Established in 1839, Gawler is South Australia's first country town and the largest and most significant historic town. Gawler has a long and rich heritage beginning with the Kaurna people, who are recognised as the Town’s original inhabitants. Following European Settlement, the Town of Gawler became South Australia’s first regional settlement. Gawler and Adelaide are the only two South Australian settlements that were surveyed by Colonel William Light.

The population of Gawler continues to grow. In 2016 Gawler had a population of 23,500 and this is predicted to grow to over 40,000 in future years. Gawler continues to be a major regional and cultural centre for communities to the north of Adelaide including the nearby agricultural and horticultural communities located in the lower north, mid-north, northern Adelaide Plains and Barossa Valley.

Gawler is situated 42 kilometres north of Adelaide at the edge of the metropolitan area and identifies itself as a separate township from Adelaide, acting as a key regional centre for communities to the north of Adelaide.

Working for the Department for Child Protection in Gawler

The Gawler office employs approximately 62.5 FTE staff and is one of five offices in the northern region. As a member of this team, you will work with other professionals to deliver services to children and families within the Gawler area.

Your co-workers will provide a warm, friendly and supportive environment.

The team works collaboratively by supporting each other on a professional level. As a member of this team, you will also work with and develop strong partnerships with other internal and external partners, many of which will be located within the community.

With a laid back lifestyle on offer, you will contribute and be a part of improving outcomes for the community on a daily basis. You will work with and alongside professionals from a wide variety of government agencies, non-government organisations and local businesses.

Although Gawler is approximately an hour drive north from Adelaide, young families, retirees and elderly citizens choose to live in Gawler for its relaxed lifestyle. Residents and visitors identify that the strong sense of history, community and environmental pride are major social assets for Gawler, complementing the services and facilities it provides.

Gawler is a great place for families to call home, thanks to its readily available schooling, health and public services.

Schooling, Pre-school and Kindy and Childcare

  • Gawler Primary School
  • Gawler East Primary School
  • Gawler East Preschool
  • Gawler and District College B-12
  • Gawler District B-12 Children’s Centre
  • Hewett Primary School
  • Evanston Gardens Primary School
  • Immanuel Lutheran School
  • St Brigid’s Catholic School
  • Xavier College
  • Trinity College Senior
  • Trinity College North
  • Trinity College South
  • Trinity College OSHC Gawler River
  • Zion Preschool
  • Goodstart Early Learning – Gawler South
  • Gawler Child Care
  • Gawler Riverside Early Learning Centre

Vocational Education & Universities

The University of Adelaide’s Roseworthy Campus is a vibrant hub of undergraduate teaching, postgraduate training, research and clinical services. With an international reputation for excellence in dryland agriculture, natural resource management and animal production, the campus is now the major centre for South Australia’s animal and veterinary science research.

Tafe SA has its own campus on High Street.

Employment Prospects in Gawler

Gawler has a thriving retail sector located in the heart of the city, with additional retail outlets in a homemaker centre as Gawler Green.

There are a number of public and private schools and Early learning centres within Gawler; as well as government agencies.

Gawler is ideally located near the Barossa wine region as well as a thriving farming district.

Community and Annual Events

Gawler has many community and annual events throughout the year. Some of these include:

  • Gawler Show
  • Gawler Fringe
  • Gawler Rotary Village Fair
  • Gawler Carols

For more event listings, visit the Town of Gawler Events Calendar.

Parks and Sporting Facilities

Gawler offers reserves, parks, playgrounds and ovals for the community to use and enjoy. Reserves often facilitate playground equipment, picnic tables, BBQs and shelters. These areas provide ample space for active play, including ball sports.

Gawler offers range of sporting activities through the Gawler Sport and Community Centre as, well as STARplex. The Gawler Sport and Community Centre hosts school holiday activities, martial arts, roller skating, art groups, fitness classes, inline hockey, birthday parties and much more. STARplex is a friendly sports, training, arts and recreation provider offering quality lifestyle health and fitness experience for families in the northern community. With over 9,000 visitors every week the complex has something for everyone.

The Gawler Aquatic Centre is a great destination for all age groups, providing swimming lessons, aquaerobics and hosting birthday parties.

Gawler’s parks, gardens and riverine environments lend themselves to self-discovery with a number of self-walking and self-driving tours provided at the Visitor Information Centre.  For those interested in being shown around the town, the Centre offers guided walking tours that provide cultural, historical and contemporary interpretation of Gawler’s heritage areas. The town has a number of bike paths linking them together as well as connecting to tourist precincts. Bikes can be hired through the Gawler Bike Hub located at the Visitor Information Centre.

Community Clubs/Groups & Religious Services

There are various community groups and religious services across Gawler including:

  • Blue Light Disco
  • Gawler Skating Club
  • Gawler Scouts
  • Church groups and activities

All of your day to day necessities are available locally including Banks, Shopping and Healthcare.

Banks

Most major banks have a branch in town, including ANZ, CommBank, NAB, Westpac, Bank SA, Bendigo Bank as well as a number of ATM’s.

Shopping

  • Grocery stores: Woolworths, Foodland, Coles
  • Retail stores: Target, Big W, Bunnings, The Reject Shop, Dan Murphy’s and a variety of specialty shops and boutiques
  • Automotive, hardware and general homeware stores

Health Services for you & your family

The Gawler Health Service provides a comprehensive range of medical and surgical services to patients from Gawler and surrounding communities including the Lower North and Barossa Valley.

Patients may commence their stay at Gawler Health Service but finish their care at one of the neighbouring Hospitals with specialist medical or allied health input when required. All hospitals in the region work collaboratively to support the patient care needs.

The Gawler Health Service offers a broad range of health care services including:

  • Aboriginal Health Services
  • Breast Screen SA
  • Dental Services
  • Mental Health Services
  • Elective Surgery Services
  • Fertility Services
  • Palliative Care Services
  • Rehabilitation Services
  • Drug and Alcohol Services

Housing in Gawler

The median house price in Gawler is $355,000. House prices in Gawler have grown by 3.15% in the past 3 years. The weekly median advertised rent for the Gawler region is $320. This is dependent on the size and location of the property.

Return to Working with us in Regional SA page to see benefits available in other regions. To see currently available regional opportunities go to the DCP Jobs Board.