Mount Burr, South Australia


Mount Burr is a small town in the south-east of South Australia, about 10 km east of Millicent and about 55 km north-west of Mount Gambier. At the 2006 census, Mount Burr had a population of 380.

Geography

The town is named after a local mountain called Mount Burr ; it measures tall and is one of 15 dormant or extinct volcanoes within the Limestone Coast. The mountain of Mount Burr is home to the SES 8 television transmitter, which is responsible for transmitting WIN, Seven SA, Ten SA, SBS and ABC to households across the South East of SA and Western Victoria.

History

Mount Burr was home to a large timber mill. The mill was the first of its kind in the region, built in 1931. It was considered a turning point for industry on the Limestone Coast. Unfortunately in late 2000 the timber mill closed leaving many employees unemployed.
The mountain was named by Governor George Grey after George Dominicus Burr, a surveyor and Professor of Mathematics at Sandhurst Military College. His son, Thomas Burr, a surveyor, accompanied Governor Grey on the expedition in 1844.
The historic Mount Graham Homestead is listed on the South Australian Heritage Register.