Traditional Owners

The original inhabitants of the NAHLN area were the Kaurna Aboriginal people.

Settlement history

European settlement dates from the late 1830s. Several townships were established during the late 1840s and early 1850s, with the railway line from Adelaide opened in 1856. Land was used mainly for grazing and farming, particularly wheat and hay growing. Some residential and industrial growth took place during the late 1800s, particularly in and around the port as land was subdivided and harbour facilities expanded. Significant development did not occur until the 1940s, when the Edinburgh Air Force Base and a munitions factory were established, with many houses were built to accommodate the workers. Significant development occurred from the post-war years, with the South Australian government establishing a new satellite settlement at Elizabeth. Steady growth occurred in much of the area from the 1950s into the 1970s, including public housing construction. Population growth continued during the 1980s, but at a slower rate. The population of the NALHN area increased gradually from the early 1990s, rising from about 296,000 in 1991 to over 356,000 in 2011.

Land use

The NAHLN area is predominantly a residential area, but also has substantial industrial, commercial and rural areas, with rural areas located mainly in the north and east. Rural land is used largely for market gardens, orchards, vineyards, horse studs and hobby farms. The NAHLN area encompasses a total land area of about 630 square kilometres.

Transport

The NALHN area is served by the Northern Expressway, Main North Road, Port Wakefield Road, the Gawler railway line and the Northeast Busway (O-Bahn).

Major features

• Major features of the area include Elizabeth Shopping Centre,
• Golden Grove Village Shopping Centre,
• Munno Para Shopping City,
• Parabanks Shopping Centre,
• Westfield Tea Tree Plaza,
• Gepps Cross Homemaker Centre,
• Calvary Central Districts Hospital,
• Lyell McEwin Hospital,
• Modbury Hospital,
• Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre (Royal Adelaide Hospital),
• TAFE SA (Elizabeth,
• Gilles Plains,
• Parafield Aviation,
• Salisbury and Tea Tree Gully Campuses),
• University of South Australia (Mawson Lakes Campus),
• RAAF Base Edinburgh,
• Hampstead Barracks,
• Parafield Airport,
• Adelaide Women’s Prison,
• Yatala Labour Prison,
• Tramway Museum St Kilda,
• Adelaide Super-Drome,
• Croatian Sports Centre,
• Adelaide International Raceway,
• State Shooting Park,
• Virginia Greyhound Race Track,
• Winston Park Equestrian Centre,
• Hillcrest Stadium,
• St Kilda Adventure Playground,
• Parra Wirra Recreation Park,
• North Lakes Resort Golf Club,
• Tea Tree Gully Golf Club,
• Anstey Hill Recreation Park,
• Folland Park Reserve,
• Fremont Park,
• Playford Alive Oval,
• Stebonheath Park,
• Burragah Recreation Centre,
• Turramurra Recreation Centre,
• Elizabeth Aquadome,
• Waterworld Aquatic Centre,
• Golden Grove Recreation & Arts Centre,
• Drumminor Gardens House & Cemetery,
• Hope Valley Reservoir,
• Little Para Reservoir,
• Wynn Vale Dam,
• River Torrens Linear Park Trail and the Gawler River.

Included areas