Highbury Aqueduct Reserve
Highbury Aqueduct is a 50 ha reserve located in the City of Tea Tree Gully, approximately 10 km north east of Adelaide. The reserve has been a community park since 2013, when a small 8 ha area was opened to the public. Since then, a further 35 ha have been opened with the final 12 ha opened in late 2019. The opening of the reserve is now complete and the reserve has become popular with local residents for walking, bike riding, bird watching, gardening, exercising and conservation. The reserve is home to the Pioneer Court Community Garden and is an active Bush For Life site.
The Kaurna people are the traditional custodians of this land and we acknowledge and respect their ongoing links to Country.
*RESERVE CLOSURE NOTICE*
A reserve closure is in place in the western portion of the Highbury Aqueduct Reserve west of Boundy Road through to Gallery Road, including part of the Aqueduct Trail.
As a result of ongoing surveillance and monitoring, there have been recent detections of the pest species ‘giant pine scale’ in the western portion of the Highbury Aqueduct Reserve.
Native to the eastern Mediterranean region, giant pine scale (Marchalina hellenica) is a pest insect that causes branch dieback, gradual desiccation, and tree death. It feeds exclusively on plants from the pine family, such as pines, firs and spruces.
The reserve closure is in place to limit the spread of giant pine scale.
The Highbury Aqueduct Reserve is land owned by the Minister for Planning and is managed by the Department for Environment and Water (DEW). DEW is working closely with the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) and the forest industry to manage this outbreak.
Further tree removals at Highbury Aqueduct Reserve are planned to occur. A restricted area has been established around the infestation sites from the location west of Boundy Road through to Gallery Road including closure of the part of Aqueduct Trail.
The following public entrances into the reserve are closed:
- Wattlebird Drive
- Windsor Road
- Valley View Drive
- Gallery Road
- Blue Wren Court
Residents whose houses adjoin the reserve and have access via private gates at the rear of their properties are not permitted to enter the reserve while the restricted area is established.
We seek your understanding during the tree removal process. We understand that removing these mature trees may be considered a significant loss to some, however the removal of affected trees is required to protect other pine trees from the spread of the destructive pest insect. This eradication method remains the best-known option for eliminating the pest and in assisting any potential spread onto other unaffected pines.
Once the tree removals are complete, the restricted area will remain in place for up to three months to ensure that there are no live giant pine scale remaining onsite, after which these areas will re-opening for public access. Tree removal sites will be remediated including revegetating with local native species of trees, shrubs, and grasses when seasonal conditions are optimal for planting.
Visitors to Highbury Aqueduct Reserve are advised not to enter the restricted area or remove any wood material from the reserve.
To report any observations of giant pine scale please contact the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881.
For enquiries regarding the management of giant pine scale at Highbury Aqueduct Reserve, please email NPWS-AMLR-PLS@sa.gov.au
Trails and parking
Please note, the walking trails at Highbury Aqueduct Reserve are Grade 3 shared use walking and cycling trails and can be steep in parts.
There is no unauthorised vehicle access into the Highbury Aqueduct Reserve.
Cars can be parked on any road or street provided that parking restrictions are observed.
Please DO NOT park in front of reserve gates – these need to be accessible at all times for maintenance and emergencies.
The map below shows the Aqueduct trail in dark orange with linking trails to the Torrens Linear park in light orange, as well as the nearest public toilets.
View a map of Highbury Aqueduct Reserve
History
This iconic place has a fascinating history from the 1870s, when the state government bought the land and developed the aqueduct to transfer water into the Hope Valley Reservoir.
The old aqueduct infrastructure has now been decommissioned.
Master plan
The Master Plan for the Highbury Aqueduct Reserve was released after extensive community consultation. It proposed that the reserve serves as a park for the local community and provides a blueprint for its future development.
Following the completion of the Master Plan in 2013, works were undertaken to reduce risk throughout the reserve, remove boundary fences to allow public access and shared use trails were constructed. Several other projects across the site include stormwater erosion control, revegetation works, tree management and weed control.
See the Master plan and Master Plan map.
Recent stormwater management project
A stormwater management project was undertaken in early 2023 at Highbury Aqueduct Reserve within the stormwater channel adjacent Freshford Avenue. The stormwater management project is now complete.
Find out more about the 2023 stormwater management project.
Achievements
A lot of hard work has gone towards implementing the Master Plan – there have been many achievements and there will be many more to come. The 'A brief history of Highbury' document link above details achievements at Highbury Aqueduct Reserve. We are proud to have:
- constructed a 4km main shared use trail through the reserve including linking trails to Linear Park.
- carried out revegetation, bush restoration and weed removal throughout the reserve.
- held school and community planting days.
- undertaken stormwater management projects.
- carried out tree risk mitigation works across site.
Significant progress has been made towards implementing the Master Plan objectives thanks to the invaluable partnerships developed to support the restoration of the reserve. We would like to thank the Green Army, Aboriginal Learning on Country, The Carlisle group, Bush For Life, Pioneer Court Community Garden, Local Residents and Friends Group, Conservation Volunteers Australia, Natural Resources Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges and more recently the Green Adelaide Board.
Management of the reserve
Management of the reserve includes maintenance of fire tracks, entrance gates and signage as well as regular rubbish collection, slashing and brush-cutting for fire management purposes, weed control, tree management, restoration, revegetation and community engagement.
Things to see and do in Highbury Aqueduct Reserve
Know before you go
- Trails can be susceptible to weather events and surfaces may vary - be aware of varying trail surface conditions including slipperiness and uneven surfaces.
- Please stay on the designated trails.
- Be aware of other trail users and share the trails.
- Please comply with all signs.
- Beware of snakes – this is their home, if you don’t bother them they shouldn’t bother you!
- Fires and smoking within the reserve are not permitted.
- During the fire danger season – usually November to April – trail users are asked to use caution and should not use the trails during Total Fire Ban Days.
- Remember to plan your walk or ride, check the conditions on the day and tell someone where you are going.
- Wear appropriate footwear and protect yourself from heat, cold, wind and rain.
- There are no safe drinking water sources within the reserve or along the trails – carry sufficient food and drinking water.
- Tread lightly and leave no trace- there are no bins in the reserve – please take your rubbish with you.
- There is no camping permitted in the reserve and no camping facilities provided.
- Dogs on a leash or under effective control are permitted in the reserve. It is your responsibility to always maintain effective control of your dog.
- Consider keeping your dog on a leash to prevent conflict – dogs may be aggressive toward wildlife or other park visitors.
- Even friendly dogs can knock people over causing injury.
- If your dog is unleashed, it is more likely to impact on native wildlife.
- Even if your dog is friendly, other dogs may not be.
- Please do not collect firewood, pick flowers, disturb vegetation, interfere with wildlife in any way.
How can I get involved?
Bush For Life
Highbury Aqueduct Reserve has a 3 ha Bush For Life site behind Valley View Drive. The site contains a remnant patch of Blue Gum woodland and is home to over 65 indigenous plant species, providing habitat for echidnas, koalas, kangaroos and possums, to name a few. Many bird species also visit, including a flock of up to 150 Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos.
The Bush For Life program trains volunteers to care for precious remnant bushland sites like the Highbury Aqueduct Reserve. The site coordinator runs regular group activities and is always looking for help. If you would like to get involved, please email Megan or call 0408 878 075.
Pioneer Court Community Garden
The Pioneer Court Community Garden was established by local residents over 20 years ago, when the land was owned by SA Water. These intrepid gardeners created a productive and beautiful garden of fruit and nut trees and vegetables – home to over 180 different kinds of plants.
There are garden plots available so if you’d like to lease one to grow your own veggies and/or help manage the existing orchard, please register your interest. Email Pioneer Court Community Garden, or phone Marina Birch (President) on 0417 816 782.
You can also check out their Facebook page.
Volunteering with rangers
If you live locally and would like to help with weeding or revegetating, contact the Senior Ranger for Highbury Aqueduct Reserve on 0407 610 359.
Contact
If you live locally and would like to help with weeding or revegetating, or
- if you have further queries or would like more information on the Highbury Aqueduct Reserve
- if you would like to report land management issues, such as dumped rubbish, damaged infrastructure or vegetation issues
Please contact the Public Land Stewardship Team:
Email: NPWS-AMLR-PLS@sa.gov.au
Phone: Contact the Black Hill Office on 8336 0901 and ask to speak with someone from the Public Land Stewardship Team
