The Flinders - Nuccaleena Ruins

Thursday 31 May

Our excursion today, with trailers in tow, was to Nuccaleena mine ruins site located on Moolooloo Station north of Parachilna Gorge. This was a 4WD excursion of 14km along stony tracks, through dry creeks to a ruin in a remote valley. How people discovered copper there amazes me.

The ruins were once again stone buildings, but the quality of the stonework in the remaining buildings was outstanding. Apart from several mine buildings and houses, two large chimneys are still intact, standing tall in the landscape.

The mine and accompanying buildings were established in 1861 at a cost of 57 000 pounds, but the venture was a colossal failure. It was abandoned by 1866 having produced only 13 000 pounds worth of copper ore.

Nankeen kestrel on Moolooloo Sa=tation

The Heysen Range behind our car

Rob in a tight spot??

Nuccaleena Mine Ruins

Mine Chimney

View from the Captain's house

The engine house

Rob in the ruined hotel doorway

Remains of the hotel courtyard

After our trek we had hoped to return to our previous night’s site, but someone else had got there first, so we continued on to the town of Parachilna further west. Rob was shocked by the size of the town which now has a permanent population of 2, together with a number of itinerant workers. It has a pub, the Prairie Hotel, a community campground, and a petrol station. However, despite the town’s shortcomings, and a flat tyre outside the hotel, it did provide us with a beautiful sunset before the rain set in.

Sunset at Parachilna