Of the relics of Australia's first great mining era these cottages are perhaps more deserving of preservation than any other surviving objects in any part of Australia"
(Geoffrey Blainey, 1968)
Notes from Goyder Council website. I took this photo from the other side of Burra Creek.
The South Australian Mining Company (SAMA) began the construction of the Paxton Square Cottages in 1849 to provide alternative housing for the many miners who had 'set up house' in hazardous dugouts along the banks of the Burra Creek. By 1852 the three wings had been completed. The cottages gained their name from the square of land situated in the middle, where the children played, livestock was tethered and the outdoor toilets were placed. The 'Paxton' of Paxton Square referred to William Paxton, an original director and shareholder of the Burra Mine. In 1876, Paxton Square housed in excess of 160 people. The Mining company auctioned the complex in 1912, with the successful bidder being Hon. John Lewis. He and his family set up a trust to provide low rent housing to the poor of Burra. In 1980 the Lewis family presented the cottages to the then District Council of Burra Burra. The cottages have now all been restored as tourist accommodation