| Mintaro South Australia |
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| Population: | 223[1] (2006 Census) |
| Established: | 1854 |
| Postcode: | 5415 |
| Mayor: | Allan Aughey |
| Location: | |
| LGA: | District Council of Clare and Gilbert Valleys |
| Region: | Mid North |
| State District: | Frome |
| Federal Division: | Wakefield |
Mintaro (, postcode 5415) is an historic town in the eastern Clare Valley, about 128 km north of Adelaide, South Australia. The town lies at the south-eastern corner of the Hundred of Clare.
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The town was founded in 1854 by Joseph and Henry Gilbert[2] on land purchased by Henry Gilbert in July 1849.
Originally, Mintaro was a watering stop for bullock teams travelling between the copper mining town of Burra and Port Wakefield transporting copper and coal for the Patent Copper Company.[3] The bullock teams were replaced with mule teams in the 1850s and up to a hundred mule teams were seen to pass though the town each day. The town’s economy collapsed when the teams where rerouted to the new railway at Gawler from 1857, but soon recovered with the growth of slate quarrying and agricultural production. The town now has tourism as its current primary industry.
Mintaro features many original Victorian buildings, including Martindale Hall which was used in the 1975 movie Picnic at Hanging Rock, Mintaro Slate Quarries and numerous vineyards and wineries. In 1984, Mintaro was the first entire town to be declared a State Heritage Area.
The district was called Mintara in some advertisements and the Township of Mintaro in an advertisement of November 5, 1849. Although it has been claimed that the name comes from a Spanish word meaning camp or resting place, based on the prevalence of Spanish mule teams passing through,[2] this is unlikely as the first mules did not arrive until 1853.[3] Some sources have claimed that the name is derived from either the Ngadjuri word mintadloo or Minta - Ngadlu meaning netted water.[2]
Mintaro’s Cambrian era slate has a reputation for quality and has been used around the world for the manufacture of billard tables, monuments, pavements, and many other items. Slate mining began in the 1856, helping to keep the town alive after rerouting of the mule trains. The slate received an honorable menton at the 1868 London International Exhibition and Walter Lindrum, Australian billiards champion, wrote to the quarry with congratulations on the slate’s quality.[2][3]
Mintaro today is an idyllic, sleepy village, popular as a tourist accommodation destination for visitors to the Clare Valley. It boasts a number of character Bed and Breakfast establishments, and an old pub where many a yarn has been shared. There are 2 winery cellar doors in the town, galleries, charming eateries and a Maze.
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