Sandy Creek, South Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sandy CreekSouth Australia |
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Sandy Creek Hotel
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 Sandy Creek
Location in South Australia
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| Postcode(s) | 5350 | ||||||||||||||
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| LGA(s) | Barossa Council | ||||||||||||||
| Region | Barossa Light and Lower North | ||||||||||||||
| County | Adelaide | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Schubert | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Barker | ||||||||||||||
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| Footnotes | Adjoining localities | ||||||||||||||
Sandy Creek is a small town in South Australia. It is about 6 kilometres east of Gawler. Sandy Creek is the last town you pass before reaching the famous Barossa Valley at Lyndoch.
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Nature and Wildlife
The areas around Sandy Creek are home to many wild kangaroos. You might also spot brown snakes here.
Nearby, Cockatoo Valley gets its name from the large groups of corellas. These native parrots sometimes strip the leaves from pine trees. They also like to eat grain crops.
The weather in Sandy Creek can get very hot. Daytime temperatures often go above 40 degrees Celsius. They can even reach up to 47 degrees Celsius (117 degrees Fahrenheit).
There is a special green area between Sandy Creek and Gawler. This area is kept natural and helps separate the two towns. However, new houses are slowly being built there. This is to meet the need for more homes for people working in the area.
Local Landmarks and History
The Sandy Creek Hotel is a very old building. It has been open for over 120 years. This hotel is a well-known spot in the town.
Sandy Creek once had its own train station. It was part of the Barossa Valley railway line, built in 1911. But the station closed down in 1927.
Not far from Sandy Creek is Williamstown. This is where you can find the famous "Whispering Wall". This is a dam wall where you can hear someone whisper from the other side. This happens because of a special design and how sound travels there.
Sports and Community
The Sandy Creek Cricket Club is very successful. In the 2006/2007 season, they won their first ever Grade 1 premiership. Famous Australian cricketers like Darren Lehmann and Ryan Harris played for the club when they were younger.
Today, the cricket team plays on a special turf oval. The club has many senior and junior teams. It has more members than the town's population. Players often come from Williamstown and Gawler. The Sandy Creek Golf Club is also a popular and challenging course.
Local Industries and Culture
Sandy Creek is close to Rosedale. This is where the Turretfield Research Centre is located. This centre was home to Matilda, Australia's first cloned sheep.
The town also gets its name from a small local spring. This spring, called Sandy Creek, flows into the North Para River. This creek starts on a historic property called "The Glen."
McLeod's Daughters, a popular Australian soap opera, was filmed nearby. Many scenes were shot on local farms and dirt roads. People from the area often helped out as extras. They also provided animals or gave riding lessons for the show.
Growing grapes for wine has become very important here. Many new vineyards have been planted in the last ten years. This means that traditional mixed farming is changing in the area.
The local fire brigades help keep the area safe. The Concordia, Lyndoch, and Williamstown volunteer fire brigades all serve Sandy Creek.
Education and Exchange Programs
Sandy Creek Primary School has a special cultural exchange program. They visit the Japanese community of Minami Aiki every two years. Students from Sandy Creek go to Japan for about 10 days.
Japanese students also visit Sandy Creek every year. They stay with local families. This exchange program has been happening since 1998. In 2008, 21 students from Sandy Creek visited Japan. This was their largest group yet.
Rosedale Primary School, which was nearby, closed in 2007. It had been open for 156 years.
Notable People
Some well-known people who have lived in or are from Sandy Creek include:
- Job Harris, who was a publican and a gold prospector.
