Bridgewater, South Australia
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| Bridgewater South Australia |
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| Postcode: | 5155 |
| LGA: | Adelaide Hills Council |
| State District: | electoral district of Heysen |
| Federal Division: | Division of Mayo |
Bridgewater is a town in the Adelaide Hills, southeast of Adelaide in South Australia. It is in the Adelaide Hills Council, and is in the state electoral district of Heysen and the federal electorate of the Division of Mayo. It is also where the Foreign Minister of Australia, Alexander Downer lives. It is the former end of the Adelaide-Bridgewater railway line. This route was last used in the late 1980s. The railway was converted to standard gauge and continues to be the main line from Adelaide to Melbourne, but no trains stop here.
Originally settled as Cox Creek, it was renamed Bridgewater when the flour mill was built by John Dunn, who named it after Bridgwater in Somerset, England.
The town is centered around the Coles shopping precint. Most residents of Bridgewater will go to Coles at least once or twice a week. Some residents, especially schoolkids and high school students are known to frequent Coles daily.
Cox creek runs through Bridgewater and in previous years (primarily 1920-60) villagers used to swim upstream from near hahndorf to the pub. The winner was awarded a wreath and a half price pint of beer. A surprising number of entrants would enter each year. In 1956, 874 entrants took part in the race although only 658 finished. Two of the entrants were taken by the local predatory cows known as fedas.
Major Townships: Birdwood | Echunga | Gumeracha | Hahndorf | Littlehampton | Lobethal | Macclesfield | Meadows | Mount Barker | Nairne | Oakbank | Stirling | Woodside
Attractions: Mount Lofty Botanic Garden | SteamRanger | Heysen Trail
See Also: List of towns in the Adelaide Hills | Wine regions of South Australia | Adelaide
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