Definition of the word burra

The word "burra" has its origins in the Aboriginal Australian language of the Adnyamathanha people, who traditionally inhabited the Flinders Ranges region of South Australia. In their language, "burra" translates to "native cat," referring to the now-extinct thylacine, also known as the "Tasmanian wolf." However, in the context of mining, "burra" took on a different meaning. During the 1840s gold rush in South Australia, the term "burra" came to describe a type of device used to extract gold from the earth. This device consisted of a wooden frame with wooden bars, onto which a heavy stone called a "burra head" was placed. Workers would then use hammers to strike the stone, causing it to break up and loosen the surrounding soil, in search of gold deposits. The word "burra" came to be synonymous with this mining technology and the towns and settlements that grew around the gold fields. Some examples include the town of Burra, located in the Adelaide Hills region of South Australia, which was originally known as "Bouras" and later renamed "Burra" after a local gold field was discovered. The town of Burra, in turn, gave its name to a number of other places, including Burra Regis in Western Australia and Burralee in New South Wales. Today, the term "burra" is still used in Australia in a few different contexts, most often to refer to a type of mining device, a town or settlement, or a historical site associated with mining operations.