Hamilton, South Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hamilton South Australia
St. Matthew's Anglican Church, Hamilton
Hamilton Location in South Australia
Established	16 March 2000 (locality)
Postcode(s)	5373
Time zone	ACST (UTC+9:30)
• Summer (DST)	ACDT (UTC+10:30)
Location	120 km (75 mi) NE of Adelaide 23 km (14 mi) N of Kapunda
LGA(s)	Light Regional Council
State electorate(s)	Stuart
Federal Division(s)	Barker
Localities around Hamilton: Riverton Marrabel Tarnma Hampden Riverton Tarlee Hamilton Buchanan Tarlee Bethel Allendale North Kapunda Hansborough Bagot Well

Hamilton is a small town in South Australia. It's located in the Mount Lofty Ranges. You can find it about 120 kilometers northeast of Adelaide. It's also about 23 kilometers north of Kapunda. Long ago, Hamilton was a stop for mining carts. These carts traveled from Adelaide to Burra. Today, it's a quiet farming area.

How Hamilton Began

Hamilton was founded by George Weighton Robertson. He was born in Scotland around 1818. In 1836, George sailed to Australia. He came on the ship "Tam o’Shanter." This ship was part of the First Fleet of South Australia. These ships brought the first European settlers to South Australia.

In 1848, George got a license for the Red Lion Hotel in Adelaide. Later, he bought land north of Kapunda. He planned a town and named it Hamilton. He named the streets after his children. George built a hotel in 1850. He also gave land for a church.

George Weighton Robertson died on June 10, 1871. He and his first wife, Margaret Finn, are buried at St Matthew's Church in Hamilton.

Important People from Hamilton

Hamilton was the birthplace of Albert Percy Blesing in 1879. He was a Member of Parliament (MP). An MP is a person elected to represent people in government. He served from 1924 to 1944.

Albert Percy Blesing was a Minister in the government. A Minister is a leader in a government department. He was in charge of Agriculture, Local Government, and Afforestation. This means he helped with farming, local town rules, and planting trees.

Sports and Community Life

Hamilton used to be a very lively town. It had its own football, netball, and cricket teams. Sadly, these teams no longer exist today.

However, the Hamilton tennis club is still active. They play in the Julia & Light Tennis Association. The local park in Hamilton is called Gill Park. It is named after the Gill family, who were important in the area.

Hamilton School History

The Hamilton school opened in 1860. Local residents started the school. It was very important for the town's growth. The school gave children access to primary education nearby.

Traveling to Kapunda, the nearest town, was too far daily. This was especially true with 19th-century transport. The Hamilton school closed in 1948. The remaining students and teacher moved to Kapunda Primary.

St Matthew's Church

The Dutton Memorial Church of St Matthew was built in 1896. It replaced an older, simpler building from 1857. One man, Henry Dutton, paid for the entire church. He lived at nearby Anlaby Station.

Henry built the church as a memorial. It honored his brother Frederick, his wife Helen, and their daughter Ethel. They died in an accident on Granite Island. Henry Dutton was a lay reader at the church. He also played the pipe organ, which was a grand instrument for a small town. The church is listed on the South Australian Heritage Register. This means it is an important historical building.

Anlaby Station

The historic Anlaby Station complex is located within Hamilton's boundaries. Anlaby Homestead is part of this complex. The Anlaby Shearing Shed, Slaughterhouse, Shearers' Quarters and Manager's House are also there. Both of these are listed on the South Australian Heritage Register. They are important historical sites.