Yongala, South Australia


Yongala is a small town located in the state of South Australia, Australia. It has a population of approximately 240 people and is situated on the Clare-Peterborough Road.

History

The Hundred of Yongala was proclaimed in the County of Dalhousie in 1871, one of the first of the twelve hundreds to be declared in that county, opening up the area for closer settlement and small-scale cultivation. The town was proclaimed on 23 May 1876. Within five years there was a population of 353 as developers anticipated the connection of a railway. Instead, the railway was built through the nearby town of Peterborough.
The SS Yongala launched in 1903 and owned by the Adelaide Steamship Company was named after the town. It sank in a storm in 1911 off the coast of Townsville, Queensland and its wreck site is protected by the Commonwealth Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976.

Geography and climate

Yongala has a mild semi-arid climate with some continental influences. It is situated on a high plateau and winter snowfalls are common. The town holds several records for the lowest minimum temperature in South Australia, including its all-time record low of on 20 July 1976, in addition to the record low temperatures in South Australia for the months of May, June, August and September.