Unicorn Brewery: Lisa visits Burra in the Clare Valley region of the Mid North of South Australia

The little town of Burra is a heritage jewel. Wander around the historic mining town in the State's mid-north and you'll soon see why it's listed on the National Register.

Today it's a quiet, peaceful place to bring the kids and maybe spend some time on the banks of the Burra Creek. But a little more than a century and a half ago this place was booming. Back then, it was bigger than Perth and Brisbane combined, as thousands of Cornish miners made their way to work at what was called the Monster mine.

And they brought with them a powerful thirst. Armed with a Heritage Passport Key we followed local Visitor Centre Manager, Andrew Glen into Burra's famous Brewery, the Unicorn. The ground floor is still intact but the upper levels and tower, which played an important part in the gravity fed operation, are now gone. That mass of stonework has now been incorporated into many of the stone cottages around the town. But there's still plenty of intricate stonemasonry to be admired in the catacombs below the brewery.

The brewery made a range of beers, many of which were graded in strength and quality. There was a one 'X', a two 'X', a three 'X' and a five 'X' - of course, that 'other' beer was made in Queensland. The brewery stored its ales and stouts in massive forty-gallon hogsheads. Today the cellars are empty but the tunnels head off in several directions so they're a real hit with the kids.

It's dark and cool down there too and that's just what William Henry Banks, the brewery owner wanted when he built the Unicorn in 1873. The constant temperature aided fermentation for a range of beers that became very popular.

"The made mainly ales and stouts," explained Andrew. "It became a very popular brand and was purchased not only in the nine hotels in Burra but all the way through the northern train route to Broken Hill.

"Five 'x' was the strongest - it would knock your socks off. Sometimes in the 1870s and 1880s that's what they needed."

What they didn't need were the cheap and dangerous additives that some scurrilous country brewers laced their ales and stouts with, to make their beers go that little bit further.

"Some of the brewers were putting all sort of things into their beer and they weren't always fit for consumption," said Andrew. "I'm not quite sure exactly what but I've heard a number of stories of traces of poison and different grasses and plants that were around the area and used to pad them out."

By 1902, to protect drinkers, the State Government introduced tougher standards and licensing laws, which spelled the end for small brewers like Unicorn. For many years - in fact right up until the 1970s - these cellars were virtually forgotten. Now they're well worth a visit and offer a great insight into the early brewing days at Burra. For a Burra Heritage Passport Key drop into the town's Visitor Centre in Market Square. If you have any further questions please email info@postcards-sa.com.au

Unicorn Brewery Cellars
Part of Burra Heritage Trail
Key available at Burra Visitor Centre, Market Square, Burra
Open daily 9am - 5pm