Houghton, South Australia

Infobox Australian Place | type = suburb
name = Houghton
city = Adelaide
state = sa


caption =
lga = City of Tea Tree Gully
lga2 = Adelaide Hills Council
postcode = 5131
pop = 438 (2001 census)
area =
propval = $440,000 (Q1 2006) [ [http://www.reisa.com.au Real Estate Institute of South Australia] ]
stategov = Kavel
fedgov = Mayo
near-nw = Fairview Park
near-n =
near-ne =
near-w = Tea Tree Gully
near-e = Inglewood
near-sw = Vista
near-s = Paracombe
near-se =
dist1 = 22
location1= Adelaide

Houghton is a small town near Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the Adelaide Hills, in the City of Tea Tree Gully and the Adelaide Hills Council local government areas between Tea Tree Gully and Inglewood on the North East Road.

History

Houghton was named after the town of Houghton-le-Spring, Durham, England. [ [http://www.placenames.sa.gov.au/pno/pnores.phtml?recno=SA0018578 Placenames SA - Houghton] accessed 16 June 2006]

The 162-hectare Highercombe estate was settled by George Anstey in 1841, who named it after his original family home near Dulverton, Somerset. The present-day Highercombe golf course south of the townsite was part of this estate. In 1857, the house, now with sixteen rooms, and estate was purchased by George Marsden Waterhouse, who became Premier of South Australia in 1861. In 1929, it was burnt out in a fire, but was rebuilt on a smaller scale. [ [http://www.ttglibrary.sa.gov.au/localhistory/townships/highercombe.htm Local History - Highercombe, City of Tea Tree Gully Library] . Accessed 15 June 2006.]

The townsite itself was also settled in 1841, by land agent and auctioneer John Richardson. During the 1840s, it was the hub of the district and gained a simple stone Union Chapel serving several denominations, the Travellers' Rest Hotel, blacksmith, school, dwellings and other trappings of civilisation, together with a reserve which is now Houghton Common. [ [http://www.ahc.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=208#I Adelaide Hills Council - Historical Town Information] ]

Geography

Houghton is located between Tea Tree Gully and Inglewood at the intersection of North East Road and Lower North East Road. The ABS 2001 census found 438 people living in 151 dwellings.

Facilities

The area has a few small shops, the Highercombe Golf Course, and a primary school and oval. It backs onto the Anstey Hill Recreation Park which is accessible from nearby Vista.

Transport

The area is not serviced by Adelaide public transport. A coach is operated from Tea Tree Plaza Interchange to Gumeracha and Mount Pleasant by Affordable Coachlines. [ [http://www.bussa.com.au/timetables/lobethal.html Timetable] Accessed 15 June 2006]

References

External links