Crystal Brook is a town in South Australia, named after the spring-fed creek next to which it was founded. It is 197 kilometres (122 mi) north of Adelaide and in 2006 had a population of 1,185.
Crystal Brook is situated on Goyder's Line near the border of two climate systems. While apparently cold semi-arid, the town benefits from a temperate mediterranean climate zone near to the east, making possible slightly more intense farming in the region. To the west and north-west lies some marginal, semi-arid farmland. The local farming community still supports many small businesses in the town.
Crystal Brook (or creek) supplied water to the town until 1890 when the Beetaloo Reservoir was completed, which at the time was the largest concrete dam in the southern hemisphere.
Transport
The Sydney–Perth and the Adelaide–Darwin railways share the same approximately 530 kilometres (329 mi) of track between Crystal Brook and Tarcoola. There is a triangular junction at Crystal Brook which joins Tarcoola, Adelaide and Sydney. Another triangular junction at Tarcoola joins Crystal Brook, Darwin and Perth.
Notable people
The Crystal Brook Show has been held annually since the early 1880s.
Heysen Trail
The town lies on the Heysen Trail, a 1,200 kilometres (746 mi)-long walking trail from Cape Jervis to Parachilna Gorge.
Close to the north-south midpoint of the trail, Crystal Brook marks a change in climate. Hot, dry summers and mild winters lie to the north, and more temperate conditions to the south.
Sport
Crystal Brook's sporting facilities cater for hockey, tennis, croquet, golf, lawn bowls, netball, basketball, swimming, gymnasium exercise, junior soccer, horse riding, motor-cross, football and cricket.
In regional competitions the town colours are red and white, with most teams known as 'The Roosters'.
The Crystal Brook Football Club won the Northern Areas (Australian Rules) Football Association premiership for a record 19th time in 2012 and the town has twice staged a round of the Australian motor-cross championships.
Broadband
Broadband became available at Crystal Brook on 16 April 2005 after lobbying from residents. Both ADSL 1 and ADSL2+ speeds are available to both residential and business customers.