Population 665 (2011 census) Postcode(s) 5291 LGA(s) Wattle Range Council Area 45 km² Local time Wednesday 6:01 AM | Established 1844 Time zone ACST (UTC+9:30) Elevation 102 m Postal code 5291 | |
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Location 434 km (270 mi) from Adelaide
484 km (301 mi) from Melbourne Weather 20°C, Wind NE at 13 km/h, 60% Humidity | ||
Glencoe is a small town in South Australia, Australia located approximately 25 km west of Mount Gambier. In its heyday the township was divided into Glencoe and Glencoe West.
Contents
Map of Glencoe SA 5291, Australia
History
First established in 1844 by Edward and Robert Leake as a sheep station, the Leake brothers named the settlement after Glen Coe, Scotland where the infamous massacre took place in 1692. Originally from Tasmania, they brought with them the Saxon Merino sheep and in 1863 built the extensive Glencoe Woolshed, which still stands today as it was and now serves as a museum. The historic Glencoe Woolshed and Glencoe Station Stables and Coach House are listed on the South Australian Heritage Register.
A branch from the Mount Gambier railway line was built to Glencoe in 1904 to service the cheese factory. This branch closed in the 1950s when the main line was converted from narrow to broad gauge.
Economy
Surrounding Glencoe are pine tree plantations used in the production of paper pulp and for the supply to sawmills in the area. Sheep and cattle farming is also a strong part of the economy.
Education
The town has one R-7 primary school and one pre-school, Glencoe Central Primary School and Glencoe & District Kindergarten.
Sport
The single main sporting complex in Glencoe caters for multiple sporting leagues and activities including Australian Rules Football, cricket, netball and tennis. The facilities include: an oval, shared cricket and football clubrooms, football change rooms, shared tennis and netball clubrooms and change rooms.
The Glencoe Football Club which is a part of the Mid South Eastern Football League has 4 teams; A-Grade, B-Grade, Senior Colts and Junior Colts. Glencoe was also a founding member of the league when it was established in 1936.
Politics
Glencoe is part of the Wattle Range Council local government area.
Lake Leake
Lake Leake, an extinct volcanic crater associated with the Newer Volcanics Province, formed when rising red-hot molten rock encountered water in the limestone plain. Massive steam-driven explosions blew rock and lava high into the air. Powdered rock (ash)and rocks fell back to form a low rim around a wide flat crater - a part of which remains today. Lake Leake and the nearby Lake Edward, are unique in the Mount Burr Range. They perch above the regions water table and are filled by rainwater and run-off only. Pollen spores collected from lake sediment indicate that the volcanic activity occurred here much earlier than 20,000 years ago.