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Adelaide & Mount Lofty Ranges

AMLR The Adelaide Mount Lofty Ranges region covers nearly a million hectares, just over half of which is land. The region extends from the Barossa Valley through Freeling, Two Wells and the Northern Adelaide Plains, to Cape Jervis, Middleton and the Southern Vales on the Fleurieu Peninsula.

The key agricultural industry sectors in the Adelaide Hills region are wine production, beef and dairy cattle, vegetable growing and fruit orchards.The Adelaide Hills region is a significant cool-climate horticultural area. The maximum temperatures can be up to four degrees cooler than metropolitan Adelaide, making the region a popular retreat during the summer months. At the highest points, the Adelaide Hills annual rainfall averages between 1,000 mm and 1,200 mm.

The diverse land uses in the region range from dense urban residential, commercial and industrial activities to rural residential and primary production in the rural areas. Land use patterns follow rainfall, soils, terrain and infrastructure.

Proximity to Adelaide has markedly accelerated the rate of land use change into lifestyle blocks in many parts of the Region. In recent decades, the substantial increases in rural residential living in the Region have seen a corresponding decline in the area occupied by field crops and vegetables. To provide some degree of security to current primary producers and secure future investment for further growth, primary production zones have been recognised by some local governments.

The region has several different water resources that are utilised for primary production including groundwater, surface water and reclaimed water. Groundwater in the region is predominantly used for irrigation of high value horticultural crops in the Adelaide Hills Northern Adelaide Plains and Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale wine regions. Reclaimed water is used primarily in the Northern Adelaide Plains by market gardeners, while surface water is used for irrigation and stock and domestic needs. The region also utilises surface water sourced from the Adelaide hills catchments and the River Murray for stock, domestic and irrigation needs.

(Source- Adelaide Mount Lofty Ranges NRM Board)