September 2025 | Media Releases+
Riverlea wins prestigious national award for SA’s best development
Riverlea by Walker Corporation has been crowned South Australia’s best Development of the Year at the 2025 Property Council Awards, putting it in an elite group of six national finalists vying for Australian Development of the Year.
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Judges praised the North Adelaide masterplanned community for its scale, quality and lasting community impact.
Property Council of Australia, Executive Director of SA Bruce Djite said Riverlea provides a blueprint for excellence in masterplanned community development.
“It’s incredible to see what the Walker team have achieved at Riverlea in just four years, and I’m excited to see this project showcase the quality of South Australian development and the bright future of our state at the country’s most prestigious property awards.”
Bruce Djite - Property Council of Australia, Executive Director of SA
The best of the best in the State categories will now vie for the 2025 Australian Development of the Year to be announced at the Innovation & Excellence Awards Gala Dinner on Thursday, 25 September at the International Convention Centre in Sydney. Riverlea is against esteemed developments from across the country including the new Allianz Stadium in NSW, Upper House in QLD, Burwood Brickworks in VIC, One The Esplanade in WA and The Peacock Centre in TAS.
Walker Corporation Managing Director and CEO David Gallant said the award was a strong vote of confidence in Walker’s long-term vision for a high quality masterplanned community in South Australia.
“Riverlea has quickly become a thriving, connected community, showing what’s possible when you combine large scale visionary masterplanning, with a strong sense of community spirit,” Mr Gallant said.
Riverlea Street Party
“Our late founder, Lang Walker AO, envisioned a well-connected neighbourhood surrounded by large green and open spaces, where South Australians take pride in their community whilst enjoying a fantastic lifestyle, with top schools, great retail and quality restaurants. We are proud to continue delivering on Lang’s vision.”
Riverlea family Emily Kempster, Christian Artacho and son Leo are moving from Kidman Park to Riverlea and said they bought into the community because of the opportunity to get on the housing ladder with value for money surrounded by premium amenity.
“We love the fresh, modern, and spacious look and feel of Riverlea, and are excited to call it home,” said Miss Kempster.
“We chose Riverlea for the extra space it offers our active family, and we love having plenty of open areas to enjoy, whether it’s going for walks or shooting hoops on the basketball court.”
Emily Kempster - Riverlea resident
Riverlea already includes more than 25km of bike paths
“The community events are lots of fun, and the location is a big advantage for our family. We’re also excited about the new schools and shopping precinct opening soon at Riverlea.”
The Walker team broke first ground for the Riverlea community in 2021, and since then the company has invested more than $400 million in construction, infrastructure and green space, helping the project average close to 30 land sales per month. Riverlea currently employs nearly 1,000 construction workers onsite each day.
The growing community is already home to 2,000 residents, with key amenities including iconic entry lakes, 40,000 trees, 70,000m² of green space, two neighbourhood parks, a community basketball court and the 5,000m² Kapinka Park Reserve.
Walker also committed $3 million to extend Adelaide Metro bus services to Riverlea through a 10-year partnership with the State Government, delivering public transport years ahead of schedule in 2023.
The $100 million Palms Shopping Village is opening at the start of 2026, featuring a Coles supermarket, Priceline Pharmacy, Anytime Fitness, Paisley Park Early Learning Centre and 25 specialty stores.
Riverlea’s success story has also been attributed to a close-knit community group called the Riverlea Voice Planning Committee which ensures residents have a strong voice in the ongoing growth of the development.
Walker Community Engagement Manager Michaela Keirl said this award should be celebrated by everyone who has chosen to call Riverlea home.
“Riverlea has a warm and welcoming spirit, and you can really tell the people who live here, care about each other and the growth of this community,” Ms Keirl said.
“One of the standout initiatives here has been the Riverlea Voice Planning Committee, which consists of a group of passionate residents who help us shape the future of the community by providing feedback, sharing ideas and working with our development team to make Riverlea the best it can be.”
Mayor of the City of Playford Glenn Docherty commended Riverlea’s vision, execution and commitment to community engagement.
“Riverlea is a transformational project that is shaping the future of our region, delivering lasting benefits for both current and future generations,” Mayor Docherty said.
Some of the Riverlea residents pictured on National Neighbours Day
Riverlea is one of the fastest-growing communities in Adelaide’s north-west, offering a mix of land sizes from 150 m² to 1,000 m², along with house-and-land packages, small-lot homes and townhouses. When complete, the Riverlea masterplanned community will deliver over 12,000 homes across 1,300 hectares, making it the largest residential development in South Australia’s history, delivered in stages over the next two decades.
