Keith, South Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Keith South Australia
Hender Street in 2022
Keith Location in South Australia
Population	1,076 (town) (2016 census) 1,355 (locality) (2016 census)
Established	5 September 1669(town) 16 March 2000 (locality)
Postcode(s)	5267
Elevation	31 m (102 ft)
Time zone	ACST (UTC+9:30)
• Summer (DST)	ACST (UTC+10:30)
LGA(s)	Tatiara District Council
Region	Limestone Coast
County	MacDonnell
State electorate(s)	MacKillop
Federal Division(s)	Barker
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 22.2 °C 72 °F 9.1 °C 48 °F 462.0 mm 18.2 in
Localities around Keith: Coombe Coombe Coombe Mount Charles Laffer Keith Sherwood Brimbago Petherick Willalooka Carew
Footnotes	Adjoining localities

Keith is a town and a place in South Australia. It's located in the state's south-east. Keith is about 225 kilometers from Adelaide, the capital city. You can find it where the Dukes Highway and the Riddoch Highway meet. People sometimes call Keith the 'lucerne capital of Australia'. This is because many farmers in the area grow lucerne, which is a plant used to feed animals.

In August 2016, a survey counted the people living in Keith. It found that 1,355 people lived in the wider area. Out of these, 1,076 people lived right in the town center.

History of Keith

The area around Keith was first known by the name of a large rock formation. This granite rock is called Mount Monster. In 1884, the area was surveyed, and in 1889, it was officially named Keith.

How Keith Got Its Name

It's believed that the town was named after the home of the Governor of South Australia at that time. His name was Lord Kintore. His home in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, was called Keith Hall. He was also known as the Earl of Kintore.

Early Buildings and Growth

The Post Office in Keith opened around 1874. It was first called Mount Monster but changed its name to Keith in 1904. In 1905, the town's general store opened. A few years later, in 1907, the education department rented rooms. They used these rooms in the local institute as a school. The Keith Hotel opened its doors in 1910. By 1912, the town's temporary school became a public school.

Farming and Development

In the 1940s, the CSIRO helped the area become very successful. They discovered that adding special elements to the soil made it much more productive. The AMP Society then helped clear land for new farms. Today, a Land Rover vehicle sits on top of a pole in town. It's a historical landmark that reminds people of this time. In 1957, the local school became an area school. This meant it could teach more students because the town was growing.

Modern Boundaries

On March 16, 2000, official boundaries were set for the area of Keith. These boundaries match the Hundred of Stirling and include the main town.

Keith Today

Many old buildings in Keith are still standing. Some are even used today. The very first school building in the town is still part of the school. There's also a church built in 1910. It has special stained-glass windows that show local history. These windows are a popular sight for visitors.

Local Art and Industry

A local artist named James Darling designed a unique water feature in Keith. This artwork celebrates how water moves through the Australian landscape. It also highlights how important water irrigation is to the region. The main industries in Keith are growing grain and raising livestock like sheep and cattle. Recently, growing olives has become more popular. A large factory for processing olives opened in the area.

Town Spirit

Keith's town slogan is 'You're in the good country now'. You can find this slogan on items like stubby holders and fridge magnets. These are sold at the town's main roadhouse. Keith also has an Australian Rules football team. They play in the Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara Football League.

How Keith is Governed

Keith is part of the Tatiara District Council. This is the local government area. For state government, Keith is in the Electoral district of MacKillop. For the federal government, it's in the Division of Barker.

Famous People from Keith

Many interesting people have come from Keith:

• Chris Bailey – A rock musician.
• Andy Caldecott – A professional motorcycle rider. He won four Australian Safari races. He also raced in the Paris Dakar Rally in 2004 and finished 6th in 2005. Sadly, he passed away during the 2006 race.
• Simon Cox – A professional Australian Rules Footballer. He played for the Hawthorn Hawks and Western Bulldogs in the AFL.
• James Darling – An artist, who designed the town's water feature.
• Jack Redden – A professional AFL player for the West Coast Eagles.
• Les Densley – A pioneering farmer from the Keith area. He was also a Member of the Legislative Council of South Australia from 1944 to 1967.

Climate in Keith

Keith has a Mediterranean climate. This means it has mild, wet winters and warm to hot, dry summers. Keith has experienced some very hot days. In January and February 2014, the town broke its record for high temperatures twice. It reached 46.0 °C on January 14 and 46.5 °C on February 2. On December 20, 2019, an even higher temperature was recorded: 49.2 °C.

Images for kids

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  Water Feature in Keith

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  Former church building, now the National Trust museum

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  Grain silos by the railway at Keith