History of Mintaro
Mintaro’s historic character was shaped by two important mining industries in nineteenth century South Australia. In the 1840s and 1850s it became an early staging point for transporting copper from the Burra mines to Port Wakefield, and from the 1860s onwards, it was South Australia’s leading producer of high quality slate.
Mintaro State Heritage Area
Mintaro is a remarkably well-preserved and rare example of an early colonial rural town and is a strong physical reminder of the importance of copper and slate on its sitting, layout and built form. Its cultural significance is enhanced by its picturesque setting in a valley of wheat fields and vineyards surrounded by a broadband of hills.
The township of Mintaro not only forms an enclave for its close community but relishes in being a South Australian State Heritage Area (1984) that actively promotes its heritage and wine tourism of Mintaro and the surrounding vineyards and wineries of Polish Hill.
Examples of this can be seen at the iconic Martindale Hall, a Georgian style mansion built in 1879, now a ‘living museum’ famous for its use as the "girls school" in the Peter Weir film – ‘Picnic at Hanging Rock’. John Smith’s House is another expression of binding heritage and tourism. This gorgeous timber shingle roof and slate house erected in the 1860's serves as fully furnished heritage accommodation for stays of from night and beyond, and reflects the charm and allure of the true country cottage.
