Patawalonga Creek
Historical accounts of Adelaide described a vast expanse of wetlands that stretched from Glenelg South, over the current site of the Adelaide Airport, through to Fulham and Lockleys. Due to the abundance of the Common Reed (Phragmites australis) they were given the name the ‘Reedbeds’.
Along the banks of the Patawlonga Creek were extensive stands of Swamp Paper Bark (Melaleuca halmaturorum) up until at least the late 1800s. However, according to the book Pre-European Vegetation of the Adelaide Plains (1996) by Darrell Kraehenbuehl, the trees were often harvested for use in boat hulls because the smoothness of the wood protected cargo from damage.
Among other land management actions which resulted in the vegetation community’s destruction, the building of Breakout Creek saw the area drained as the Torrens River was directed straight into the sea. (Please click HERE to read more about the site’s European history)
The restoration of the Patawalonga Creek has been a focus of the Friends of Patawalonga Creek group since 1998. In association with the Million Trees Program, the Adelaide Airport, Our Patch, schools and other agencies, the Friends group are working to protect the remaining stands of Swamp Paper Bark and restore the area with local native plants.
