Map of Moonta, SA 5558 - Census Demographics - Melway, Sydway, Brisway, Ausway, Street Smart (original) (raw)

Moonta is a town located on the Yorke Peninsula of South Australia, 165 kilometres north-northwest of the state capital of Adelaide. It is one of three towns known as the Copper Coast or "Little Cornwall" for their shared copper mining history.

It is about 20 kilometres (12 mi) southwest of Kadina, site of the famous Wallaroo Mines, and 19 kilometres (12 mi) south of the port of Wallaroo. At the 2006 census, Moonta had a population of 3,350. There are several distinct localities or hamlets surrounding Moonta, including Moonta Mines, Yelta, North Yelta, Moonta Bay, Port Hughes and Simms Cove.

It is thought that the name "Moonta" is derived from Moontera, an (Indigenous) Narungga word meaning 'impenetrable scrub'.