FOCUS On Burnside - the news hub

Keep an eye on your letterbox next week as the Spring edition of Focus Newsletter will be delivered by Australia Post.

This edition includes news, events, stories and updates on Council people, places and projects.

From Monday you can also read it online. Focus And there is an easy to read word version for those with visual impairment.

Mayor of Burnside Anne Monceaux brings you the highlights from Burnside this week, including:

✅ Acknowledgment of four years of great achievements
✅ New details revealed from the 2021 Census
✅ And more!

To find out more information and receive the latest updates about what's going on in Burnside, sign up to engage.burnside at www.engage.burnside.sa.gov.au

Within the Skye Cellars complex at 578 The Parade, Auldana, a small section of original cellar buildings remain which were part of the Auldana Vineyards enterprise developed by Patrick Auld. He planted vines on his property from 1854 onwards, and in 1862 Auld floated the South Auldana Vineyard Association, taking over full ownership in 1865.

New cellars and drives (storage tunnels) were constructed in 1895 after Sir Josiah Symon had purchased Auldana and began making champagne and sparkling wine.

The cellars were completed in 1897 when Edmond Mazure, as Manager of Auldana, was the principal wine maker. In 1943 the Auldana Cellars and Vineyards were purchased by Penfolds Wines and were used for the maturation of St Henri shiraz.

During Penfolds' ownership the cellars were enlarged and considerably remodelled, particularly the external areas of the original cellars. Auldana Cellars were unused for several years and are now in separate ownership and known as Skye Cellars.

A group of men and boys in the vineyards at Auldana Winery circa 1895. State Library of South Australia.

A defibrillator has been installed at Tusmore Park as a result of a Your Neighbourhood Budget suggestion.

Your Neighbourhood Budget (YNB) is a participatory budgeting program in which residents nominate ideas for the community to then have an opportunity to vote on.

An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses the life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation (VF) and pulseless ventricular tachycardia and is able to treat them through defibrillation, the application of electricity which stops the arrhythmia, allowing the heart to re-establish an effective rhythm.

With simple audio and visual commands, AEDs are designed to be simple to use for the layperson.

The winning nomination came from sisters Amber and Penny Trappel. “My sister and I would like to have a heart defibrillator at Tusmore Park Wading Pool to help save lives,” their application read. Mum Sharon said their grandmother often accompanies them to the park and she has a pacemaker. “Our grandma has a bad heart and we want to keep her and the community safe,” said Amber and Penny.

Seven rare native plants have been re-introduced to metropolitan Adelaide in a project to improve urban biodiversity.

Green Adelaide, Trees For Life and the SA Seed Conservation Centre partnered to deliver a unique rewilding project, which re-established seven rare plant species at more than 20 sites across seven of Adelaide's metropolitan council areas.

City of Burnside co-funds the Bush For Life (BFL) Program in Burnside, contributing to the funding of the BFL training workshops, volunteer recruitment, volunteer support and volunteer working bees.

Dr Mark Ellis, Council’s Technical Officer Conservation and Land Management said Council hosts the Bush For Life (BFL) volunteers on council hills face reserves, as part of a long-term partnership going back to 1996.

“There are currently nine active BFL sites on council land,” Dr Ellis said. “We assist the volunteer sites with back up on-ground contractor support when required (eg brushcutting, debris removal, etc).

For the current threatened flora project, TFL grew the plants with seed collected by the Adelaide Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium. TFL volunteers planted most of the plants.

Council provided three hills face reserves (Gully, Themeda and Heatherbank) plus Kensington Gardens Reserve.

“We provided materials such as stakes and biodegradable guards,” said Dr Ellis. “We also supported the project with technical collaboration on site selection and locations.”

Ongoing site management of the planting sites is a shared responsibility with Trees For Life volunteers.

“Council also received plants as part of this program for planting at Kensington Gardens Reserve in the biozones. This was financed by Council and undertaken by expert bushcare contractors,” Dr Ellis said.

Green Adelaide Ecologist Jason van Weenen said that the rare plants, including the tall daisy and golden billy button, needed help to improve their chances of survival locally.

"We worked closely with Trees For Life to propagate rare and locally extinct plants, and this project saw these unique plants re-introduced to metropolitan Adelaide's environment," Mr van Weenan said.

"The seven species had largely disappeared from around metropolitan Adelaide since European settlement due to land management changes, disturbance and weeds.

"Through this project, we are hoping to learn more about the conditions and management needed to keep these species persisting in the landscape."

Bush For Life Manager Amelia Hurren said Trees For Life provided the people power for the planting days.

"Our volunteers are traditionally involved with the care of bushland areas across the sites identified for this project," said Ms Hurren.

"It is thanks to their efforts in removing weeds over years of care for the land that these locations were viable for the re-introduction of these rare species.

"We've worked with the SA Seed Conservation Centre at the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium on the selection of species for these sites, the sourcing of the limited seed, and preparing it for the best chance of germination.

"Their advice around propagation and planting design helped our volunteers on the planting days across June and July," said Ms Hurren.

SA Seed Conservation Centre botanist Dan Duval said this was an important step in helping to boost biodiversity across metropolitan Adelaide.

"The plants we've selected were once widespread across the Adelaide region.

"Bringing them back and helping these plant populations to thrive will have the knock on benefit of supporting native wildlife and helping our ecosystems to be richer and more resilient," said Mr Duval.

The project will be key in learning more about the growing conditions for a range of rare plants and could help get these species into more areas around Adelaide.

BFL volunteers planting on Burnside land.

Mayor of Burnside Anne Monceaux brings you this week's Burnside Highlights, including:

✅ Fallen soldiers remembered at Alexandra Avenue Memorial
✅ Japanese Cultural Day celebrated on Sunday
✅ SALA exhibitions and events across Burnside
✅ New wellness space at the Burnside Civic Centre
✅ And more!

To find out more information and receive the latest updates about what's going on in Burnside, sign up to engage.burnside at www.engage.burnside.sa.gov.au

The State Heritage listed Wattle Grove in Wattle Park was built circa 1850 for WRS Cooke, a flour miller. Later occupiers include the former South Australian Premier George Waterhouse (Premier from 1861 to 1863), the Padman family and George Scarfe, the senior director of Harris Scarfe and Company. The original brick and stone house was enlarged at the turn of the 20^th century, with the addition of the elaborate scalloped tile pointed turret. In 1956, the property was acquired by the Minister of Education and served as the Wattle Park Teachers Centre. In 1989 it was sold to Southern Cross Care and the property was converted into retirement living.

Photograph: Wattle Grove, circa 1930. Burnside Local History Collection.

On Peace Day, 19 July 1919, several hundred residents of the District of Burnside gathered at the junction of Prescott Terrace and Alexandra Avenue in Rose Park to plant, dedicate and consecrate the Avenues of Honour.

In 2020, the City of Burnside became aware that not all the fallen World War I soldiers of the Burnside District are recognised on the Memorial. Historical evidence suggests that some residents planted trees for their fallen loved ones, but they did not register the name.

A research group was formed in June 2021, and included Michelle Toft (Historical and Cultural Officer City of Burnside), Colonel Peter Scott DSO Rtd, Ian Fitzgerald and Ian Sando and were tasked with uncovering the names of unrecognised World War I fallen soldiers of the Burnside District.

Twenty two fallen soldiers, many of whom were born in the Burnside District, have so far been identified. See the full list at www.burnside.sa.gov.au/Latest-News/History-Corner/Burnside-District-Fallen-Soldiers-Memorial

This list of names is not absolute, and we are encouraging the community to come forward with names or further research to help us identify all fallen World War I soldiers of the Burnside District so they can be recognised. If you would like to contribute to the research they can contact the Historical and Cultural Officer at burnside@burnside.sa.gov.au

On Thursday 4 August the dedication and consecration of the further fallen soldiers at the Burnside District Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial was held at the junction of Victoria Terrace and Alexandra Avenue, Rose Park. The City of Burnside unveiled new interpretive plaques and allocated 22 unassigned trees, adding these names to the Memorial on Alexandra Avenue and reuniting the fallen with their mates.

Pictured L - R: Adrian Pederick MP, Jack Batty MP, Member for Bragg, Mayor Monceaux, Chaplain David Prior, Geoff Brock MP and CEO Chris Cowley.

Howitt’s multi-purpose business was located at 560 Magill Road in Magill. It included a general store, corn store, weighbridge, chaff mill, bakery and stables. Part of the stables can still be seen today at the rear of the property.

Pictured is the store in 1906, you can see the old Magill School (now Pepper Street Arts Centre) behind the cart. Photo from Burnside Local History Collection.

To celebrate the South Australian Living Artists Festival this year, the City of Burnside is hosting an Artist in Residence at the Civic Centre throughout August.

Athanasia's stunning works of art will also be on display in the Cloisters exhibition space, which is inspired by impressionism, abstract art and still life.

As a mother of two young children, Athanasia said she strives to create artwork "that is like a window into a garden of profound beauty and brightness." This is done primarily through oil paints based on a stretched canvas or linen/canvas paper.

"I love to create highly textured artwork that exhibit depth and a three-dimensional look, often inspired by people's gardens when I take my dog for a walk and I study the garden and use that memory to create," Athanasia said.

"During my residency, I will be exhibiting and creating these gardens and flowers, which I hope you will all enjoy seeing.

"I also look forward to meeting new people and fellow artists."

You can watch Athanasia at work every Tuesday and Wednesday during August in the Cloisters exhibition space.