Loxton, South Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Loxton South Australia
Main street
Loxton Location in South Australia
• Density	532/km2 (1,380/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	5333
Time zone	ACST (UTC+9:30)
• Summer (DST)	ACST (UTC+10:30)
Location	246 km (153 mi) E of Adelaide 41 km (25 mi) S of Renmark 680 km (423 mi) NW of Melbourne
LGA(s)	District Council of Loxton Waikerie
County	Alfred
State electorate(s)	Chaffey
Federal Division(s)	Barker
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 24.0 °C 75 °F 9.1 °C 48 °F 259.8 mm 10.2 in
Localities around Loxton: Katarapko Loxton North Pyap Loxton Bugle Hut Pyap West Pata Woodleigh
Footnotes	Adjoining localities

Loxton is a friendly town in the Riverland region of South Australia. It sits on the south bank of the River Murray. Long ago, the Erawirung people lived on this land before Europeans arrived.

Loxton is an important town for the farms and orchards around it. Farmers here grow lots of things like citrus fruits, grapes for wine, almonds, and stone fruits such as peaches. The area also grows grains like wheat. Loxton High School is where students from the area go for their secondary education.

The town has a special museum called the Loxton Historical Village. It shows how pioneers lived in the mallee region a long time ago. Loxton is also famous for its "Loxton Lights Up" Christmas Festival every December. Another exciting event is the annual 120-meter Loxton Gift sprint race in February. The town also hosts a round of the Australian HPV Super Series in May, where human-powered vehicles race.

Loxton is the main town for the District Council of Loxton Waikerie. This council helps manage the local area.

Local News and TV

Loxton has had its own newspapers over the years. These papers shared local news and stories with the community.

• Loxton Clarion (1925–1928) was one of the first newspapers. It covered local crops, animal care, and sports.
• Loxton Community Newsletter (1956–1960) was a monthly paper.
• Loxton News (1960–2020) was a well-known local newspaper. It won many awards for its reporting.

You can watch several TV channels in Loxton. These include:

• ABC Television
• SBS Television
• WIN Television which shows programs from Seven Network, Nine Network, and Network 10.

Getting Around Loxton

In the past, paddle steamers on the Murray River were the main way to travel to Loxton. A railway line was built in 1914, connecting Loxton to Adelaide.

Today, Loxton is connected by roads. The Sturt Highway passes nearby, and the Karoonda Highway and Stott Highway end here. The railway line no longer carries passengers.

Fun Events in Loxton

Loxton is known for its exciting sports events!

The Loxton Gift

The Loxton Gift is an athletics carnival. It offers the biggest prize money in South Australia, except for the Bay Sheffield race in Glenelg. Runners compete in races from 70 meters to 1000 meters. It's a big event before the famous Stawell Gift held at Easter.

Loxton Pedal Prix

Since 2014, the streets of Loxton have been closed off in May for the Loxton Pedal Prix. This is a race for human-powered vehicles and is part of the Australian HPV Super Series. The race track goes through the town's main streets. It has long straight sections, some uphill and some downhill. This event is very popular with locals and racers.

Historic Places

Loxton has several buildings that are listed as heritage sites. This means they are important historical places that are protected.

• St Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church and Hall on Bookpurnong Terrace.
• Loxton Institute at 29 East Terrace.
• Loxton Villa at 6 Pflaum Terrace.

Famous People from Loxton

Many talented people were born in Loxton!

• Emily Beaton (born 1987) is an Australian netball player.
• Alex Carey (born 1991) is an Australian test cricketer.
• Mark deCaux (born 1965) is the host of "The Bush Bee Man" TV series.
• Sophie Edington (born 1984) is an Australian swimmer.
• Grantley Fielke (born 1962) was a famous Australian rules footballer. He won the Magarey Medal in 1985.
• Major General Cheryl Pearce (born 1965) is a high-ranking officer in the Australian Army.
• Grant Schubert (born 1980) is an Australian field hockey player who won a gold medal.
• Tim Storer (born 1969) was an Australian independent senator.

Loxton's Climate

Loxton has a cold semi-arid climate. This means it has very hot summers and mild winters. It doesn't get much rain each year.

The hottest month is January, with an average high of 32.2 degrees Celsius. The coolest month is July, with an average high of 16.0 degrees Celsius. The average yearly rainfall is about 266.1 millimeters. Loxton gets many clear, sunny days throughout the year. The temperature can be very hot, reaching over 47 degrees Celsius, or quite cold, dropping below freezing.