Copper Coast

Copper Coast is a region of South Australia situated in Northern Yorke Peninsula and comprising the towns of Wallaroo, Kadina, Moonta, Paskeville and Port Hughes.

The area is so named because copper was mined from there in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a significant source of economic prosperity for South Australia at the time.

The area continues to make a significant contribution to the economy of South Australia, as a major producer of grain, particularly barley and wheat.

Copper was first noted on the Yorke Peninsula by Captain Richard Rodda in 1848, however due to the remoteness of the region in comparison with the mines of Kapunda and Burra, it was not exploited.

By the late 1800s, Moonta had the largest urban population outside of Adelaide, with 12,000 people, including many Cornish miners and their families who brought with them their skills, and lifestyle.

The Copper Coast's urban centres of Kadina, Wallaroo and Moonta form the core of Yorke Peninsula's retail sector.