Cheers to the 20+ years of effort that has gone into creating a healthier River Torrens / Karrawirra Pari. Here’s 5 reasons why we love to celebrate the river.
We love the River Torrens / Karrawirra Pari for the homes and food it provides for native animals and events it hosts. As well as the countless recreation activities you can do along it – from running to reading, and for being a meeting spot to connect with friends, family and neighbours. Plus, so much more!
Now we know the Torrens is looking a little drier in parts than it has in recent years, but the good news is this is part of a natural cycle, and our river is very resilient! The truth is, like the rest of SA, the Torrens is experiencing the effects of drought. We’ve been lucky over the past few years to have summer storms that have increased flows in and out of the river, however that’s not the case this year. Even when it’s dry though, we still love the River Torrens / Karrawirra Pari!
Check out our top 5 reasons why we love the river.
1. Kaurna connection: Karrawirra Pari
The River Torrens has been an incredibly important part of the culture and history of the Kaurna people for the last 45,000+ years. In Kaurna language the River Torrens is called ‘Karrawirra Pari’, which means Red Gum Forest River.
Originally in the summer, the river was a series of large waterholes and a key area for food and shelter for the Kaurna Meyunna (Kaurna People).
In 1836, when Europeans arrived, Adelaide was selected as the site for settlement because of the fresh water available from the river. Over time, the river gradually became polluted and neglected.
Over the last 20 years though, the river has been transformed into a healthier system. It’s now a top spot for locals and visitors to connect with nature.
2. Linking communities
Running from the hills to the sea, the River Torrens / Karrawirra Pari is a place for new connections to form and old ones to thrive.
The River Torrens / Karrawirra Pari is 85 kilometres long and is the main river in Adelaide, flowing down from the Mount Lofty Ranges near Mount Pleasant to the sea at West Beach. There’s plenty to explore and so many activities to try out.
Perhaps the most well-known section of the river is the Torrens Lake. It was created in 1881, along with the construction of the Torrens Weir to promote recreational use of the river in the CBD.
The lake is located in the middle of Adelaide city, between the weir and Frome Street Bridge and is now used for rowing, dragon boating and powerboat racing as well as for Adelaide’s iconic Popeye trips.
Shared paths and lush, open green spaces along the river provide opportunities for family bike rides, rollerblading with friends, romantic picnics, solitary, peaceful birdwatching.
And, of course, there’s that heart-warming hello to and from strangers on your morning jog or ride!
3. Home for wildlife
The River Torrens / Karrawirra Pari is an important home to a range of animals and fish.
It has undergone a transformation, with the health of the system improved thanks to the Urban River Torrens Recovery Project.
The project is tackling stormwater management, weed control, revegetation, stabilising river banks, reducing litter and pollutants and removing large volumes of invasive European carp.
All this work makes it a better home for our local native animals. Discover some you might spot.
Regular monitoring also helps us to keep an eye on the water quality of the river. This includes fish monitoring, where we collect, measure and record native fish species, and water flow data stations that record the flow along the river and the amount of sediment in the water.
4. New spaces to explore
Breakout Creek / Purruna Pari, the stretch of the Torrens where the river meets the sea at West Beach, has undergone a major transformation.
The entire Breakout Creek redevelopment, which was over 3 stages and decades, starts upstream of Henley Beach Road in the suburbs of Fulham and Lockleys and stretches all the way to the Torrens Outlet in West Beach.
Stage 3 – a 1.5 km section starting at Tapleys Hill Road – has just been finished. You’ll see the creation of new wetlands that help filter water and provide homes for wildlife, lots of weeds removed, the addition of lots of native plants, and new trails, picnic areas, signage and art.
It has really been transformed from an artificial channel to a stunning, natural-looking waterway, for people and nature.
Discover everything you need to know about visiting Breakout Creek / Purruna Pari.
5. Opportunities for rewilding
All of the work being done to help transform the river has brought us closer to a bold rewilding project to bring platypus back to the Torrens.
This iconic Australian animal is what is known to ecologists as an umbrella species – meaning that conserving them and their habitat will result in many other species also being conserved.
So, if platypuses can be successfully reintroduced to the River Torrens / Karrawirra Pari, this will mean a healthier ecosystem for other native species like long-necked turtles and rakali (a native water rat that’s more like an otter than a rat).
Want to know more?
At more than 460 times the length of Adelaide Oval, and stretching from the hills to the sea, the River Torrens / Karrawirra Pari is without a doubt the soul of our city.
Discover everything you need to know about the River Torrens / Karrawirra Pari.
This blog was originally published in 2022 as 'Everything you need to know about the River Torrens / Karrawirra Pari'.