Kapunda History

The name 'Kapunda' is believed to have derived from the phrase "Cappie Oonda" - an aboriginal expression for 'water jumping out' - which probably related to the fact that the town has a number of natural springs throughout its creeks, the River Light and land area.

Kapunda was a keystone in the early development of South Australia. It has the distinction of being the oldest copper mining town in Australia.  Discovered in 1842 Kapunda can be considered the birthplace of Australia's commercial mining history. Mining dominated the town for more than thirty years. When the mine closed in 1877, the town became the centre for a thriving pastoral industry. Sidney Kidman, came to Kapunda in 1870 at the tender age of thirteen and later became Australia's largest landowner and on an international scale was also considered to be the world's biggest landowner. His International horse sales at Kapunda were recognized as the largest in the world. His business interests were numerous, although he is often referred to as 'the cattle king' because of the many cattle stations he owned throughout Australia. His business and philanthropic acumen later earned him a knighthood.

The mine chimney at Kapunda Mine Site

Long after the closure of its copper mine Kapunda had its own gold rush at the Moppa field. Within a few days claims were pegged out, tents went up and a blacksmith opened up for business. While nothing startling was discovered like in Bendigo or Coolgardie, the field provided employment for a large number of men, during the 1890s depression, who otherwise might have walked the streets in search for jobs.

Kapunda can claim a few "firsts" as well. Among them having the first horse whim, first Cornish beam engine and the first open cut mine in Australia. In 1866 the town's District Council was formed and in that same year one of Australia's first Australian rules football clubs started playing in Kapunda.