Morphett’s Enginehouse is one of several buildings and other structures like the Peacocks Chimney Stack located on the Burra Mine Site from this area’s time as a working copper mine – the Monster Mine. It is one of three museums and other historic buildings under the care of the Burra National Trust.
A guide is available when the Engine House is open, but visitors can wander the other ruins, including the 1847 Powder Magazine building, one of the oldest remaining mine buildings in Australia.
Morphett’s Enginehouse was built in 1858 but was later gutted by fire in 1925. Apart from the original engine, it was fully restored in 1986 as a Jubilee 150 project and is the only known reconstructed Cornish enginehouse in the world.
At Morphett’s Enginehouse Museum, a guide will explain the workings of the engine and pump system used to de-water the mine using a fully operational scale model (1:16). Videos provide further relevant information as do information boards on all three floors.
The collection includes a scale model of jinker; mining artefacts; an 1820’s pocket bible and quality samples of malachite and azurite (two forms of copper ore mined on the site).
Outside visitors can walk through an underground adit and view the mineshaft, as well as gain access to Morphett’s Windinghouse, pool, mine offices and cottages, Grave’s enginehouse and view of an open-cut mine.
Guided tours are either individually or free with the purchase of a Burra Heritage Passport.