Past Present & Future
Living in Roxby Downs
The Past
Roxby Downs was originally a cattle station and 20 years ago the site of the town was no more than desolate outback paddocks. A few workers were the first to arrive, some with young families in tow, and they set up a caravan and tent city. Conditions were challenging but the fledgling town grew with a strong sense of community driven by an Australian pioneering spirit.
Today
Roxby is a modern dynamic town with a strong get up and do it attitude. It is a vibrant and young community with a dominant family dynamic and strong sense of community.
It has a population of 4,500 living in Roxby Downs plus an estimated 900 who commute around shift rosters which range from 4 days on to 4 days off to 4 weeks on to 2 weeks off. The town is currently awaiting the release of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in relation to the Olympic Dam Mine's proposed expansion.
Future
The certainties concerning Roxby Downs and the Olympic Dam Mine are that it has a life of 70 to 100 years and that there will be an expansion within a few years. What is uncertain is the size of the expansion and hence the town's growth.
