History of Thorndon Park Reservoir

The Thorndon Park Reservoir, constructed from 1857 to 1860, was the first reservoir built in South Australia to supply Adelaide with piped water.

When the European settlers arrived in 1836, they used the River Torrens as their water supply but as the new settlement grew the quality deteriorated as the river was used for many other purposes besides drinking water. Disease spread quickly and dysentery was rife. There were soon calls for a more reliable supply that could be piped to homes and businesses. A number of options were considered including the damming of Brownhill Creek, but a site for a reservoir in the Athelstone area was eventually chosen.¹

Land for the reservoir site was obtained from a Lord Petre. Petre’s property in the Athelstone area was named Thorndon Park after his baronial property in Essex, England and this name was used for the reservoir.

The plan was to build a weir on the Torrens above the reservoir site and divert water to the reservoir by gravity feed. Water from the reservoir was to be piped again by gravity feed to a valve-house on the corner of North Terrace and Hackney Road. From this point the water could be distributed to North and South Adelaide.

Work commenced on the weir on the Torrens but it was not a success. It was left ruined and cost approximately £5000 to £6000. A second site further upstream was chosen and a weir successfully built to divert the water to the reservoir.

The SA Register on Monday 18th April 1859 gave a very detailed account of the reservoir plans and how it was to operate ²
In June 1860 water began flowing from the weir to the reservoir and the first water from Thorndon Park Reservoir began flowing from the Kent Town Valve House in 1862 ^{1 & 3.}

When full the reservoir held 142,000,000 gallons (645,545 kilolitres.)⁴

In 1868 it was announced that a second reservoir would be built at Hope Valley. This reservoir was also to be fed with water from the weir on the River Torrens and was completed in 1873.⁵

Over the years more reservoirs had to be constructed in the Adelaide Hills to meet the needs of the expanding Adelaide. Thorndon Park Reservoir continued to be used until 1977 when fears about the structural safety of the reservoir wall breeching and threatening encroaching suburbia caused the reservoir to be decommissioned.

The Campbelltown City Council took control of the reservoir and surrounds and converted it into the wonderful recreational area we know today.

The Gorge Weir in May 2016. The aqueduct used to carry water from the Weir across the river to the Hope Valley Reservoir. Decommissioned in 2008.

Library

History of Thorndon Park Reservoir

Further Reading

Acknowledgement

Contact Us

Locate Us

Connect With Us