About the Burra in the News Archive

Overview

The Burra in the News digital archive represents a comprehensive collection of newspaper coverage about Burra, South Australia, spanning from 1845 to 2016. This remarkable archive contains 14 historical documents with over 190,000 paragraphs of content, making it one of the most extensive digital collections of regional Australian newspaper coverage.

The Compiler: Eric Fuss

This archive is the result of meticulous research and compilation work by Eric Fuss. Through dedicated effort and scholarly attention to detail, Eric systematically collected, organized, and preserved these historical newspaper references, ensuring that over 170 years of Burra’s documented history remains accessible for future generations.

Archive Contents

Publications Included

The archive encompasses coverage from multiple newspapers and publications:

• SA Register (1845-1876) - Early mining era coverage
• Record (1876-1960s) - Extensive multi-decade documentation
• Burra Broadcaster (1991-2016) - Modern era community journalism
• Northern Argus (1985-1987) - Regional perspective
• Mid North Broadcaster (2006-2013) - Contemporary coverage
• BCS & CN (1978-1993) - Community publications

Historical Significance

This collection documents Burra’s transformation through major historical periods:

• Mining Boom Era (1845-1877) - Copper mining development
• Agricultural Transition (1880s-1920s) - Post-mining community evolution
• Mid-20th Century (1920s-1960s) - Community consolidation
• Heritage Tourism (1980s-2016) - Modern heritage preservation

Research Value

For Genealogists

• Family names and biographical information
• Community events and celebrations
• Marriage, birth, and death notices
• Immigration and settlement patterns

For Historians

• Economic development patterns
• Social and cultural evolution
• Political and administrative changes
• Regional development context

For Community Members

• Local heritage preservation
• Historical continuity and identity
• Educational resource for schools
• Tourism and cultural promotion

Digital Preservation

Technical Approach

This digital archive was created using modern web technologies to ensure:

• Long-term accessibility - Standards-based HTML and CSS
• Search functionality - Full-text search across all content
• Mobile responsiveness - Accessible on all devices
• Open source preservation - Available on GitHub for institutional copying

Search Capabilities

The archive features comprehensive search functionality allowing users to:

• Search across all 14 documents simultaneously
• Find specific people, places, events, and topics
• Filter by publication and time period
• Access contextual snippets and full document text

Usage Guidelines

Academic Research

Researchers are encouraged to:

• Cite this digital archive in academic work
• Reference Eric Fuss as the original compiler
• Consider the archive’s scope and limitations in analysis
• Cross-reference findings with other historical sources

Community Use

The archive is freely available for:

• Family history research
• Educational projects
• Community heritage initiatives
• Tourism and cultural promotion

Attribution

When using content from this archive, please credit:

“Burra in the News Digital Archive, compiled by Eric Fuss, [Year]. Available at: [URL]”

Technical Details

Archive Statistics

• 14 historical documents
• 1845-2016 coverage period
• Multiple publication sources for diverse perspectives
• Full-text searchable content
• Responsive design for all devices

Hosting and Access

• GitHub Pages hosting for reliability and permanence
• Open source repository for transparency
• Fast global access via content delivery network
• Free access with no registration required

Contact and Feedback

We welcome feedback, corrections, and suggestions for improving this archive. This is a community resource, and community input helps ensure its continued value and accuracy.

For questions or comments about this digital archive, please use the contact information provided in the site footer.

Acknowledgments

Special recognition goes to:

• Eric Fuss for the original research and compilation
• Historical societies and libraries that preserved original materials
• The Burra community for supporting historical preservation
• Digital humanities community for tools and methodologies

This digital archive represents a collaborative effort to preserve and make accessible the documented history of Burra, South Australia. Through careful digitization and modern web technologies, we ensure that this valuable historical resource remains available for current and future researchers, genealogists, and community members.