Riverton is a small town in the Mid North of South Australia, in the Gilbert Valley. It is situated on the Gilbert River, from which the town derives its name. Both the Gilbert Valley and Gilbert River were named after the South Australian pioneer Thomas Gilbert. Riverton was first settled in 1856, as a settlement along the bullock track from the mining town of Burra to the capital city Adelaide. It grew from a plan designed by a James Masters who had established the nearby town of Saddleworth. The streets of Riverton received their names chiefly from James Masters and his friends. They commemorate persons notable in the history of the district or the state. At the 2011 census, Riverton had a population of 810. Including the rural areas surrounding the town, the population was 1213.