South Australian Land & Water Rules, by Council
SA's Accepted Development shed thresholds are state-wide (see the state-wide SA article), so what actually varies by council here is whether your property sits within the Mount Lofty Ranges Watershed or Hills Face Zone — which brings a live dam-approval moratorium and additional development restrictions that don't apply anywhere else in the state.
Adelaide Hills Council, Mount Barker District Council, and parts of Burnside and Onkaparinga
The Mount Lofty Ranges Watershed spans from Gawler in the north to Myponga in the south, and supplies up to 60% of Adelaide's water — this is why council's own dam consent process is stricter here. Adelaide Hills Council and Mount Barker District Council sit substantially within this watershed, meaning the current moratorium on approving new or enlarged dams applies to most of these LGAs, and additional watershed water-quality protections apply to any rural land use. Burnside, in the Adelaide foothills, and the southern parts of Onkaparinga near Myponga, also intersect the watershed and the related Hills Face Zone, which further restricts development in the foothills to protect the escarpment. If your property is in any of these council areas, confirm its specific watershed and Hills Face Zone status directly with council before assuming any dam approval is available.
Source: EPA SA Mount Lofty Ranges Watershed information; Hills Face Zone (Planning and Design Code)
Marion, Charles Sturt, Unley, Port Adelaide Enfield, Norwood Payneham & St Peters, West Torrens, Gawler township, Mount Gambier
These councils sit substantially outside the Mount Lofty Ranges Watershed and Hills Face Zone (Gawler's built-up township area specifically, distinct from the watershed land further into the ranges to its east). The current dam moratorium and watershed-specific development restrictions don't apply here — the standard state-wide Accepted Development shed thresholds and ordinary DEW water licensing (prescribed-area dependent) are what actually govern land and water decisions in these LGAs.
Source: EPA SA Mount Lofty Ranges Watershed information; Landscape South Australia Act 2019
Frequently Asked Questions
Which SA councils are affected by the Mount Lofty Ranges dam moratorium?
Adelaide Hills Council and Mount Barker District Council sit substantially within the watershed where the moratorium applies. Parts of Burnside and southern Onkaparinga (near Myponga) also intersect the watershed and should be confirmed individually.
Does SA's shed exemption size vary by council?
No. The Accepted Development thresholds (15 square metres, 2.5 metres high, no span over 3 metres) apply state-wide under the single Planning and Design Code, regardless of council.
What is the Hills Face Zone?
A planning zone restricting development across the Adelaide foothills and Mount Lofty Ranges, extending from Gawler in the north to Sellicks Beach in the south, established to protect the escarpment from over-development.