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Currency Creek, South Australia facts for kids

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Currency Creek
South Australia
Currency Creek is located in South Australia
Currency Creek
Currency Creek
Location in South Australia
Established 1840 (town)
31 August 2000 (locality)
Postcode(s) 5214
Time zone ACST (UTC+9:30)
 • Summer (DST) ACDT (UTC+10:30)
LGA(s) Alexandrina Council
Region Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island
County Hindmarsh
State electorate(s) Finniss
Federal Division(s) Mayo
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall
20.8 °C
69 °F		 11.8 °C
53 °F		 394.8 mm
15.5 in
Localities around Currency Creek:
Tooperang Tooperang
Finniss
Clayton Bay		 Clayton Bay
Mosquito Hill Currency Creek Clayton Bay
Hindmarsh Island
Mosquito Hill
Middleton		 Middleton
Goolwa
Goolwa North
Hindmarsh Island		 Hindmarsh Island
Footnotes Adjoining localities

Currency Creek (postcode 5214) is a small town and area in South Australia. It sits on the western shore of a large lake called Lake Alexandrina. The town is about 6 kilometers north of Goolwa. A stream with the same name, Currency Creek, flows into Lake Alexandrina here. This stream only flows at certain times of the year. The area also includes a point of land called Finniss Point. This point separates the mouths of Currency Creek and the Finniss River.

History of Currency Creek

Parts of Lake Alexandrina near Currency Creek were first explored in 1830. An explorer named Charles Sturt used an open boat for this journey. However, he did not see the creek itself during his trip.

How Currency Creek Got Its Name

In December 1837, a group led by Thomas Bewes Strangways and Young Bingham Hutchinson explored the lake. They were looking for other ways the Murray River could reach the sea. They used a whaleboat they borrowed from a local fishing spot. This whaleboat was named Currency Lass. It had been sold from a schooner (a type of sailing ship) with the same name. Because the whaleboat was called Currency Lass, they decided to name the creek in its honor. The explorers also reported that the area had good grassland. They thought it would be a good place for farming.

Development of the Town

The town of Currency Creek was planned in 1840. However, it never grew very big. This was mainly because the larger town of Goolwa was very close by. In the late 1800s, many market gardens grew along the fertile river flats. These gardens produced fresh food for sale.

The Currency Creek Cemetery is quite large, especially compared to the small town. This is because it has served the entire surrounding area for over a hundred years. Many old gravestones can be found there.

Heritage listed old bridge across Currency Creek, South Australia near Goolwa. (7771453472)
Heritage listed bridge across Currency Creek

The official boundaries for the Currency Creek area were set on August 31, 2000. This made the "long established name" official.

Wine Industry

Main article: Currency Creek wine region

Currency Creek also gives its name to a special wine region. This area stretches from Port Elliot in the west to Lake Alexandrina in the east. It also includes Hindmarsh Island.

Grape Varieties and Production

The main types of grapes grown here are Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Shiraz. The first vineyards (grape farms) were started in this area in 1969. The region then produced its very first wine in 1972.

Currency Creek Arboretum

The Currency Creek Arboretum is a special place named after the nearby town and creek. An arboretum is like a botanical garden, but it focuses on trees and woody plants.

Research and Purpose

This arboretum was started by Dean Nicolle and is supported by volunteers. Its main goal is to research eucalypts. Eucalypts are a very common group of trees in Australia. They include Angophora, Eucalyptus, and Corymbia trees. The arboretum helps scientists learn more about these important Australian plants.

Images for kids

Memorials to River Murray pioneers at Currency Creek cemetery include:

  • Emma Wolter gravestone

    Captain Wolter

  • George Bain Johnston gravestone

    Captain Johnston

  • Samuel Shetliff gravestone

    Captain Shetliff

  • Sunman gravestone

    Captain Sunman

  • Charles and Janet Goode Gravestone

    Charles Goode

  • Catharine Goode gravestone

    Catharine Goode

  • Jeannie Goode gravestone

    Jeannie Goode

  • Georgina Johnston gravestone

    Georgina Johnston

  • Stephen Goode gravestone

    Stephen Goode

  • Shirley Goode memorial

    Shirley Goode

  • Andrew Willcock gravestone

    Andrew Willcock

  • Alfred Sunman gravestone

    Captain Sunman

  • Edward Dashwood Scott gravestone

    Edward Dashwood Scott

  • Edward Bate Scott gravestone

    Edward Bate Scott

  • James Ritchie gravestone

    Capt. Ritchie

  • George Ritchie gravestone

    Sir George Ritchie

  • Elisha Bennett gravestone

    Elisha and George Bennett

  • Herbert Armfield gravestone

    Herbert Armfield

  • Keith Veenstra gravestone

    Keith Veenstra

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