Play Moonta
The Discovering Historic Moonta Town Drive starts and ends at the Moonta Town Hall and is a relaxed drive of about 16 kilometres which can be completed in one to two hours. The drive passes many sites of historical interest including those in the National Heritage listed Moonta Mines area. The trail gives visitors a balanced impression of the history and development of Moonta and adjacent settlements. Please call into the Copper Coast Visitor Information Centre in Kadina or the Moonta Tourist Office for a copy of the town drive.
The Discovering Historic Moonta Town Walk covers the main commercial area of Moonta and starts and finishes at the Town Hall. This area contains most of Moonta's shops, hotels, banks, post office, meeting halls and several houses. Most of these were erected between 1863 and 1875 and many retain their authentic shop fronts and verandas. Please call into the Copper Coast Visitor Information Centre or the Moonta Tourist Office for a copy of the Moonta Town Walk.
The Masonic Hall is located in Blanche Terrace and is included in the Moonta Heritage Trail. Built in 1875 it is still used for regular Freemason's meetings. The building is not open to the public. (trail maps are available at the Copper Coast Visitor Information Centre, Kadina and the Visitor Information Outlets in Moonta and Wallaroo)
Enjoy a wide range of artworks, murals, sculptures, photo boards and galleries in a walk and drive tour of the townships of Moonta, Moonta Bay and Port Hughes. Available on the website or pick up from the Copper Coast Visitor Information Centre, Kadina, the Moonta Gallery of the Arts or the Moonta Tourist Outlet.
Splash Town is a free to use community waterpark. Splashtown is currently closed. Dates and times for the 2022-2023 season have been confirmed and are on the webpage and Facebook. Splash Town – Copper Coast is located at the picturesque Moonta Bay foreshore, this facility is free to use and is suitable for all ages. The water park consists of four large water slides, one kiddie slide, several large mushrooms and a large tipping bucket. Children must be supervised at all times. Safe use of this facility is your responsibility. - Splash Town does close due to inclement weather or unplanned maintenance – this will be advised on its Facebook page when known.
The Rossiter's Point Pumping Station was erected in 1901 and was used to pump sea water to Ryans' Engine house at Moonta Mines, more than three kilometres away, for use in the cementation process when treating the tailings dumps for the copper mining. Low tide is the best time to explore to see what remains.
Richmans concentrating plant operated from 1869 until the mine closed in 1923, crushing and concentrating ore from nearby shafts. During this period many alterations were made to the plant to suit the improved technology of mining and processing. The walk provides access to Richmans Engine house and lookouts on the tailings heap. Signs interpret the remaining structures. Richmans Enginehouse is in the Moonta Mines National Heritage Area. Richmans Enginehouse is able to be viewed from the parking area.
Moonta Bay foreshore is picture-perfect and ideal for a family day out with the wide expanses of white sandy beaches perfect for beach games, exploring tidal pools or getting out on a paddle board, kayak or for raking the tidal line for blue swimmer crabs. The L shaped Moonta Bay jetty for a walk or throwing in a line to see what is biting. Walk the Yorke starts (or finishes) at Moonta Bay, giving you the opportunity to walk or cycle all the way around the peninsula to Port Wakefield
The Moonta Gallery of the Arts has a different exhibition nearly every month highlighting a large range of themes, materials and mediums. Most artwork is for sale. (The gallery is located within the Moonta Town Hall at the corner of George and Henry Streets in Moonta). The gallery is staffed by volunteers and may be closed for a change of exhibition or if a volunteer is unavailable.
The Moonta Skatepark is a popular and well-designed site where young people can gather to show off their skating and bike skills. With quarters, banks, a small spine and a pyramid, the skate park can cater for a range of different skill levels. Popular with visitors to the town and locals alike, the Moonta Skatepark offers a range of facilities which will keep the keen skateboarder amused for hours.
The Polgreen Park Playground and Bike Facility located on Bay Road, Moonta has; Learn to ride bike tracks for pushbikes and scooters, BBQs ,bins, car parking, drinking fountain, picnic area, small kids maze, playground, public toilets, shaded areas, shelter, tables and chairs. Users of the bike facility must wear helmets and other protective equipment and follow the conditions of use.
A pair of Wombat Statues can be found in Queen Square, Moonta (located between George, Henry, Robert, William Streets) after being erected in 2018. They highlight the significance of the wombat and the role they played in the discovery of Copper in the area; presented by the Moonta & District Progress Association.
The Secret Garden is located on and beside the Kemp Place Walkway which goes through to the foreshore at Moonta Bay. It features a separate grassed area, accessed by steps, in a shaded natural area suitable for picnics and is very popular for small weddings. There is seating suitable for children around part of the grassed area.
The Rainbow and Flower Murals on the outside wall of Nook and Nourish and the painted footpath is located in Ellen Street, Moonta. The colours will brighten your day and is a great background for a photo or two. Don't miss the sunflower just around the corner as well. Both are painted by Nicky Create.
The Port Hughes Seamen's Memorial is a unique memorial for those seafarers lost at sea in the Port Hughes and Moonta Bay area. it is located on the Port Hughes foreshore overlooking the waters of Spencer Gulf. The memorial is interactive with each plaque having a smartphone readable QR code with a direct link to information on each seafarers story.
The Moonta Bay Playground is located on the foreshore next to the car park and right next to Splashtown water park. Featuring a shaded fenced playground area, covered BBQ area, bins, car parking, chairs & tables, grassed area, drinking fountain, picnic area and close by to public toilets. Also located at the foreshore is the Moonta Bay Jetty which is an L shaped Jetty, it is also good for fishing and it also has a swimming enclosure. The Moonta Bay Beach is located directly in front & is a lovely sandy beach suitable for all ages.
The 1914 - 1918 Moonta Memorial Gun is located within the grounds of the Moonta Tourist Office in Blanche Terrace. The gun originally arrived in Moonta in 1919 by train and was placed at the Moonta War Memorial site, after several moves it fell into disrepair. In 2004 a committee was formed to raise funds to repair and display the gun. The dedication and formal opening of this display was held in February 2007. The display holds a fully restored 105 mm Light Field Howitzer used in WWI and a number of other articles with historical significance.
The Piano Park Bench has been erected in Queen Square, Moonta by the family of John and Elizabeth Thomas. John was born in Cornwall and was a man of exceptional musical ability who was a composer, vocalist, choir and band master and instrumentalist who gave loyal service to Moonta and district for over half a century. Many of the Carols he composed are still sung in Moonta or when the Cornish gather at Christmas. A great place to sit and enjoy Queen Square and Moonta.
Port Hughes playground is located on the South Beach Foreshore Reserve on West Terrace, Port Hughes near the Port Hughes Jetty. It features a shaded playground, electric barbecues, bins, car parking, chairs & tables, grassed reserve, bike rack, drinking fountain, picnic area and is close to public toilets and a cafe.
The Horse Drawn Tram has been restored and the display can be observed through a viewing window at the rear of the Moonta Mines Railway Station platform. This can be found in the car park of the Moonta Mines Museum and across the road form the Moonta Mines Sweet Shop. Moonta Mines is a National Heritage Area.
The classic, Cornish Hughes Enginehouse was constructed in 1865. It was named after Walter Watson Hughes, the founder of the Moonta Mining Company. The building housed a 60 inch (1.52 metre) Cornish beam pumping engine, which operated pumps in Hughes and Taylor's Shafts to allow the mining of the main ore body below natural water levels. The engine worked continuously, except for maintenance for more than 58 years until closure of the mine in 1923. Hughes Enginehouse is in the Moonta Mines National Heritage Area. A walking trail provides access to Hughes Enginehouse and environs, and signs interpret the remaining structures. Hughes Enginehouse is able to be viewed from the parking area.
Simms Cove is located between Moonta Bay and Port Hughes and from the Simms Cove lookout you can see around to the Moonta Bay and Port Hughes jetties and look out over Spencer Gulf towards the Eyre Peninsula. There is stair access to the beaches either side of the lookout allowing you to walk from Moonta Bay to Port Hughes even at high tide. This is also the starting point for The Friends of Port Hughes Coastal Trail to Port Hughes.
Salty Art Studio offers a wide range of art works using findings from Bev's beachcombings and scrounging along the Moonta Bay beaches...paintings, rusty wire work, ghost rope, woven coastal vessels, recycled fishing rope coiled bowls, paper mache bowls, driftwood creations, wall hangings, natural fibre/woven vessels. Open times vary, call or follow on Instagram for latest times.
Queen Square is located in the centre of Moonta between George, Henry, Robert and William Street, Queens Square is a community reserve with benched seats, bins, grassed areas, heritage water fountain, rotunda, shaded areas, tables & chairs, turf area suitable for ball sports, picnic area, newly updated public toilets and drinking fountain. Look for the pair of wombat statues. They highlight the significance of the wombat and the role they played in the discovery of Copper in the area; presented by the Moonta Progress Association. This is also the start and end point for the Moonta Heritage Drive. Many community events are held here throughout the year.
The long 'L' shaped jetty is well worth the visit be it for a jetty stroll, to view the sunset or for a spot of fishing. There is also a swimming enclosure off the side of the jetty. The catch of the day may include tommy ruffs, garfish and squid. The best time for fishing is late afternoon and into the evening. On the south side of the jetty the beach expands all the way to Port Hughes.
The Moonta Mines Museum is located in the former Moonta Mines Model School. Erected in 1878, this building now houses displays on the Cornish miners' lifestyles - mining, lodges and friendly societies, sports and pastimes, death and hardship Other exhibits include extensive displays of costume, china, silverware, photographs and memorabilia and a classroom furnished circa 1900. There is also a display on the World Wars.
The Percy Beaglehole Memorial Gate was erected in Moonta in 1936 in honour of Percy Beaglehole, twenty years after he was killed in action in France during the First World War. The Memorial is made of white marble and is located at the entrance of Nankivell Park and the Norman McAuley Senior Citizen Homes at the corner of Blanche Terrace and Military Road. Private Percy Beaglehole, who was 25 years old at the time of his death, bequeathed in his will money earned from dividends that were paid from mining shares. The money was for incapacitated returned servicemen to Moonta who found themselves unable to earn their own living.
The Port Hughes Jetty is one of the most popular year-round fishing spots on Yorke Peninsula. Blue swimmer crabs, tommy ruff, garfish and squid are the regular fare. If you enjoy walking you can walk from the Port Hughes Jetty along the foreshore and beach all the way to the Moonta Bay Jetty.