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It started with a simple slideshow. An elderly man, living with advanced dementia, had long since withdrawn from those around him, until familiar faces flickered onto his TV screen. As old family photos appeared, something shifted. Eyes fixed on the images, for a few brief moments, the past cut through the fog.

‘It was like a switch flipped,’ said Mike Neal, President of the Lions Club of Burnside. ‘He was captivated by the photos he hadn’t seen in years. That was a moment that really, really drove me. We thought, “We have the tools to do this, we know what needs to be done - we have to make this work.”’

‘The impact that day had will never leave me.’

That moment sparked the Digital Imaging Project; a free service offered by the Lions Club to help Burnside’s elderly residents scan and digitise old photo slides and printed pictures. The aim is simple: make it easier to preserve and share precious memories, without the stress of navigating unfamiliar technology.

‘There’s both a technological barrier and a sheer amount of photos barrier,’ Mike said. ‘This whole concept can overwhelm people. They see me do it and they say, “Oh yeah, he knows what he’s doing.” But if I can sit down with someone and show them, run them through how to do it, it becomes manageable. Once they start making progress, they can get it done.”

Mike speaks from experience. ‘When I first retired it was my ambition to get this done for myself. I had a big plastic tub full of slides. I looked at it a number of times, but I just kept pushing it back.’

To break down the barrier, the Lions provide hands-on help and lend out portable scanners - small, affordable machines residents can use at home once they’ve had a demonstration.

‘My focus is on how quick and, from a technology aspect, how easy it is,’ Mike said. ‘Modern computers are smart enough that you don’t need expertise. This is quick and easy.’

Digitising images has clear benefits including better preservation, easier sharing, and peace of mind. ‘Once people see it and fully appreciate what you can do once the photos are digitised - you’re not all limited to crowding around the photo album.’

‘You can take the smart photo frames to relatives in hospital or care homes. You can send them to people overseas. If you have the misfortune of a fire or disaster, once you get everything sorted you can get copies from family. They’re not gone forever.”

So far, only a small number of residents have accessed the program. But Mike hopes more will give it a go.

‘This is about making people aware that it’s doable, and you can do it in a reasonable amount of time. Once you’re comfortable and know what you’re doing, we let you take the machine home and do the project on your own time - just give me a call if you have any problems.’

For more information on the Digital Imaging Project contact Mike Neal on 0400 246 803.

Downloaded on to a portable USB stick, the photos can be viewed on your TV or other devices

When the Kensington Marryatville Bowling Club approached the Shed on Conygnham Street with an unusual request, our members were more than happy to help. The club, currently undergoing an upgrade, is digitising many of its honour boards - and wanted to repurpose one of the originals into something practical. The result? A handcrafted tea trolley built by one of our very own Shed members, Barry.

Barry took on the project with care and creativity, turning the old board into a unique and functional piece that pays tribute to the club’s history.

This project is just one example of how the Shed and the City of Burnside support community and sporting groups, combining practical skills with community spirit - while giving a second life to objects that still have a story to tell.

A no obligation community centre developed for those over 65 and living in the eastern regions, The Shed is a space for men and women to come and work on projects or just spend time with others who have similar life experience. An asset of the City of Burnside, The Shed programs are funded by the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) to provide subsidised low level support services and programs.

The Shed’s Men’s Program runs Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday while the Women’s Program is run Thursday mornings with mixed gender in the afternoon.

Kensi Marryatville Bowls Club Honour Board and Shed member Barry Final tea trolley

Charles Bennett, the founder of Bennett’s Magill Pottery, emigrated to South Australia from Somerset with his family in 1849, when he was just 7-years-old. The Bennett family settled in Magill which, due to an abundance of high-quality clay combined with a high demand for ceramic goods in the growing colony, was home to a high number of potteries.

In 1854 at the age of 12, Charles Bennett became the first apprentice potter in South Australia. He worked as an apprentice, and then a full employee, of John Henry Trewenack, a third generation potter from Cornwall. Together with his son William, Charles later worked at Piercy Brothers Pottery, where William met his future wife, Abigail Piercy. In 1855, the Bennett family established their own pottery on their family property in Magill. Originally the Magill Pottery Works, the business grew gradually over the following decades until Bennett’s Magill Pottery was established at its current location in 1887.

It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the Bennett's, with the pottery burning to the ground in 1940, and again in 1956. However, the Bennett family have persisted through these disasters, with the present pottery continuing to thrive under the management of its fifth generation of Bennetts.

Photograph: Magill Pottery, date unknown. Courtesy of the History Trust of South Australia GN14877

Did you know the Magill Grain Store, located on Magill Road, is over 100-years-old? It was originally built for James Kermode in the 1920s as a chaff mill and wood yard. Ownership transferred to H.D. Muirhead in the 1930s, and then to D. Smith and Son Grain and Fodder Merchants (as seen in the picture). In 1957, one of D. Smith and Sons’ business partners, Martin Wallis, who had worked at the grain store since 1937, purchased the property and re-named it the Magill Grain Store. While the original frontage of the Magill Grain Store is very weathered, you can still see the name J. Kermode if you look very closely - connecting this modern business with its century-long history.

Photograph: D. Smith & Son Grain Store c.1957. Burnside Local History Collection.

Did you know that Heyne’s Garden Centre in Beulah Park is the longest running plant nursery in South Australia? The business has been in the Heyne family for five generations, and started when German botanist Ernst Heyne arrived in South Australia (following 19 years in Melbourne) in 1869. Immediately following his arrival, Ernst opened a plant nursery on Bond Street, Norwood, followed by a shop on Rundle Street.

The Heyne’s operated a number of botanical businesses, spanning The Parade to the Central Markets, changing names and locations a number of times (particularly as the family was affected by anti-German sentiment in WWI and WWII), but always remaining in the Heyne family. The current Heyne’s Garden Centre at Beulah Park began operation in 1928. From 1929, Heyne’s Nursery began offering a door-to-door plant selling service for people living in rural areas, first using horse and cart before purchasing a truck in 1931. This mobile Nursery truck (pictured) was a very successful venture, operating for around 10 years. Today, Heyne’s Garden Centre continues to flourish under the management of fourth and fifth Generation Heyne family members.

Photograph: Carl F. Heyne & Son Nursery Van, c.1935. Burnside Local History Collection.

There’s been plenty happening in the City of Burnside in recent weeks, with our Disability and Inclusion Expo recently held on Saturday 12 July, our Community Grants recipients approved at last night’s Council Meeting and much more. Find out all about it in Burnside Highlights.

You might know that the suburb of Wattle Park is named for Wattle Grove House, which was built by George Cook in 1850 and later occupied by George Scarfe (of Harris Scarfe & Co.). But did you know that the suburb used to be known as Ilfracombe?

It was named after the home of Dr James George Nash, South Australia’s second Colonial Surgeon, which he built halfway up a hill (just below the current location of the Wattle Park Reservoir) in the coolest section of his 40-acre property, to avoid the summer heat.

Dr Nash named the house Ilfracombe, after a beautiful seaside resort in Devon. The home was occupied by the Nash family until their return to England in 1856, after which it was leased by a series of different tenants, before being transformed into a reformatory for destitute and criminal boys in 1870.

Due to a lack of space in the house itself, the boys living at Ilfracombe were also responsible for building a dormitory on the hill behind the house. From 1877, the children were moved to Magill Orphanage, or the boys Reformatory Hulk Fitzjames. Once the children were gone, the poorly-constructed dormitory quickly fell into disrepair, and in November 1879 a picnicking party witnessed the roof being blown completely off the building. In the 1980s, Ilfracombe House and the surrounding lands were purchased by Joseph Crompton, who subdivided the land into five large allotments, leading to the creation of the estates of Bell Yett and Chiverton.

Ilfracombe House remained on its own 8-acre plot of land, and was used for various business and residential purposes, including as Head Office of Stonyfell Vineyards, but the house was eventually left vacant and fell into disrepair and demolished (and the land subdivided) in 1960. The only remaining evidence of this iconic Wattle Park home is in the naming of Ilfracombe Street.

Photograph: Ilfracombe House/Boys Reformatory, c.1870. Courtesy of the Find & Connect project website

Significant environmental works have recently been completed at the eastern end of Hubbe Court Reserve, as part of the City of Burnside’s ongoing commitment to restoring and protecting our natural spaces.

The project involved the removal of a large, non-native shrub that had long dominated the area, as well as several invasive deciduous trees including Desert Ash and Poplar. While these species may appear attractive, they pose a challenge to the health of our waterways. Each autumn, the trees would shed large volumes of leaves into Second Creek, overwhelming the ecosystem with a sudden surge of organic matter. As our local creeks haven’t evolved to manage such nutrient loads, this seasonal influx can negatively impact water quality and aquatic life downstream.

In place of these invasives, our teams have planted 274 native plants, spanning 55 different species - including trees, shrubs, grasses, sedges, rushes and wildflowers. Every plant was grown at our in-house nursery by dedicated volunteers, using seed collected from the Burnside area. This ensures that the new plantings are not only climate-resilient but also ecologically suited to the site.

Second Creek plays an important role in our city’s natural landscape and is home to a rich variety of native fauna, including the rare Mountain Galaxia fish, four species of native frogs and a range of insects, birds and small mammals. Enhancing the surrounding habitat directly supports the long-term survival of these species.

We sincerely thank the neighbouring residents for their cooperation and understanding during the works. Together, we’re creating greener, healthier spaces for both wildlife and people to enjoy.

Hubbe Court Reserve - before works

Hubbe Court Reserve - after works

Hubbe Court Reserve - after works

Almost immediately after the beginning of British colonisation, Waterfall Gully became a popular picnicking destination. In high demand as a recreation and tourism destination, key land parcels in Waterfall Gully were held by the State Government, until they agreed to hand over caretaking responsibilities to the City of Burnside in 1884. Twenty-eight years later, in 1912, the Government took back control of a southern portion of Waterfall Gully to be re-purposed as South Australia’s first ‘National Pleasure Resort’. This Government department was responsible for building the Waterfall Gully tearooms, later called the Waterfall Gully Kiosk, and now known as Utopia @ Waterfall Gully.

The Waterfall Gully Kiosk was designed by Adelaide-based architect Alfred Conrad, who was also the architectural mind behind Hans Heysen’s studio and the West Coffee Palace. Conrad designed the tearooms in the style of a Swiss Chalet, and the building still bears many of Conrad’s original features, including leadlight windows, hand-laid parquetry flooring, exposed timber beams, and stone fireplace. The Waterfall Gully Kiosk is the only remaining 19^th century tearoom in a national park, and the only Australian restaurant set at the base of a waterfall.

Photograph: Waterfall Gully Kiosk c.1936. Courtesy of the State Library of South Australia B 11651.

Have you ever walked past a beautiful old statue anywhere in the world and wondered why the figure is blueish green, or even black, despite the sculpture being made of a typically brown metal like bronze or copper?

This colour variance is due to a process called patination which can occur because of chemical treatments during the statue’s creation, or through the natural processes of oxidisation and weathering.

Patination is the process of developing a thin layer, called a patina, on the surface of materials like metal, wood, or stone. Forming naturally over time, when the metal reacts with oxygen, moisture and pollutants, the reaction creates a protective layer of copper carbonate, sulfate, or chloride, resulting in the characteristic green colour, known as verdigris.

Patination is historically valued in art, architecture, and restoration for its aesthetic and protective qualities, and can take up to 30 years to fully develop naturally.

One prominent local example of patination is the Rose Park Burnside District Fallen Soldiers' Memorial, which last year celebrated its centenary.

Sculpted by Charles Web Gilbert and manufactured in 1924 by French metalworker Ferdinand Barbedienne, the memorial was deliberately chemically treated at the time of creation to encourage the patination process.

Other famous bronze or copper statues that have undergone the patination process include:

• The Statue of Liberty, New York
• The Thinker, Paris
• The Capitoline Wolf, Italy
• The Eros, London.

About the artist C. W. Gilbert

Charles Web Gilbert (1867–1925) was a self-taught Australian sculptor known for his war memorials and public statues. Originally a pastry chef, he transitioned to sculpture and gained recognition for works such as the Matthew Flinders statue in Melbourne and several ANZAC memorials, including the Cenotaph in Hobart. His detailed and expressive bronze figures contributed significantly to Australia's early 20th-century commemorative art.

Read more about the centenary of the Rose Park Burnside District Fallen Soldiers Memorial and the history behind the statue HERE.