SA · Adelaide Hills Council
Mount Torrens, 5244
Current weather
7°CDense drizzle
99% humidity · 29 km/h wind · 8.9° / 6.1° today · 26.3 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Rural
- Established
- Residential
- Amenities
- Open space
Suburb profile
Mount Torrens is a hillside smaller community in Adelaide Hills, with elevated streets and a greener, quieter pace. Regional calm with capital access on standby: close enough for outings, distant enough to feel unhurried. Ridge-top pockets and tree cover give the area a cooler, greener hillside feel.
Long-term locals and family households define much of the community, with a strong presence of young families throughout. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name. Homes here are sought-after, with many people drawn to the lifestyle the area offers.
A busy pipeline of new development is gradually changing the look and feel of the streets.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because local dining and lifestyle amenities and parks and green space lag similar regional towns, despite relative strength in schools and education and community and employment. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 768
- Median age
- 45
- Median household income / week
- $1,896
- Dwelling vacancy
- 11.2%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 33 of 294
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,569
- Employment rate
- 66%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 5 / 0 / 0
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Housing
- Houses (01/01/26 to 31/03/26)
- $565
Median weekly rent from SA Housing Authority rental bond data. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
Data sources & freshness
- SA Housing Authority rent & sales reports — Government of South Australia · Period: 1 January - 31 March 2026 · Updated on site · Quarterly releases
Crime & safety
- Total offences (2024–25)
- 8
- Against the person
- 5
- Against property
- 3
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 10.4
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 154 residents
- State safety percentile
- 8.7th (lower crime is better)
- Family & domestic abuse offences
- 10
- Increase (daily rate)
- +167.4%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Common Assault1
- Obtain Benefit By Deception1
- Property Damage By Fire Or Explosion1
- Serious Assault Not Resulting In Injury4
- Theft From Motor Vehicle1
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- SAPOL reported crime statistics — South Australia Police — OpenData · Period: 2023-24 → 2024-25; 2024-25 · Updated on site · Financial-year releases
Schools & preschools
- Median school ICSEA (2 schools)
- 1,054
- Mount Torrens Christian SchoolCombined · ICSEA 999
- St Benedict SchoolPrimary · ICSEA 1109
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- School ICSEA (ACARA) — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
Public transport
4 public transport stops in this suburb
- Townsend St - East side (Mt Torrens General Store)
- Townsend St - West side (Mt Torrens General Store)
- Townsend St / Onkaparinga Valley Rd - West side (Mount Torrens Hotel)
- Townsend St / Terlinga Rd - East side (Mount Torrens Hotel)
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- Adelaide Metro GTFS stops — Department for Infrastructure and Transport (SA) · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
Planning & development
Development applications from PlanSA register (lodged 2020–2026) and EPA licensed activities.
133 planning-related records
2026· 12 proposals
June 2026
- Domestic outbuildingLOT 703 ONKAPARINGA VALLEY RD MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Under Assessment
May 2026
- Single Storey DwellingUNIT 4 2 CLARK CT MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Under Assessment
April 2026
- Painting and installation of a memorial to the front façade of the Mount Torrens Soldiers Memorial Hall (Mount Torrens State Heritage Area)34 TOWNSEND ST MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
March 2026
- Agricultural building Farm Implement Shed17 BARTON SPRINGS LANE MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
- Carport29 TOWNSEND ST MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Under Assessment
- Change the use of land including the portion of existing agricultural building to include a dairy277 SPRINGHEAD RD MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Under Assessment
- Outbuilding (garage)31 MOUNT VIEW RD MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
February 2026
- Farm machinery implement shed147A SHEOAK HILL RD MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
- Outbuilding373 MOUNT TORRENS RD MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
- Solar photovoltaic panels (roof mounted)10 TOWNSEND ST MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
January 2026
- Carport28 TUCK ST MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
- Single storey dwelling and fence20 DUNNFIELD DR MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
2025· 16 proposals
December 2025
- Outbuilding (garage)24 TOWNSEND ST MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
- Agricultural building (hay shed)584 BURFORDS HILL RD MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
November 2025
- Land division (1 into 2 allotments)30 TOWNSEND ST MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Under Assessment
September 2025
- VerandahUNIT 2 2 CLARK CT MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
August 2025
- Construction of a detached dwelling26 DUNNFIELD DR MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
- Agricultural building (hay storage)168 CYANIDE RD MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
July 2025
- Agricultural Building (Implement Storage)LOT 1 MOUNT VIEW RD MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
- Concrete swimming pool23 SPRINGHEAD RD MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
June 2025
- Construction of an outbuliding23 SPRINGHEAD RD MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
May 2025
- Extend existing verandah353 MOUNT TORRENS RD MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
- Verandah13 SPRINGHEAD RD MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
- Change of use from place of worship to two storey dwelling & ancillary accommodation including building alterations & carport26 TOWNSEND ST MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
April 2025
- Verandah64 FIFE RD MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
- Installation of bollards in State Heritage Area17 TOWNSEND ST MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
March 2025
- Verandah over existing deck5 SUMNER CT MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
February 2025
- Outbuilding (domestic garage/storage)513 WARMINGTON RUN MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
2024· 12 proposals
December 2024
- Verandah208 SPRINGHEAD RD MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
- Dwelling alterations, deck, verandah and carportLOT 10 TUCK ST MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
November 2024
- Outbuilding32 DUNNFIELD DR MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
- Carport86 WOOLSHED RD MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
- Boundary Re-Alignment 2 into 258 BURTON RD MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244;LOT 23 CYANIDE RD MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
October 2024
- Variation application to DA 20/1229/473- Change of cladding to outbuilding, addition of windows to North side2 TUCK ST MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Under Assessment
- Detached dwelling, agricultural building and rainwater tank (above ground)LOT 5 TURNER RD MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
September 2024
- Alterations and additions to exiting dwelling and attached decking86 WOOLSHED RD MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
- Single storey detached dwelling and change of use of existing dwelling to tourist accommodation589 BURFORDS HILL RD MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
- Swimming Pool and Safety Fence9 OVAL RD MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
August 2024
- Shed34 TURNER RD MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
June 2024
- Dwelling alterations and additions, swimming pool and associated deck (max height 1.5)2507 ONKAPARINGA VALLEY RD MOUNT TORRENS SA 5244Decision Made
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- PlanSA development applications & EPA licences — Government of South Australia — PlanSA · Period: 2020–2026 · Updated on site
Amenities
2 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Place of worship
- Australia PostPost office
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 7/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 9/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Heritage
8 state heritage places
- Heritage placeState heritage
- Heritage placeState heritage
- Heritage placeState heritage
- Heritage placeState heritage
- Heritage placeState heritage
- Heritage placeState heritage
- Heritage placeState heritage
- Heritage placeState heritage
Data sources & freshness
- SA Heritage Places database — Department for Environment and Water (SA) · Period: current · Updated on site
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- Overlay applies
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid against all current SA Planning risk layers (high, medium, general, urban interface, regional, outback). Safer places from CFS designated locations.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Bushfire & hazard overlays (SA) — Government of South Australia · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 1
- Parks (OSM)
- 0
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 34.2/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4434th in Australia
- State rank
- 442nd in SA
- Peer rank
- #61 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #115 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 78%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Common Assaultcrime1
- Obtain Benefit By Deceptioncrime1
- Property Damage By Fire Or Explosioncrime1
- Serious Assault Not Resulting In Injurycrime4
- Theft From Motor Vehiclecrime1
- Heritage placeheritageState heritage
- Heritage placeheritageState heritage
- Heritage placeheritageState heritage
- Heritage placeheritageState heritage
- Heritage placeheritageState heritage
Data sources & freshness
- SA Heritage Places database — Department for Environment and Water (SA) · Updated on site
- SAPOL reported crime statistics — South Australia Police — OpenData · Updated on site · Financial-year releases
More in Adelaide Hills Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of South Australia.