Melrose, South Australia


Melrose is the oldest town in the Flinders Ranges. It is in the shadow of Mount Remarkable, 265 km north of Adelaide, and the town was once named "Mount Remarkable". At the 2011 census, Melrose had a population of 406.

History

The Adnyamathanha people lived in the northern Flinders Ranges area for many millennia.
The first European explorer in the area was Edward John Eyre in 1840; pastoralists settled in the area about a decade later. Copper was discovered and mining started in 1846, but it was not economically viable, and ceased in 1851. The mine was opened again three more times, with the latest closure in 1917.
In 1893 at a time of high unemployment, Wilton Hack founded a communal settlement in the area. At its peak, some 130 settlers were working of land. By the end of 1895 after a succession of poor seasons around half the settlers had left, and in 1896 the village was closed by the Government.
When it was opened in 1848, the police station in Melrose was not only the first permanent police station in the region, but the base of the largest police district in the world. A constable, two troopers and an Aboriginal tracker were responsible for an area extending to the Timor Sea.
The Wilmington railway line from Gladstone opened near Melrose in 1915 and closed in 1969. The station was almost north of the town. Melrose is also on the Horrocks Highway, formerly known as Main North Road.

Heritage listings

Melrose has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
Today, Melrose is the base for visitors to the Mount Remarkable National Park and a centre for the local farmers.
In June, Melrose is home to the Fat Tyre Festival, an off-road bike celebration exploring local bike trails and crowding parades of freak bikes.
In August, Melrose is also home to the King of the Mount trail race. This is a race to the summit of Mt Remarkable, during which runners and walkers ascend over along a trail.
Melrose is home to a caravan park visited by 100,000 tourists every year.