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The Regal Theatre Precinct redevelopment began with extensive community consultation and was formally endorsed by Council in August 2022. The detailed design, developed with input from Council Members, stakeholders and Heritage SA, aligns with the original Master Plan and includes significant upgrades to the theatre and surrounding public space.

The Regal Theatre, a beloved cultural landmark in Adelaide, has played a central role in the community’s arts and entertainment scene for generations. Originally opened in November 1925, it will celebrate its centenary this year, marking 100 years of history, heritage, and performance. The redevelopment honours this legacy while preparing the precinct for a vibrant future.

The project will deliver a range of improvements, including a modernised theatre stage, upgraded equipment, and new changerooms to attract more diverse performances. The foyer will be reconfigured to enhance accessibility and restore heritage features. Outdoor areas will be transformed with new paving, landscaping, ambient lighting and dining spaces. The historic cottage will be restored and repurposed with new toilets, a kitchen and storage, while a new retail or café shopfront will be created. Accessibility will be improved through DDA-compliant ramps, wider paths, and better parking. Sustainability features include rainwater storage, permeable paving and potential solar panel installation.

Environmental considerations have been central to the design. While some existing trees impact accessibility and heritage preservation, the plan includes a net increase of approximately 11 trees, 190 m² of new green space and enhanced lawn and garden areas. These changes aim to balance ecological sustainability with the practical needs of the site and its heritage elements.

Council has successfully secured $2.434 million in funding through the Federal Government’s Thriving Suburbs Program. To ensure the successful delivery and enhanced impact of the project, Council is actively exploring additional funding opportunities to complement this grant.

Community engagement will continue through public notification during the development application process, inclusion in the 2026/27 draft Annual Business Plan and Budget and direct communication with residents via letterbox drops and social media once construction nears.

The site for Magill Primary School was laid out as early as 1846, when a portion of the land granted to Robert Cock and William Ferguson (land which formed the early village of Makgill) was donated to the Magill School Trust, with a school operating onsite from around 1850. When the Central Board of Education (CBE) was established in 1855, Magill Primary School became the first official CBE school in the Burnside area. At this point in time, the school serviced 67 students. The main subjects taught at Magill School in the 1850s included reading, writing, arithmetic, grammar, geography, history, drawing and singing.

With the passing of the Education Act (1875), Magill School was reclassified as a public school, and the following year it recorded an enrolment of 128 students, though only 53 attended every day. In 1882, the original school building was demolished and a new, two-room stone schoolhouse was erected on the same block of land, positioned slightly closer to Magill Road. In 1902, the building was extended to include a third room, and in 1926 a brand new block of classrooms was constructed facing Penfold Road. In the 1950s, enrolment remained consistently between 300 - 500 students. The purchase of surrounding blocks of land expanded the school’s property to include recreation spaces, and the Coronation Oval with its distinctive ornamental gates was opened in 1953.

From the 1960s, it was clear that the school buildings had become inadequate for the number of students, and plans were made for the construction of a new Magill School, just down the road on the corner of Magill and Penfold Roads. Construction was completed in 1962 and the new Magill Primary School was officially opened by the South Australian Minister of Education, Baden Patterson, on 4 October 1963. By 1969, enrolment at the new school had reached 616 students, showing the necessity of the move.

In 1990 the old Magill School Building was acquired by the City of Burnside. In 1995 it was chosen as the location for the new Pepper Street Gallery and Community Studio, now known as the Pepper Street Arts Centre.

Photograph: Old Magill School, 1882. Burnside Local History Collection.

In this episode of Burnside Highlights discover what's happening with one of our newest environmental initiatives, as well as an exciting announcement for cycling fans and more.

Known as a prosperous native flora haven that blends leafy suburbia with woodland areas, the City of Burnside is committed to enhancing biodiversity by supporting habitat restoration on private properties, particularly within the Hills Face Zone.

Council plays an active role in managing Hills Face reserves, creek lines and urban biodiversity sites by controlling invasive weeds, encouraging natural regeneration and planting local native species. These actions not only protect local flora and fauna but also reduce fuel loads to help prevent wildfires. Council encourages residents in adjoining areas to play their part in preserving the natural beauty of the region.

One way to get involved is through the Habitat Restoration Grant, which provides financial assistance for eligible property owners. From July 2025, first-time applicants can receive up to $4,000 to support weed control or revegetation using native species sourced from the City’s Biodiversity Nursery. Previous grant recipients can apply for up to $2,000 from 14 August 2025.

Skye residents Anne and Mervyn received a grant in 2024 to support restoration works on their property, which had long been overrun with invasive olive trees.

‘We’ve been clearing olives for years,’ said Mervyn. ‘This grant gave us the chance to tackle a new section and really speed things up.’

Anne added that the support from Council’s Conservation and Land Management team was just as valuable as the funding. ‘As soon as the Conservation and Land Management team came up and saw what we wanted to do, they advised us on the best way forward. The team gave us great advice and were helpful throughout. We’d absolutely use the program again.’

To learn more about the grant and to see if your property qualifies visit the City of Burnside website to view criteria: bit.ly/HabitatRestorationGrants

Skye residents Anne and Mervyn

It started with a simple slideshow. An elderly man, living with advanced dementia, had long since withdrawn from those around him, until familiar faces flickered onto his TV screen. As old family photos appeared, something shifted. Eyes fixed on the images, for a few brief moments, the past cut through the fog.

‘It was like a switch flipped,’ said Mike Neal, President of the Lions Club of Burnside. ‘He was captivated by the photos he hadn’t seen in years. That was a moment that really, really drove me. We thought, “We have the tools to do this, we know what needs to be done - we have to make this work.”’

‘The impact that day had will never leave me.’

That moment sparked the Digital Imaging Project; a free service offered by the Lions Club to help Burnside’s elderly residents scan and digitise old photo slides and printed pictures. The aim is simple: make it easier to preserve and share precious memories, without the stress of navigating unfamiliar technology.

‘There’s both a technological barrier and a sheer amount of photos barrier,’ Mike said. ‘This whole concept can overwhelm people. They see me do it and they say, “Oh yeah, he knows what he’s doing.” But if I can sit down with someone and show them, run them through how to do it, it becomes manageable. Once they start making progress, they can get it done.”

Mike speaks from experience. ‘When I first retired it was my ambition to get this done for myself. I had a big plastic tub full of slides. I looked at it a number of times, but I just kept pushing it back.’

To break down the barrier, the Lions provide hands-on help and lend out portable scanners - small, affordable machines residents can use at home once they’ve had a demonstration.

‘My focus is on how quick and, from a technology aspect, how easy it is,’ Mike said. ‘Modern computers are smart enough that you don’t need expertise. This is quick and easy.’

Digitising images has clear benefits including better preservation, easier sharing, and peace of mind. ‘Once people see it and fully appreciate what you can do once the photos are digitised - you’re not all limited to crowding around the photo album.’

‘You can take the smart photo frames to relatives in hospital or care homes. You can send them to people overseas. If you have the misfortune of a fire or disaster, once you get everything sorted you can get copies from family. They’re not gone forever.”

So far, only a small number of residents have accessed the program. But Mike hopes more will give it a go.

‘This is about making people aware that it’s doable, and you can do it in a reasonable amount of time. Once you’re comfortable and know what you’re doing, we let you take the machine home and do the project on your own time - just give me a call if you have any problems.’

For more information on the Digital Imaging Project contact Mike Neal on 0400 246 803.

Downloaded on to a portable USB stick, the photos can be viewed on your TV or other devices

When the Kensington Marryatville Bowling Club approached the Shed on Conygnham Street with an unusual request, our members were more than happy to help. The club, currently undergoing an upgrade, is digitising many of its honour boards - and wanted to repurpose one of the originals into something practical. The result? A handcrafted tea trolley built by one of our very own Shed members, Barry.

Barry took on the project with care and creativity, turning the old board into a unique and functional piece that pays tribute to the club’s history.

This project is just one example of how the Shed and the City of Burnside support community and sporting groups, combining practical skills with community spirit - while giving a second life to objects that still have a story to tell.

A no obligation community centre developed for those over 65 and living in the eastern regions, The Shed is a space for men and women to come and work on projects or just spend time with others who have similar life experience. An asset of the City of Burnside, The Shed programs are funded by the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) to provide subsidised low level support services and programs.

The Shed’s Men’s Program runs Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday while the Women’s Program is run Thursday mornings with mixed gender in the afternoon.

Kensi Marryatville Bowls Club Honour Board and Shed member Barry Final tea trolley

Charles Bennett, the founder of Bennett’s Magill Pottery, emigrated to South Australia from Somerset with his family in 1849, when he was just 7-years-old. The Bennett family settled in Magill which, due to an abundance of high-quality clay combined with a high demand for ceramic goods in the growing colony, was home to a high number of potteries.

In 1854 at the age of 12, Charles Bennett became the first apprentice potter in South Australia. He worked as an apprentice, and then a full employee, of John Henry Trewenack, a third generation potter from Cornwall. Together with his son William, Charles later worked at Piercy Brothers Pottery, where William met his future wife, Abigail Piercy. In 1855, the Bennett family established their own pottery on their family property in Magill. Originally the Magill Pottery Works, the business grew gradually over the following decades until Bennett’s Magill Pottery was established at its current location in 1887.

It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the Bennett's, with the pottery burning to the ground in 1940, and again in 1956. However, the Bennett family have persisted through these disasters, with the present pottery continuing to thrive under the management of its fifth generation of Bennetts.

Photograph: Magill Pottery, date unknown. Courtesy of the History Trust of South Australia GN14877

Did you know the Magill Grain Store, located on Magill Road, is over 100-years-old? It was originally built for James Kermode in the 1920s as a chaff mill and wood yard. Ownership transferred to H.D. Muirhead in the 1930s, and then to D. Smith and Son Grain and Fodder Merchants (as seen in the picture). In 1957, one of D. Smith and Sons’ business partners, Martin Wallis, who had worked at the grain store since 1937, purchased the property and re-named it the Magill Grain Store. While the original frontage of the Magill Grain Store is very weathered, you can still see the name J. Kermode if you look very closely - connecting this modern business with its century-long history.

Photograph: D. Smith & Son Grain Store c.1957. Burnside Local History Collection.

Did you know that Heyne’s Garden Centre in Beulah Park is the longest running plant nursery in South Australia? The business has been in the Heyne family for five generations, and started when German botanist Ernst Heyne arrived in South Australia (following 19 years in Melbourne) in 1869. Immediately following his arrival, Ernst opened a plant nursery on Bond Street, Norwood, followed by a shop on Rundle Street.

The Heyne’s operated a number of botanical businesses, spanning The Parade to the Central Markets, changing names and locations a number of times (particularly as the family was affected by anti-German sentiment in WWI and WWII), but always remaining in the Heyne family. The current Heyne’s Garden Centre at Beulah Park began operation in 1928. From 1929, Heyne’s Nursery began offering a door-to-door plant selling service for people living in rural areas, first using horse and cart before purchasing a truck in 1931. This mobile Nursery truck (pictured) was a very successful venture, operating for around 10 years. Today, Heyne’s Garden Centre continues to flourish under the management of fourth and fifth Generation Heyne family members.

Photograph: Carl F. Heyne & Son Nursery Van, c.1935. Burnside Local History Collection.

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.