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There’s been plenty happening in the City of Burnside in recent weeks, with our Disability and Inclusion Expo recently held on Saturday 12 July, our Community Grants recipients approved at last night’s Council Meeting and much more. Find out all about it in Burnside Highlights.

Significant environmental works have recently been completed at the eastern end of Hubbe Court Reserve, as part of the City of Burnside’s ongoing commitment to restoring and protecting our natural spaces.

The project involved the removal of a large, non-native shrub that had long dominated the area, as well as several invasive deciduous trees including Desert Ash and Poplar. While these species may appear attractive, they pose a challenge to the health of our waterways. Each autumn, the trees would shed large volumes of leaves into Second Creek, overwhelming the ecosystem with a sudden surge of organic matter. As our local creeks haven’t evolved to manage such nutrient loads, this seasonal influx can negatively impact water quality and aquatic life downstream.

In place of these invasives, our teams have planted 274 native plants, spanning 55 different species - including trees, shrubs, grasses, sedges, rushes and wildflowers. Every plant was grown at our in-house nursery by dedicated volunteers, using seed collected from the Burnside area. This ensures that the new plantings are not only climate-resilient but also ecologically suited to the site.

Second Creek plays an important role in our city’s natural landscape and is home to a rich variety of native fauna, including the rare Mountain Galaxia fish, four species of native frogs and a range of insects, birds and small mammals. Enhancing the surrounding habitat directly supports the long-term survival of these species.

We sincerely thank the neighbouring residents for their cooperation and understanding during the works. Together, we’re creating greener, healthier spaces for both wildlife and people to enjoy.

Hubbe Court Reserve - before works

Hubbe Court Reserve - after works

Hubbe Court Reserve - after works

You might know that the suburb of Wattle Park is named for Wattle Grove House, which was built by George Cook in 1850 and later occupied by George Scarfe (of Harris Scarfe & Co.). But did you know that the suburb used to be known as Ilfracombe?

It was named after the home of Dr James George Nash, South Australia’s second Colonial Surgeon, which he built halfway up a hill (just below the current location of the Wattle Park Reservoir) in the coolest section of his 40-acre property, to avoid the summer heat.

Dr Nash named the house Ilfracombe, after a beautiful seaside resort in Devon. The home was occupied by the Nash family until their return to England in 1856, after which it was leased by a series of different tenants, before being transformed into a reformatory for destitute and criminal boys in 1870.

Due to a lack of space in the house itself, the boys living at Ilfracombe were also responsible for building a dormitory on the hill behind the house. From 1877, the children were moved to Magill Orphanage, or the boys Reformatory Hulk Fitzjames. Once the children were gone, the poorly-constructed dormitory quickly fell into disrepair, and in November 1879 a picnicking party witnessed the roof being blown completely off the building. In the 1980s, Ilfracombe House and the surrounding lands were purchased by Joseph Crompton, who subdivided the land into five large allotments, leading to the creation of the estates of Bell Yett and Chiverton.

Ilfracombe House remained on its own 8-acre plot of land, and was used for various business and residential purposes, including as Head Office of Stonyfell Vineyards, but the house was eventually left vacant and fell into disrepair and demolished (and the land subdivided) in 1960. The only remaining evidence of this iconic Wattle Park home is in the naming of Ilfracombe Street.

Photograph: Ilfracombe House/Boys Reformatory, c.1870. Courtesy of the Find & Connect project website

Almost immediately after the beginning of British colonisation, Waterfall Gully became a popular picnicking destination. In high demand as a recreation and tourism destination, key land parcels in Waterfall Gully were held by the State Government, until they agreed to hand over caretaking responsibilities to the City of Burnside in 1884. Twenty-eight years later, in 1912, the Government took back control of a southern portion of Waterfall Gully to be re-purposed as South Australia’s first ‘National Pleasure Resort’. This Government department was responsible for building the Waterfall Gully tearooms, later called the Waterfall Gully Kiosk, and now known as Utopia @ Waterfall Gully.

The Waterfall Gully Kiosk was designed by Adelaide-based architect Alfred Conrad, who was also the architectural mind behind Hans Heysen’s studio and the West Coffee Palace. Conrad designed the tearooms in the style of a Swiss Chalet, and the building still bears many of Conrad’s original features, including leadlight windows, hand-laid parquetry flooring, exposed timber beams, and stone fireplace. The Waterfall Gully Kiosk is the only remaining 19^th century tearoom in a national park, and the only Australian restaurant set at the base of a waterfall.

Photograph: Waterfall Gully Kiosk c.1936. Courtesy of the State Library of South Australia B 11651.

Have you ever walked past a beautiful old statue anywhere in the world and wondered why the figure is blueish green, or even black, despite the sculpture being made of a typically brown metal like bronze or copper?

This colour variance is due to a process called patination which can occur because of chemical treatments during the statue’s creation, or through the natural processes of oxidisation and weathering.

Patination is the process of developing a thin layer, called a patina, on the surface of materials like metal, wood, or stone. Forming naturally over time, when the metal reacts with oxygen, moisture and pollutants, the reaction creates a protective layer of copper carbonate, sulfate, or chloride, resulting in the characteristic green colour, known as verdigris.

Patination is historically valued in art, architecture, and restoration for its aesthetic and protective qualities, and can take up to 30 years to fully develop naturally.

One prominent local example of patination is the Rose Park Burnside District Fallen Soldiers' Memorial, which last year celebrated its centenary.

Sculpted by Charles Web Gilbert and manufactured in 1924 by French metalworker Ferdinand Barbedienne, the memorial was deliberately chemically treated at the time of creation to encourage the patination process.

Other famous bronze or copper statues that have undergone the patination process include:

• The Statue of Liberty, New York
• The Thinker, Paris
• The Capitoline Wolf, Italy
• The Eros, London.

About the artist C. W. Gilbert

Charles Web Gilbert (1867–1925) was a self-taught Australian sculptor known for his war memorials and public statues. Originally a pastry chef, he transitioned to sculpture and gained recognition for works such as the Matthew Flinders statue in Melbourne and several ANZAC memorials, including the Cenotaph in Hobart. His detailed and expressive bronze figures contributed significantly to Australia's early 20th-century commemorative art.

Read more about the centenary of the Rose Park Burnside District Fallen Soldiers Memorial and the history behind the statue HERE.

On Thursday 26 June 2025 long-standing Burnside volunteer Christine Baillie received an Honourable Mention at the 2025 National Awards for Local Government in the Women in Local Government category. This recognition highlights the vital contributions women make across all levels of local government, not only through formal leadership roles but also through long-term, hands-on service to community and environment.

Christine has been an active volunteer in the City of Burnside for over 25 years. Her involvement began before the Council even established its formal biodiversity volunteer program. Today, she continues to play a leading role in the Karra Tartu (Waterfall Gully) bush regeneration project, working weekly alongside a dedicated group to remove invasive species and support the return of native vegetation flora in one of Burnside’s most iconic reserves.

The Women in Local Government award category recognises individuals who demonstrate leadership, resilience and impact in local government settings. Christine’s Honourable Mention stands as a testament to the powerful influence that women bring to community-led initiatives in areas like conservation, volunteering, and grassroots engagement.

The City of Burnside congratulates Christine on this well-deserved recognition and thanks her for her outstanding service. Her dedication continues to make a lasting difference.

Mayor Anne Monceaux recently spoke with Christine at Waterfall Gully following her nomination for Women in Local Government, you can watch their chat here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8eI2zQpmBU

Tree removal works will be undertaken between 8 am and 2 pm, weather permitting, on Sunday 29 June.

A Eucalyptus spathulata (Swamp Mallet) located near the Greenhill Road entrance to the Civic Centre will be removed.

During a routine inspection, a structural issue was identified within the tree’s trunk. A detailed assessment was undertaken by Council’s Urban Forestry Officer using specialist equipment designed to assess the internal condition of trees.

This assessment found that the tree’s trunk wall had significantly deteriorated, particularly on the side most exposed to wind. A significant loss of structural wall thickness is a serious concern, as it compromises the tree’s ability to support its canopy and increases the risk of whole tree failure. As a result, the tree’s overall stability has been compromised.

Given the location of the tree near a busy road and pedestrian area, and after careful consideration of all available options, expert advice has recommended the tree’s removal and replacement.

This tree is classified as significant under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016.

As the tree is protected under State legislation, a development application was submitted and approved through the Plan SA portal providing the necessary approval for its removal.

While arborists are on site, deadwood removal from a nearby Brachychiton populneus (Kurrajong) tree will also be undertaken.

Electric chainsaws will be used to minimise noise. A woodchipper and stump grinder will also be used during these works.

The Swamp Mallet will be replaced with multiple tree plantings as part of the 2026 tree planting season.

As a city awarded 'Tree City of the World' status for the sixth year in a row, Burnside has a strong focus on maintaining a safe and healthy urban forest for the community.

A call to action from Glenside Lions Club has led to a $100,000 drought relief effort supporting farmers on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula.

The initiative began in early June 2025, when Glenside Lions Secretary Malcolm Schluter was moved by a radio segment highlighting the worsening conditions faced by West Coast farmers.

‘These are the salt of the earth people,’ Malcolm said, ‘and they’re facing a national disaster.’ His words prompted immediate and unanimous support from fellow club members.

The Glenside Lions donated $30,000 to purchase stock feed from Cummins Mill, supplying 38 farmers with one tonne of sheep pellets each. Inspired by their actions, the Richmond Lions Club soon matched the contribution with the Lions Clubs International Foundation contributing a further $40,000 - bringing the total to $100,000 and extending support to 101 drought-affected farmers.

To reinforce their support, several Glenside members travelled to Streaky Bay, including Treasurer Hayden Edwards, Fat Farmers CEO and Glenside member Michael Williams, and incoming President Steve Ryan, accompanied by his wife Gill and their dog Archie.

While a $36 million federal drought relief package was announced around the same time, the Glenside Lions' swift and personal response showed the strength of local action and the enduring spirit of community.

Left to right: Hayden Edwards (Glenside lions Treasurer) Michael Williams (Glenside Lion member and CEO of Fat Farmers) and Steve Ryan (Glenside Lions President as of 25 June 2025) and Archie.

$100,000 worth of sheep pellets donated by the Lions

From the late-1830s, the land which now forms Tusmore was used as farmland by experienced farmer and pastoralist William Rogers and his family. By 1840, the Rogers family were running one of the most extensive and successful farms in the Adelaide area, with 800 sheep, 50 cattle, over 100 acres of wheat, 3 acres of potatoes, young orchards, and a 6-room brick homestead named Tusmore House, after William’s hometown of Tusmore, Oxfordshire. Following William’s untimely death in 1854, Tusmore Farm’s land was largely sub-let to other pastoralists before being sold to dairyman Edward Treacy in 1889. From 1913-1920, various sub-sections of the land were sold off, and a major subdivision in 1924 saw the main buildings and homestead of Tusmore House demolished to make way for more modern amenities.

The suburb of Tusmore is now home to the modern Burnside City Council buildings, including the Civic Centre and Burnside Library, situated on the intersection of Portrush and Greenhill Roads (pictured) across from the Burnside Village.

Other significant locations in Tusmore include Burnside Masonic Hall, Burnside Town Hall, Gilbert Wood Scout Hall, and Tusmore Park.

Intersection of Portrush Road and Greenhill Road 1956

Intersection of Portrush Road and Greenhill Road 1927

Photographs: Intersection of Portrush and Greenhill Roads, 1927 (before Burnside Town Hall was completed). Intersection of Portrush and Greenhill Roads, 1956. Burnside Local History Collection

The suburb of Toorak (now Toorak Gardens) was first developed in 1912. Prior to this, the land had largely been used for farming, most notably occupied by Prescott Farm and the Fergusson Family’s Montreith Farm. Prescott Farm had covered almost 300 acres from Fullarton Road to Portrush Road and continued as a working farm throughout the first decades of subdivision, until December 1938. In 1853, the Fergusson family leased the land adjacent to Prescott Farm, where they also continued to live and work throughout subdivision, until the family home was demolished in 1923.

One of the most significant sites in Toorak Gardens is Attunga House (photograph), a large 14-room mansion built by Adelaide architect Frederick William Dancker for businessman and soap manufacturer Benjamin Burford. After Burford’s death in 1905, Attunga was purchased by an investor from Broken Hill, Otto von Reiben. In 1944, von Rieben donated Attunga House to the Burnside Council for use as a hospital, and its extensive Edwardian gardens for use as a rest and recuperation area for the hospital’s patients. While the Burnside War Memorial Hospital replaced Attunga House in 1956, Attunga continues its association with the hospital, housing Attunga Medical Centre, the Breast and Endocrine Centre, and Nurture Women’s Care Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Other significant sites in Toorak Gardens include Fergusson Square, Rose Park Bowling Club, and the Anglican Church of St Theodore.

Photograph: “Attunga”, c.1919. Courtesy of the State Library of South Australia B 49764.