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If you're an alumni of St Peter's Girls' School you will recognise Chiverton House, which forms the administrative heart of the school. The house was constructed in 1880 by John Nankivell, a local merchant who soon leased the house to Harry Bickford of the chemist firm A.M. Bickford & Sons.

In 1896, Mrs Jessie Ferguson purchased the property and it was the Ferguson family home for the next forty years. In 1949, the Community of the Sisters of the Church, an Anglican Sisterhood which had established a private school for girls in North Adelaide in 1894, found the Ferguson's estate ideal for the needs of their expanding institution. In 1957, the Sisters moved the St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School to Chiverton House and the school remains at this location today.

Chiverton House is a large two-storey mansion with an encircling veranda, constructed of random bluestone with painted rendered quoins and window and door dressings. The house retains original shutters to the windows and doors of the front elements, but the veranda balustrading has been replaced and the house has been re-roofed. It is currently maintained in excellent condition and additions have been made to the building continuing the original construction materials of stone and rendered dressings. There is a small stable/coach house building at the rear which has been converted for use by St Peter's Girls' School.

In 2023 Chiverton House was given a Heritage Blue Plaque by the City of Burnside, which can be seen at the house today.

Photos (L to R): Chiverton House circa 1910, State Library of South Australia B75462/242. Chiverton House 2023, City of Burnside. Blue Heritage Plaque at Chiverton House 2023, City of Burnside.

Mayor Anne Monceaux brings you the latest news from across the City of Burnside, including:

✅ New Heritage Plaques installed across the City of Burnside
✅ Draft Annual Business Plan and Budget approved by Council and open for community consultation soon
✅ George Bolton Swimming Centre closes Sunday 30 April
✅ History Festival comes to Burnside from Monday 1 May

Find out more about what's going on in the City of Burnside at engage.burnside.sa.gov.au

At age 20, Private Carl L Schrader was killed in action on 20 November 1915 in Gallipoli. He died less than two months after his departure for the front.

Private Schrader lived with his parents on Kensington Road in Rose Park. He was educated at Rose Park School and upon graduating worked as a clerk for the Executor, Trustee and Agency Company. He was an active member at St Theodore's Church and frequently assisted the Sunday school.

Private Schrader has no known grave "Known unto God" and is honoured today at the Burnside District Fallen Soldiers' Memorial in Rose Park, on the corner of Prescott Terrace and Alexandra Avenue.

On Anzac Day, we remember Private Schrader, as well as all Australians and New Zealanders who have fallen in service of their nations in conflicts all across the world. Lest we forget.

"Remember – the blood of valiant sons was shed, that we might dwell ‘neath peaceful skies; keep green their memory; they are not dead; on their ideals our nationhood shall rise."

- Burnside District Fallen Soldiers Memorial, The Register, 28 July 1919

Private Carl L Schrader, 1915. Burnside Local History Collection.

Mayor Anne Monceaux brings you the latest news from across the City of Burnside, including:

✅ Anzac Day dawn services available at various Burnside locations (rslsa.org.au/anzac-day)
✅ Community Centres Autumn Program available now (bit.ly/BurnsideAutumnProgram)
✅ Upcoming Burnside Ballroom events with Metropolitan Male Choir of SA and Burnside Symphony Orchestra (bit.ly/BurnsideBallroomSeries)
✅ Applications for Pepper Street Arts Centre’s SALA exhibition close Wednesday 19 April (bit.ly/SALABurnside)
✅ School Holiday Program kicks off on Saturday 15 April (bit.ly/BurnsideSchoolHolidayProgram)

Find out more about what's going on in the City of Burnside at engage.burnside.sa.gov.au

In July 1903, 36 share brokers took part in a 14 mile (22.5 kilometre) race held across the suburbs of Adelaide. The race started at the intersection of King William Street and South Terrace to Glenelg via Burnside, Glen Osmond and Cross Roads. Approximately 2,500 people turned up to watch the race. The winner of the race was Mr H Cox with a time of 2 hours, 28 minutes and 21 seconds. This equates to an average walking speed of 9.1 km/h, or just over a kilometre every seven minutes. This is much faster than the ordinary walking pace of 5 - 6 km/h!

This photograph now hangs along with several other historic photographs on the wall near the ramp heading towards Customer Service in the Burnside Civic Centre.

Photograph: Glen Osmond Road walking race, circa 1903. Donated to the Burnside Library Local History Collection by Mayor Anne Monceaux.

Burnside Toy Library has won two prestigious awards out of more than 380 toy libraries across Australia.

There are calls for more toy libraries to be established across South Australia, as demand soars from families seeking to save money and be more environmentally sustainable.

An Adelaide toy library that helps parents save money while bringing joy to their children has won national acclaim, with calls for more toy libraries to be established by councils across South Australia.

Burnside Toy Library has been recognised by peak body Toy Libraries Australia for its contribution to the local community, helping families connect and learn through play.

Burnside’s Heather Wright also won Toy Librarian of the Year for her outstanding contribution, including revitalising the toy collection and working with volunteers to make the toy library a valuable and much-loved part of the local area.

Heather has also been integral to promoting toy libraries across South Australia and said she hoped other councils would look to establish or grow their own toy libraries. Toy libraries across Australia have seen demand for their services soar since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Having the support of our local council has been key to our success,” said Heather. “After becoming part of the council’s services, Burnside Toy Library went from being open 10 hours a week to almost 60 hours a week, and we’ve been able to invest in larger toys.

“Every library should have a toy library, even if it’s just a small collection. I would love to see more councils supporting toy libraries across South Australia.”

Established 30 years ago, Burnside Toy Library is now one of the biggest toy libraries in Australia in terms of membership with about 1500 members.

It has won the Toy Library Excellence award, in recognition of its recent project to support the community by buying skateboards, extra scooters and balance bikes to ensure that every local child could enjoy the council’s ‘pop up’ skateboard park and outdoor play.

Louise Bell, Development Officer at Toy Libraries Australia, said Burnside Toy Library was a leading example of the role toy libraries can play in promoting children’s development and community connections.

“We’re proud to be recognising Heather and the Burnside Toy Library for their dedication to making play accessible for all children and to sharing the benefits of toy libraries across the state,” she said.

“Toy libraries are an affordable and sustainable way for parents and carers to support a child’s development, while also creating important community meeting places. It’s no surprise that toy libraries across the country are booming as more families turn to borrowing toys to save money, reduce waste and reconnect with their communities after COVID-19.”

Memberships at Australia’s 380-plus toy libraries have surged over the past two years, with over 130,000 families nationally using a toy library every year. Some, like Burnside, are run by local councils while others are run by volunteers.

Toy libraries across Australia own toys worth $28 million, many of which are high-value sensory and active toys that would otherwise be too expensive or impractical for families to own themselves. That equates to $640 worth of toys for every family belonging to a toy library, with most memberships costing less than $2 a week. On average, a child gets bored of a toy within 36 days, which is why over half (51 per cent) the toys bought in Australia end up in landfill within a year.

Heather said she was proud to have played a role in supporting Adelaide families through Burnside Toy Library and hoped to see toy libraries grow in the future.

“I applied for the coordinator role, not really knowing what a toy library was. That was 15 years ago now and I haven’t looked back since,” she said.

“The best part of being a toy librarian is choosing new toys and developing relationships with local families to share the benefits and joy of play. It’s an honour to be receiving this award and it’s one I share with the whole Burnside Toy Library community.”

About Toy Libraries Australia

Toy Libraries Australia is the peak body for over 260 toy libraries and are a non-profit incorporated association, supporting and promoting the benefits of toy libraries to communities, children’s development and family wellbeing.

Find out more https://www.toylibraries.org.au/

Please note that Burnside Library will be closed for the entirety of the Easter weekend, with the following hours:

Thursday 6 April: 9.30 am - 9 pm
Friday 7 April: CLOSED
Saturday 8 April: CLOSED
Sunday 9 April: CLOSED
Monday 10 April: CLOSED
Tuesday 11 April: 9.30 am - 6 pm

Thank you for your understanding during this time. The 24 hour return chute on Hyde Street will remain open for any returns required over the Easter weekend.

Mayor Anne Monceaux brings you the latest news from across the City of Burnside, including:

✅ City of Burnside named Tree City of the World for fourth consecutive year
✅ Magill Village Celebration this Sunday on Magill Road
✅ Final days to have your say on 40km/h consultation and submit Your Neighbourhood Budget ideas
✅ Know Your Council session with Dr Mark Ellis on Thursday 27 April
✅ And more!

Find out more about what's going on in the City of Burnside at www.engage.burnside.sa.gov.au

Have you visited Pepper Street Arts Centre recently? Built in 1882, the site was originally the Magill Village Primary School and accommodated 150 pupils. By 1924 the school was overcrowded and some classes were moved to the Brougham Street community hall. Two years later a new classroom was constructed on the corner of Penfold Road and Adelaide Street.

Junior students continued to attend classes in the 'old' school building until 1963. The site was then used by the Art Faculty of Wattle Park Teachers' College and later by Kent Town Special School. In 1988 the City of Burnside purchased the building and launched the Arts Centre in 1995.

This Sunday (2 April) Pepper Street Arts Centre is hosting a great range of free activities as part of the Magill Village Celebration event, including caricatures by Allan Addams, artist demonstrations and a parrot mobile making workshop. Find out more at www.facebook.com/events/537542135177734/

Photograph: Magill Primary School, circa 1900 - Burnside Library Local History Collection.