Loxton, South Australia

Loxton
South Australia

Main street
Loxton
Coordinates 34°27′0″S 140°34′0″E / 34.45000°S 140.56667°ECoordinates: 34°27′0″S 140°34′0″E / 34.45000°S 140.56667°E
Population 3,795 (2011 census)[1]
Postcode(s) 5333
Location
  • 246 km (153 mi) E of Adelaide
  • 41 km (25 mi) S of Renmark
  • 680 km (423 mi) NW of Melbourne
LGA(s) District Council of Loxton Waikerie
State electorate(s) Chaffey
Federal Division(s) Barker

Loxton is a town on the south bank of the River Murray in the Riverland region of South Australia. At the 2011 census, Loxton had a population of 3,795.[1] It is a service town for the surrounding districts. The area near Loxton is a significant citrus fruit and summer fruit growing area. Loxton is also the main town for the northern part of the Murray Mallee which is a dryland farming and grain cropping area.

Loxton has a pioneer settlement museum (known as the Loxton Historical Village), preserving the heritage of the mallee region. It is also famous for the "Loxton Lights Up" Christmas Festival in December each year, and the annual 120m Loxton Gift handicap sprint race held in late February.

Loxton is in the local government area of the District Council of Loxton Waikerie. It is in the South Australian House of Assembly electoral district of Chaffey and the Australian House of Representatives division of Barker.

The town is home to a variety of service clubs, most notably the Apex Club, Rotary Club and Lions Club.

Transport

The first form of regular transport to Loxton was paddle steamers on the Murray River. The Loxton railway line was completed in 1914[2] connecting via Alawoona and Tailem Bend to Adelaide. Loxton today is connected by road to the Sturt Highway which passes nearby at Kingston-on-Murray and is the northern terminus of the Karoonda Highway and eastern terminus of the Stott Highway. The railway now terminates at the Tookayerta grain terminal a few kilometres out of town, but does not carry passengers, and is anticipated to close completely in 2015.[3]

Salt interception scheme

Loxton is a town with many farms and fruit crops. The joint programme of salt interception schemes to help keep salt out of the River Murray, costing an estimated $60 million, commenced in 2001. This programme was expected to deliver 61 EC at Morgan by December 2007. The partner Governments of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia and the Commonwealth have agreed that joint salt interception schemes must both be economically and technically feasible.

Loxton Gift

The Loxton Gift athletics carnival offers the most prize money in South Australia apart from the Bay Sheffield held at Glenelg. The program includes races from 70m to 1000m and is the final major South Australian lead-up event to the Stawell Gift held at Easter.

Loxton Gift winners

Loxton Gift Most Outstanding Athlete of the Carnival winners

Notable persons born in Loxton

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Loxton (Urban Centre/Locality)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  2. ↑ "LOXTON RAILWAY.". Observer (Adelaide, SA : 1905 - 1931) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 24 January 1914. p. 34. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  3. ↑ "Freight Study & Rail Operations Investigation" (PDF). Flywheel Advisory. Regional Development Australia - Murraylands and Riverland. 17 November 2014. p. 11. Retrieved 4 February 2015.

External links

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