[9] The opening was celebrated with a "town party" held on the main oval and sponsored by the then owners of the operation Olympic Dam Project (O.D.P.).

[10] The town is subject to a specific Indenture Act and is administered by the Municipal Council of Roxby Downs in the form of an appointed Administrator.

[6][1][5] Roxby Downs is in an area, like many other arid zones in Australia, that was very badly overgrazed by sheep and cattle during the nineteenth century, as pastoralism was introduced by European settlers.

[14][13] The initiative known as Arid Recovery was established in 1997 by Katherine Moseby and John Read, whose vision was the creation of a reserve dedicated to restoring the ecosystem, which meant keeping feral animals such as rabbits, cats and foxes out.

WMC Resources, the South Australian Department for Environment and Heritage, the University of Adelaide and a community group formed a committee.

[15] In October 2020, nine bilbies – four males and five females – were released into the Arid Recovery Reserve, with the aim of increasing the gene pool.

[17] Roxby Downs has a subtropical desert climate (Köppen: BWh), with very hot summers and mild winters.