Blinman, South Australia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Blinman () is a town deep in the Flinders Ranges in South Australia. It has a very small population (about 20) but has served the local area for pastoralists. The town is just north of the Flinders Ranges National Park. Blinman is 60 km north of Wilpena Pound and 485 km north of Adelaide.
Contents |
[edit] History
The area was originally settled by pastoralists but the Blinman site was the location of the biggest copper mine in the Flinders, operating from 1859 to 1908. The town is named after Robert Blinman, the shepherd who discovered the copper. Today the town survives primarily on tourist money.
[edit] Attractions
The two most popular events in the town are a Land Rover jamboree held over the May long weekend (Adelaide Cup Day) and Cook Out Back (see below). Notice that both events are held during the Australian winter because of the searing heat during summer.
[edit] Cook Out Back
Cook Out Back is a relaxed campfire cooking competition held over the October long weekend (Labour Day) in the town. One meal is a roast prepared using a Dutch oven on a bed of coals. This annual event attracts over 500 people to the town, who can be found camping throughout the area. It attracts many people from Adelaide, South Australia and is the biggest event on the towns calendar bringing in much needed tourist money to the area. Each teams cooking is usually judged by a group of local celebrities and there is $3000 prize for the winning team. This event is run by the Blinman Hotel.
[edit] References
- Blinman Hotel
- Blinman South Australia History by Flinders Ranges Research
- Walkabout - Blinman
- Plance names search, Geoscience Australia
