A well preserved historic small town
Mintaro is a small town of about 200 people in the Clare Valley. It came into existence during the late 1840s as a watering hole for the bullock teams that were transporting copper from the Burra mines to Port Wakefield.
A row of what had been shops for the town, the late 1800's version of a strip mall!
Tea Rose cottage, it's now a B&B.
Old petrol bowsers next to the shops, the whole town is declared a State Heritage area. With the arrival of the railway Mintaro lost its main industry, that helped with keeping the old buildings with very little new ones going up.
Slate was found nearby and a slate quarry was opened which still operates, and agriculture helped sustain the town. Tourism now plays an important part with a variety of B&Bs in the town.
Mintaro Mews, a B&B converted from an old grain store.
A converted barn turned into a B&B. I've seen quite a few barn conversions, watching UK renovation shows, but this was the first time I've noticed them in Australia!
The Magpie and Stump, the main hotel, (well the only hotel!) in town, has a nice garden seating area.
The post office.
The Mintaro institute, a sign said the part on the left was the institute and the part on the right had been a local council chambers. It was all restored with a grant for the Jubilee 150 (150 years of white settlement in South Australia) in 1986. A time when quite a lot of money was spent preserving and restoring South Australian history.
A popular cafe, going by the amount of people lingering after a Saturday lunch!
The Clare Valley is mainly known for its vineyards, but sheep farming is a major industry as well. A flock of sheep in a paddock, with 2 sheep looking at me as if to say "what is she doing?!"
Mintaro is a very, very quiet little town, and that makes it a great place from where to base yourself for a stay in the Clare Valley. Besides the wineries, Mintaro does have 2 distinct tourist destinations, the Mintaro Maze and Martindale Hall. Mintaro is a favourite of mine, quaint and picturesque.
Mintaro is a small town of about 200 people in the Clare Valley. It came into existence during the late 1840s as a watering hole for the bullock teams that were transporting copper from the Burra mines to Port Wakefield.
A row of what had been shops for the town, the late 1800's version of a strip mall!
Slate was found nearby and a slate quarry was opened which still operates, and agriculture helped sustain the town. Tourism now plays an important part with a variety of B&Bs in the town.
Mintaro is a very, very quiet little town, and that makes it a great place from where to base yourself for a stay in the Clare Valley. Besides the wineries, Mintaro does have 2 distinct tourist destinations, the Mintaro Maze and Martindale Hall. Mintaro is a favourite of mine, quaint and picturesque.
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