Bridgewater, South Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids BridgewaterSouth Australia |
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Park near Bridgewater Mill
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 Bridgewater
Location in South Australia
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| Postcode(s) | 5155 | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 398 m (1,306 ft)(railway station) | ||||||||||||||
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| Region | Adelaide Hills | ||||||||||||||
| County | Adelaide | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Heysen | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Mayo | ||||||||||||||
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| Footnotes | Adjoining suburbs | ||||||||||||||
Bridgewater is a small town in South Australia. It is found in the beautiful Adelaide Hills. This area is to the south-east of the main Adelaide city centre.
Long ago, Bridgewater was the end of a railway line from Adelaide. This train line was closed in 1987. Later, the tracks were changed to a wider size. Now, it is a main railway line connecting Adelaide to Melbourne. However, trains no longer stop at the old Bridgewater station.
Bridgewater is also a great place for walking. Parts of the famous Heysen walking trail pass through the town. You can also find the Pioneer Women's walking trail here.
Discovering Bridgewater's Past
The name "Bridgewater" has an interesting story. No one is completely sure how the town got its name.
Early Settlement and Naming
When Europeans first settled here, it was called Cox's Creek. This name came from Cox Creek. The creek was named after an explorer called Robert Cock. He explored this area in December 1837. Bullock teams used to cross the creek at this spot.
One idea for the name "Bridgewater" comes from a hotel. James Addison owned the "Bridgewater Hotel." The town was officially renamed Bridgewater in 1857. This happened when a flour mill was built by John Dunn. Land nearby was also divided up for new homes.
Another idea for the name comes from William Radford. He was the first postmaster. He said he helped change the post office name from Cox's Creek to Bridgewater in 1873.
Street Names with a Story
Some streets in Bridgewater have unique names. They are named after old steamships! These ships belonged to the Orient Steam Navigation Company, also known as the "Orient Line."
- SS Omrah (1899–1918)
- RMS Ophir (1891–1922)
- SS Orontes (1902–1926)
- SS Orotava (1889–1921) (though the street is called Oratava Street)
- SS Orsova (1909–1936)
- SS Orvieto (1909–1931)
- SS Osterley (1909–1929)
- SS Otranto (1909–1918)
- SS Otway (1909–1917)
