Roxby Downs, South Australia

Roxby Downs
South Australia
Roxby Downs
Coordinates 30°33′S 136°54′E / 30.550°S 136.900°E / -30.550; 136.900Coordinates: 30°33′S 136°54′E / 30.550°S 136.900°E / -30.550; 136.900
Population 4,702 (2006 census)[1]
Established 1987
Postcode(s) 5725[2]
Location
LGA(s) Municipal Council of Roxby Downs
State electorate(s) Giles
Federal Division(s) Grey
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall
27.6 °C
82 °F
12.5 °C
55 °F
150.1 mm
5.9 in
Localities around Roxby Downs:
Roxby Downs Station Olympic Dam Andamooka
Roxby Downs Station Roxby Downs Andamooka Station
Roxby Downs Station Purple Downs Andamooka Station

Roxby Downs is a mining town in outback South Australia, 563 kilometres north of the state capital Adelaide. The town has a highly transient population of around 4,000 people, 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 it has many leisure and community facilities including swimming, cinema, cultural precinct, community radio, shopping centre, schools, TAFE, cafes and sporting clubs and facilities. There are just two neighbouring towns in the area: Andamooka, an opal mining town about 30 km to the east, and Woomera, 84 km south of Roxby Downs. Andamooka people call the town home, and many are of European background since the days of early opal mining.

History

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 5 November 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]

Water supply

Water is extracted from the Great Artesian Basin and desalinated by the operators of the Olympic Dam mine. It is then supplied via pipeline. In 2004, the township was estimated to consume a daily average of 3 megalitres.[5]

Climate

Like most of inland South Australia, Roxby Downs has a desert climate, with little rainfall all year round, however Roxby Downs is in one of the driest areas of the state. Summers are scorching hot, with temperatures over 45 °C, while winters can be cold with temperatures below freezing.

Climate data for Roxby Downs
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 48.5
(119.3)
46.5
(115.7)
43.2
(109.8)
40.0
(104)
33.0
(91.4)
27.0
(80.6)
28.0
(82.4)
33.0
(91.4)
39.0
(102.2)
42.0
(107.6)
45.0
(113)
46.0
(114.8)
48.5
(119.3)
Average high °C (°F) 37.2
(99)
35.7
(96.3)
31.9
(89.4)
27.3
(81.1)
22.4
(72.3)
18.5
(65.3)
18.4
(65.1)
20.8
(69.4)
25.2
(77.4)
28.0
(82.4)
32.0
(89.6)
34.2
(93.6)
27.6
(81.7)
Average low °C (°F) 21.1
(70)
20.3
(68.5)
16.9
(62.4)
12.5
(54.5)
8.1
(46.6)
4.9
(40.8)
4.2
(39.6)
5.5
(41.9)
9.3
(48.7)
12.4
(54.3)
16.6
(61.9)
18.6
(65.5)
12.5
(54.5)
Record low °C (°F) 11.5
(52.7)
11.0
(51.8)
5.0
(41)
1.0
(33.8)
−3.0
(26.6)
−6.0
(21.2)
−5.0
(23)
−4.0
(24.8)
−1.1
(30)
2.6
(36.7)
6.0
(42.8)
8.0
(46.4)
−6.0
(21.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 10.8
(0.425)
21.1
(0.831)
7.4
(0.291)
14.9
(0.587)
8.1
(0.319)
17.5
(0.689)
8.0
(0.315)
8.3
(0.327)
9.9
(0.39)
13.8
(0.543)
15.2
(0.598)
14.9
(0.587)
150.1
(5.909)
Average precipitation days 2.2 2.9 2.8 2.8 3.3 4.4 4.2 4.0 3.8 3.8 4.1 4.4 42.7
Source: [6]

Facilities

Roxby Downs is unique in South Australian history. Never before have a township and its administration been set up from scratch as a joint venture between the state government and mining company WMC (now BHP Billiton), who provided the infrastructure for the town including the housing, lighting, electricity, water, etc. while 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.[7] The structure consists of a series of volunteers committees, appointed by the Administrator, known as the Community Board and Community Forums.

Politics

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

Health

On 28 March 2010, Sodexo and Billycart Kids sponsored the first Roxby Billycart Bash, in Roxby Downs. The event saw over a hundred downhill racers hurtle down the only hill in town in home made or purchased billycarts.[8] The event raised money for the Roxby Downs Health Service Auxiliary.[9]

References

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