Where is First Creek?

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When Dr Kent arrived in Adelaide in 1840, he decided that Preliminary Section 255 was better suited than Section 46 for the brick and tile making industry he planned to establish because of the water supply provided by First Creek (then know as the Greenhill Rivulet). Over the years, First Creek in Section 255 (now known as Kent Town), has been converted to a drain and has disappeared underground. Its location is now far from obvious except when it enters the Parklands near the Adelaide Wine Centre and in certain parts of Norwood where it still visible as a creek.

 First Creek at Gertrude Street, Norwood (courtesy of Google Street View)

During the winter season, heavy rainfall in the Adelaide Hills resulted in some serious flooding in Kent Town as described in the following article.

South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 – 1900) Wed 13 Aug 1862  Page 2 THE FLOODS.
At Kent Town the creek which traverses the township from the Kentish Arms to Bailey’s Garden rose considerably, and occasioned a large amount of damage to adjacent gardens and houses. The culvert erected by the Corporation along the southern side of Mr. Logue’s brewery and cottage to carry the stream under the road soon became insufficient for the purpose. The water consequently flowed over, washed down the wall enclosing Mr. Logue’s garden, began rapidly to fill his cellar, and rendered imminent the total destruction of his entire premises. Several men endeavoured to stem the tide by blocking up the entrance to the cellar, and while they were thus engaged the culvert, which was only three or four feet from the wall, gave in. Two of them, named Darby Wheler and Richard Escott, both employed at the brewery, fell in and were lost sight of for several minutes. After some search it was found that Escott had been washed through about 20 feet of the structure which remained whole, and had been carried last Mr. Logue’s property nearly 30 yards. He had there clung to a fence, and upon being pulled out it was discovered that he had received bruises on every part of his body, although none of his bones were broken. He was taken to the brewery where he remained the night, being conveyed home in the morning. Every possible search was made for Wheeler, but for a long time without success. The grappling irons were used both on Monday night and Tuesday morning, and a tree which had fallen across the creek near Mr. Logue’s was removed without any signs of the body being found. Eventually it proved that the current had carried it down into Bailey’s Garden, where it was found at about 2 o’clock on Tuesday afternoon among the branches of the trees. An inquest will be held this morning.
 
 

For more about the Kentish Arms in Kent Town see: http://www.liquidhistory.com.au/KentishArms.html

The original course of First Creek is shown on the Kent Town map of 1853. In the graphic below, this has been superimposed on a Google satellite view of the same area as it is now.This shows that the Logues Brewery building is very close to the original course of the creek which also flows under the back oval at Prince Alfred College.

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Interactive Map Heritage Buildings Origin of Street Names in Kent Town John Martin’s Warehouse – Rundle Street, Kent Town April 1889 Floods in Kent Town Dr Kent’s Steam Mill Historical Documents