Outback Towns

Roxby Downs

You can explore the vast and arid landscape with local tours and keep an eye out for many native animals in the area including Bilbies, Stick Nest Rats, Burrowing Bettongs and Western Barred Bandicoots.

About Roxby Downs

Roxby Downs

The mining settlement of Roxby Downs in the South Australian desert has a population of around 5000, although this fluctuates with mining activity. It was built in the 1980’s to house employees of the Olympic Dam Copper Mine, one of the world’s largest mines producing gold, silver, copper and uranium oxide. There are also rich deposits of uranium in the area.

The mine, fifteen km north of Roxby Downs, is the greatest attraction. Nine million tonnes of ore are mined annually, producing 350,000 tonnes of copper, 4,000 tonnes of uranium oxides, 80,000 ounces of gold and about one million ounces of silver. BHP Billiton operates surface tours, which are very popular and bookings are essential.

Tagalong Night Tour

BHP Billiton fund an Arid Recovery Reserve, where rabbits, cats and foxes have been eradicated to make way for native animals including the bilby, western barred bandicoot, burrowing bettong and sticknest rat.

As a town consisting mostly of young miners and their families, Roxby Downs offers everything from swimming, golf and tennis to squash and bowls. The Roxby Downs Cultural Precinct features the town’s visitor information centre, an Outback cinema, art gallery, auditorium and the Dunes Café.

The Outback Fringe Festival, held every March, is rapidly gaining kudos and the local races take place in August.

The opal town of Andamooka is 30km from Roxby Downs and is well worth a visit.

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