St Peters Billabong

Where is it?: St Peters Billabong is located within St Peters Park adjacent to the Torrens Linear Park. It is situated between the River Torrens, Eighth Avenue and River Street at St Peters.

Owner: City of Norwood, Payneham and St Peters

Property summary: Total area c. 6 hectares. Hundred of Adelaide – Allotments 31, 46, 725, 725A, Pieces 10 (Deposited Plan 22127), 24 (Filed Plan 138138).

Landscape Management Region: Green Adelaide

History: Before European settlement, the River Torrens was a natural stream with variable seasonal flows. What is now St Peters Billabong was part of the main stream of the river. The 1960’s saw a renewed social consciousness of the river and the beginnings of the Linear Park concept. In 1971, the area encompassing the Billabong and River Park was compulsorily acquired by St Peters Council to close a dump. In 1978, the Billabong was created when, to minimise problems of erosion, it was isolated from the mainstream of the Torrens, with channel straightening and the construction of the two weirs.

St Peters Billabong which has been restored to its natural state is now an urban wetlands habitat and home to a wide variety of native birdlife and plant species.  

Habitat: A wetland habitat with River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis). There also a number of exotic trees found in the area including Desert Ash (Fraxinus angustifolia subspecies. angustifolia) and Chilean Pepper Tree (Schinus molle). The understory is dominated by a considerable number of annual weeds.

More information: Friends of the Billabong

Total Species Recorded to Date: 62 (non-passerines 43, passerines 19)

Common Species: Little Black Cormorant, Little Pied Cormorant, Maned Duck, Australian White Ibis, Dusky Moorhen, Australasian Swamphen

Less Common Species: Black-faced Cuckooshrike, Great Egret, Australasian Grebe, Nankeen Night Heron, Australasian Darter, Grey Teal

Updated: 28/07/2021