Cape Cornwall Singers Start Twinning move
 by St Just council

The following is a press release by St Just Council.

In May of last year Cape Cornwall Singers took part in the Kernewek Lowender (Cornish Festival) in the Copper Triangle, north of Adelaide in South Australia.  I was fortunate to be travelling with them on this ' once in a lifetime ' visit.  After the Festival we were returning to Adelaide by coach when we paid an all too brief visit to a little town called Burra. It didn't take long to realise this small town had not only Cornish connections, but had real links with St Just. There was a Market Square, Commercial Hotel, Miners Arms and St Just Street........and the names on the War Memorial were St Just surnames.  The first country gaol in South Australia was built in Burra and named Redruth Gaol.  In 1847 600 men from the Parish of St Just arrived in Burra to work in the mines.  By 1849 Cornish miners had set up their own Little Cornwall naming the streets after towns and villages in Cornwall and built Cornish Chapels for their Sunday Worship.  The remaining rich collection of Cornish Mining buildings, and Cornish cottages are considered an irreplaceable part of South Australia and Australia's heritage.  Fortunately many of these important and historic buildings are being identified and restored by The District Council and the National Trust.

As you can see from the above observations the two communities not only have much in common - they both recognise and value their historic past while looking forward positively to a rewarding future.  The Regional Council of Goyder in Burra and the Town Council at St Just have agreed to form a ' Sister Town ' relationship.  The Town Council believes that an exchange of information and informal link as suggested could only be of real benefit to both communities and would bring a greater understanding of the impact of mining on our past and present.

Elaine George

Town Clerk