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A sustainable Christmas can still be a merry Christmas.

The City of Burnside is always looking to bring you more ways to lessen your carbon footprint, and as we enter the festive season here are our tips to help you stay environmentally conscious this Christmas.

Many of us see Christmas as a time for giving. How often has someone told you 'I really don’t need anything... No really, I don’t need anything’? But we all know you have to get them something!

Giving gifts to long-time family and friends can be difficult – by this point, you’ve given them everything, right? Rather than buying dad socks and jocks for the sixth time, or another knick-knack that will take up space, why not consider trying something different?

With summer here and the weather perfect for getting out and about, why not purchase an experience or a memory that will last a lifetime?

• If you know someone who likes to be pampered, you can purchase gift cards for manicures, pedicures, facials or a spa visit

• For movie buffs, The Regal Theatre on Kensington Road always shows the latest releases

• Classes or short courses can be fun and educational, with local options including one of the many activities available at Pepper Street Arts Centre

• For the foodies in your life, you could consider dinner vouchers, cooking classes or vouchers for wine, beer or spirit tastings. South Australia has some of the best food and wine venues, all within a short drive of Adelaide

• For animal lovers there are many options: Cleland Wildlife Park is right on Burnside’s doorstep and is not far to Adelaide Zoo or Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary. If you are buying a present for someone more adventurous, why not consider Monarto Safari Park or a ferry ride to Kangaroo Island?

• If adventure is the primary objective, consider opportunities like rock climbing, abseiling, or a roof climb at the world-renowned Adelaide Oval

• For the active people in your life, the City of Burnside offers multi-passes to the George Bolton Swimming Centre.

Giving gifts can be rewarding, but some people seem to have everything they need. In these cases, rather than buying something superfluous, why not give a donation? Again, there are options to suit a range of tastes and budgets!

• If you are buying a gift for someone who likes to give to charity, you could consider one of Oxfam’s ‘unwrapped’ gifts; there are a range of prices and the donation can include a card or an e-card

• Planting trees has many environmental benefits and is particularly important in the wake of the rising effects of climate change. Several organisations provide gift certificates to plant trees, including Trees for Life. It can all be organised online or with a phone call.

Not all ways to be sustainable in the festive season relate to gifts themselves - we also need to consider the other Christmas traditions that contribute to unnecessary waste.

• If you are giving a material gift, you can wrap presents in something reusable, rather than generating waste. For example, wrap gifts in a reusable shopping bag or a reusable gift bag. You can also use old newspapers to keep the joy of tearing into presents while minimising waste

• Consider switching your Christmas lights to LEDs. These use less energy and last longer than incandescent lighting

• We can also reduce food waste with a little planning. Carefully considering how much food everyone needs can save both money and waste. And if you do overcook, refrigerate the food in reusable containers and use them as lunches and easy dinners.

• Even with careful planning, you might still have some food scraps. It’s important all food waste goes in the green bin. This action will ensure the food is composted, rather than sent to landfill. Putting food scraps in the green bin saves money and creates jobs in South Australia. Any food scraps you have go in the green bin, including vegetables, fruits, breads and meats - even prawns and seafood can go in the green bin. If you are concerned about the smell, wrap the seafood in a compostable bag (available from Council) and pop it in your freezer until bin day.

You can have your Christmas cake and eat it, too! Consider which ideas will work best for you and implement them to celebrate the Christmas holidays sustainably.

At the City of Burnside we hope you all have a safe and happy (and waste-free) festive season.

What a year we’ve had at Council! Here is the final Burnside Highlights of 2023, thank you all for your support! We hope you have a wonderful festive season with your loved ones and a safe and happy 2024.

Home to more than 44,000 residents and hundreds of community groups, the City of Burnside continues to support local organisations through funding sponsorships and donation programs.

One of the most successful is the annual Community Grants Program, offered to local organisations, groups and schools within the City of Burnside up to $5,000. These grants encourage and support community projects that provide a service or program to residents that would otherwise go unfulfilled.

Burnside Community Grants 2024/25 applications open mid-January 2024.

Glenunga Rams Basketball Club – Training facilities and equipment

Seeking to increase interest in competitive basketball for local players, the Glenunga Rams Basketball Club received a grant to assist with purchasing new uniforms, training equipment and court hire.

With around 120 participants – 80 per cent of whom identify as living in the Burnside area, the Club has seen quick growth over the past 12 months.

Next on the agenda for the Rams is expanding their girls’ teams offerings by recruiting more female players and addressing the urgent need for more volunteer coaches. A low-cost club to join, the Rams will also begin approaching local schools to secure access to indoor training facilities.

Under 14 Boys Head Coach Daniel Hart said the Club was taking a planned approach moving forward, and any assistance was helpful.

‘We are very grateful to Burnside for the grant – every bit helps,’ Daniel said.

Norwood Community Creche – Sensory Native Garden

Caring for and educating young children for over 40 years, Norwood Community Creche’s philosophy focuses on nature, community engagement and child-initiated activities. To help their children flourish and learn about environmental sustainability, the creche was awarded a Community Grant to assist the centre with building a sensory native garden.

Featuring dozens of native plants, the garden acts as a resource to develop the creches themes of ‘Belonging, Being and Becoming’.

Norwood Community Creche Co-Ordinator Susan Burgess said the centre’s indoor and outdoor play-based style would benefit from promoting environmental engagement through the grant.

‘This grant has enabled us to build an under 2’s sensory garden to allow our children to explore, learn about sustainability, promote curiosity and creativity and experiment through play.’

Zonta Club Adelaide Torrens – Breast Cushion Project

A self-funded organisation, the Zonta Club Adelaide Torrens provides support projects for girls and women in the local community.

Provided with a Community Grant to support their Breast Cushion Project, funds from the grant were directed towards purchasing raw materials required to create the cushions.

These cushions, of which the Club produces around 300 per year, are donated to the Burnside Hospital – Breast and Endocrine Centre. Given to patients post-surgery, the cushions provide comfort and assist through the healing process.

Group member Judy Lovett said the Club deeply appreciated the grant and that the cushions provided physical and emotional support for patients.

‘We supply individual community members as well as those at Burnside Hospital,’ Judy said.

‘If there is anybody who would like to lend skills, we would warmly welcome any more hands that would like to be involved.’

As part of the City of Burnside’s Disability Access and Inclusion Plan, Burnside Library has been trialling a new specialty event, The Burnside Home Library Grown Up Storytime - aimed at increasing community outreach to residents living in local assisted living and aged care facilities.

In August 2023, the program delivered its first group sessions, visiting both Regis Burnside and Estia Health Toorak Gardens for 90-minute readings of poetry and short stories by Burnside Library staff, with a second event held in mid-October.

Run in conjunction with the Home Library Service, the Grown Up Storytime initiative aims to increase social interaction and mental stimulation for those living in assisted care who cannot make it to the library in person.

Burnside Home Library Melissa Davenport said the program will hopefully make a difference in the lives of those they visit.

‘In the Home Library Service, we see the difference we can make in people's day even with such a small interaction – this is the magic we hope to recreate through this idea,’ Melissa said.

‘The Library is an incredible community resource, and we try to make sure that everyone can benefit from it even if they cannot visit the library.’

During their stay in assisted living facilities, residents may experience social isolation, depression and anxiety. Studies indicate that consistent social engagement can aid in reducing these potentially detrimental effects, offering improvements in mental well-being and fostering a sense of belonging within a community.

Burnside Library Coordinator of Customer Service Judy Brown said it was still the early days of the trial program, but hopes were high that with more exposure, the service could grow to reach more people across more facilities.

‘We’ve had positive feedback from our previous two events.’ Judy said.

‘Burnside Library is always looking to innovate our service offerings to residents and the wider community.

‘We have plans to deliver a special Christmas-themed event later in December that we are extremely excited about.’

Still, in the early stages of development, Burnside Library is currently taking expressions of interest from any other aged care or assisted living facilities in the City of Burnside area that would like to participate in the fledgling program.

City of Burnside's Melissa Davenport reads a book of poetry at Estia Health Toorak Gardens

The City of Burnside is excited to announce the launch of our new official WeChat channel.

Extremely popular in China, WeChat is one of the world’s largest social media platforms, with over one-and-a-half billion monthly users. The City of Burnside is lucky to have over 6000 residents who identify as having Chinese ancestry, and it is our hope the move to this platform will assist us in providing even greater service to this section of the community.

This channel will be used by our Chinese community to keep up to date with the goings on around Council and for important community announcements.

Watch our official launch video here: LINK

Do you know which City of Burnside building this Christmas party was held in?

During the Second World War, branches of the Volunteer Defence Force in South Australia organised Christmas parties for children of Australian Imperial Force personnel. The Burnside sub-branch hosted this particular celebration for approximately 160 children. The program featured a film, sweets, ice-cream and soft-drinks.

Photograph: 21 December 1940, B 62413/40.

The winner of the Mayor’s 2023 Christmas Card Design Competition has been announced – Ivy from Burnside Primary School!

An annual event, the 2023 Christmas Card Design Competition was open to Year 3 and 4 students from within the City of Burnside with the key theme being ‘What makes an Australian Christmas?’.

Mayor Anne Monceaux was delighted to present the awards during a ceremony in the Mayor’s Parlour earlier this week, with awards going to winner Ivy (Year 4) and runner up Jake (Year 3) from Burnside Primary School. Second runner up Chanmonique (Year 4) from Linden Park Primary School was unable to attend but was recognised for her beautiful artwork.

When designing her card, Ivy took inspiration from her favourite native Australian wildlife including kookaburras, koalas, rainbow lorikeets and more. Ivy said her favourite part of the drawing was the massive gum tree dressed up like a Christmas tree with colourful lights and decorations.

For winning the competition Ivy received a $100 gift voucher and special credit in the printed Christmas cards which use her design, while the two runners up each received a Regal Theatre Family Voucher and George Bolton Swimming Centre Family Pass.

You can visit the City of Burnside Civic Centre to view all 60 entries, which will be displayed until mid-January. See if you can pick your favourite!

Thank you to everyone who entered the competition this year!

Mayor Anne Monceaux with competition winner Ivy and runner up Jake.

Winning entry by Ivy of Burnside PrimaryRunner-up by Jake of Burnside Primary Second runner-up by Chanmonique of Linden Park Primary

Full Christmas Card display located at the Burnside Civic Centre

As part of a new awareness campaign, the City of Burnside has installed new temporary signage across the city for the first time following two separate incidents of significant tree poisoning on private property.

Council officers identified both incidents with assistance from members of the public who raised concerns regarding the identified trees’ health. Following arborist reviews on each tree, it was determined the damage in each instance had been caused with deliberate intent to fatally poison.

Poisoning incidents occurred at:

• 591 Glynburn Road, Hazelwood Park – one mature River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) with a trunk circumference greater than three metres was found to have had holes drilled along the lower trunk.
• 36 Tennyson Drive, Beaumont – two mature Sugar Gums (Eucalyptus cladocalyx) both with trunk circumferences greater than three metres were found to have had holes drilled along the base of the trees.

Discovery of this wilful damage was met with immediate action by Council officers, with both signs installed within 24 hours of the Tennyson Drive incident being brought to attention. All three trees were marked as significant due to their size and require Council permission to be modified or removed from private property. The maximum fine for illegally damaging or removing a significant tree is $120,000 and the possibility of a criminal conviction.

City of Burnside CEO Chris Cowley said following the recent spate of significant damage caused to the city’s urban canopy, it was disappointing to yet again see harm brought to important community assets.

‘We are a city defined in part by our stunning urban canopy, it is what makes the Burnside area so beautiful. Unfortunately, the continued damage to our natural environment threatens the heart of our community,’ Chris said.

‘Actions like these are not only illegal, but they also have a significant financial impact on Council and our ratepayers.

‘We desperately need those who commit these damaging acts to understand the impact they are causing. These signs are not something we want to deploy, but we have been left with no alternative than to begin to use them to publicly identify locations where someone has committed deliberate and illegal acts such as these, be it on public or private land.

‘If you have any concerns about the health of a tree on private or public land, be it at a house in your neighbourhood or in a Council reserve, please contact the City of Burnside immediately so that we can act.’

The Glynburn Road and Tennyson Drive poisoning incidents follow the mass damage event in Auldana earlier this year, where approximately 50 mature trees were illegally felled on Council land. Following this event, temporary signage was installed in Auldana North Reserve, drawing attention to the incident and calling for community support in protecting the urban canopy.

Signage at 36 Tennyson Drive, Beaumont, where two mature Sugar Gums were poisoned.

Signage at 591 Glynburn Road, Hazelwood Park, where a mature River Red Gum was poisoned.

A respect for community drove former City of Burnside Mayor Michael Perry AM. Now it is respect for the legacy of Michael Perry that drives Council’s efforts to rejuvenate the reserve named in his sake.

After years of hard work and dedication, Michael Perry Botanic Reserve in Stonyfell has been restored to a native vegetation haven thanks to the efforts of the City of Burnside’s Conservation and Land Management team and volunteers.

Featuring redeveloped walking paths, crystal clear water systems and a wide array of native flora, Michael Perry Botanic Reserve is the hidden gem of the City of Burnside’s nationally recognised parklands.

Michael Perry, who recently celebrated his 91^st birthday at On Statenborough where he now resides, is deeply entrenched in the City of Burnside’s history and community, having formerly served as Councillor, Alderman and Mayor.

Born in Kent Town in 1932, Michael moved to Hazelwood Park at the age of 10 and has been a resident of the city ever since. Attending Prince Alfred College for the entirety of his schooling, Michael excelled on the sporting field and was part of the First XI cricket, First XVIII football and First Tennis teams, as well as being named School Captain in his senior year.

Following his high school graduation in 1951, Michael took up working at the family business Perry Engineering, which employed around 1,300 people. Eventually moving up and becoming director of the company, Michael left Perry Engineering in 1985 to become an Industrial Commissioner of South Australia and a Commissioner in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission. Michael retired in 1994.

Just as illustrious as Michael’s professional career was his public service. First becoming a Councillor with the City of Burnside at the age of 26, Michael held the position until 1965 and then again from 1971 to 1973. Becoming the 14^th Mayor of the City of Burnside in 1973, Michael served in the role for two years before then becoming an Alderman until 1983, at which time he ceased his service for the city. Michael was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia on 26 January 1983 for his service to industry and the community.

Speaking about his time at the City of Burnside, Michael said he didn’t move into public service on any particular issue, but to assist in any way he could.

‘I think I benefited from the point of view that I tried to contribute to serve the community, rather than just sitting back and expecting things to happen,’ Michael said.

Having played an important role in bringing several iconic Council projects to life, all of which continue to serve the community to this day, Michael notes the establishment of the Burnside Library, George Bolton Swimming Centre and the transformation of Kensington Oval as some of the highlights during his tenure.

In celebration of both the regeneration of the reserve and the milestone birthday for Michael, the City of Burnside, supporting both On Statenborough and Resthaven, joined them for a special event at the Michael Perry Botanic Reserve on Thursday 16 November.

Residents of On Statenborough were treated to a guided tour of the reserve by the City of Burnside’s Dr Mark Ellis, who gave attendees insight into the unique history of the reserve as well as the process behind its rejuvenation. A picturesque day, the tour group were then shuttled back to On Statenborough for a presentation and morning tea, with Michael Perry and his family the guests of honour. Also in attendance were several City of Burnside Council Members, Council’s executive team and many On Statenborough residents.

The City of Burnside would like to congratulate Michael Perry on his milestone birthday and for the lasting impact he has left on the Burnside community.

Michael Perry AM with Mayor Anne Monceaux

Michael Perry AM with his wife and daughters

Left to right: Julie Williams, Matt Cragg, City of Burnside CEO Chris Cowley, Mayor Anne Monceaux, Darren Baynes, Cr Jane Davey, Dr Mark Ellis

Left to right: Cr Mike Daws, Cr Jo Harvey, Cr Jenny Turnbull, Cr Jane Davey, Michael Perry AM, Mayor Anne Monceaux

On Statenborough residents tour Michael Perry Botanic Reserve

On Statenborough residents tour Michael Perry Botanic Reserve

The redeveloped Dulwich Community Centre is now open!

Officially welcoming community groups and residents at an opening ceremony on Saturday 18 November, the space is now ready to host visitors from all walks of life.

One of the many groups migrating to the Dulwich Community Centre from the Burnside Civic Centre is children’s performer, yoga teacher and art therapist Dizzy Izzy with her musical playgroup.

Full of songs, nursery rhymes, movement, dance and instruments for your little ones to play, lesson plans are grounded in research, fostering learning and growth, brain development, rhythm, coordination and language. These sessions have the goal of building confidence, nurturing self-expression and bringing families closer together.

As a former yoga studio owner, Izzy is excited to be able to utilise the new facilities.

‘I will be moving to the Dulwich Community Centre next year. It feels like the perfect space and the perfect location for young families,’ Izzy said.

‘I love the Dulwich area, it's where my parents live, it's where I grew up – I feel very connected.

‘I love the architecture of the big beautiful space. I love the floorboards - when you’re doing arty fun things it’s nice to be able to stomp your feet and make some noise. Hopefully, it will be the area for a start of programs going forward for Dizzy Izzy.’

Dizzy Izzy will be hosting school holiday programs in the coming months out of the Burnside Civic Centre, before making the move to Dulwich in February.

Expressions of interest to host events or functions are open now, head to our website to find out more.