__NOTOC__ Colton is a locality in the Australian state of

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

located on the west coast of

Eyre Peninsula The Eyre Peninsula is a triangular peninsula in South Australia. It is bounded by the Spencer Gulf on the east, the Great Australian Bight on the west, and the Gawler Ranges to the north. Originally called Eyre’s Peninsula, it was named af ...

overlooking the

Great Australian Bight The Great Australian Bight is a large oceanic bight, or open bay, off the central and western portions of the southern coastline of mainland Australia. Extent Two definitions of the extent are in use – one used by the International Hydrog ...

about north-west of the state capital of

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...

and about north of the municipal seat of Elliston. Boundaries created in November 1999 for “the long established name” which is ultimately derived from Sir John Colton, a former

Premier of South Australia The premier of South Australia is the head of government in the state of South Australia, Australia. The Government of South Australia follows the Westminster system, with a Parliament of South Australia acting as the legislature. The premier is ...

. Initial development within what is the current locality involved the following:

On 21 December 1880 Daniel Thomas Kenny (1849-1934)… entered into an agreement with the Department of Lands to purchase sections 43W and 59, Hundred of Colton, comprising 97 and 274 acres respectively - this land adjoined the junction of five roads and as such was a prime sight for a hotel to cater for travellers in an area which was gradually being opened up for closer settlement. His brother, Michael S.W. Kenny, took over the land on 12 April 1887 and completed the purchase of same in 1902. During this period he was active in alienating portion of it, which the ''
Register Register or registration may refer to: Arts entertainment, and media Music * Register (music), the relative "height" or range of a note, melody, part, instrument, etc. * ''Register'', a 2017 album by Travis Miller * Registration (organ), th ...
'' of 25 May 1901 described as a `private township'- his contribution was providing land for a showground in 1894, a hall in 1903 and, with the cooperation of his brother, the erection of a hotel which opened for business in 1884; at other times he was described as a "banker", postmaster and
poundkeeper A poundmaster, or poundkeeper, was a local government official responsible for the feeding and care of stray livestock such as domestic pigs, cattle, horses, sheep, and geese. This was common in colonial America and continued into the 19th century ...
. Adjacent to the Kenny land, the government reserved for a school a small portion of section 57 - it opened in 1885 and closed in 1956…

Colton overlooks a portion of the southern coastline of Anxious Bay, a subsidiary bay to the Great Australian Bight. The Flinders Highway runs in a north-south direction through the locality. The principal land uses within the locality are ‘primary production’ and

conservation Conservation is the preservation or efficient use of resources, or the conservation of various quantities under physical laws. Conservation may also refer to: Environment and natural resources * Nature conservation, the protection and managem ...

with the latter being associated with the coastline and the Lake Newland Conservation Park. Land on the eastern side of the locality is part of a ‘water protection zone’ which is a statutory measure to control development over an area of land associated with

groundwater recharge Groundwater recharge or deep drainage or deep percolation is a hydrologic process, where water moves downward from surface water to groundwater. Recharge is the primary method through which water enters an aquifer. This process usually occurs ...

. Colton is located within the federal Division of Grey, the state electoral district of Flinders, the local government area of the

District Council of Elliston The District Council of Elliston is a local government area covering around 6500 km2 on the Western Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. Established in 1888, the district has a diverse economy, with agriculture, commercial fishing and tourism ...

and the state's Eyre and Western region.

References

{{authority control Towns in South Australia Eyre Peninsula