Moonta is a pretty coastal town that is steeped in history.
Just 165 kilometres from Adelaide, it's popular with holidaymakers, especially families. Nearby, you'll find Moonta Bay - a delightful holiday spot with excellent accommodation and facilities. Its sandy beaches and jetty make it a drawcard for fishermen, families and holidaymakers alike. While here, take the opportunity to go on a fishing charter, and use local knowledge to find secret fishing spots for a great catch.
Take to the Moonta Mines Walking Trails, or ride the 50-minute round trip on the Moonta Mines Tourist Railway. You can also discover more about the town at the Moonta Mines Museum.
Port Hughes is a close neighbour. The Port Hughes jetty offers excellent fishing opportunities, and the area is also popular with boat fishers and charter boats.
South Australia's second largest town in its heyday, Moonta was predominately settled by Cornish miners and their families. Moonta owes most of its prosperity to the Moonta Mining Co.
During the prosperous late 1800s, Moonta had the largest urban population outside of Adelaide, with 12,000 people including many Cornish miners who brought their skills and lifestyle. For this reason Moonta is known as 'Australia's Little Cornwall'. The town of Moonta helps host the Kernewek Lowender (or Cornish Festival) along with the towns of Kadina and Wallaroo, which is held every two years (in odd numbered years). It's a chance to enjoy street processions, dance, music, theatre, a vintage car rally and more.
The name Moonta comes from the Aboriginal words 'Moonta-Moonterra' meaning impenetrable scrub. It has a population of 3,500 which rises to 10,000 during the summer holiday season.
Did you know: One of the things Moonta is most famous for is the Cornish Pasty. Miners used to take their lunch to work in a package of pastry - so it wouldn't get dirty. The pastry was joined along the top with a ridge so that it could be easily carried. The miner would open the pastry, and find in one end meat and vegetable; the other end would have fruit and jam for dessert. Today you can still buy delicious meat and vegetable filled traditional pasties in Moonta.
