its proximity to Mount Remarkable and the surrounding National Park, its caravan park and historical sites including Jacka’s brewery and Melrose Courthouse.

Demographics

According to the 2016 census, the population of Melrose was 347; 51.2% male and 48.8% female. The median age was 47 years. 88% of the town’s residents were born in Australia. The most common ethnicity recorded by residents was Australian, followed by English, Scottish, German and Irish, and in many cases, combinations of several ethnicities. 0.9% of the population reported themselves as Indigenous, all being female with a median age of 21.

According to the 2016 census, English was the only language spoken at home by 90.4% of Melrose’s residents, compared to Japanese (1.2%), German (0.9%) and Mandarin (0.9%).

The 2016 census reported agriculture as the most common industry for employment including, but not limited to, specialised sheep farming (8.1%), grain-sheep or grain-beef cattle farming (7.4%), other grain growing (6.7%), local government administration (6.7%) and accommodation (5.9%). 60.7% of the town were reported to be working full-time, and only 2.3% were unemployed. The median weekly household income was $1059, compared to $1206 throughout South Australia.

According to the 2016 census, residents identified themselves as non-religious (37.7%), Christian (59.8%), Uniting Church (23.8%), Anglican (13.6%) and Catholic (7.8%). 9.3% of the population did not state their religious affiliations.[4]

Origin of Melrose's name

Journalist Rodney Cockburn, in his popular book What's in a Name asserts that consensus has not yet been reached about the origins of Melrose’s name. He gives the explanation that its surveyor named the town after George Melrose, of Rosebank, Mount Pleasant, who assisted him when he was ill.[5] Another explanation suggests a land owner named Alexander Campbell settled in the area in 1844 with his family and named the region after his hometown, Melrose, in Scotland.[6] Historian Geoff Manning found that the town was located on a property claimed by the Mount Remarkable Mining Company and in the 1850s subdivided it into 250 sections of 80 acres (32 ha). Townsites were surveyed at either end, Melrose to the north and Bangor at the southern end. This was in accord with Cockburn's findings, but Manning was convinced that A. L. Elder, a prominent director of the company and a proud Scotsman, named it for Melrose in Roxburghshire.[7]

Indigenous population

Nukunu

It is important to note that any information on Indigenous Tribes – in Melrose and beyond – is often limited and provided through a colonial lens. Any insight into the Nukunu tribe that exists in close proximity to Mount Remarkable that follows in this article is drawn from resources that themselves note that any information on Indigenous people’s may not be completely accurate.

As of 1974, there are records of the Ngaiawang Indigenous Tribe, also referred to as the Nukunu, being located east of Melrose and Mount Remarkable. The term ‘Nukunu’ may have been based on the term ‘Nokunno’ used by the Kaurna tribe, and may refer to a metaphorical assassin that hunts at night. Variations of the name include but are not limited to: Wongaidja, Nukuna, Nookoona, and Nuguna. Furthermore, according to Tiechelmann and Schürmann’s 1840 account of the tribe, the Nukunu also practiced both subincision and circumcision as male initiation rites.[8] Efforts are currently being made to revive the Nukunu language.[9]

The presence and influence of the Nukunu people in Melrose is evident in place names. An example of this is the property of ‘Bartagunyah’, which, according to the Bartagunyah Estate website, means ‘home of the Bardi Grubs’. [10]

Recent

As of the 2016 census, Indigenous peoples accounted for 0.9% of the population.[11] This 0.9% also included only Indigenous females, with a median age of 21 years.

It is worthwhile considering the technicalities of how census information is collected when understanding the aforementioned percentages. The Australian Bureau of Statistics states that in the 2016 census, respondents were given the option to tick yes/no to indicate their Indigenous status – and if both boxes were ticked, “then the indigenous status was set to not stated”. The bureau identified such respondent error and technicality as a likely impact on results. It is important to acknowledge this technicality when examining the insight into Melrose’s Indigenous population provided by this census information.[12]

History

Settlement

The first European explorer in the area was Edward John Eyre in 1840; pastoralists settled in the area about a decade later. Copper was discovered and mining started in 1846, but it was not economically viable, and ceased in 1851. The mine was opened again three more times, with the latest closure in 1917.

In 1893 at a time of high unemployment, Wilton Hack founded a communal settlement in the area. At its peak, some 130 settlers were working 1,000 acres (400 ha) of land. By the end of 1895 after a succession of poor seasons around half the settlers had left, and in 1896 the village was closed by the Government.[13]

When it was opened in 1848, the police station in Melrose was not only the first permanent police station in the region, but the base of the largest police district in the world. A constable, two troopers and an Aboriginal tracker were responsible for an area extending to the Timor Sea.

The Wilmington railway line from Gladstone opened near Melrose in 1915 and closed in 1969. The station was almost 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) north of the town. Melrose is also on the Horrocks Highway, formerly known as Main North Road.

Mining in Melrose

Mining attempts at Melrose only lasted five years. This is due to the copper deposits located in the area being too small and therefore economically inviable. Only 5 tons of copper extractions have been recorded. The primary tunnel reached only 18 meters, and a connecting shaft reached 6 meters. Copper is not the only mineral present in Melrose’s mine; azurite, calcite, chalcopyrite, hematite, malachite and quartz have also been detected, although this mineral list may not be comprehensive as no recent analyses of the mines have been conducted.[14]

Women in Melrose

The State Library of South Australia’s Melrose Collection contains an image of women staging a protest in Melrose, holding up signs saying ‘votes for women’ and ‘Give us seats in parliament’. The image is dated at December 12th, 1916, and provides evidence of suffragette activity in the town.[15]

Heritage listings

Melrose has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

  • 3 Brewery Street: Keating Cottage[16]
  • Melrose to Orroroo Road: Mount Remarkable Woolshed[17]
  • Melrose to Orroroo Road: Mount Remarkable Station[18]
  • Mount Street: Jacka's Brewery and Yard Walls[19]
  • near Melrose: Rankine's Hut[20]
  • Lot 2 Spratt Street: Timber Slab Dwelling[21]
  • Stuart Street: Melrose Post Office[22]
  • Stuart Street: Melrose Courthouse and Police Station[23]
  • Stuart Street: Mount Remarkable Inn[24]
  • 30 Stuart Street: Blacksmith Shop and Dwelling[25]
  • 13 Whitby Street: Timber Slab Dwelling[26]

Jacka's Brewery

Jacka’s Brewery was a family business founded by Joseph Jacka in 1877 in Melrose. Several months prior, Joseph and his brother William had leased the land the brewery still resides upon from Joseph’s father-in-law. At the time, the Jacka family also owned the North Star Hotel in Melrose, and were already experienced brewers as they had previously owned a brewery in Auburn.[27]

In 1887 Joseph continued brewing in Melrose while his brother William relocated to Burra. Jacka’s brewery was a great success and popular amongst the locals. Within the next decade or so, Joseph was able to buy more surrounding land and extend the breweries premises. At this point, Jacka’s brewery was distributing beer to Port Pirie and Port Augusta using custom made wagons, wooden casks and teams of eight horses to traverse the Flinders Ranges. William returned to Jacka’s Brewery in 1901 after his brother died, to assist his nephew William J.S. Jacka with running the business. The brewery ceased production in 1934 after World War I and the Great Depression rendered it economically inviable. [28]

The brewery was formerly known as T.B. Marshall’s Flour Mill.

Melrose Cemetery

Melrose Cemetery was established in the 1860’s. According to the Virtual War Memorial for Australia, the opening of the cemetery is referenced by local newspapers. This includes the South Australian Register’s account of a whooping cough epidemic creating several new graves mere months after the cemeteries opening in 1863. Almost a decade later, the South Australian Register again referred to Melrose Cemetery as being ‘new’, as well as a ‘regular resort for pigs to go about rooting in,’, suggesting that the council take better care of the grounds.[29]

Tourism

Today, Melrose is the base for visitors to the Mount Remarkable National Park and a centre for the local farmers.

In June, Melrose is home to the Fat Tyre Festival, an off-road bike celebration exploring local bike trails and crowding parades of freak bikes.

In August, Melrose is also home to the King of the Mount[30] trail race. This is a race to the summit of Mt Remarkable, during which runners and walkers ascend over 600 metres (2,000 ft) along a 7.7 kilometres (4.8 mi) trail.

Melrose is home to a caravan park visited by 100,000 tourists every year.

The town also has several sites and associated activities that are popular tourist attractions throughout the year.

Paradise Square

Paradise Square was the first cemetery in Melrose, situated by the Melrose Heritage Centre. According to the Virtual War Memorial for Australia, almost 128 burials took place in Paradise Square until its closure in the 1850’s and prior to the establishment of Melrose Cemetery. Several Paradise Square burials were eventually relocated to the new Melrose Cemetery.

In 1890 on Arbor Day, 70 trees were planted on the grounds previously occupied by Paradise Square. The trees were replaced by tennis courts in 1925, which were later removed. Today, gardens provide a tribute to the remaining residents of Paradise Square.[31]

Bartagunyah Winery and Estate

Bartagunyah Estate and Winery is located approximately 5km from Melrose. It’s close proximity to the town means the winery is considered one of Melrose’s tourist attractions. The land the estate sits upon was originally named by the Nukunu people, an Indigenous Australian community native to the Melrose region. The name translates to ‘home of the Bardy Grubs’. The property itself was originally used for livestock in the 1930’s, but in 1997 it was converted to a vineyard and winery. Tourists can participate in wine tasting and several ecotourism activities, including but not limited to mountain biking across ridge top trials, camping with a view of the Willochra Plain, and 4WD tours. [32]

North Star Hotel

Located at the top of main street, North Star Hotel was one of the first licensed hotels in Melrose. It’s license dates back to 1857. As of 2012, Nadine and Joe Garrard have been running the hotel. The couple has had prior experience with hotels, as they also own the Austral Inn Hotel.

Travel reviews from The Advertiser have referred to a ‘quirky motel’ on the property, which is in fact two farm trucks behind the hotel. Both have been converted into sleeping quarters with additional living facilities and reverse-cycle air conditioning.[33]

Places to eat in Melrose

Most places to eat in Melrose fall into the pub and bar categories.

  • North Star Inn Restaurant
  • Store 54
  • Mount Remarkable Hotel Restaurant
  • Wozza's Vault Cafe
  • Blesing's Garden
  • Beautiful Valley Cafe
  • Old Pier Hotel

Education

Melrose has several educational institutions, including but not limited to:

  • Melrose primary school
  • Melrose kindergarten
  • Terka township
  • Wilmington Primary School
  • Wilmington Kindergarten
  • Booleroo Centre District School

Notable mentions

Old Emu Foot

Old Emu Foot has been identified by arborists at the National Register of Big Trees as the largest tree in South Australia, more so for its width than its height. It has also been identified as the largest River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) in Australia. Its size was compared with several contenders throughout NSW, Victoria and Western Australia using the American Forests formula.[34]

The tree was nominated as the largest River Red Gum in Australia and largest tree in South Australia by the director of Arbortech, Kym Knight. Knight has estimated the tree’s age to be around 400 years. [35] [36]

Old Emu Foot is not considered a tourist attraction as it resides on private property and isn’t easily accessible for the general public. It sits roughly 1.2 km from the Melrose Showgrounds in a sheep paddock owned by farmer David McCallum.[37]

It is 35 metres tall, its circumference is 14.82 metres, and its crown is 29 metres. These dimensions afford Old Emu Foot a score of 722 points according to the American Forests formula.[38]


Notes and references
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Melrose (SA) (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
  2. "Search result for "Melrose(Locality Bounded)" (Record no SASA0002178) with the following layers selected - "Suburbs and Localities" and "Place names (gazetteer)"". Property Location Browser. Government of South Australia. Archived from the original on 12 October 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  3. "A Man's Duty is to Serve His Country". The Mail. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 13 September 1913. p. 2 Section: Second Section. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  4. "2016 Census QuickStats". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  5. Cockburn, Rodney (1990). South Australia: What's in a Name. Axiom. ISBN 095925191X.
  6. "Aussie Towns". Elder, B. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  7. Manning, Geoffrey. "Place Names of South Australia - M: Melrose". Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  8. "Tindale Tribes - Nukunu (n.d)". NB Tindale. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  9. "Nukunu". Mobile Language Team. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  10. "Bartagunyah Estate". Bartagunyah Estate. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  11. "2016 Census Quickstats". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  12. "2900.0 - Census of Population and Housing: Understanding the Census and Census Data, Australia, 2016". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  13. "MOUNT REMARKABLE VILLAGE SETTLEMENT". The Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 20 August 1896. p. 4. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
  14. "Mount Remarkable Mine, Melrose, South Flinders Ranges, Flinders Ranges, South Australia, Australia". Mindat. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  15. "Women Staging a Protest in Melrose". State Library of South Australia. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  16. "Dwelling ('Keating Cottage')". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  17. "Mount Remarkable Woolshed". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  18. "Gumville Station (former Mount Remarkable [originally Willowie] Homestead) Complex, which includes Mount Remarkable Training Farm structures". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  19. "Former Jacka's Brewery & Yard Walls (former Marshall's Flour Mill)". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  20. "Rankine's Hut". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on 15 February 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  21. "Timber Slab Dwelling". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  22. "Melrose Post Office (former Post and Telegraph Office)". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on 15 February 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  23. "Former Melrose Courthouse & Police Station". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on 15 February 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  24. "Mount Remarkable Inn". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  25. "Former Blacksmith Shop & Dwelling". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on 15 February 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  26. "Timber Slab Dwelling". South Australian Heritage Register. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on 15 February 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  27. "Aussie Towns, Melrose (SA)". Elder, B. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  28. "3 January 1877 Jacka's Brewery, Melrose (Celebrating South Australia)". SA Historians. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  29. "Melrose Cemetery South Australia". Virtual War Memorial Australia. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  30. King of the Mount
  31. "Melrose Cemetery South Australia". Virtual War Memorial Australia. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  32. "Bartagunyah Estate". Bartagunyah Estate. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  33. Collins, C. "Stay - at a Quirky Hotel in Melrose". The Advertiser. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  34. "A Giant Hidden". Adelaide Now. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  35. "Arbortech Tree Services - FAQ". treecare. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  36. "A Giant Hidden". Adelaide Now. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  37. "A Giant Hidden". Adelaide Now. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  38. "A Giant Hidden". Adelaide Now. Retrieved 18 November 2020.

Further reading


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