Crystal Brook South Australia
The rising sun catching the Crystal Brook grain silos on a clear winter's morning. The town sports oval is in the foreground.
Population:	1,185
Postcode:	5523
Location:	197 km (122 mi) N of Adelaide 29 km (18 mi) SE of Port Pirie
LGA:	Port Pirie Regional Council
State District:	Frome
Federal Division:	Grey

Crystal Brook is a town in South Australia, named after the spring-fed creek adjacent to which it was founded. It is 197 kilometres (122 mi) north of Adelaide and in 2006 had a population of 1,185.^[1]

Crystal Brook is situated on Goyder's Line near the border of two climate systems. Whilst ostensibly cold semi-arid, the town benefits from a temperate mediterranean climate zone near to its east,^[2] making possible slightly more intense farming in the region. But to its west and north-west lies some marginal, semi-arid farmland. Overall, the local farming community is still able to support many small businesses in the town.

The Crystal Brook (or creek) supplied water to the town until 1890 when the Beetaloo Reservoir was completed, at the time the largest concrete dam in the southern hemisphere.^[3]

The Sydney-Perth and the Adelaide-Darwin railways meet in Crystal Brook at a triangular junction.

Contents 1 Notable people 2 Crystal Brook Show 3 Heysen Trail 4 Sport 5 Bridge failure 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Notable people

• Arthur Percy Sullivan - recipient of the Victoria Cross
• Rob Kerin - Premier of South Australia between 22 October 2001 and March 5, 2002

[edit] Crystal Brook Show

The Crystal Brook Show has been held annually since the early 1880's.^[4]

[edit] Heysen Trail

The town lies on the Heysen Trail, a 1,200 kilometres (746 mi)-long walking trail from Cape Jervis to Parachilna Gorge.

Close to the north-south midpoint of the trail, Crystal Brook marks a change in climate. Hot, dry summers and mild winters lie to the north, and more temperate conditions to the south.^[5]

[edit] Sport

Crystal Brook's sporting facilities cater for hockey, tennis, golf, lawn bowls, netball, basketball, swimming, gymnasium exercise, junior soccer, horse riding, motor-cross, football and cricket.

In regional competitions the town colours are red and white, with most teams known as 'The Roosters'.

The Crystal Brook Football Club won the Northern Areas (Australian Rules) Football Association premiership for a record 17th time in 2008^[6] and the town has twice staged a round of the Australian motor-cross championships.

[edit] Bridge failure

Not long after the new standard gauge railway opened through Crystal Brook, the new bridge was destroyed by a washaway. The railway was temporarily deviated back onto the old narrow gauge bridge which had yet to be removed.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Crystal Brook (at GeoCities) for sporting and community group contacts, gardening tips, walking trails and photo gallery
• Crystal Brook Show (at GeoCities) has a comprehensive list of the show's judging program

Coordinates: 33°21′S 138°12′E / 33.35°S 138.2°E / -33.35; 138.2