Aerial photos reveal the growth of Trott Park, Aldinga, Seaford Meadows, Noarlunga, Victor Harbor Christies Beach and McLaren Vale

These stunning aerial photos reveal how drastically Adelaide’s southern suburbs and surrounding towns have been transformed in the past 10 years.

While often associated with the sweeping vineyards of McLaren Vale or pristine beaches around Aldinga, Adelaide’s southern suburbs have taken on a life of their own in the past decade.

With thousands of homes and pockets of land being snapped up across the region, it has become the best of both worlds for those who wish to have suburban convenience and the countryside on the their doorstep.

The winter edition of Hotspotting’s Price Predictor Index report analysed sales data across Adelaide’s metropolitan area to determine where property prices are likely to rise or remain consistent.

Onkaparinga came in at number area with 14 rising suburbs listed. These suburbs include Aberfoyle Park, Aldinga Beach, Christies Downs, Christies Beach, Coromandel Valley, Flagstaff Hill, Hackham, Happy Valley, McLaren Vale, Morphett Vale and Noarlunga Downs.

According to the 2021 Census, the population of Onkaparinga increased from 159,576 in 2011 to 175,204 over the decade.

The boom shows no sign of slowing down, with new parcels of land becoming available.

The below images, courtesy of Nearmap, show just how much certain areas have changed.

Slide the white line left and right to see how these areas have transformed

Aldinga

A couple of decades ago Aldinga wasn’t really considered part of Adelaide, let alone a top beachside suburb, but some major developments and local pride has seen its popularity soar.

Just 43km and about a 45 minute drive from the Adelaide CBD, the coastal suburb saw a 58 per cent population increase between 2006 and 2016, and has only grown since.

The vast expanses of one of the state’s newest schools, $240m Aldinga Payinthi College, has created a place for the new families to the area to get educated locally.

It was also revealed late last year a further 1000 new homes would be built on a freshly released parcel of land south of the school.

But with the new parcel has called for further amenities such as a new aquatic centre.

Tracey Atkinson and Alison Alcock from the Aldinga Centre Action Group are working to obtain funding and land calling for an aquatic centre to be incorporated as a part of the Aldinga Sports Park master plan.

“We have the young and the old demographic and they are just giving us nothing,” Ms Alcock said.

“We would love it to also be the Aldinga visitors centre, similar to the Fleurieu Aquatic Centre, we just need visionaries and it needs to be multipurpose.”

Christies Beach

With the potential to become the next Glenelg, Christies Beach has seen a comfortable rise in population over the last decade.

With affordable seaside living and only a 35 minute drive to the heart of Adelaide, it’s no wonder more than 11,000 people call it home, compared with 5200 back in 2011.

Local realtor Andrew Turner said that the suburb was in a prime position to be scooped up by developers.

“Christies Beach would have to be the most underdeveloped and slept-on opportunity in South Australia,” Mr Turner said.

“I can see it as a real opening for the area to be developed, it will just kickstart the whole main street.”

Noarlunga

O’Sullivan Beach

Seaford Meadows

Like Aldinga, Seaford Meadows was once considered a beachside suburb low on the list of luxury.

And like Lightsview, a desolate area of the once-flattened region was picked by RenewalSA as an area where suburb, housing and population growth could flourish.

Located close to a major shopping centre, train station and minutes to the beach, the choice has proven to be a fruitful one.

In 2011 Seaford Meadows was home to 1652. Now more than 4670 people call the suburb home – a staggering increase of more than 180 per cent.

Trott Park

Victor Harbor

McLaren Vale

Sellicks Beach

Willunga