History:

The township of Melrose, nestled at the foot of Mount Remarkable on the edge of the Willochra Plain, is the oldest town in the Flinders Ranges.  Set in one of the most picturesque areas of the State, the traveller is invited to stay and absorb its fascinating history and colourful past.

It was in 1840, that Edward John Eyre named Mount Remarkable (955m) which towers above the little township of Melrose.  Three years later, the first pastoralists had established themselves in the area.

Conflict with the aborigines caused the pastoralists much concern and they pressured the Colonial Government for police protection. The nearest police station at that time was at Clare, which was 13Okm south.  This distance gave little security to the early pastoralists and their families. In 1848, a police outpost was established at Mount Remarkable with a corporal, two troopers and a native constable.

In 1846, a Special Survey of 20,000 acres was granted to the Mount Remarkable Mining Company for the purpose of mining copper. However this venture was not successful  and the Company was dissolved in 1851.  Old Melrose was surveyed by T. F. Nott in 1853 as part of  his duties for the Mount Remarkable Mining Company's subdivision of the Special Survey.

What is known as the township of Melrose today is really the aggregation of the Police Paddock (1848), Old Melrose (1853) and New Melrose (1856).  As pastoralists, miners and timber-getters moved into the area, so the tradesmen came to fill their needs.  Melrose was the only established town for more than twenty years and it developed as the "Emporium of the North" supplying remote pastoral runs, mining camps and early settlers with goods, communication and transport.

The township of Melrose continued to thrive, with commerce and industry developing hand in hand with agriculture as the large pastoral runs gave way to closer settlement.  Melrose became a microcosm of the development of rural South Australia as all the different land tenure schemes that were legislated for over the years in South Australia were implemented in this area.  From the early Pastoral Acts, the Workingmen's Blocks, the Village Settlement Scheme, the Closer Settlement Act and the Soldier Settlement Scheme all played a part in the history of Melrose.

The passing of time has brought changes to Melrose as it has to most small country towns.  The Great Depression of the 1930's brought about the closing of local industry and large scale farming has brought changes to the population, which in turn has changed the face of this small township.

But the rich and colourful history of “this oldest town in the north" will always be with us.

A booklet ($3.00) for more history about Melrose is for sale at The Museum, Council Office, Caravan Park and several outlets in Melrose.