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The Princess Theatre, today known as the Regal Theatre, was designed by South Australian architect Chris A. Smith and officially opened by Burnside Council Chairman J.A. Harper on 24 November 1925. Opening night featured the silent film Little Annie Rooney, starring Mary Pickford, and a performance by Miss Elsa Lewis, the whistling violinist.

The Princess Theatre was owned by National Theatres, whose slogan was "pictures for the people owned by the people". As "talkies" hadn't been invented yet, the Princess Theatre was only outfitted for silent films and pantomimes. All supporting music and sound-effects were provided by the Princess Theatre Orchestra, who were seated in a purpose-built orchestra pit below the main screen.

National Theatres liquidated in 1928 and its circuit of theatres, including the Princess Theatre, were taken over by Ozone Amusements Limited.

On Sunday 9 November the City of Burnside will celebrate the Regal Theatre's 100th anniversary, featuring a live performance by the Atlantic Street Band and a screening of The Great Gatsby (2013). Find out more and book your tickets now at https://www.burnside.sa.gov.au/Whats-On/Public-Events/Regal-Theatre-turns-100

Photograph: Interior of the Princess Theatre in 1925, courtesy of the Smith Family and Colin Flint. Burnside Local History Collection.

Have you ever spotted a curious insect in your garden or an unfamiliar flower on a walk through Michael Perry Bontanic Reserve and wondered what it was? With the iNaturalist platform, you can find out in just a few taps.

iNaturalist is a free platform that lets you photograph plants, animals, fungi and insects, upload your sightings, and get help identifying them from a community of experts and enthusiasts around the world. It’s like having a field guide in your pocket.

For people living in Burnside, iNaturalist is more than just a fun way to satisfy curiosity. Each observation you share adds to a global biodiversity database, which helps build a clearer picture of the plants and wildlife thriving in our parks, gardens, and reserves. Over 1,900 species have currently been recorded in the city on the iNaturalist platform. This information provides Council and the community with data on the plants, wildlife and fungi in the area, including uncommon and threatened species and can be used to support conservation projects and guide efforts to protect local habitats. It’s also a great educational tool for families, schools, and community groups.

Species are identified in two ways. First, iNaturalist compares photographs of nearby observations to identify species. Second, people who are part of the online iNaturalist community, many of them highly experienced at identifying plants and animals, add identifications to the observations.

These experts includes City of Burnside staff who you can follow on iNaturalist to see what they’re discovering in our local reserves and streetscapes. By keeping up with their observations, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at the plants and animals that catch our team’s attention and learn more about the biodiversity right on our doorstep.

Environmental Sustainability Manager – Dr Philip Roetman

By using iNaturalist, you’re not only learning more about the environment around you – you’re also helping tell Burnside’s unique ecological story. So next time you see something unusual on your walk, snap a photo, share it on iNaturalist, and join a global community of citizen scientists.

You can see observations made in the City of Burnside, here: www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-of-burnside-south-australia

The Presbyterian Girls' College at Glen Osmond was founded in June 1921, when it was endorsed by the State Assembly of the Presbyterian Church. After careful consideration, the site for the school was selected as "Wooton Lea", the old estate of Mr F.H. Faulding. When purchased by the school, Wooton Lea consisted of 20 acres of land, four small cottages and a 25-room house now known as Barr Smith House. Over the years the school has added a number of new buildings, though these original structures still remains.

The school was officially opened by Lady Duncan on 15 February 1922, with 105 students under the care of eight staff.

In 1927, the Principal Miss I.J. Macdonald introduced the school's "clan" system to foster a sense of teamwork and loyalty amongst students. The four Clans are named Bruce, Douglas, Stewart and Cameron (previously Wallace 1927-1929), after significant figures in Scottish history, and they have a long history of healthy competition on school Sports Days.

In 1976, Presbyterian Girls' College was renamed to Seymour College to honour one of the school's founders and original Chairman, Reverend Dr J.A. Seymour.

Photographs: Opening of a new wooden classroom, Presbyterian Girls’ College 1923, Courtesy of the State Library of South Australia (PRG 280/1/38/207), and Presbyterian Girls’ College Sports Day 1941, Courtesy of the SLSA (B 7798/255).

Did you know that this year marks the 150th anniversary of Kensington Oval?

When the land which makes up Kensington Park was subdivided for development in the 1870s, a group of young men (members of the now disbanded Kensington Football Club) purchased a number of allotments for use as a public recreation reserve.

Over the following years, investors and community members worked to raise funds, level and grade the earth, plant grass and over 200 trees. Kensington Oval was officially opened for use on Saturday 10 July 1875 and the occasion was celebrated with a football match attended by over 800 spectators. Following the collapse of the Commercial Bank in 1886, the Oval's trustees could no longer cover the mortgage payments, and the City of Burnside took over maintenance of the oval to prevent it from being sold and subdivided into housing.

Kensington Oval, later Olympic Sports Field (1965 - 1997), has been home to Kensington Districts Cricket Club, Norwood Football Club, West Adelaide Football Club, Athletics South Australia and Adelaide City Football Club, and hosted such storied athletes as Sir Donald Bradman and Cathy Freeman. In 1967, the Olympic Sports Field even hosted a friendly game between South Australia's best and a star-studded Manchester United, which had just won the English Football League for the seventh time.

This year the City of Burnside is collaborating with the South Australian Athletic League to celebrate this amazing oval's history. In advance of this event, we are calling on you to share your own stories and photographs of Kensington Oval/Olympic Sports Field. You can email historicalculturalofficer@burnside.sa.gov.au with your stories and images - we would love to hear from you!

We invite you to join us in celebrating Kensington Oval's 150th anniversary at the Burnside Athletic Carnival on Sunday 23 November.

Photographs: Athletics at Kensington Oval; Olympic Sports Field; and Kensington Oval Grandstand. Burnside Local History Collection.

In this episode of Burnside Highlights you can find out about some of the key decisions made in this week’s Council Meeting, as well as what’s happening in the City of Burnside in the coming weeks.

For Michael Zannis, sport has always been more than just a game. Losing his sight at the age of six, he discovered early on the power of sport to build confidence, community and opportunity. Now, as Burnside’s Sports4All Inclusion Coach, Michael is helping ensure that same opportunity is open to everyone in the Burnside community.

Sports4All is a multi-award-winning, nationally recognised program dedicated to building more inclusive grassroots sport across Australia. Michael brings a wealth of experience, passion and lived expertise to the role, making him an ideal advocate for local clubs and schools.

A long-time member of the Australian Blind Cricket Team, Michael is the most capped Australian Blind Cricketer with 98 appearances and has represented South Australia more than 160 times. Off the pitch, his contribution to sport is just as impressive, volunteering on boards and committees including Blind Sports SA, Blind Cricket and the South Australian Cricket Association.

With more than 25 years in the disability sector, Michael has always worked towards making sport more accessible for all. He has previously founded a charity to help fund athletes with disability to travel to national and international events.

‘I’m very passionate about helping those with a disability be involved in sport and educating local sporting clubs and schools to feel more comfortable including people with disability in their community,’ Michael said.

Through Sports4All, Michael works directly with clubs and schools across Burnside, sitting down with committees, coaches and staff to identify gaps and create action plans for inclusion.

‘Sometimes it is as simple as knowing that people with a disability are people first. Treating everyone as a person is the most important thing. The most basic step is, if you are unsure, ask them how you can assist.’

For local families, this means more opportunities for children and adults with disability to get involved in sport - whether as players, supporters or volunteers. The program looks at everything from facilities and coaching to building the confidence of clubs themselves, ensuring environments where everyone feels welcome.

Michael hopes Burnside can set the standard for inclusive sport. ‘We already have a few local clubs and schools getting involved and leading the way, and my hope is that all organisations will work together to provide pathways for people with disability to participate. Whether that’s on the court, in the clubrooms, as members, or even on committees.’

To learn more about Sports4All or to get involved, contact Michael at the City of Burnside.

Photo credit: Blind Cricket South Australia and Blind Cricket Australia

Did you know the old Marryatville Primary School was planned to be twice its original size when it was constructed?

The school opened on the corner of Kensington Road and Eastry Street (now Tusmore Avenue) in June 1884, with 242 students enrolled under head teacher William Kennedy. Demand for a local school was so high at the time that it was opened when the building was only half-completed, and the second half of the building was never constructed.

Because of this the original building was not fit-for-purpose as enrolment increased into the 20th century. The need for expansion became urgent by the 1950s and with a lack of vacant space available for the school to expand, the Department for Education decided to shift Marryatville Primary School to an entirely new site.

New buildings were commissioned at the school's current site on Dankel Avenue and students were gradually transferred over. The old Marryatville Primary School closed on 25 May 1978.

Despite its closure, the original school building still stands today just across the road from the Regal Theatre.

Photograph: Marryatville Primary School, 1956. Burnside Local History Collection.

Rose Park Primary School opened in 1893 to alleviate overcrowding at the nearby Norwood School, which had over 1,200 students in 1890. The primary school was built to accommodate up to 500 students, but by the end of its first year enrolment had already reached 590. The school buildings were expanded over the following decades, but overcrowding would remain a consistent issue until the opening of Linden Park Primary School in 1950.

It wasn't just the classrooms that were too small for their purpose. At the time Rose Park Primary School was built, the site was surrounded by open fields and planners saw no need for a purpose-built outdoor play space. Unfortunately, as the surrounding land was later subdivided and developed, students had nowhere to play outdoors. It wasn't until the 1980s that the Department of Education purchased several adjoining allotments to create an open grassed area colloquially known as "the Block", allowing students to enjoy their recreation time outside.

Photographs: Rose Park Primary School, 1910 and Rose Park Primary School c.1990. Burnside Local History Collection.

The City of Burnside is proud to celebrate the achievements of our trainees, who play an important role in the delivery of services to our community. We are especially delighted to share that one of our own, Amara, has been nominated for the prestigious Trainee of the Year award at the 2025 South Australia Training Awards, hosted by the South Australian Skills Commission. This recognition is a testament not only to Amara’s commitment, hard work and growth, but also to the supportive environment fostered at the City of Burnside.

At the City of Burnside, we recognise the value that trainees bring to our organisation. They inject fresh ideas, energy and enthusiasm, while building the practical skills and knowledge that will shape their careers. Traineeships give individuals the opportunity to earn while they learn, gain nationally recognised qualifications and contribute meaningfully to the workplace from day one.

Burnside is proud to work with Maxima, the exclusive provider of traineeships across our organisation. Through this partnership, the City of Burnside currently supports 12 trainees across administration and depot roles. By offering these opportunities, Burnside demonstrates a strong commitment to nurturing talent and investing in the future workforce. Our experienced staff play a vital role as mentors, guiding trainees like Amara as they progress in their professional journey. Amara’s nomination highlights what can be achieved when trainees are supported to thrive, and we couldn’t be more pleased to see her success recognised at a state level.

‘Amara has consistently shown initiative and professionalism in her time with the City of Burnside and has immersed herself into the team with a willingness to go above and beyond,’ said City of Burnside Acting CEO Matthew Spearman. ‘Amara has made a real difference to our team, and we are thrilled to see her achievements recognised.’

Noting the benefits of her traineeship, Amara encourages others to give it a try.

‘The opportunity to work for a shared purpose, learn on the job and gain a steady income by doing so has been something I have found invaluable. By far, the greatest contribution to my development and success had been the team of professionals at Burnside who encourage and empower me each day.’

‘I would encourage anyone considering a traineeship to give it a go. These opportunities can open doors to a wide range of industries and provide hands-on experience that will set you apart, especially in a work environment where practical and applied skills are highly sought after. This pathway will set you up for success. It’s such a valuable way to gain confidence, build skills and start your career with real industry experience.’

Congratulations to Amara on this outstanding achievement and best of luck at the awards.

If you are interested in pursuing a traineeship or would like to know more about opportunities at the City of Burnside, we encourage you to get in touch with Maxima or apply through our Job Vacancies page.

Photo credit: Maxima Group Australia

Since the trial began in September 2024, households and businesses have embraced the opportunity to place food scraps and garden waste in their green organics bins each week. As a result, landfill has been reduced by 200 tonnes compared to the previous financial year. A win for the environment and the community.

This shift is important because composting food and garden waste is around five times cheaper than sending it to landfill. These savings help reduce pressure on Council’s waste management budget and, in turn, on rates. Similar successes have been seen in other councils across Australia.

Thanks to this success, weekly organics is now being extended to the Monday bin collection area. This households and businesses in Beulah Park, Kensington Park, Kensington Gardens and Magill. Residents in this area should have already received information about the trial.

How It Works

Households and businesses in the trial area will have their green organics bins collected weekly and red-lidded landfill bins collected fortnightly. With no change to the recycling bin. Most household waste is organic waste from the kitchen and the garden. Therefore it makes sense to have weekly green organics collection. While most households are ready for this change, council is providing additional support for households where needed.

What do our residents think?

Community support has been key to the success of the trial. From saving money to reducing landfill, residents have embraced the change and are seeing the benefits.

Why Weekly Organics Works

Easier to dispose of food waste. Weekly green organics collection means households can send all food scraps to be composted without having to worry about smell or waiting another week for collection.

Takes the pressure off rates. Weekly organics collection makes it easier to use the green bin for food scraps. With more food scraps in the green bins, Council saves money.

Most landfill bins are half full. Because most landfill bins are half full or less, they don’t need to be emptied each week. Composting creates local jobs. Putting food and garden waste in your green bin grows the local composting industry. The compost helps increase the productivity of South Australian farms and vineyards.

Better for the environment. When food waste is composted it breaks down quickly. In contrast, when food waste goes to landfill it breaks down slowly and releases methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.

Reduces landfill. Our trial has shown weekly organics significantly reduces landfill. A weekly service makes it easier to put all food scraps and organic waste in the green organics bin.

What’s Next?

This service is expected to continue beyond the trial and expand to other areas, subject to future Council budgets and the ongoing success of the program. Residents will be notified in advance of any further changes.

Council thanks residents for embracing weekly organics. Your efforts are helping to reduce landfill, save money, support responsible waste management.

Want to learn more about weekly organics?
Visit www.burnside.sa.gov.au/weeklyorganics

What goes in the green organics bin?