Regional Overview

The Mid North is an extremely productive agricultural region covering an area of approximately eight hundred and forty thousand hectares. It is renowned for its cereal crops and merino wool, viticulture, dairy and beef cattle, pigs, poultry and tourism. The mining of slate as well as wind farm activity also contribute to the region's economy. Thirty per cent of the workforce is involved in agricultural activity which produces commodities with a gross value of about $200 million each year.

The Clare Valley continues to expand as one of Australia's premium wine growing areas, and as one of the Mid North Region's principal income earners.

The majority of the Mid North's 13,000 residents live in the major towns of Auburn, Blyth, Burra, Clare, Eudunda, Hallett, Riverton, Saddleworth, Snowtown and Watervale. The regional centre, Clare, is just two hours drive north of Adelaide.

The climate varies across the region, with temperate warm dry summers and cool wet winters in most of the Mid North and semi-arid hot summers and cool winters in the plains to the east and west. Annual rainfall can vary from 250 millimetres in the east to more than 600 millimetres in the Clare-Watervale area.

The region's pleasant and varied landscape - and the winemaking activities in the Clare Valley - support a strong tourism industry. Development that is compatible with existing land uses continues to be a growth area.

National Highway One runs along the western edge of the region providing good links with Adelaide and major centres to the north and west of the State. To the north-east lies the Barrier Highway, the main route between Adelaide, Broken Hill and Sydney.

Education and training have a high priority for the Mid North with 14 primary schools, one high school, three area schools and one campuses of vocational and technical education colleges. The region is serviced by four hospitals and other general health services. The recreational interests of the community and visitors are well served in all major centres and smaller townships.

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