Mount Barker, South Australia

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Mount Barker South Australia
The roundabout outside the Mount Barker High School
Population:	9,073
Established:	1834
Postcode:	5251
Location:	40 km from Adelaide
LGA:	District Council of Mount Barker
State District:	Kavel, Heysen
Federal Division:	Mayo

Mount Barker is a rapidly growing town, 40 kilometres from Adelaide, in South Australia. It was founded in 1834 by Captain Charles Sturt, and is now home to more than 9,000 people. It lies at the base of Mount Barker, called The Mount Barker Summit by locals. It is the focus of the District Council of Mount Barker, and is the largest town in the Adelaide Hills.

1 History
2 Culture
3 Infrastructure
4 References

[edit] History

Mount Barker was first sighted by Captain Charles Sturt in 1830, although he thought he was looking at the previously discovered Mount Lofty. Captain Collet Barker fixed this error when he surveyed the area in 1831. Sturt named the mountain in honor of Captain Barker after he was killed later that year by Aborigines.^[1]

Mount Barker has since developed into a large urban center, which is developing very rapidly.^[2] New subdivisions are being developed, as well as additional malls and shopping centres. There in an increasing problem with the infastructure of the town, with the District Council of Mount Barker attempting to convince the State Government to fund a new Freeway exit on the South Eastern Freeway.

[edit] Culture

Mount Barker is the biggest town in the Adelaide Hills and has swimming pools, cinemas, many restaurants, cafes, supermarkets, shops and a department store, Kmart Australia.

Mount Barker is home to the Steamranger historic railway which operates The Southern Encounter steam trains through Strathalbyn and Goolwa to Victor Harbor.

In 2003 the now bulldosed industrial estate near St Francis de Sales college was used for part of the filming of the movie The Honorable Wally Norman. This building is soon to the site of a Harvey Norman shopping center.

[edit] Infrastructure

[edit] Public Services

Mount Barker has four high schools: Mount Barker High School (public)^[3], Cornerstone College (Lutheran)^[4], Saint Francis de Sales (Catholic)^[5], and Mount Barker Waldorf School (Waldorf)^[6].

Mount Barker has a base of the SA Police (SAPOL), has an SA Ambulance Station, Country Fire Service station which is one of the busiest in the state, and the Adelaide Hills SES unit, also one of the busiest in the state. There is also a hospital on Wellington Road

Its has one public library with internet access.

Mail and emergency phone calls are sometimes accidentally exchanged with Mount Barker, Western Australia.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Roads

The sign designating the roundabout near the Mount Barker High School as seen from Flaxley Road.

The main way to get to Adelaide is via the Freeway. There are 4 major roads in Mount Barker, which all connect at the roundabout outside the Mount Barker High School