Eudunda facts for kids
Quick facts for kids EudundaSouth Australia |
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Eudunda seen from the town lookout
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 Eudunda
Location in South Australia
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| Postcode(s) | 5374 | ||||||||||||||
| Location | |||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | Regional Council of Goyder | ||||||||||||||
| County | Eyre Light |
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| State electorate(s) | Stuart | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Grey | ||||||||||||||
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Eudunda is a town in the Mid North area of South Australia. It is about 110 kilometres northeast of Adelaide. The town is part of the Regional Council of Goyder. In 2021, Eudunda had a population of 815 people. Eudunda is famous as the hometown of Colin Thiele, a well-known author and educator.
Contents
What's in a Name?
The name Eudunda comes from a spring west of the town. Local Aboriginal people called this spring judandakawi. Dr. Phillip Clarke from the South Australian Museum says judandakawi means 'sheltered water'. The name Eudunda was first written down in a newspaper called The Express and Telegraph in March 1872.
A Look Back in Time
The first Europeans in the Eudunda area were travellers in the late 1830s. They used a route called the Narcoota Track. Soon after, people started raising sheep on large farms. Important early farmers included Lachlan McBean, Frederick Hansborough Dutton, and William Russell. Many years later, more people began to settle in the area. The town of Eudunda was started by John Henry Hannan. He owned the land that was measured and sold for building the town.
Weather in Eudunda
| Climate data for Eudunda (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1965–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 45.0 (113.0) |
43.9 (111.0) |
40.0 (104.0) |
36.0 (96.8) |
28.4 (83.1) |
24.8 (76.6) |
25.4 (77.7) |
27.4 (81.3) |
31.4 (88.5) |
36.2 (97.2) |
41.5 (106.7) |
44.0 (111.2) |
45.0 (113.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 30.1 (86.2) |
29.5 (85.1) |
26.1 (79.0) |
21.8 (71.2) |
17.2 (63.0) |
13.9 (57.0) |
13.4 (56.1) |
14.6 (58.3) |
17.7 (63.9) |
21.6 (70.9) |
25.2 (77.4) |
27.6 (81.7) |
21.5 (70.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 22.3 (72.1) |
22.0 (71.6) |
19.2 (66.6) |
15.9 (60.6) |
12.5 (54.5) |
9.9 (49.8) |
9.3 (48.7) |
10.0 (50.0) |
12.1 (53.8) |
14.9 (58.8) |
18.0 (64.4) |
20.1 (68.2) |
15.5 (59.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 14.5 (58.1) |
14.5 (58.1) |
12.3 (54.1) |
9.9 (49.8) |
7.7 (45.9) |
5.8 (42.4) |
5.2 (41.4) |
5.3 (41.5) |
6.6 (43.9) |
8.3 (46.9) |
10.8 (51.4) |
12.7 (54.9) |
9.5 (49.1) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 5.1 (41.2) |
5.1 (41.2) |
0.7 (33.3) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
−1.3 (29.7) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
−2.0 (28.4) |
0.0 (32.0) |
0.4 (32.7) |
1.7 (35.1) |
3.2 (37.8) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 26.9 (1.06) |
24.8 (0.98) |
20.3 (0.80) |
33.7 (1.33) |
38.6 (1.52) |
54.0 (2.13) |
49.9 (1.96) |
55.0 (2.17) |
51.7 (2.04) |
35.1 (1.38) |
34.3 (1.35) |
35.1 (1.38) |
459.4 (18.09) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 2.7 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 4.6 | 7.1 | 9.3 | 9.8 | 10.2 | 8.1 | 5.9 | 5.1 | 4.6 | 72.7 |
| Average dew point °C (°F) | 8.7 (47.7) |
9.2 (48.6) |
8.5 (47.3) |
7.3 (45.1) |
7.0 (44.6) |
6.1 (43.0) |
5.4 (41.7) |
5.0 (41.0) |
5.8 (42.4) |
5.5 (41.9) |
6.6 (43.9) |
7.4 (45.3) |
6.9 (44.4) |
| Source 1: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Bureau of Meteorology | |||||||||||||
Railway History
Trains first came to Eudunda in 1878. This was when the North-West Bend Railway opened, connecting to Morgan. From 1914, Eudunda was a junction station. This meant another train line, the Robertstown branch line, started here. It went north past Point Pass to Robertstown.
The Morgan railway line stopped at Eudunda in November 1969. The Robertstown branch line closed in September 1991. The last train line through Eudunda closed in March 1994. Today, the old train tracks are gone. However, the original station building and the old water tower are still there.
People and Jobs
Eudunda has 815 people. About half are male (49.9%) and half are female (50.1%). The average age in Eudunda is 54 years old. There are 447 homes in the town. Each home has about 2.1 people and 2 cars.
People in Eudunda come from many places. They are born in Australia, England, Germany, the Netherlands, the Philippines, and New Zealand. A small part of the population (3.1%) are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. Eudunda has a strong Lutheran community. About 24.2% of its residents are Lutherans. This is much higher than the state average of 2.4%. It shows the town's long history.
The number of people without jobs in Eudunda is 5.2%. This is a bit lower than the state average. The most common jobs are managers, labourers, and tradespeople. Many also work as machinery operators, drivers, or in office jobs. The main industries in Eudunda include supermarkets, hospitals, and farming. There is also poultry processing and cleaning services.
The average weekly income for a household is $921. This is lower than the state average. But, more people own their homes in Eudunda. Also, rent and mortgage payments are lower here.
Schools in Town
Eudunda has several places for learning. These include the Eudunda Community Preschool Centre for younger children. There is also St John's Lutheran School, which started in 1904. For older students, there is Eudunda Area School, founded in 1948.
Fun and Games
Eudunda has many sports clubs. Some of these clubs meet at the Eudunda Sporting Club. Here are some of the sports clubs in Eudunda:
- Eudunda Basketball Club Incorporated
- Eudunda Bowling Club
- Eudunda Golf Club
- Eudunda & Robertstown Cricket Club
- Eudunda Robertstown Netball Club
- Eudunda Robertstown Football Club
- Eudunda Tennis Club
Eudunda also has a playground for children and a community swimming pool.
Art and Local Stories
The Eudunda Family Heritage Gallery is a place to learn about the area's past. Volunteers run this gallery. It shows the history of the Eudunda region from the 1840s onwards. You can find old cemetery records and local newspapers. There are also photos and items from churches, schools, sports groups, and other local organisations.
In Centenary Gardens, you can see a bronze sculpture of Colin Thiele. It was made by artist Chris Radford.
In September 2021, artist Sam Brooks painted a huge mural on the Eudunda Silos. These silos are 30 metres tall and are in the old railway station area. The artwork shows two children sharing stories about their past, culture, and local connections.
Explore Eudunda's Trails
Eudunda has several trails for walking and driving:
- Eudunda Historic Walking Tour is a walk that explores the town's old buildings. It shows its history in industry, farming, trade, religion, and education.
- Eudunda Mosaic Art Trail is a walking path with mosaic artworks. These were made by people in the local community.
- Colin Thiele Driving Trail is a car route. It takes you to important places from the author Colin Thiele's life in Eudunda.
- Lavender Federation Trail is a long hiking trail that goes through Eudunda.
- World's End Driving Trail is a car route from Eudunda to Burra. It shows beautiful rural views of hills, valleys, gorges, and lagoons.
Famous People from Eudunda
- Erhard F. Boehm, a farmer and bird expert
- Alexander Buchanan, an early stockman and pioneer in South Australia
- John Aloysius Chamberlain, a sportsman
- Lance Duldig, a cricketer
- Herbert Michael, a politician
- Leslie Nicholson, a politician
- Kane Richardson, a cricketer
- Leslie Arthur Schubert, a pastoralist and author
- Colin Thiele, a famous author and educator
- Justin Westhoff, an AFL footballer
Images for kids
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Eudunda Bakery.
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The former Appelt's General Store, now the Eudunda Roadhouse.
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St. John's Lutheran Church, Eudunda. Dedicated in 1980.
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The Eudunda office of the Regional Council of Goyder.
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The Light Hotel, formerly the Royal Hotel.
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Part of Bruce Street, Eudunda, looking south.
