Belair

About Belair

Belair is a suburb in the south eastern foothills of Adelaide, South Australia, located approximately 10 kilometres from the city centre at the base of the Mount Lofty Ranges. The area was known to the Kaurna people as Piradli, meaning "baldness," referring to its appearance when viewed from the Adelaide Plains. The origin of the name "Belair" is uncertain; it may derive from the French "belle air" (beautiful air), reflecting the suburb's elevated position, or from Bel Air, Martinique, the birthplace of early settler Gustav Ludewigs' wife. The suburb's most prominent feature is Belair National Park, proclaimed on 19 December 1891, making it the oldest national park in South Australia and the second oldest in Australia. The park, covering over 800 hectares of native bushland, was originally established as a Government Farm in 1840 and contains Old Government House, built in 1858 as the governor's summer residence, as well as the State Flora nursery. Windy Point lookout offers panoramic views across the Adelaide Plains.