Robert Torrens
Sir Robert Richard Torrens (1814 – 1884) was an Australian politician and one of the earliest Premiers of South Australia.
He was born in Ireland to Colonel Robert Torrens and arrived in the Australian colony in 1840, and immediately appointed Collector of Customs. He was a member of the South Australian Legislative Council from 1851 to 1857.
Torrens participated in the fall of the Baker ministry after less than twelve days, then his own turn as premier lasted only four weeks in September 1857.
He initiated land title reform via the Real Property Act of 1858 introducing what is now called the Torrens title system which has since been adopted in many parts of the world.
Torrens returned to England and lobbied for the adoption of the Torrens Title there, as a member of the House of Commons.
The Torrens River which runs through Adelaide, is believed to have been named after his father.
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| Preceded by: John Baker | Premier of South Australia 1857 | Succeeded by: Richard Hanson |
| Premiers of South Australia | Missing image South_Australia_flag.png |
|---|---|
| Finniss | Baker | Torrens | Hanson | Reynolds | Waterhouse | Dutton | Ayers | Blyth | Hart | Boucaut | Strangways | Colton | Morgan | Bray | Downer | Playford II | Cockburn | Holder | Kingston | Solomon | Jenkins | Butler | Price | Peake | Verran | Vaughan | Barwell | Gunn | Hill | Butler Jr | Richards | Playford IV | Walsh | Dunstan | Hall | Corcoran | Tonkin | Bannon | Arnold | Brown | Olsen | Kerin | Rann | |