Willaston is a northern suburb northeast of the

Adelaide city centre Adelaide city centre () is the inner city locality of Adelaide, Greater Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. It is known by locals simply as "the City" or "Town" to distinguish it from Greater Adelaide and from the City of Adelaide l ...

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...

. It is located in the Town of Gawler.

History

William Paxton and Samuel Stocks obtained land in the area in 1848 and 1849. After Stocks died in 1850, Paxton laid out the village called Willaston. The village may have been named after Willaston in

Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Merseyside to the north-west, Greater Manchester to the north-east, Derbyshire to the east, Staffordshire to the south-east, and Shrop ...

, due to a probable association with the Stocks family. Willaston Post Office opened on 1 November 1864.

Demographics

The 2006 Census by the

Australian Bureau of Statistics The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is an List of Australian Government entities, Australian Government agency that collects and analyses statistics on economic, population, Natural environment, environmental, and social issues to advi ...

counted 3,209 persons in Willaston on census night. Of these, 47% were male and 53% were female. The majority of residents (77.4%) are of Australian birth, with an additional 11.3% declaring

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

as their country of birth. The average age of Willaston residents is similar to that of the greater Australian population. 67.2% of residents were over 25 years in 2006, compared to the Australian average of 66.5%; and 32.8% were younger than 25 years, compared to the Australian average of 33.5%.

Attractions

The Willaston Football Club, formed in 1889 and known as the Donnybrooks, plays in the Barossa Light & Gawler Football Association. Gawler Par 3 Golf Course is located on the southern edge of Willaston. The

Willaston General Cemetery The Willaston General Cemetery on Dawkins Avenue, Willaston, South Australia opened on 1 August 1866. to replace the original burial ground on Murray Street, Gawler, South Australia was made in the mid 1850s, with the headstones from the origina ...

is in the north of the suburb, alongside the retirement village.

Parks

Elliot Goodger Memorial Park is located between Gawler River Road and Kelly Road. Clonlea Park is located on Murray Road along the banks of the North Para River.

Transportation

Roads

Willaston lies beside the

Sturt Highway Sturt Highway is an Australian national highway in New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. It is an important road link for the transport of passengers and freight between Sydney and Adelaide and the regions along the route. Initiall ...

( Gawler Bypass) and the southern end of the Horrocks Highway. Willaston is also serviced by Main North Road, linking the suburb to Gawler.

Public transport

The nearest train station is Gawler Central. A part of the western boundary in bordered by the disused Roseworthy railway line.

Notable people

Notable people from or who have lived in Willaston include: * Job Harris, operated Willaston Stores, and operated the first Post Office

References

External links

Town of GawlerLocal Government Association of SA – Town of Gawler2006 ABS Census Data by Location
{{Town of Gawler suburbs Suburbs of Adelaide