Torrens Island

{{Short description|Island in South Australia}} {{other uses|Torrens Island (disambiguation){{!}}Torrens Island}} {{Use Australian English|date=May 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} {{Infobox islands | name = Torrens Island | native_name =  | native_name_link = Kaurna language | native_name_lang = Kaurna | image_name = Torrens Island Power station from the river - portrait.jpg | image_size = | image_caption = Torrens Island Power Station | image_alt = | map = Australia Greater Adelaide | map_caption = | coordinates = {{coord|34.793225|S|138.529276|E|format=dms|display=inline,title|region:AU_type:isle_source:GNS-enwiki}}<ref name=LMV>{{cite web|title= Search results for 'Torrens Island' with the following datasets selected – 'Suburbs and Localities', 'Dolphin Sanctuary', 'Aquatic Reserves', 'NPW and Conservation Boundaries', 'Hundreds', 'Roads', 'SA Heritage Places', 'SA Heritage Places Indicative Footprints', 'Metropolitan Adelaide Boundary (Development Act 1993)' and 'Gazetteer' |url= http://location.sa.gov.au/viewer/ |website=Location SA Map Viewer |publisher= South Australian Government |access-date=3 April 2018 }}</ref> | location = [[Adelaide]] | country = [[Australia]] | country_admin_divisions = [[South Australia]] | area_km2 = 7.69 | area_footnotes = <ref name=LMV/> | length_km =  | length_footnotes = | width_km =  | width_footnotes = | coastline_km =  | coastline_footnotes = | elevation_m = | elevation_footnotes = | population = | population_as_of = | population_footnotes = }}

'''Torrens Island''' is an [[island]] in the Australian state of [[South Australia]] located in the [[Adelaide|Adelaide metropolitan area]] in the [[Port River]] Estuary about {{convert|15|km}} northwest of the [[Adelaide city centre]]. Since European settlement of [[Adelaide]] in 1836, it has been used for a number of purposes.

==Geographical features== An island in the Port River Estuary between the Port River to the west and [[Barker Inlet]] to the east, Torrens Island is located about {{convert|15|km}} north-west of Adelaide. '''Light Passage''', named after founder of Adelaide Colonel [[William Light]], lies in the [[Port River]] between [[Pelican Point (Adelaide)|Pelican Point]] and Torrens Island.<ref>{{cite web|website=Google Maps|url=https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/Light+Passage/@-34.7678075,138.5067736,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x6ab0b9053bc6ac4b:0x8eb339213ede970a!8m2!3d-34.7624499!4d138.50956|title=Light Passage|access-date=30 October 2019 }}</ref> Torrens Island is separated from the smaller [[Garden Island (South Australia)|Garden Island]] to the south by the [[Angas Inlet]], but is connected to the mainland by a causeway and a bridge over the [[North Arm (South Australia)|North Arm]].

==History==

===European discovery and use===

According to the ''[[Australian Dictionary of Biography]]'', Governor [[George Gawler]] in 1837 named the site after [[Robert Torrens (economist)|Robert Torrens senior]], who was chairman of the South Australian Colonisation Commission, the board responsible for setting up and running the colony in its early years.<ref name=adb>{{cite AuDB |first= |last= |author-link= |title=Torrens, Robert (1780–1864) |volume=2 |edition= |year=1967 |id2= torrens-robert-2740/text3873|access-date=10 November 2019}}</ref>

==== Quarantine Station ==== [[File:TIQS - Refshauge House, 2017-09-21.jpg|thumb|left|Refshauge House, built in 1916 and named for [[William Refshauge|Sir William Refshauge]], was the former administration building and dispensary at the Quarantine Station.]] Being uninhabited, an island, adjacent to [[Port Adelaide]], and near [[Outer Harbor, South Australia|Outer Harbor]], Torrens Island was initially used as the site of a Quarantine Station for new arrivals (by sea) to South Australia.<ref name="weekendnotes">D. Walsh:[http://www.weekendnotes.com/torrens-island-quarantine-station/ Torrens Island Quarantine Station] ''Weekendnotes'', 4 July 2013. Accessed 17 July 2013.</ref> One example of its use was during the [[Boonah crisis]].

There were two quarantine stations on the site at different times; the surviving Torrens Island Quarantine Station is listed on the [[South Australian Heritage Register]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://maps.sa.gov.au/heritagesearch/HeritageItem.aspx?p_heritageno=17297 | title=Torrens Island Quarantine Station (including Jetties, Cemetery, Mortuary & Complex) | publisher=Department of Environment and Water | work=South Australian Heritage Register | access-date=10 November 2019}}</ref>

Tours of the heritage-listed Quarantine Station are conducted by the [[South Australian Maritime Museum]].<ref>[http://maritime.history.sa.gov.au/events/torrens-island-quarantine-station-tours-2018/ Torrens Island Quarantine Station tours] SA Maritime Museum. Retrieved 11 March 2018.</ref>

====Internment Camp==== {{main|Torrens Island Internment Camp}}

The Torrens Island [[Internment Camp]] was a [[World War I]] detention camp which held up to 400 men of German or Austro-Hungarian background between 9 October 1914 and 16 August 1915.

==Land use== ===Power Stations=== [[File:Quarantine Power Station Torrens island Adelaide.jpg|thumb|left|Quarantine Power Station]] There are three power stations on Torrens Island: *[[Torrens Island Power Station]], completed in 1967, and since 2007 operated by [[AGL Energy]]; capacity of 1,280 MW.<ref>[http://www.agl.com.au/Downloads/070703_AGL-takes-ownership-of-Torrens-Island-station_Investor-Relations_ASX-Release.pdf AGL takes ownership of Torrens Island power station] AGL press release to ASX, 3 July 2007. Accessed 17 July 2013.</ref> *[[Quarantine Power Station]], built and operated since 2002 by [[Origin Energy]]; original capacity 95 MW, expanded in 2009 to 216 MW.<ref>[http://www.originenergy.com.au/2074/Quarantine-Power-Station Origin Energy > Quarantine Power Station] Accessed 17 July 2013.</ref> *[[Barker Inlet Power Station]] was announced in 2017 with construction commenced in the third quarter of the year and opened in November 2019.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://aglblog.com.au/2017/06/agl-announces-development-of-295-million-power-station-in-south-australia/ |first=Rosanna |last=Vazey |work=AGL Corporate Blog |title=AGL announces development of $295 million power station in South Australia |publisher=AGL |date=7 June 2017 |access-date=1 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Press Conference at the opening of AGL's Barker Inlet Power Station Torrens Island, South Australia |url=https://minister.environment.gov.au/taylor/news/2019/press-conference-opening-agls-barker-inlet-power-station-torrens-island-south |publisher=Australian Government, Department of Environment and Energy |access-date=9 November 2019 |date=4 November 2019}}</ref>

==Protected area status== [[File:Port Adelaide aerial view.jpg|thumb|right| Torrens Island and the surrounding areas]] Torrens Island has been located within the boundaries of the following [[protected area]]s to varying extents since 1963, 1973 and 2005 respectively – the [[Torrens Island Conservation Park]] which covers all of the island down to [[low water]] with exception to the most of land associated with the [[Torrens Island Quarantine Station|former quarantine station]] and the land associated with the [[Quarantine Power Station]] and [[Torrens Island Power Station]]s, the [[Barker Inlet-St Kilda Aquatic Reserve]] which covers all of the east side of the island located below [[high water]] and the [[Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary]] which overlays the entire island.<ref name=LMV/><ref name="ReserveList">{{cite web|title=Protected Areas Information System Reserve List|url=http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/sharedassets/public/park_management/protected-areas-reserve-list-december2016-gen.pdf|publisher=Government of South Australia|access-date=27 December 2017|date=14 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Citation| author1=Primary Industries and Regions South Australia (PIRSA)| title=Aquatic Reserve: Barker Inlet| publication-date=2007| publisher=Primary Industries and Regions South Australia| url=http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/65417/9._AqResWeb.pdf| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161010044949/http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/65417/9._AqResWeb.pdf| archive-date=2016-10-10}}</ref><ref>{{Citation| author1=Primary Industries and Regions South Australia (PIRSA)| title=Aquatic Reserve: St Kilda – Chapman Creek| publication-date=2007| publisher=Primary Industries and Regions South Australia| url=http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/65418/St_Kilda-Chapman_Creek_Aquatic_Reserve.pdf| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006073209/http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/65418/St_Kilda-Chapman_Creek_Aquatic_Reserve.pdf| archive-date=2014-10-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary|url=http://www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/adelaidemtloftyranges/coast-and-marine/dolphin-sanctuary|publisher=Natural Resources Management Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges|access-date=5 October 2014}}</ref>

==See also== *[[List of islands of Australia]] *[[List of power stations in South Australia]]

==References== {{Commons category|Torrens Island}} {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Torrens Island}} [[Category:Islands of South Australia]] [[Category:Geography of Adelaide]] [[Category:Gulf St Vincent]] [[Category:History of Port Adelaide]]