Hawker, South Australia

Hawker is a town in the Flinders Ranges area of South Australia, 365 km north of Adelaide. It is in the Flinders Ranges Council, the state Electoral district of Stuart and the federal Division of Grey. At the 2006 census, Hawker had a population of 229.

History
Hawker was a thriving railway town from the 1880s until 1956 as it was on the famous Ghan railway line, until the route was moved further west when the line was upgraded.

Heritage listings
Hawker has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:


 * 20 Cradock Road: St Philip and St James Catholic Church
 * Hawker-Wilpena Road: Mount Desire Dyke
 * Wonoka-Hawker Road: Hawker railway station
 * 1885 Hawker Dam

Economy
The main economic activities in the area are tourism and pastoral runs of sheep and increasingly cattle. Due to the arid environment, the stocking rates are low, at about one sheep per three to four hectares. Hawker is 55 km south of Wilpena Pound, a unique natural dish-shaped range of hills popular with tourists, as well as the spectacular scenery of the Flinders Ranges.

Tourism
Hawker Racing Club holds a once a year Thoroughbred horse racing meeting which includes the Hawker Cup in late May which attracts many people from around the area.

Climate
Hawker has a semi-arid climate with hot summers and cool winters. Rainfall is very sparse throughout the year, but more reliable in the winter months.