Brown Hill Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brown Hill Creek |
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Brown Hill Creek near Mitcham
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 Location of the creek mouth in South Australia
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| Native name | Kaurna: Willawilla |
| Country | Australia |
| State | South Australia |
| Region | Metropolitan Adelaide |
| Town | Brown Hill Creek |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Mount Lofty Ranges |
| River mouth | Patawalonga River south of Mitcham 34°59′02″S 138°39′04″E / 34.984°S 138.651°E |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Patawalonga River |
| Nature reserve | Brownhill Creek Recreation Park |
Brown Hill Creek is a small river in South Australia. It is also known as Willawilla in the Kaurna language. This creek starts in the Adelaide Hills and flows through the southern parts of the Adelaide city area. It is an important part of the larger Patawalonga River system.
Contents
Where Does Brown Hill Creek Flow?
The creek begins on the western side of the Mount Lofty Ranges, near a town called Crafers. It flows mainly towards the west and north-west.
Journey Through Suburbs
The creek passes through several suburbs:
- It flows through the suburb named Brown Hill Creek.
- It goes south of Brown Hill, which is a noticeable hill near Mitcham.
- The creek also flows under the old Keystone Bridge in Mitcham. This area was traditionally called Wirraparinga.
After Mitcham, the creek continues its journey. It flows through Torrens Park, Hawthorn, Unley Park, Millswood, and Forestville.
Joining Other Waterways
At Forestville Reserve, the creek's water enters a special drain built by people. From there, the water travels through more south-western suburbs. Finally, it joins the Patawalonga River near the Adelaide Airport, close to Netley.
It is not fully known how far the original creek flowed before these drains were built.
How People Use Brown Hill Creek
The area next to Brown Hill Creek has been important to people for a long time.
Kaurna People's Connection
The Kaurna people, who are the traditional owners of the Adelaide Plains, called the creek valley Wirraparinga. This name means "creek and scrub place." It shows how important the creek and its surrounding nature were to them.
A Place for Fun and Nature
The valley south of Brown Hill is home to the Brownhill Creek Recreation Park. This park has been a place for people to relax and enjoy nature since the late 1800s.
- In 1894, a swimming spot was made at a dam on the creek near Mitcham.
- However, this swimming spot was removed eight years later. This was done to protect the interests of local farmers who grew crops.
In 1954, a camping ground was set up at the entrance to the valley. This area was part of a large "National Pleasure Resort" of about 120 acres. You can still see a stone plaque from the early 1900s that declares it a "pleasure resort." Today, a caravan park is located where the original camping ground was. The recreation park stretches several kilometres upstream into the main creek valley.
Water for Farms
The upper parts of the creek are used by farmers. They use the water for market gardening, which means growing vegetables and fruits to sell. They also use it to water pasture for animals. In the 1870s, some parts of the creek's upper valleys were considered as a place to build a reservoir. A reservoir is a large lake built to store water for cities. However, the Thorndon Park Reservoir was built instead.
