A satellite city was planned for northern metropolitan fringe of Adelaide between the existing townships of Salisbury and Smithfield.

[citation needed] The township (now suburb) of Elizabeth was established on 16 November 1955, being named after Queen Elizabeth II, queen of Australia, and inaugurated by Sir Thomas Playford, who was then premier of South Australia.

[6] Elizabeth is the seat of the Playford local government area and thus acts as a central business district for the surrounding suburbs.

[7] Playford International College (formerly Fremont-Elizabeth City High School) is on Philip Highway.

Elizabeth is serviced by Main North Road, connecting the suburb to the Adelaide city centre, and by Philip Highway.

[7] Elizabeth is serviced by public transport run by the Adelaide Metro, including buses and the Gawler railway line which passes beside the suburb.

[9] Mountbatten Square houses Elizabeth station,[10] which also acts as a major bus interchange for the region.

The Bunyip newspaper also covers the Elizabeth area in its Playford Times section.