Traditional Owners

The original inhabitants of the Light Regional Council area were the Kaurna Aboriginal people.

Settlement history

European settlement of the area dates from the late 1830s, with land used mainly for sheep and cattle grazing. The township of Kapunda was laid out in 1845, with the township of Greenock established during the 1850s, and the townships of Freeling, Roseworthy and Wasleys during the 1860s. Growth took place during the late 1800s, spurred by the opening of the railway line in 1860, and copper mining in Kapunda from 1842 until the early 1900s. Land then became used more for wheat and crop growing, with viticulture also being an important industry. The southern suburb of Hewett was not developed until the early 2000s, as a northerly expansion of Gawler. The population of the Council area increased steadily from the early 1990s, rising from about 8,000 in 1991 to about 15,000 in 2016.

Land use

The Light Regional Council area is largely rural, with residential areas in the small townships of Kapunda, Freeling, Greenock, Roseworthy and Wasleys, as well as the southern suburb of Hewett. Rural land is used largely for farming, particularly grain growing (wheat, barley and oats) and sheep grazing. Viticulture is also an important industry. The Council area encompasses a total land area of nearly 1,300 square kilometres.

Transport

The Light Regional Council area is served by the Sturt Highway, the Thiele Highway and Main North Road.

Major features

• Major features of the Council area include Kapunda Historic Mine Site,
• numerous wineries,
• Pengilly Scrub (Mudla Wirra Reserve),
• The Pines Conservation Reserve,
• The University of Adelaide (Roseworthy Campus),
• Davidson Reserve,
• Dutton Park,
• Freeling Community Recreation Park,
• Greenock Centenary Park,
• Wasleys Recreation Grounds and Kapunda Hospital.

Included areas