Burra

Burra Review

This town full of character—and characters—about 44km (27 mi) northeast of Clare is worth a detour. The discovery of copper in 1845 made Burra the country's largest inland town but the ore ran out quickly (the biggest mine closed after just 32 years) and Burra settled into a quiet existence. Today the 11 km (7 mi) Heritage Trail (pass: A$25) leads you to 8 sites related to Burra's rich mining past. These include the massive open-cut Monster Mine; two "homes" dug into the banks of Burra Creek, where some 2,000 people lived before a flood in 1851; and colonial Redruth Gaol, which appeared in Australian film Breaker Morant. It includes a guidebook, map, and a key to eight locked historic sites and four museums.

Burra Visitor Centre. To get started in Burra, head to Burra Visitor Centre. 08/8892-2154. Daily 9-5.