Pekina

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}

{{Use Australian English|date=March 2013}}

{{Infobox Australian place

| type = town

| name = Pekina

| state = sa

| image =

| caption =

| coordinates = {{coord|32.838742|S|138.551859|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| coord_ref = {{cite web|title=Search results for 'Pekina, LOCB' with the following datasets selected – 'Suburbs and localities', 'Counties', 'Government Towns', 'Hundreds', 'Local Government Areas', 'SA Government Regions' and 'Gazetteer'|url= http://location.sa.gov.au/viewer/?map=roads&x=138.51277&y=-32.84567&z=12&uids=19,2,115,8,11,20,105&pinx=138.553190&piny=-32.837280&pinTitle=Location&pinText=Pekina,+Locb |website=Location SA Map Viewer|publisher=South Australian Government|access-date=29 January 2019}}

| pushpin_label_position =

| pop = 70

| pop_year = {{CensusAU|2021}}

| pop_footnotes = {{Census 2021 AUS|id=SAL41129|name=Pekina |access-date=19 November 2023|quick=on}}

| established = 20 May 1875 (town)
16 December 1999 (locality)

| established_footnotes = {{Citation | title = GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES ACT 1991, Notice to Assign Boundaries and Names to Places (in the District Council of Orroroo/Carrieton) | journal = The South Australian Government Gazette | page = 3429 | date=16 December 1999 | url = http://governmentgazette.sa.gov.au/sites/default/files/public/documents/gazette/1999/December/1999_183.pdf |access-date=4 March 2018 }}

| abolished =

| gazetted =

| postcode = 5431

| elevation =

| elevation_footnotes =

| area =

| area_footnotes =

| timezone = ACST

| utc = +9:30

| timezone-dst = ACST

| utc-dst = +10:30

| dist1 = 270

| dir1 = N

| location1= Adelaide

| dist2 = 14

| dir2 = S

| location2=Orroroo

| lga = District Council of Orroroo Carrieton

| county = Dalhousie

| parish = Yorke and Mid North

| stategov = Stuart

| fedgov = Grey

| maxtemp = 21.9

| maxtemp_footnotes = {{cite web|title=Monthly climate statistics: Summary statistics Summary statistics YONGALA (nearest weather station) |url=http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_019062.shtml |publisher=Commonwealth of Australia, Bureau of Meteorology|access-date=29 January 2019}}

| mintemp = 7.4

| mintemp_footnotes =

| rainfall = 364.8

| rainfall_footnotes =

| near-n = Willowie
Morchard
Coomooroo

| near-ne = Orroroo

| near-e = Orroroo
Black Rock
Tarcowie

| near-se = Tarcowie

| near-s = Tarcowie

| near-sw = Booleroo Centre

| near-w = Willowie
Booleroo Centre

| near-nw = Willowie

| near =

| footnotes = Adjoining localities

}}

Pekina is a town and locality in the Mid North region of South Australia. The town is located in the District Council of Orroroo Carrieton local government area, {{convert|270|km|mi}} north of the state capital, Adelaide.

The name of the town is thought to derive from the Aboriginal{{efn|Adnyamathanha was the local language.}} word for "creek water",{{cite web |title= Pekina| url=http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/manning/pn/p/p4.htm#pekina|work=South Australian place names|publisher=State Library of South Australia|access-date=10 November 2010}} from which Pekina Station derived its name.

European settlement in the Pekina district began in earnest in 1846 when Price Maurice brought 3000 sheep to the district. Pekina Station, a sheep station, "one of the most profitable sheep runs" in South Australia, became a stopping-point for coaches on the run between Blinman and Burra.

In 1871, Pekina Station was resumed and broken up for closer settlement. The region was settled by German and especially Irish migrant farmers. Problems with drought, rust and locusts in the 1880s meant the town grew slowly with only around 75 residents at the beginning of the 20th century.{{cite web|title=Pekina|url=http://www.southaustralianhistory.com.au/pekina.htm|work=South Australian History|publisher=Flinders Ranges History}} Pekina's Irish Catholic heritage has seen the district nicknamed "Vatican Valley".{{cite web |title=Pekina |url=http://www.orroroo.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=268|publisher=District Council of Orroroo Carrieton|access-date=10 November 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110217191205/http://www.orroroo.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=268|archive-date=17 February 2011}}

At the {{CensusAU|2006}}, Pekina and the surrounding area had a population of 172;{{Census 2006 AUS|id=SSC44551|name=Pekina (State Suburb)|accessdate=11 November 2010|quick=on}} in 2021, it was down to 70.

The historic former Pekina Animal Pound is listed on the South Australian Heritage Register.{{cite web | url=http://apps.planning.sa.gov.au/HeritageSearch/HeritageItem.aspx?p_heritageno=15998 | title=Former Pekina Animal Pound | publisher=Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources | work=South Australian Heritage Register | access-date=12 February 2016 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160215212225/http://apps.planning.sa.gov.au/HeritageSearch/HeritageItem.aspx?p_heritageno=15998 | archive-date=15 February 2016 }}