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In 2020 a group of Burnside residents proposed a project and were successful in gaining funding from the 'Your Neighbourhood' program for the establishment of a demonstration verge garden. The idea was to show a practical example to local residents of a verge planted with attractive, mainly native species that conform to Council’s Verge Planting Guidelines(PDF, 153KB). The Demonstration Verge at The Shed, 6 Conyngham Street, Glenside was planted up in August 2021 and will be maintained by council as a resource for residents.

If you want to plant your own verge you need to submit a Verge/Road Reserve Landscaping or Planting Application to get permission from Council.

Image: The Demonstration Verge soon after planting in August 2021. Watch it grow over time.

The C. Tuckers Store was located on Glen Osmond Road, Eastwood and operated from approximately 1887 to 1892. Charles and Betsy Tucker migrated to South Australia from Somerset England in 1847. Charles’ occupations included builder, storekeeper and medicine maker, and Betsy was a nursing sister. The Eastwood store sold Charles’ horse and cow medicines and ointments.

When Charles passed away at age 66 in 1892, he left a widow, four sons, four daughters and 32 grandchildren. The extended family history is available to read in the Burnside Local Room.

Photograph: C Tuckers on Glen Osmond Road, circa 1875. Burnside Local History Collection.

The mature olive trees of Davenport Olive Reserve in Beaumont are remnants of Sir Samuel Davenport’s olive plantation. The trees were planted in 1864, and at its peak, the plantation held over 14,000 trees. The trees are retained as a memorial to the founding of the olive oil industry in South Australia.

In 1836, several olive trees arrived in South Australia aboard the HMS Buffalo with Governor Hindmarsh and his secretary George Stevenson. These trees were the beginning of the South Australian olive oil industry. Sir Samuel Davenport (1818-1906) of Beaumont House, is responsible for the proliferation of olives in the Burnside area.

Photograph: Sir Samuel Davenport standing in an olive grove, Beaumont circa 1900. Courtesy of the State Library of South Australia, B 6106.

Words based on a talk by Margaret Ford OAM presented at Burnside Library, 12 May 2021:

Using cuttings from the trees brought over on the Buffalo, olive trees were planted in North Adelaide, Elder Park (near the first Government hut) and Hackney. Circa 1850s, stock obtained from the Hackney Olive Tree Nursery was used to plant olive groves in Beaumont. The two main groves were located at Gleeville Farm, which was the first house in the Beaumont area built in 1839 by Edward Burton Gleeson (since demolished it was located near Sunnyside Road, Beaumont), and at Beaumont House owned by Sir Samuel Davenport.

In 1843, aged 25, Sir Samuel Davenport arrived in South Australia. Davenport had previously travelled around Provence in the south of France and became convinced that for South Australia the olive and almond were particularly suitable crops. "There are perhaps, about ten olive trees in the Colony. It would be well if there were ten thousand, for a more valuable generous plant does not exist. Once planted, it requires no care, but continues to yield its increasing store for centuries," he wrote.

Planting olives was vigorously promoted by Davenport, who represented South Australia at the first International Exhibition in London in 1851 where he showcased South Australian olive oil and won a prize for it. He became a manufacturer of olive oil, planting approximately 1200 trees in a small grove in rows around his vineyard in Beaumont. At its peak, Davenport's olive plantations held over 14,000 trees, including 27 different varieties imported from Italy, Spain, France and Turkey. In 1868 Davenport built an olive oil factory next to Beaumont House, importing a Chilean mill for pressing. The factory ceased production in the 1930s.

When Davenport retired from active farming, his nephew George Cleland (1852-1931) continued the business and called the oil "Davenport". G.F. Cleland & Sons manufactured a blended oil until 1965, for years employing about 30 people to fill the five-ounce bottles. The Beaumont olive plantation was subdivided in the 1930s, split by Linden Avenue. Some of the olive trees from the historic plantation remain.

In 1899 the principal manufacturers of olive oil in South Australia were:

• The Stonyfell Olive Company, Burnside
• Sir Samuel Davenport, Beaumont
• Waverley Vinegar Company, West Terrace Adelaide
• Thomas Hardy and Sons, Bankside
• Corporation Olive Yard, HM Gaol
• Chaffey Brothers, Renmark

Where to visit historic sites relating to Davenport's olive oil manufacture:

1. Davenport Olive Reserve, John Cleland Drive, Beaumont
   Small reserve with trees from the Davenport olive plantation in Beaumont, planted in 1864.
2. Oliver Crusher Monument at Wood Park, Collingwood Avenue, Hazelwood Park
   A monument olive crusher is displayed in Wood Park constructed of elements from the olive oil factory established by Samuel Davenport.
3. Beaumont House, 631 Glynburn Road, Beaumont
   The olive groves bordering the property were planted by Samuel Davenport circa 1860.

History Corner Blog

Residents of a rural SA council in need of access friendly transportation will continue to be able to travel with ease, thanks to the support of the City of Burnside.

Last month the District Council of Mount Remarkable and City of Burnside both sought to replace access friendly minibuses that were ageing.

The District Council of Mount Remarkable was not in a position to purchase a replacement minibus, and through these mutual needs the City of Burnside negotiated to sell its minibus at a fair price.

Three City of Burnside staff, including CEO Chris Cowley, met Mount Remarkable staff in Clare to personally deliver the bus.

Mr Cowley said he was thrilled to be able to support a rural council in continuing to provide an accessible service.

“Since selling our old minibus to the District Council of Mount Remarkable, we have also purchased a new access friendly Toyota HiAce for our volunteer drivers to use,” he said.

“I’m so pleased that we have been able to help out a small rural council and achieve an excellent outcome for the community of Burnside at the same time.”

District Council of Mount Remarkable CEO Sam Johnson said the addition of the bus to the Council’s fleet was a major win for the community.

“All of us at Council, myself included, are ecstatic about receiving this access friendly bus and being able to continue to offer inclusive transportation services,” Mr Johnson said.

“Because of the generosity of the City of Burnside, Mount Remarkable has been able to upgrade to a more modern and comfortable bus, which would not have been possible otherwise.

“I would like to thank the City of Burnside for reaching out to us and providing us with this fantastic opportunity.”

Photo: District Council of Mount Remarkable CEO Sam Johnson (left) with City of Burnside CEO Chris Cowley (right).

Self-taught chemist and brewer John Cecil Gunner Cooper (1887-1951) built the first Malt Factory in South Australia circa 1921.

The 14 foot high galvanised iron building on Tusmore Avenue in Tusmore, manufactured malt extract from malted barley. The two principal chemists of the time, Bickford and Faulding, collected the extract and sold it under their brand names. The factory operated until 1950.

Twelve years later, John’s youngest son, Peter, resurrected the old plant and made malt extract until 1965. In the same year, the factory was demolished.

A model replica of the factory-built by Peter Cooper is on the display in Burnside Library.

Pictured: A view of the factory from the back of the family home facing south, 1964. Courtesy of Peter Cooper.

Australia's favourite festival of re-use, the Garage Sale Trail, returns to the City of Burnside this November. Happening online and in your community, it's a month of money making, waste reducing, treasure hunting fun!

WEEKEND ONE sees the return of the Trail Tutorial series of online masterclasses. Hosted by some of the biggest names in fashion and sustainability, these free sessions will equip you with new skills to re-use and repair your stuff.

Host a garage sale or shop the Trail on WEEKENDS TWO AND THREE. This year will see two weekends of garage sales held simultaneously around the nation, with more sales, more bargains, and more planet-saving fun than ever before!

6 - 7 November - Trail Tutorials online masterclasses.

13 - 14 and 20 - 21 November - Two big weekends of garage sales.

From unearthing the ultimate pre-loved gem at one of 10,000 garage sales to learning how to repair and repurpose your stuff, this November is all about caring for the planet and falling in love with your stuff again.

Garage Sale Trail is proudly partnered locally by the City of Burnside.

Council’s heritage plaque pilot project was launched to mark key heritage places within the City.

The following properties have a heritage plaque installed to reflect their historic interest:

• 1A Young Street, Burnside
• Knox Homes, 8-18 Young Street, Burnside
• Burnside Primary School Gates, 11 High Street, Burnside
• Undelcarra, 13 Undelcarra Road, Burnside
• Ivymeade, 19 Nilpinna Street, Burnside
• 28 High Street, Burnside
• 29 Chisholm Avenue, Burnside
• 36 Young Street, Burnside
• 56 Lockwood Road, Burnside
• 64 High Street, Burnside
• Lockwood House, 90 Lockwood Road, Burnside
• St David’s Parish Hall, 488 Glynburn Road, Burnside
• St David’s Church, 488 Glynburn Road, Burnside
• Burnside Post Office, 502 Glynburn Road, Burnside
• 574 Greenhill Road, Burnside
• Attunga, 120 Kensington Road, Toorak Gardens
• Tram Switching Shed, West Terrace, Kensington Gardens

The plaques on private properties are on the exterior and are visible from the footpath.

Come and check out the pump track at Penfold Park, Magill. It is there until 25 October. Bring your scooter, skate board, bike or roller skates.

The track is open from sunrise to sunset every day. Remember to ride to your ability, and always wear a helmet.

Mayor of Burnside Anne Monceaux with the 'Burnside Highlights' from our 24 August Council meeting.

You never know what you will find under the floorboards of an old home!

A resident in Kensington Gardens was completing renovation works last year and uncovered a pile of postcards and photographs from a previous owner, dating from 1921 to the 1940s. The resident donated these items to the Burnside Local History Collection.

Pictured is one of the postcards found, which features artwork by Mabel Lucie Attwell and was in circulation in 1944.