Traditional Owners

The original inhabitants of the Barossa Council area were the Peramangk and Ngadjuri Aboriginal people.

Settlement history

European settlement of the area dates from the late 1830s. The townships of Angaston, Eden Valley, Krondorf, Light Pass, Lyndoch, Mount Pleasant, Nuriootpa, Penrice, Rosedale, Rowland Flat, Springton, Stockwell, Tanunda and Williamstown were established in the 1840s and 1850s. Land was used mainly for farming, particularly sheep grazing and crop growing. Expansion occurred from the 1880s into the early 1900s, with the area becoming a major wine producer. Development continued from the post-war years. The population increased gradually from the early 1990s, rising from about 16,000 in 1991 to about 23,000 in 2016.

Land use

The Barossa Council area is predominantly rural, with substantial rural-residential and township areas. The Council area encompasses a total land area of over 900 square kilometres. The major townships include Angaston, Lyndoch, Mount Pleasant, Nuriootpa, Tanunda and Williamstown. Rural land is used mainly for sheep and cattle grazing, crop and fruit growing and viticulture. Tourism is also an important industry, with Barossa being one of Australia's renowned wine regions.

Transport

The Barossa Council area is served by the Barossa Valley Highway and the Sturt Highway.

Major features

• Major features of the Council area include Hale Conservation Park,
• Kaiserstuhl Conservation Park,
• Parra Wirra Conservation Park,
• Sandy Creek Conservation Park,
• Barossa Reservoir,
• South Para Reservoir,
• Warren Reservoir,
• Barossa Bushgardens,
• TAFE SA (Barossa Nuriootpa Campus),
• Angaston District Hospital,
• Mount Pleasant District Hospital,
• Tanunda War Memorial Hospital,
• The Barossa Museum,
• Barossa Regional Gallery,
• The Rex (Barossa Aquatic & Fitness Centre),
• The Heysen Trail and numerous wineries.

Included areas