Jacobs Creek (Australia) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jacobs |
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Sign at Jacob's Creek along the Barossa Valley Highway
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 Location of the river mouth in South Australia
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| Other name(s) | Jacob's |
| Country | Australia |
| State | South Australia |
| Region | Mid North |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Barossa Ranges |
| River mouth | confluence with the North Para River Rowland Flat 34°33′47″S 138°55′48″E / 34.563150°S 138.930020°E |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Gawler River |
Jacob's Creek is a small creek found in the Mid North area of South Australia. It's famous for being the namesake of a well-known wine brand.
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Where is Jacob's Creek?
Jacob's Creek starts in the Barossa Ranges. It flows west through the beautiful Barossa Valley, which is a famous place for making wine. This area is about 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Adelaide.
The creek is only a few kilometres long. It eventually joins another river called the North Para River. This meeting point is near a small town called Rowland Flat. Along the creek, you can see many old and beautiful River Red Gums. These are a type of native Australian tree.
How Jacob's Creek Got Its Name
Europeans first saw this creek in December 1837. This was during an expedition led by Colonel William Light. They didn't name it at that time.
Later, in 1839, William Jacob (1814–1902) surveyed the area. He was Colonel Light's assistant. Jacob settled near the creek in the early 1840s. That's how the creek got its name, "Jacob's Creek."
The local Aboriginal people had their own name for the creek. They called it "Cowieaurita," which means "yellow-brown water." The area around the creek was known to them as Moorooroo.
Early Settlers and the Creek
In the early 1840s, a very interesting person lived near Jacob's Creek. His name was Johann Menge, and he was South Australia's first geologist. He lived for a while on an island in the creek and in a nearby cave.
Menge grew vegetables there. He was very impressed by how well grapevines could grow in the area. He helped many German Lutheran immigrants settle in the Barossa Valley.
The Famous Wine Connection
Jacob's Creek gave its name to the very famous wine brand, Jacob's Creek. This wine is made by Orlando Wines. Their winery is about 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) southwest of the creek, in Rowland Flat.
The story of the wine began in 1847. That's when Johann Gramp, who started Orlando Wines, planted his first grapevines. He planted them right on the banks of Jacob's Creek.
Bringing the Creek Back to Life
In 1997, Orlando Wines started an important project. They worked with the Northern Adelaide and Barossa Catchment Water Management Board. Their goal was to help Jacob's Creek become healthy again.
They removed plants and trees that were not native to Australia. These included bamboo, ash, and olives. Then, they planted native Australian trees and shrubs. They planted blue gums, red gums, and many other local plants.
Because of this project, many native animals have returned. You can now see different kinds of frogs, native fish, and waterbirds. The creek is slowly returning to its natural state, which is great for the environment!
