At the time the area at the foot of nearby Mount Lofty was known as the Tiers, infamous for being the haunt of numerous Tiersmen and woodcutters on the run from authorities in Adelaide.

[citation needed] For many years Crafers was well known for being the start point of the South Eastern Freeway linking Adelaide with the town of Murray Bridge, and to the Princes Highway leading to Melbourne.

Prior to the tunnel opening, the winding road from Adelaide to Glen Osmond via Eagle On The Hill was frequently the scene of horrific vehicle accidents, often involving semi-trailers.

The gardens, opened in 1977, include an extensive mix of European and Australian native plants and are at their finest in the spring months.

Many homes adjacent to bushland on the western side of the suburb were destroyed (as well as the Anglican theological college and priory of St Michael's House) as the fire came roaring out of the then Cleland National Park, and the devastation would have been much worse if a change in weather had not occurred right when the township of Crafers itself was being threatened.