William Light's vision for Adelaide parklands a big influence on Western world's garden-city movement

The key elements of William Light's 1837 plan for Adelaide city and parklands are still in place.

William Light’s Adelaide parklands and city layout model from 1837 has been used widely by other towns in Australia and overseas.

It is recognised by town planners and historians as a major influence on the garden city movement, one of the most important Western urban planning initiatives.
Adelaide is the only Australian city to be completely enclosed by parklands and has the most extensive and intact 19th Century parklands in Australia.

It was the first place in Australia to be planned and developed, not as a penal settlement or military outpost, but as a place for free settlers.

Colonel William Light’s work received Australia's highest heritage honour when it was included in the National Heritage List in 2008.

Adelaide parklands and city layout site includes 900 hectares in total and is defined by the 1837 layout of streets including parks in the city centre and significant areas such as Victoria Square, Hindmarsh Square, the Botanic Gardens, Palmer Gardens and Brougham Gardens in North Adelaide.

The Adelaide parklands and city layout are now widely regarded as a masterwork of urban design and signifies a turning point in the settlement of Australia. The picturesque Adelaide parklands were recognised as important to the identity of South Australia. Also, as a hallmark of the city's original design, which has maintained elements of its historical layout for more than 170 years.

Light planned and founded the city of Adelaide in only eight weeks. His vision was for a metropolitan city surrounded by more than 900 hectares of parklands, with wide streets, several town squares, and the flowing Torrens River separating two major city areas. These lasting elements of his 1837 plan still exist.