Robertstown is a town in the

Mid North The Mid North is a region of South Australia, north of the Adelaide Plains and south of the Far North and the outback. It is generally accepted to extend from Spencer Gulf east to the Barrier Highway, including the coastal plain, the souther ...

region of

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...

, situated 125 km north of

Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...

, in the

Regional Council of Goyder The Regional Council of Goyder is a local government area located in the Mid North region of South Australia. The council area is reliant on agriculture as a mainstay of its economy, with manufacturing and tourism also becoming prominent. The co ...

. At the , Robertstown had a population of 223 people.

Etymology

Robertstown derives its name from John Roberts, the first postmaster in the region, who established the town layout in 1871. Previously, it was referred to as Emu Flats.

History

The Robertstown area is the traditional lands of the

Ngadjuri The Ngadjuri people are a group of Aboriginal Australian people whose traditional lands lie in the mid north of South Australia with a territory extending from Gawler in the south to Orroroo in the Flinders Ranges in the north. Name Their ethn ...

people. Despite their significant historical presence, the Ngadjuri people have been frequently omitted from historical accounts of colonisation and the process by which they were dispossessed of their traditional lands. In the early days of colonisation, the land in the district was primarily leased to stations like

Anlaby Anlaby is a village forming part of the western suburbs of Kingston upon Hull, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It forms part of the civil parish of Anlaby with Anlaby Common. History Anlaby is recorded in the ''Domesday Book'' as " ...

and Koonoona. The first settlers were likely stock overlanders from New South Wales. From 1850 onwards, the area was surveyed into smaller blocks, attracting European settlers to the region. As the settlement grew, a wine shanty operated by Mr. O'Dea became the first shop in the area. John Roberts, a Koonunga storekeeper, later catered to the community with his traveling shop and eventually settled in the town, opening a general store and post office. In 1912, Roberts' son constructed a new general store, which was renamed Lehmann's Store after being acquired by a long-serving employee. The SA Asbestos & Mining Co. Ltd began operations in 1894, establishing a mine 13 kilometres northeast of the town. Later, from 1940 to 1951, the Blue Hole Mine operated as an open-cut quarry, located 5 kilometres northwest of Robertstown. The town became more accessible when it was designated as the

terminus Terminus may refer to: Ancient Rome *Terminus (god), a Roman deity who protected boundary markers Transport *Terminal train station or terminus, a railway station serving as an end destination *Bus terminus, a bus station serving as an end des ...

of the Robertstown railway line from Eudunda and Adelaide. This railway service commenced in 1914, connecting Robertstown to the broader South Australian rail network. The Robertstown railway line continued to service the community until its closure in 1990, marking the end of nearly eight decades of rail transport to the town. The population of Robertstown increased steadily in the early 20th century. By 1936, the town reached its peak population of approximately 2,100 residents, after which numbers began to decline. After operating continuously for 112 years, including 75 years under the same proprietor, Lehmann's Store finally closed its doors in August 2024, representing the end of an era for the Robertstown community.

Demographics

According to the 2021 Census, Robertstown has a population of 223 people, with males accounting for 49.8% and females making up the remaining 50.2%. The median age of residents in Robertstown is 59. Approximately 1.3% of the population identifies as Aboriginal and/or

Torres Strait Islander Torres Strait Islanders ( ) are the Indigenous Melanesians, Melanesian people of the Torres Strait Islands, which are part of the state of Queensland, Australia. Ethnically distinct from the Aboriginal Australians, Aboriginal peoples of the res ...

. Robertstown has 58 families and 143 private dwellings, with an average of 1.9 people per household. The town has a substantial

Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...

community, with 27.4% of its residents practicing this religion, a figure considerably higher than the state average of 2.4%. This strong affiliation with Lutheranism can be attributed to the area's notable Lutheran heritage. The top three countries of birth for residents are

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

, and

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. The top three occupations in the town are managers, machinery operators and drivers, and labourers. The dominant industries in Robertstown include grain-sheep or grain-beef cattle farming, road freight transport, bakery product manufacturing, and supermarket and grocery stores. The median weekly household income in Robertstown is $748, lower than the state average. Median monthly mortgage repayments in Robertstown are $433, lower than the state average. The median weekly rent in the town is $193, also lower than the state average. Robertstown has an average of 2.3 motor vehicles per dwelling, highlighting the importance of private transportation in the area.

Education

Robertstown has a public primary school, which as of 2022 had 9 enrolled students.

Sports and recreation

Robertstown's sporting facilities include an oval; basketball, netball, and tennis courts; and a bowling green. Robertstown has several sports clubs catering to various interests including: * Eudunda & Robertstown Cricket Club - Barossa & Light Cricket Association * Eudunda Robertstown Football Club - North Eastern Football League * Eudunda Robertstown Netball Club - North Eastern Netball Association * Robertstown Basketball Club * Robertstown Bowling Club * Robertstown Tennis Club - Julia & Light Tennis Association Robertstown has a history of hosting motorcycle events, including the South Australian Reliability Trials Championship (SART). One of the rounds is held in Robertstown and is known as the Lew Job 2 Day event, organised by the Velocette Motorcycle Club. Robertstown also has two children's playgrounds.

Nature and trails

* The

Lavender Federation Trail The Lavender Federation Trail is a long distance walking trail in the eastern Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia. It extends from Murray Bridge, South Australia, Murray Bridge to Clare, South Australia, Clare. It is named after Terry Lavender ...

is a long-distance hiking trail that includes the 7.5 km spur trail to Robertstown. * The

Heysen Trail The Heysen Trail is a long distance walking trail in South Australia. It runs from Parachilna Gorge, in the Flinders Ranges via the Adelaide Hills to Cape Jervis on the Fleurieu Peninsula and is approximately in length. Route summary From ...

is a long-distance hiking trail that passes approximately 10 km west of Robertstown, with a walk-in campsite called Webbs Gap nearby. * The World's End Driving Trail is a car trail that passes through Robertstown from Eudunda to Burra, showcasing rural landscapes of hills, valleys, gorges, and lagoons. Robertstown Oval hosts a free campground with a public dump point.

References

{{authority control Towns in South Australia