Copper Coast – Australia’s Little Cornwall
Kadina, the largest town on the Yorke Peninsula, is 145 kms from Adelaide. The town was established in the 1860s after copper was discovered in the nearby Wallaroo Mines area. There are many beautiful buildings in Kadina that reflect the prosperity of the mining era.
Kadina is one of the three Copper Triangle towns, famous for their shared copper mining heritage. Kadina, Wallaroo and Moonta are known as "Little Cornwall" as immigrants who came with their families from Cornwall in England worked at the mines in the late 19th century. Historic miners cottages can be seen along the railway line near the Wallaroo Mines.
Several heritage trails can be followed around the town and through the old mine site where significant mine buildings ruins can be seen.
The Kernewek Lowender Event celebrating the Cornish traditions, is held in May on alternate years (odd numbered). It is the world's largest Cornish festival with a weekend of food, music, dancing and activities. There’s even an old car procession and of course plenty of Cornish pasties. Over 80,000 people attend.
There are fascinating attractions in Kadina and around the area. A range of accommodation can be found as well as plenty of interesting shops to browse.
The Cornish Pasty
Cornish pasties were the staple diet of miners who took them for their “crib”. Pasties are baked with raw filling – chopped skirt or chuck steak with sliced onion, potato and swede made into a parcel with firm pastry, crimped on top to seal. As pasties bake, the flavours blend together. Freshly cooked pasties stay hot for more than an hour. Sometimes half the pasty was sweet, perhaps apple. Miners could hold their pasties by the crimped top and discard that if it became grubby. Pasties are a meal in themselves and are traditionally NEVER served with chips and the like.
While you are in “Australia’s Little Cornwall”, take the opportunity to enjoy a hot freshly baked Cornish pasty. Yum!
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