Padthaway, South Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Padthaway South Australia
Main street of Padthaway
Padthaway Location in South Australia
Population	418 (2016 census)
Established	10 April 1952 (town) 16 March 2000 (locality)
Postcode(s)	5271
Elevation	37 m (121 ft)
Time zone	ACST (UTC+9:30)
• Summer (DST)	ACDT (UTC+10:30)
Location	253 km (157 mi) SE of Adelaide 41 km (25 mi) SW of Bordertown
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 21.4 °C 71 °F 8.5 °C 47 °F 474.2 mm 18.7 in
Localities around Padthaway: Marcollat Swede Flat Mundulla West Western Flat Marcollat Padthaway Western Flat The Gap Woolumbool Keppoch The Gap
Footnotes	>Adjoining localities

Padthaway is a small town in the south-east of South Australia. It's part of the Limestone Coast region. The town is about 253 kilometers (157 miles) south-east of Adelaide. It's also about 41 kilometers (25 miles) south-east of Bordertown.

The name Padthaway comes from an Aboriginal word. It means cover or bury. In 2016, about 418 people lived in Padthaway.

History of Padthaway

Padthaway started as a large farm called a pastoral station. It was set up in 1847 by a Scottish businessman named Robert Lawson. The land was originally part of the Bodaruwitj Aboriginal lands. In 1882, the historic Padthaway Estate Homestead was built. This old building is now protected on the South Australian Heritage Register.

From Farms to Vineyards

In 1952, Padthaway became a special place for a "soldier settlement scheme". This meant that land was given to soldiers who had returned from wars. They could start new farms here.

Later, in 1964, the first vineyards were planted. Vineyards are farms where grapes are grown for wine. This changed the land from just grazing animals to a top wine-making area. White wines from Padthaway often win big awards. You can buy these wines at local shops or around Australia.

Besides wine, Padthaway also grows other crops. Farmers here grow onions, olives, and seeds. They also raise sheep and cattle.

Town Life and Facilities

Padthaway has a few businesses in the middle of town. These include a deli, a general store, and places for farm services. There's also a car repair shop and a caravan park. You can find a park with a playground on the main street, Memorial Drive.

The town also has many public places for everyone to use. There are courts for netball and tennis, and a football oval. There's a town hall, a sports complex, and a medical clinic. A new medical clinic was built in 2010. You can also find a skate park and a rotunda.

Padthaway Conservation Park

Near the town is the Padthaway Conservation Park. It's about 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) north-east of the town center. This park is on an old coastal sand dune.

The park is home to many types of trees. You can see yellow gum, ribbon gum, and brown stringybark trees. Many types of wattle and banksia plants also grow there. It's a great place to see wildlife. You might spot koalas, kangaroos, birds, and many insects. Sometimes, a rare flower called the fire orchid can be seen blooming here.

Padthaway Wine Region

Padthaway is also well-known as a wine region. This means it's an area famous for growing grapes and making wine. It has several large vineyards.

The very first vineyard was planted in 1964 by a company called Seppelts. Other big wine companies like Lindeman's, Hardys, and Wynns also started vineyards here in the 1960s. The wine region is about 62 kilometers (38 miles) long and 8 kilometers (5 miles) wide. It has over 4,000 hectares (9,900 acres) of vineyards. There are only a few places where you can taste and buy wine directly from the vineyards.

Sports in Padthaway

Sports are a big part of life in Padthaway.

Lawn Bowls

People have been playing lawn bowls in Padthaway since 1963. It's played on Saturdays during the summer. The Padthaway bowling club plays in a local league called the Upper South East association.

Cricket

The Padthaway cricket team won their last top-level championship in 1993. They have usually had a second-level team most years since then.

Netball

Netball has been played in Padthaway since the mid-1960s. The Padthaway Netball Club is known as the "Lions". In 2011, they had more than seven different teams.

Football

The Padthaway Football Club started in 1967. They are also called the "Lions". The club plays in the Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara Football League. In 1993, the football club won a major championship against Bordertown.

Tennis

The Padthaway Tennis Club started in 1962. They put in new concrete courts in 1972. The club won many championships from the mid-1970s to the late 1980s. Now, tennis is played for fun on Wednesday nights during a short season before Christmas.

Golf

The Padthaway golf course was built out of natural bushland. It's a challenging course, even for experienced golfers. The golf club opened in 1988. It has 9 holes.

Community Groups

Padthaway has active community groups that help the town.

Apex Club

Apex is a group for men aged 18 to 45. They work together to help their community. They raise money for good causes in fun and creative ways.

Women in Agricultural Business (WAB)

Padthaway also has a group called Women in Agricultural Business (WAB). This is a group for women who are interested in farming and business in rural areas. It helps women learn new skills and make friends.

Schools in Padthaway

The local school, Padthaway Primary School, was built in 1935. In 2010, it celebrated its 75th anniversary. Many past and present students and staff attended the event. A time capsule was buried that day.

In 2011, Padthaway Primary School had 52 students and 12 staff members. The school teaches students from their first year (Reception) up to Year 7. It also has a Child Parent Centre (CPC). The Student Representative Council (SRC) at the school organizes many fun activities to raise money.

Padthaway Primary School offers many activities for students. These include sports events through SAPSASA, like football, netball, cricket, and swimming. Students also take part in events like the Youth Environmental Forum and school camp.

Climate in Padthaway

Padthaway has a climate known as a warm-summer Mediterranean climate. This means it has very warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters.

In January, the average high temperature is about 29.4°C (85°F). In July, the average high is about 14.3°C (58°F). The average low temperature in January is about 12.6°C (55°F). In July, the average low is about 5.5°C (42°F).

The town gets about 475.6 millimeters (18.7 inches) of rain each year. It rains on about 140 days a year. Padthaway has about 41 sunny days and 110 cloudy days each year.

The hottest temperature ever recorded was 46.1°C (115°F) in December 2019. The coldest was -4.0°C (25°F) in June 2019.