Roxby Downs, South Australia

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Roxby Downs South Australia
Location of Roxby Downs
Population:	4,055 (2006)^[1]
Established:	1987
Postcode:	5725^[2]
Location:	563.2 km (350 mi) N of Adelaide 10.6 km (7 mi) S of Olympic Dam
LGA:	Roxby Downs Council
State District:	Giles
Federal Division:	Grey

Roxby Downs (30°33′S, 136°54′E) is a small mining town in outback South Australia, 563 kilometres north of Adelaide. The town has a highly transient population of around 4,000 individuals, almost one third of whom are under the age of fifteen^[3]. Roxby Downs is often referred to as the most 'modern town of the outback' and has numerous leisure and community facilities including swimming, cinema, cultural precinct, community radio, shopping centre, schools, TAFE, cafes and sporting clubs and facilities. The only town close by is that of Andamooka, an opal mining town approximately 30km east of Roxby Downs, and Woomera, 84km south of Roxby Downs.

The town of Roxby Downs was built in 1987 (land survey commenced in November 1986) to service the Olympic Dam mine and processing plant, located 16 kilometres north of the site of the town. Roxby Downs was officially opened on November 5, 1988. 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.)

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.^[4]

Roxby Downs is unique in South Australian history. Never before has a township and its administration been set up from scratch as a joint venture between the state government and a mining company. O.D.P. provided the infrastructure for the town including the housing, lighting, electricity, water etc. The state government provided the recreation facilities, educational facilities, policing and the town administration. In 2005 a community management structure was initiated to implement a Community Plan developed during 2004 and 2005.^[5] The structure consists of a series of volunteers committees, appointed by the Administrator, known as the Community Board and Community Forums.

Roxby Downs is in the state electoral district of Giles and federal Division of Grey.

The superviser of the uranium mine used to be Martin.J