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Did you know? The first mail delivery in Australia is believed to have taken place in July 1803 in Sydney.

Postal services in Burnside were initiated circa 1863 by Joseph Lockwood and were conducted from his store on the corner of High Street and Lockwood Road until in 1903 the Post Office on Glynburn Road was built by the Federal Government. The Glynburn Road Post Office is a solid red-brick building with a bull-nosed verandah and timber eaves that incorporate a Flemish bond brick pattern. Service transactions were originally made through a window that opened onto the verandah.

Photograph: Burnside Post Office, 1956. Burnside Local History Collection.

Have you seen this 154-year-old eucalyptus tree in front of St Saviour's Church? This tree was planted by John Henry Wiles in 1868 to commemorate the visit of the Duke of Edinburgh to Glen Osmond. John Wiles was the manager of Hardy’s Glen Osmond quarry and later an inspector for Burnside Council. The tree is still standing in front of St Saviour’s Church on the corner of Portrush Road and has a plaque beneath it to commemorate its significance.

Photograph: The eucalyptus tree near the entrance of St Saviour's Church, Glen Osmond in 1923. State Library of South Australia PRG 280/1/36/155.

Lucy Grace Lillywhite of ‘Perroomba’ Wattle Park was the third Australian woman, and second South Australian, to receive the prestigious Florence Nightingale Scholarship. This scholarship is designed for nurses and midwives and funds scholars’ training, research and professional development. In 1938, Lucy headed for London to undertake study in postgraduate nursing and hospital administration at Bedford College. Lucy’s plans to return to Adelaide in 1939 were abandoned when she was diagnosed with tuberculosis on a visit to Norway. As her health deteriorated in hospital, she observed the outbreak of World War II before passing away in 1942.

Learn more about Lucy’s story in the ‘Local History Corner’ at www.burnside.sa.gov.au/Latest-News/History-Corner/Lucy-Grace-Lillywhite

Photograph: Lucy in nurse’s uniform, circa 1938.

Mayor Anne Monceaux brings you the Burnside Highlights for this week, with a number of updates for you:

✅ James Stevens MP and Mayor Anne Monceaux opened the revamped Tusmore Wading Pool last Wednesday
✅ Harmony Week celebrations this week
✅ 79 new citizens to be welcomed next week
✅ Fitness in the Parks returning 5 April.

To find out more information and receive the latest updates about what's going on in Burnside, sign up to engage.burnside at www.engage.burnside.sa.gov.au

Susan Mary Crompton née Clark (1846-1932) emigrated to Australia with her family in 1850 from England. In 1852, the Clark family purchased property east of the city of approximately 45 acres, which included what is now the suburb of Hazelwood Park. The family named their home Hazelwood after a boy’s school in Birmingham.

In 1866, Susan married vigneron Joseph Crompton and the couple lived at Tower House, Beaumont and later moved to a property in Stonyfell. Susan worked with her sister Caroline Emily Clark on the ‘boarding out system’ for destitute children and sat on the committee of the State Children’s Council. During World War One she was appointed a justice of the peace, one of the first South Australian women to be chosen for this position.

Photographs: Studio portrait of Susan Mary Crompton, 1930 and Susan at the Hazelwood property, circa 1870. Burnside Local History Collection.

To celebrate Harmony Week this year, we caught up with some of our volunteers from varying backgrounds who are doing their part to make the City of Burnside a better place to live. Harmony Week is about inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, united by a set of core Australian values.

Following a lengthy career as a nurse and a midwife, Swee Wu remains dedicated to helping those in need through her voluntary role with the City of Burnside.

As a volunteer at the Community Centre’s reception desk since 2017, Swee has handled a wide range of enquiries and said she loves to help residents reach the services they need.

“People ask for all sorts of information here, from support at home to help with cleaning their gutters or how to get involved with an event,” Swee said.

“My role is to help them get to where they want to be and ensure they achieve a positive outcome.

“I really get to know the community first-hand and see a lot of familiar and friendly faces here each week, which I love.”

Swee also directly supports Kana Nathan’s Senior’s Fit and Fab classes by assisting aging residents who have arrived to participate.

“I make sure they reach the right room for their class and check to ensure we are within the COVID density limit,” Swee said.

“I really admire them for making the effort to come here and support their health and wellbeing.”

Swee said the transition from her role as a nurse and midwife to volunteering took some time to adjust to, but she quickly grew to love her work at the City of Burnside.

“From my past career I am very used to a fast pace of work. Sometimes it can get busy here too, so it’s good to have that past experience!”

Harmony Week runs from Monday 21 March to Sunday 27 March. To find out more, go to www.harmony.gov.au.

To celebrate Harmony Week this year, we caught up with some of our volunteers from varying backgrounds who are doing their part to make the City of Burnside a better place to live. Harmony Week is about inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, united by a set of core Australian values.

At the age of 83, Kana Nathan is committed to ensuring aging Burnside residents remain healthy and independent for as long as possible.

As the instructor of the City of Burnside’s Senior’s Fit and Fab classes every Monday for the last 14 years, Kana said his background in education has proven useful.

“I was a teacher from 1958 until I eventually became a chiropractor. But being a teacher, I can’t help but try to educate,” Kana said.

Having migrated from Malaysia in 1973 and becoming a chiropractor later that decade, Kana said his goal now is to prevent seniors from falling.

“From the age of 60 the risk of falling rises, and so for me and my team it’s our responsibility to teach our participants how to balance and how to get up if they do fall,” he said.

“Resistance training is key and aims to build muscle and bone density to keep them strong. They can also continue to train with ‘sit and stand’ exercises at home when they aren’t here.”

Kana is supported by Sandy Holmes, Buddy Ng and Helen Wang, who also help to host a second class on Thursdays due to popular demand. The Monday sessions continue to reach maximum capacity, which has been limited by COVID-19 restrictions.

When he isn’t running the Senior’s Fit and Fab Class, Kana continues to operate as a chiropractor one day a week and as a Justice of the Peace one day a week.

“I have represented Australia and Malaysia as an athlete in several Masters Games and I love to stay active,” he said. “It’s important for me stay active and it’s important for the community as well.”

Harmony Week runs from Monday 21 March to Sunday 27 March. To find out more, go to www.harmony.gov.au.

The much-loved Tusmore Wading Pool reopened on Tuesday 15 March. With $500K in financial support through the Federal Government Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program, the wading pool was officially reopened by Mayor Anne Monceaux and James Stevens MP.

The new wading pool has a similar footprint to what was originally in place and features new water play items, an additional creek-style water play area, shade and fencing that can be removed during off-season periods.

The redeveloped wading pool will continue to be a favourite destination for many people across Adelaide.

Mary Penfold nee Holt was born circa 1818 in Edmonton, England. In May 1835, Mary married medical student Christopher Rawson Penfold (1811-1870). In 1844, Mary, Christopher and their daughter Georgina migrated to South Australia and purchased land in the Village of Makgill (now known as the suburb of Magill). Winemaking on the Magill property began in 1847, with the wine intended to treat Christopher’s patients. Mary assisted in this process, supervising workers and completing the bookkeeping.

After Christopher died in 1870, Mary became the sole owner of the vineyard. Under her care and with the support of vigneron Joseph Gillard junior (1836-1927) the business thrived. According to newspaper articles of the time, all blending of wines and the selection of grape varieties was done under her direction, according to her judgement and taste. At age 77, Mary died on 3 December 1895. Mary had a significant role in pioneering the company and is worthy of recognition as a pioneer vigneron.

Pictured: Mary and Georgina Penfold, circa 1850. Courtesy of Geoffrey Bishop.

Mayor Anne Monceaux brings you the Burnside Highlights from this week, with some big news about the Tusmore Wading Pool!

Summary:
✅ Consultation to reduce speed limits in certain areas
✅ Draft Connected Communities and Recreation and Sport Strategies open for feedback until 1 April
✅ New Urban Forest Interactive website now live
✅ Tusmore Wading Pool opening next week
✅ And more!

To find out more information and receive the latest updates about what's going on in Burnside, sign up to engage.burnside at www.engage.burnside.sa.gov.au