MELROSE Melrose is a crossroads town when heading south towards Clare and Adelaide beyond. Nice little spot this is and is worth making the effort to visit. Just check this tree out near the Anglican Church. Melrose is the oldest town in the Flinders Ranges. It is in the shadow of Mount Remarkable, The first European explorer in the area was Edward John Eyre in 1840, closely followed by settlers coming to farm the area. Copper was discovered and mining started in 1846, but it was not economic, and ceased in 1851. The mine was opened again three more times; the latest closure was in 1917. For several years Melrose remained the only established town in the northern Flinders Ranges, supplying remote pastoral stations, mining camps, surveyors, travelers and settlers with police protection, goods and services and a means of communication. By the end of the 1850s a nucleus of business houses had been established. When it was opened in 1848, the police station in Melrose was the base of the largest police district in the world. A constable, two troopers and an Aboriginal tracker were responsible for an area extending to the Timor Sea. Today, Melrose is the base for visitors to the Mount Remarkable National Park and Pub centre for the local farmers. Be sure to visit the Remarkable Pub The Melrose War Memorial is represented by the Memorial gates. The Anglican and United Churches are old buildings; the Catholic being destroyed by fire. The hotels are century plus buildings and are classic for the era. The Melrose Museum has a high profile on entry from the south. Locals boast the museum is one of the best. Melrose is a place that an extended stay can be a consideration and would not be regretted. Heritage diary