Barossa Valley Day 1

Monday 7th September 2026

Brian, Robyn, Geoff and I travelled up to the Barossa today. First stop was the Lavender farm at Lyndoch.

 

After lavender scones and some coffee and hot chocolate we drove onto Kapunda.

The Kapunda Mine was established in 1844 and operated successfully until its closure in 1878. It produced ore to the value of more than 1 million pounds and employed 340 men and boys mostly from Cornwall.

Street art in Kapunda is impressive.

 

 

Sir Sidney Kidman 1857 – 1935.  He began his life as a young stockman on horseback. His vision, as a pioneer and pastoral landholder, was to develop a ‘back corridor’ to overcome the droughts of Australia’s inland.  He eventually owned over 100 stations (107,000 square miles) running 200,000 cattle and 250,000 sheep.  But he was more than just a cattle man.  He had many other successful business ventures and made major contributions to Australia’s war effort. He donated hundreds of horses to the war effort which included the Australian Light Horse (The last cavalry charge in history by the Australian Light Horse at Beersheba in 1917 is depicted above). The famous Kapunda Horse Sales were reputed to be the biggest horse sales in the Southern Hemisphere.

Even the toilet signage has been turned into a work of art.