Settlement history

Settlement of the area dates from 1838 when land was sold by syndicate. The land was then divided into acre blocks. By 1841 there were 200 people living in the area. By the 1850s Walkerville had a firm identity and all the services required by a mostly rural community. In the late 1800s there was an abattoir near the river and many stores in the town. Dairy farms were situated along the river bank, with vines, citrus orchards and market gardens located in the northern areas. There were some manufacturing activities (hat factory, tanners & furriers, tartaric acid factory and a rennet factory), but the Town has never been heavily industrialised. The Town continued to grow through the 1880s, aided by the introduction of a horse-drawn tram from Adelaide City. Since the early years of settlement, Walkerville was bounded by land owned by leading members of society, foreshadowing the prestige that came to be associated with the district as a residential address. Many large homes were built in the early 1900s. Significant development occurred in the post-war years. The population fell slightly between 1991 and 1996, but then increased again from 1996 to 2001, to resume a level of over 6,700 people. The population continued to increase slightly from 2001, rising to over 7,000 people in 2011. The municipality is fully developed, with new housing construction usually being redevelopment or urban infill.

Land use

The Town of Walkerville is predominantly a residential area, with parklands, reserves and retail/commercial land use.

Major features

• Major features of the Town include Walkerville Town Centre,
• Walkerville Town Hall,
• Walkerville YMCA,
• Walkerville Recreation Ground and River Torrens Linear Park.

Included areas