Torrens Island Sanctuary which overlays the entire island. Torrens Island Torrens Island is an island in the Australian state of South Australia located in the Port River Estuary between the Port River and Barker Inlet, about northwest of the state capital of Adelaide. Since European settlement of Adelaide in 1836, it has been used for a number of purposes. Being uninhabited, an island, adjacent to Port Adelaide, and near Outer Harbor, Torrens Island was initially used as the site of a Quarantine Station for new arrivals (by sea) to South Australia. One example of its use was during the so-called "Boonah crisis".
Mount Torrens, South Australia that stands today is virtually unchanged since that time. At the ABS 2001 census, Mount Torrens had a population of 319 people living in 120 dwellings. Mount Torrens has a football club, hotel and general store, as well as several historical buildings. Mount Torrens was served by the Mount Pleasant railway line from 1918 to 1953. It is also on the Onkaparinga Valley Road (route B34). it is near the eastern end of the Amy Gillett Bikeway which follows the former railway alignment from Oakbank to a road crossing just outside Mount Torrens. It may be extended in future to