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A resident of the City of Burnside for 71 years and now living in Pineview Village, Bess Welch is as deeply Burnside as they come.

Building her family home on Devereux Road, Beaumont in 1953, Bess lived in the suburb for 63 years, relocating to Pineview in 2016 seeking a smaller home and garden.

Unable to picture herself living anywhere else, Bess adores the area with Beaumont Common especially holding a place in her heart.

‘Council does amazing things and have an incredible reputation,’ Bess said. ‘When I speak to friends of mine about things that are happening, they say “oh my council doesn’t do that”’.

Taking advantage of many of the services offered by Council, Bess is a frequent attendant at Strength for Life classes at the Civic Centre. Strength for Life (SFL) is an affordable way for older South Australians to gain strength and stay fit. SFL also offers social opportunities, with the class (pictured) often staying around after for a cup of coffee and chat. This is where Bess met Elected Member Jenny Turnbull with whom she speaks with about the history of her Burnside residence and appreciation for the community.

Bess also utilises the popular City of Burnside transport bus and is a customer of the Burnside Library Home Library Service – for whom she sings high praise.

‘The Library girls call in with a book for me every month. When I was no longer able to read because of my eyesight they delivered me several audio books.’

Now settled in seamlessly to Pineview Village Bess can sum up her time living in the city with one quick statement – ‘What a good decision!’

Bess Welch (back left in purple) and the Strength for Life class take in a coffee break after their morning workout.

Aussie Bread Tags for Wheelchairs, a Burnside based charity, has been recognised for their environmental impact at the South Australian Environment Awards 2024, named the winner of the Working Together Award.

Having set up a network of over 500 bread tag collection points, Aussie Bread Tags for Wheelchairs recycling partner, Transmutation, accept 250kg of tags each month. Transmutation then donates back to Aussie Bread Tags, enabling the provision of the wheelchairs. Transmutation uses the bread tags to produce bowls and boards, making the partnership a successful social enterprise and example of the circular economy in action.

Representatives of the Aussie Bread Tags regularly give talks about the program around Adelaide and occasionally on Zoom for communities in other areas. Many local councils around Australia including the City of Burnside host collection points and promote the collection of bread tags. You can find the City of Burnside’s collection point located at the Civic Centre.

Founder and Coordinator, Jenny Cooper, was also the City of Burnside 2021 Citizen of the Year award in recognition of her environmental contribution.

To date Aussie Bread Tags for Wheelchairs have recycled 13 tons of bread tags and provided 101 wheelchairs.

In this episode of Burnside Highlights we take a look at our lobbying efforts to restore funding to the Greater Adelaide Freight Bypass, our upcoming Disability and Inclusion Expo and much more. Find out more details below!

The slow, lumbering bullock dray would have been a familiar sight in the early 1900s. Bullock teams, consisting of as many as 20 oxen, were used to transport goods or passengers over distances of up to 15 kilometres a day. While not as quick as a horse, oxen were cheaper to purchase and care for, and also less excitable. The person driving the team was known as a ‘bullocky’ and walked on the left of the bullocks and used a whip to guide them forward.

For those interested in discovering more local history, visit the Local History Room at Burnside Library.

Photograph: A bullock team pulling a large tree trunk in Glen Osmond, circa 1922.

The City of Burnside has announced the 2024/25 rate rise following the decision of Council at their 24 June 2024 Special Council meeting last night.

Following an intensive community consultation process the Council has adopted a 9.8 per cent rate rise as part of a three-year recovery model, with a number of operating and capital projects removed. This rate would then be followed by rate rises of between 4-7 per cent for the following two financial years, achieving a breakeven position within three years.

Mayor Anne Monceaux said that this budget results from listening to the wishes of our community and making compromises.

“It was a very difficult but important decision to make in setting the next financial year’s rates rise, taking into account the valued and varied feedback from our community,” Mayor Monceaux said. “The Council listened and compromises were made by all Members for the benefit of the whole community,” Mayor Monceaux said.

CEO Chris Cowley said that the Council adopted a 9.8 per cent rate increase following a comprehensive community consultation process and that Council has listened to the feedback.

“I thank our ratepayers who took the time to be involved in the community consultation to understand the position that Council is in and the hard decisions that need to be made,” Mr Cowley said.

“Two thirds of the residents that responded to the community consultation were comfortable with at least a 9.8 per cent rate rise however they also asked us to review our service levels and asset renewal intervention levels to investigate savings opportunities,” Mr Cowley said.

Mr Cowley said that Council’s decision will ensure that the many services that are valued by the community will still be delivered, while dealing with the inflationary pressures impacting on the costs of providing those services.

“In the coming year Council will focus on finding savings and reviewing our existing services and service levels,” Mr Cowley said.

We all have those things around the house that we just haven’t gotten around to getting rid of. Old mobile phones, spare cords and chargers, empty printer cartridges and for some reason those old x-rays from 2004. All of it just taking up space in some cupboard draw that you say you’ll get to at some point.

To help you with this, the City of Burnside has introduced the Re-use and Recycling Hub to help you dispose of your old items that can’t go in the red waste or kitchen bin.

Containing toxic materials or certain metals these items cannot be thrown away in the usual way due to their environmental impact. Other household items like light bulbs, eyeglasses, loose CD’s and DVD’s, small e-waste and blister packs can also not be put in the red bin and need to be disposed of properly.

With approximately 9 in 10 Australians owning a mobile phone it is estimated that only 20 per cent of no longer in use phones are recycled correctly. This means the other 80 per cent end up in landfill, making mobile phones one of the largest contributors to e-waste in Australia.

This new free drop off point located at the Burnside Civic Centre allows anyone to bring in items that are unable to be included in red waste bin collection and dispose of them. Quick and easy.

Larger items, like televisions, microwaves and computers can be disposed of at the e-waste drop of location at the City of Burnside depot.

All items disposed of are secure and anonymous. However the City of Burnside recommends residents factory reset or wipe any digital devices of personal information before disposal.

For the full list of items that can be deposited into the Re-use and Recycling Hub, as well as how the items will be re-used or recycled, visit our website.

The Hub is accessible during Civic Centre business hours.

In this episode of Burnside Highlights we look back on the massive success of the Environment & Sustainability EXPO on Saturday, provide an update on our upcoming budget for the 2024/25 financial year and much more.

Last night Conservation SA hosted their 2024 SA Environment Awards – devoted to spotlighting the state's most dedicated environment champions.

In what is an incredible achievement, City of Burnside Coordinator Conservation and Land Management Dr Mark Ellis won the Pelzer Prize in a highly competitive and decorated field. Green Adelaide's prestigious Pelzer Prize is awarded to those who have gone above and beyond to restore landscapes, create habitat for wildlife, connect people to nature, or clean up our parks, beaches and waterways.

Since 2013, Dr Ellis has led the City of Burnside’s Conservation and Land Management Program. Through this program, he leads the management of 130 hectares of reserves and is actively involved in the management of the Council’s urban biodiversity sites. Dr Ellis also develops detailed management plans and guides restoration works by skilled contractors, staff and volunteers.

You might know Dr Ellis through his work at the City of Burnside Biodiversity Nursery and the Native Plant Giveaway program (now open for orders), one of the city’s most in-demand annual initiatives. Dr Ellis is also responsible for the restoration of Michael Perry Botanic Reserve, converting the previously weed-infested historical site into a beautiful hub of over 350 native floras.

Burnside at Work: Dr Mark Ellis and the Biodiversity Nursery

Dr Ellis has made a substantial contribution to the restoration of landscapes in urban Adelaide. As a champion for indigenous landscapes and botanical beauty, Dr Ellis has contributed to the restoration of hundreds of hectares and created beautiful places for people to enjoy.

Congratulations to Dr Mark Ellis the 2024 Pelzer Prize winner!

Dr Ellis will be speaking at the 2024 Burnside Environment and Sustainability Expo on 15 June at the Burnside Civic Centre. Talking all about the Native Plant Giveaway and Biodiversity in Burnside, Dr Ellis will be speaking on the main stage from 1.20 pm.

For more information on the Environment and Sustainability Expo, visit our website.

Left to right: Green Adelaide Pelzer Prize winners James Smith (2023), Dr Mark Ellis (2024) and Jill Woodlands (2021).

Green Adelaide's Pelzer Prize.
Awarded to Dr Mark Ellis

Dr Ellis leads a community tour through Michael Perry Botanic Reserve

Did you know the City of Burnside has a fund dedicated to helping residents care for regulated and significant trees on private property?

It is the Regulated and Significant Tree Assistance fund, also known as RASTA.

Following a successful application to Council, a reimbursement of up to 75 per cent of the work, capped at $2,000 per tree, can be made in relation to approved works. Consideration for funds up to $3,000 may be given, at the absolute discretion of the Council. Factors to consider will include cost of the works and the amenity or ecological value of the tree.

All applications must be reviewed prior to works being conducted.

Recently, a resident in Skye was assisted by the RASTA fund to help retain a significant tree being strangled by ivy. The resident was informed by an arborist that if the ivy was not removed, the tree would die. Through the RASTA fund the resident was able to retain the tree and ensure longevity for years to come. The tree is now flourishing and ivy-free.

With the new financial year beginning on 1 July, the RASTA fund will be replenished. Funds are limited.

To fill out an application visit bit.ly/CoB-RASTA-fund.

Skiing in Burnside?!

In 1978, there was an investigation into the possibility of establishing a grass ski run at Chambers Gully. The City of Burnside’s Recreation Team considered the idea after receiving advice that the natural grassed hill on Council land was an ideal location. A private developer showed interest in the project, which included plans for a mechanical chair lift, parking lot, toilets and a kiosk. However, the project did not proceed.

Photograph: Debra Herde demonstrates grass skiing at Chambers Gully as part of a newspaper article from the Sunday Mail, 21 May 1978.