Cradock, South Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cradock South Australia
The Cradock Hotel.
Cradock Location in South Australia
Established	6 March 1879 (town) 25 November 1999 (locality)
Postcode(s)	5432
Elevation	410 m (1,345 ft)
Time zone	ACST (UTC+9:30)
• Summer (DST)	ACST (UTC+10:30)
Location	320 km (199 mi) N of Adelaide
LGA(s)	Flinders Ranges Council District Council of Orroroo Carrieton
Region	Far North
County	Granville
State electorate(s)	Stuart
Federal Division(s)	Grey
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 25.3 °C 78 °F 10.7 °C 51 °F 307.2 mm 12.1 in
Localities around Cradock: Hawker Hawker Worumba Holowiliena South Three Creeks Kanyaka Cradock Wilcowie Belton Moockra Yanyarrie Belton

Cradock is a small town and area in South Australia. It is located about 320 kilometres north of Adelaide, the state capital. You can find it along the RM Williams Way road.

The town is part of the Flinders Ranges Council area. It is also in the state's Electoral district of Stuart and the federal Division of Grey. The nearby town of Hawker is about 20 kilometres away.

Cradock's Early History

The town of Cradock was planned out in November 1878. It was officially declared a town on March 6, 1879. The wider area around Cradock became an official "locality" on November 25, 1999. This locality includes the old town sites of Charlcome and Herbert.

Cradock was named after Sir John Cradock, who was the Governor of South Africa at that time. Settlers moved into this area after the South Australian government allowed farming in lands north of Goyder's Line. This line marks where the land becomes much drier. Cradock was set up on a "grassy flat" with good soil near Wirreanda Creek.

Life in Early Cradock

Soon after Cradock was established, it became a busy place. It had a school for children and a police station to keep order. There were also two hotels, two blacksmith shops, and a saddler. A "wheat rush" happened, where many people came to grow wheat.

However, the crops failed for four years in a row. This made many people sad and caused them to leave the town.

Historic Buildings of Cradock

Cradock once had three churches, each with its own story.

Churches in Cradock

• The stone Catholic church opened in 1883. It is still standing today.
• The Wesleyan Methodist church was first built from wood and iron in 1884. Later, a new stone church was started in 1924. This church was used until the 1980s. It is now a private home.
• The stone Anglican church was built in 1894. It was used until 1958 and is also now a private home.

The historic former St Gabriel's Catholic Church is very special. It was designed by Thomas Burgoyne. This church is listed on the South Australian Heritage Register because of its importance.

The Cradock Hotel

The town still has one hotel, called the Cradock Hotel. In the past, it was sometimes known as the "Heartbreak Hotel." This hotel is a key part of the town's history.