
The Torrens Linear Park is a linear park that runs along the
River Torrens
The River Torrens (Karrawirra Parri / Karrawirraparri) is the most significant river of the Adelaide Plains. It was one of the main reasons for the siting of the city of Adelaide, capital of South Australia. It flows from its source in the Ad ...
in South Australia, spanning from the edge of
Adelaide Hills
The Adelaide Hills region is located in the southern Mount Lofty Ranges east of the city of Adelaide in the state of South Australia. The largest town in the area, Mount Barker, South Australia, Mount Barker, is one of Australia's fastest-growi ...
in
Athelstone to the coast in
West Beach and
Henley Beach South. Upon completion in 1997, it was the first linear park of its kind in Australia, and also the largest hills-to-coast park. The construction of the park began as a flood mitigation scheme along the River Torrens running westward from the
Adelaide Hills
The Adelaide Hills region is located in the southern Mount Lofty Ranges east of the city of Adelaide in the state of South Australia. The largest town in the area, Mount Barker, South Australia, Mount Barker, is one of Australia's fastest-growi ...
, through the
Adelaide metropolitan area, to the sea. Cyclists and walkers can use a trail that runs the length of the park, from Gorge Road, in
Athelstone in the north-east, through the
Northern Parklands of the
City of Adelaide
The City of Adelaide, also known as the Corporation of the City of Adelaide and Adelaide City Council, is a Local government in Australia, local government area in the metropolitan area of greater Adelaide, South Australia. It is legally defi ...
, to the river mouth at
Henley Beach South in the west.
[The Australian Institute of Landscape Architects >...> River Torrens Linear Park, Adelaide](_blank)
Accessed 6 December 2013. In the Parklands section, the river runs past many notable landmarks including the
Adelaide Zoo
Adelaide Zoo is a zoo in Adelaide, Australia. It is the country's second oldest zoo (after Melbourne Zoo) opening in 1883, and is operated on a non-profit basis. It is located in the Adelaide Parklands, parklands just north of the Adelaide cit ...
, the
Adelaide Botanic Gardens, the
Festival Theatre and
Elder Park
Elder Park is a public open space in the city of Adelaide, South Australia on the southern bank of the River Torrens and that is bordered by the Adelaide Festival Centre and North Terrace, Adelaide, North Terrace. It is part of Park 26 of t ...
.
There are shared-use pedestrian and cycling paths along both sides of the river for most of the length of the park, and along one side of the
O-Bahn Busway
The O-Bahn Busway is a guided busway that is part of the bus rapid transit system servicing the northeastern suburbs of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. The O-Bahn system was conceived by Daimler-Benz to enable buses to avoid traffic con ...
.
History
The valley of the River Torrens, particularly its lower reaches, had become badly polluted following European settlement in 1836. Land clearance lead to increased runoff and erosion, with major flood events occurring in 1917 and 1933. An artificial channel, Breakout Creek, was completed in 1937, diverting floodwaters directly to the sea, and opening up areas of the western suburbs to housing development, particularly after World War II. Rapid expansion of housing in the eastern suburbs also took place at this time. Awareness of the risk of increased runoff leading to further flooding events lead to various proposals for flood mitigation in the 1950s and 1960s, including converting the river to a concrete-lined channel, or an underground storm-water pipe below a major highway.
The Torrens Linear Park concept, using the river valley for combined use as
urban open space
In land-use planning, urban green spaces are open-space areas reserved for parks and other "green spaces." These include plant life, water features also known as blue spaces and other kinds of natural environments. Most urban open spaces a ...
with
flood mitigation
Flood management or flood control are methods used to reduce or prevent the detrimental effects of flood waters. Flooding can be caused by a mix of both natural processes, such as extreme weather upstream, and human changes to waterbodies and ru ...
, was initially set out in the ''River Torrens Study'' (1979) and the ''River Torrens Flood Mitigation Study'' (1980). The ''River Torrens Linear Park and Flood Mitigation Scheme'' was approved by State Parliament in 1981. A further elaboration, the ''River Torrens Linear Park Study'', included a transport option for a section of the park east of the CBD, which became the
O-Bahn guided busway.
The scheme required the cooperation of the state government, responsible for land acquisition and flood mitigation works, and the then 12 (now 8) metropolitan councils bordering the river, responsible for landscaping and construction of cycling/walking trails. Construction works began in January 1982, and were completed in September 1997.
The Linear Park became protected against further development with the passing of the ''River Torrens Linear Park Act'' on 21 June 2006.
Between 2007 and 2008 a new aqueduct, an underground water pipe from Gorge Weir to the Hope Valley Reservoir, was constructed along an eastern section of the Linear Park, while the land formerly occupied by the open channel of the old Highbury Aqueduct was added to the Linear Park in 2012.
[Erin Jones]
Highbury Aqueduct site to open to the public next week
''Leader Messenger'', 29 November 2012. Accessed 6 December 2013.
References
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Parks in Adelaide
Cycling in South Australia