FOCUS On Burnside - the news hub

Constructed circa 1902, this building on Stuart Road in Dulwich has served many different purposes over the years. From 1902 to 1919 it was a meeting space for the First Adelaide Lodge and later during the 1960s it was used as an indoor tennis court, which is still evident by the court lines on the floor. It has also served as a wholesale warehouse, an antique store, a fruit store, a hair salon and an antique shop. Currently, the building is being used as a retail store.

The building’s most notable purpose was from 1923 to 1960. Do you know what it was?

The name “Melba” outlined on the façade that pays homage to operatic soprano Dame Nellie Melba might give you a hint!

Photograph: Burnside Local History Collection, 1986.

Look out for Spring Focus being delivered to your letterbox this week. Read it online here.

Back to the basics of inquiry-based learning – that is the goal for Stonyfell resident and family daycare provider Fiona Jackson.

Operating out of her home four days a week, Fiona is dedicated to guiding the children in her care to expand their knowledge through nature play and imagination exploration, with local parklands Michael Perry Botanic Reserve, Hazelwood Park, Bell Yett Reserve and Langman Reserve just a few of the spaces used.

A former childcare worker in London, Fiona, or ‘Fi-Fi’ to the kids, has been based in Adelaide for 14 years and remains in awe of the quality of reserves in the Burnside area.

‘It was wonderful over there [in London],’ Fiona said. ‘But it is somehow even more wonderful here.’

‘Michael Perry Reserve has evolved in such a beautiful and magical way; the team has done wonders there. It was so foresty, all the children have seen the development. Burnside has done an incredible job leading the way for discovery and creating a beautiful community space.’

Aged between three and five, the children in Fiona’s care are taught the importance of the environment as well as a deep respect for nature. Studying stream flows, flowers, trees, and birds, the children are encouraged to guide themselves through their interests of the day.

‘We meander and they lead me, they lead me down the footpath of curiosity and go through what they wish to do.

‘I don’t tell them what to do, I facilitate their inquiry, but I want them to learn through their senses. Life is so structured, here it is completely different.

‘My aim is to grow their creativity, critical thinking skills and social-emotional literacy, by cultivating a collaborative and respectful group dynamic.’

With so many high-quality reserves on her doorstep, Fiona and the children take daily trips to the local spaces to familiarise themselves with the local wildlife and vegetation.

Burnside Technical Officer of Conservation and Land Management, Dr Mark Ellis said Fiona was developing great environmental values in the children by teaching them how to interact with nature while understanding the delicacy of their surroundings.

‘Fiona is fantastic and has a really well-thought-out philosophy of nature play and education,’ Mark said.

‘She respects our sites and instils this in the children - so often nature play means destroying what we are trying to preserve, but Fiona finds that balance.’

The City of Burnside was once again named a Tree City of the World for 2023 by the Arbor Day Foundation and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, providing some of the safest and most diverse reserves and parklands in South Australia.

Fiona Jackson at Michael Perry Botanic Reserve

In a bid to continue a famous lineage, the City of Burnside has recently undertaken a treeplanting initiative in Hazelwood Park, in conjunction with Burnside Village, by planting 12 new juvenile River Red Gums.

River Reds are native to Australia and are highly valued for their striking appearance and contribution to the ecosystem. These majestic trees can grow up to 30 metres in height and offer numerous ecological advantages, including providing habitat for various wildlife species, aiding in soil erosion control and purifying the air.

However, the dozen saplings are not from any ordinary River Red Gum, these saplings were harvested from the famous gum around which the current iteration of Burnside Village was framed.

The 18-metre tree, which was removed from Burnside Village in 2013, was beloved by the Burnside community and will now be able to live on for future residents through the next generation.

Director of Burnside Village and the Cohen Group, Andrew Cohen said the former tree was linked to the history of Burnside Village, the Burnside community, and his family, and as such was an important legacy to maintain.

‘These tree saplings are now replanted in Hazelwood Park for the community to enjoy,’ Andrew said.

‘Perhaps in time when the tree canopies are grand enough, I may sit in the shade and recount this story to my children and their children.’

Harvested by Burnside Village and provided to the City of Burnside, the saplings were raised in a council nursery for over a year and provided with all the necessary resources to thrive, before making the journey to their new home in late June.

Now mature enough to handle life outside in the elements, and firmly planted in a cluster on the northern side of Hazelwood Park, the 12 juvenile trees are adjoined by an irrigation system and will be monitored by the City of Burnside Parks Team moving forward.

Friends of Hazelwood Park member and volunteer at Koala Rescue Joylene Fraser said the community response to the saplings had been overwhelmingly positive.

‘This is rather special to so many of us and a celebration of that majestic gum living on,’ Joylene said.

‘We are always in favour of more trees.’

The City of Burnside is committed to reaching carbon neutrality within the next seven years as part of our Burnside Neutral 2030 plan.

One of the main avenues for Council to be able to reach this goal is through the advancement in capacity and optimisation of solar power systems. Solar panels provide an environmentally friendly source of electricity. By harnessing the power of the sun, solar panels produce electricity without emitting greenhouse gases or other harmful pollutants. This reduces our reliance on fossil fuels and helps combat climate change, making solar energy a key component of the transition to a greener and more sustainable future.

Currently, the City of Burnside is undertaking several projects to increase the output of solar power at many of the city’s main electricity-consuming assets, in order to combat high power expenditure and reduce emissions.

George Bolton Swimming Centre in Hazelwood Park is the most energy-intensive site in the City of Burnside. In June, a 48-kilowatt solar system was installed covering the roof in brand-new high-quality solar panels to help assist in the powering of this area. In the summer months, these panels will provide a massive saving in power across the centre’s demands. There are also plans to convert the pool heating system from gas to electricity in the near future.

Down the street, the Council depot is also receiving a solar upgrade, with a 40-kilowatt solar system installed to help reduce the impact on the environment. Offices, mechanical workshops and electric vehicle charging stations will all benefit from this upgrade and help to slash maintenance costs. We have also commenced replacing petrol-powered equipment with electric and battery alternatives.

Finally, as part of its redevelopment, the Dulwich Community Centre on Union Street will be receiving a 5-kilowatt solar system to help power its daily operations, while the Burnside Civic Centre will have the number of active solar panels increased to boost intake.

Burnside Civic Centre

George Bolton Swimming Centre

Burnside Civic Centre

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

✅ Beaumont Common Community Workshop RSVPs close on Friday 25 August – RSVP now by calling 8366 4200 or emailing burnside@burnside.sa.gov.au
✅ Have your say on how we consult with you until 21 September (https://engage.burnside.sa.gov.au/community-engagement-and-consultation-policy-review)
✅ Get involved with our winter programs at the @Burnside Community Centre (full guide at https://bit.ly/BurnsideWinterProgram)
✅ And more!

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

The history of Girton Girls' School dates back to 1915 when Lillie Smith founded it in Angas Street, Kent Town. A decade later the school was relocated to Kensington Park on land that was acquired from James A Holden, who was the founder of the saddlery business J. A Holden & Co. During the construction of the school, classes were temporarily held in the former Holden residence, with some being conducted on the verandah.

In 1974, Girton Girls' School merged with King's College, a boy's school situated on Shipsters Road, Kensington Park, to create Pembroke School - a co-educational college. Today, the Girton Campus houses Pembroke's junior and senior schools.

Girton Girls' School, 1956. Burnside Local History Collection.

J.A Holden Residence, circa 1872. State Library of South Australia.

Two Burnside teenagers have embarked upon the trip of a lifetime, having recently returned from a five day voyage aboard the One & All as part of the Rotary Youth Sailing Challenge.

Daisy Braithwaite, 17, and Ruby Marsh, 15, were sponsored by the City of Burnside to participate in the challenge and the duo said it was an unparalleled experience.

'This was my first time sailing - it was a really good opportunity to challenge myself, I wish I could go back and do it again,' Daisy said.

'I made a lot of friends and we still catch up over FaceTime and are looking to catch up in person again soon.'

The five day training program aboard the One & All is designed to push participants in ways they would never experience on dry land. As soon as they step on board their mobile phones are removed for the duration of the trip and they spend their first three days learning what is required to sail a square rigged ship. On the final two days, the participants are tasked with sailing the vessel home by themselves (under the safe and watchful eye of the crew).

Ruby and Daisy said the experience taught them how to work effectively in a team, as participants had to rely upon one another to complete their tasks. These included climbing rigging to unfurl the sails, learning how to navigate and ensuring all knots and lines are maintained.

Ruby Marsh learning the ropesThe One & AllDaisy Braithwaite aboard the voyage

On the corner of Greenhill and Glen Osmond Roads in Eastwood sat the Turf Hotel, later known as Parkside Hotel. Opened in 1849, the Turf Hotel was a two-storey bluestone building with a large balcony that had a clear view of the Victoria Park racecourse, making it a popular spot during race season. The site also had a paddock with a stable for travellers’ horses. The building was demolished in the 1980s.

Photograph: Parkside Hotel (Turf Hotel), 1970. Burnside Local History Collection.

We are disappointed to announce that we are once again seeking community support for information relating to an illegal tree clearance in Auldana North Reserve. A 1200 square metre plot has been cleared immediately below 33 Patrick Auld Drive, Auldana, with between 20 to 50 mature indigenous trees chainsawed and left onsite. From the regrowth seen on some of the stumps, we predict the clearance happened approximately a month ago. As can be seen on the map shown below, this is a remote site that is difficult to access, making it hard for our teams to monitor it on a regular basis.

One of the saddest parts about this illegal clearing is that this site is a Bush For Life area, which is supported and cared for by volunteers who selflessly give their time to maintain these important sites.

We would like to remind the community, once again, that the clearing of street or reserve trees is illegal. Without witnesses, photographs or videos of these trees being removed, we cannot prosecute those responsible for this damage to our environment. If you have any information that can help us, please contact our customer experience team on 8366 4200 or burnside@burnside.sa.gov.au

Around 20 - 50 indigenous trees were illegally cut down around a month ago.

The area of land, estimated to be around 1200 square metres, was cleared immediately below 33 Patrick Auld Drive, Auldana.

If you have any information contact our team on 8366 4200 or at burnside@burnside.sa.gov.au