FOCUS On Burnside - the news hub

Did you know that Barr Smith House, located at Seymour College, was once known as Wooton Lea? Francis Hardy Faulding (1816 - 1868), who founded Faulding 180 years ago in May 1845, built Wooton Lea in 1861 in Glen Osmond. The large stone house was designed by local architect James MacGeorge (1835 - 1918) and included seventeen rooms, with a kitchen and laundry and an extensive garden. MacGeorge is also known for his work designing the first part of the Savings Bank of South Australia on King William Street.

The third owner of Wooton Lea, Arthur Crossing (1871 - 1952), sold the mansion in 1921 to Presbyterian Girls’ College, now known as Seymour College. Since 1938, the house has been known as Barr Smith House. In 1989, it was confirmed as a State Heritage Place.

Photograph: Wooton Lea, 1874. Burnside Local History Collection.

There’s plenty happening in the City of Burnside this month, with South Australia’s History Festival ongoing, our Environment Expo on Saturday 17 May, and our upcoming drop-in session for the 2025/26 Draft Annual Business Plan and Budget on Wednesday 14 May.

If you haven’t had your say on the 25/26 budget or have some questions, we invite you to visit the Burnside Civic Centre between 6 pm – 8 pm on Wednesday 14 May for our drop-in session. At this session you’ll have the opportunity to ask one-on-one questions and chat with staff about the budget, find out how your rates are calculated, submit your response to the budget consultation and more. We hope to see you there!

Rose Park stands out as one of the city's most well preserved 19th century suburbs, with its streets lined by charming stone villas and cottages. In 1838, the South Australian Company acquired the land that would become Rose Park. By 1840, it was leased to William Prescott and his family, who established a wheat farm and dairy operation. Their farmhouse and outbuildings were located near what is now Prescott Terrace.

Named after Sir John Rose, Chairman of the South Australian Company, the suburb of Rose Park was gradually developed into a residential area in stages between 1878 and 1909. One of the suburb's distinctive features is its night cart lanes - narrow alleys once designated for the collection and disposal of waste. These lanes were historically used by night carts, horse-drawn vehicles that carried away household waste during the night.

Photograph: Prescott Farm circa 1890, courtesy of State Library of South Australia B8010.

For the first time in the history of the George Bolton Swimming Centre a winter swim season has come to the City of Burnside.

With the closure of the Adelaide Aquatic Centre (ACC) in North Adelaide, the State Government has requested the City of Burnside continue operation of the George Bolton Swimming Centre through the winter season to accommodate the increased demand for alternative aquatic facilities in the metropolitan area.

Commencing on Monday 28 April the new winter swim season allows pool users to utilise the eight lap lanes in the main 50m pool across two sessions, morning and afternoon. The main pool will remain open for community use, with space allocated for club training, lap swimming and gentle exercise only.

The learner pool, toddler pool and playground will be closed throughout the winter season.

This change has been implemented on the basis that the initiative does not result in increased costs to Council or ratepayers, with additional expenses being fully offset by the Office of Recreation, Sport and Racing (ORSR).

Opened in 1966, the George Bolton Swimming Centre’s inaugural lap was swum by Olympian Dawn Fraser and today welcomes nearly 100,000 visitors per year, making it one of the City of Burnside’s most popular facilities.

Burnside resident and frequent swimmer at George Bolton Swimming Centre, Adrian said he expects the extended season to be a popular choice especially amongst pool regulars.

‘I usually come to George Bolton Swimming Centre five times per week,’ Adrian said. ‘That will continue in winter, I may drop off slightly.’

‘Most of the regulars will continue to come and I would think many others who frequent other pools will also migrate over.’

‘It might be a bit chilly when you get out, but the water itself is always warm.’

Current season pass holders will continue to be able to utilise their membership during this time span. While non-members can either purchase a season pass or pay per use.

The City of Burnside looks forward to welcoming you to George Bolton Swimming Centre. Happy swimming!

Visit Council’s website for more information on opening hours and lane availability.

Committed to providing opportunities for youth to achieve their best outcomes, the City of Burnside continues to support outstanding individuals through the Quick Response Grants program.

With the goal of supporting the future leaders of our community, these small grants of up to $500 provide financial assistance to residents to overcome otherwise limiting barriers that would prevent their attendance.

Recent grant recipients include Ava,17, who received funds to assist her with competing at the 2024 AusCycling Elite and U19 Track National Championships as a representative for South Australia. Utilising the grant funds to help cover equipment, flights and accommodation, Ava travelled to Brisbane to compete and achieved stunning results.

Ava placed:

• 1^st – Team Pursuit (state record)
• 2^nd – Madison (relay)
• 5^th – Scratch Race
• 6^th – Individual Pursuit

A second recipient of the Quick Response Grant program was resident and Flinders University student James, who thanks to the grant was able to attend the Humanitarian Affairs Global Peace Summit in Bangkok, acting as a Humanitarian Affairs Peace Ambassador. Utilising the grant James received funding to help with covering his registration fees and flights.

At the Summit James was privileged to hear from numerous guest speakers, all of whom shared the goal of encouraging the next generation to create a more peaceful and compassionate future. Speakers included Dr Manal Omar, a prominent human rights activist and Niemat Ahmadi, a survivor of the Darfur Genocide.

‘The conference provided an unrivalled opportunity to engage and network with people, and create a global network of likeminded people, including several of the speakers,’ James said. ‘The conference provided a great springboard off of which to begin my year as a Peace Ambassador and encouraged myself (and the countless other delegates) to become more involved in politics and foreign affairs at whatever level we are able.’

Congratulations to both Ava and James on their achievements.

The Quick Response Grants program is available to individuals, community groups and community organisations who meet the selection criteria. Applications are open until funds are exhausted. See the City of Burnside website for more details and application criteria.

Ava and her Madison team at the Track National Championships

James at the Global Peace Summit

In partnership with the City of Burnside, the Lions Club of Burnside and Dementia Australia, the Burnside Memory Café is a support and educational based initiative to assist attendees looking for insights and advice on living with dementia.

Held on the second Friday of every month at the Dulwich Community Centre, the Burnside Memory Café gives you the chance to engage with the community, listen to guest speakers and connect with others going through similar life experiences, all while enjoying a free morning tea.

Open to anyone, the Burnside Memory Café is a safe space designed to advocate for those who are affected by dementia including carers, family and friends.

Led by President of the Burnside Lions Club and 2025 Award for Active Citizenship recipient at the City of Burnside Australia Day awards, Mike Neal is passionate about the program and providing a service that he believes has been lacking in the area.

‘When you look at demographics, if there is anywhere in Adelaide that needs a dementia support group, it is Burnside, and there isn’t one,’ Mike said. ‘We needed to fix that.’

‘We looked at similar community groups in other districts and the impact they were having on people. Seeing that firsthand, we knew we had to make this work.’

‘I want this to be something people look forward to coming to. There is an educational aspect to this, but first and foremost this is social interaction. You are spending time with people who have similar issues to deal with. There are a lot of resources, and rightly so their focus is on the person living with dementia, but I want this group to have an equal focus on supporting those who are supporting loved ones with dementia.’

Still in the early stages of development, the group is looking to grow its numbers with the hope of becoming self-sustaining in the near future and independent from the City of Burnside and the Burnside Lions.

‘We are always welcoming new people. We find once we get people here, they keep coming back,’ Mike said.

‘We are here to help. We are here to provide an environment you are going to enjoy.’

Guest presence is vital to the collective efforts to support and advocate for those affected by dementia. Guests are welcome to bring along any friends or family who might be interested in joining.

For more information and dates for the Burnside Memory Café visit bit.ly/BurnsideMemoryCafe or contact Mike Neal on 0400 246 803.

The Burnside Memory Café meets on the second Friday of every month at the Dulwich Community Centre.

For Burnside residents who find it difficult to visit the Library, the Burnside Home Library Service is much more than just books - it’s a lifeline to learning, companionship and community.

About to celebrate 50 years of service, the Home Library continues to have an impact on many of the City of Burnside’s isolated residents.

The service delivers Library materials directly to your front door, supporting those affected by illness, frailty, disability or caring responsibilities. Whether it’s a stack of thrillers or the latest biography, items are selected based on individual preferences and delivered by knowledgeable and friendly staff.

For Alma, a resident of Leabrook, the service has been nothing short of transformative.

‘These ladies are wonderful,’ Alma said. ‘We discuss different books and they make suggestions they know I will like. I’ve discovered authors I would never have picked up otherwise.’

Having downsized over the years, Alma no longer has the space to build her own collection, making the library’s regular visits a welcome alternative.

‘This service helps keep my mind alert, learning and alive. It is an incredible service to the community. I can’t say enough about them.’

But it’s not just about the books, the Burnside Home Library Service also serves as a social touchpoint for many in the community.

‘Sometimes they’re the only people you have,’ Alma said. ‘You need human contact and I can count on these beautiful ladies.’

Ian, a Kensington Park resident who has been a member of the Home Library Service for over 20 years, shares a similar sentiment. A devoted reader, Ian has read roughly 975 books through the Home Library Service since 2017. Now a spy and thriller reader, Ian used to focus more on the non-fiction section, with economics, politics and current affairs as his go to read – an evolution he attributes in part to the Home Library staff.

‘The staff provide a service that’s vital to an older community,’ Ian said. ‘It’s not just about the books - it’s social work. It gives people connection, especially when you’re on your own.’

Whether it's staying mentally sharp, discovering new stories, or simply hearing a friendly voice at the door, the Burnside Home Library Service is helping to turn pages and brighten days for residents across the city.

If you or a family member would be interested in signing up for the Home Library Service, give the Burnside Library a call on 8366 4280 or apply online.

Alma of Leabrook Ian of Kensington Park

Since 2022, residents in Queen Victoria apartments have composted over 24 tonnes of food scraps and compostable packaging through their green organics bins. That’s the same weight as 18 Toyota Corollas!

Many apartments miss out on the standard three-bin system due to space and service limitations. To help bridge the gap and promote organics recycling, Council contributes to the cost of waste services in eligible apartment buildings.

Residents are embracing the change and looking for even more ways to reduce what ends up in landfill. Chris, a resident at Queen Victoria Apartments said the group was always improving.

‘Those of us who are promoting recycling in our building, are delighted in our overall progress, which doesn’t stop, but we continue to improve.’

Composting food waste is not only better for the environment, but also five times cheaper than sending it to landfill. Less food in landfill means lower costs and a more sustainable community.

Today, Mount Osmond is known for its stunning views of the Adelaide CBD. The suburb is named after Osmond Gilles (1788-1866), a colonial treasurer and pioneering figure in South Australia’s early development. Initially, the area was characterised by mining and cattle grazing, followed by attempts at urbanisation in the 1880s, which did not gain significant momentum at the time.

A key moment in the suburb’s development occurred in 1930 with the founding of the Mount Osmond Country Club. Initiated by Henry Eoin Sydney Melbourne, District Engineer of the Burnside District Council, and supported by a group of local residents and councillors, the club was established on land originally earmarked for residential development. The group, however, made the decision to reserve the most scenic areas for a golf course, while selling off the remaining land for other development.

Photograph: Golfers at the Mount Osmond Country Club grounds, 1940s. Courtesy of the Eastern Courier.

In this episode of Burnside Highlights we catch up with our first ever biodiversity volunteer, Christine Baillie, who has been a volunteer with the City of Burnside for 25 years. Chris has been nominated for a National Award for Local Government in the Women in Local Government category, and it was our pleasure to catch up with her to find out about her role.

Every Wednesday from 9 am – 12 pm the Biodiversity Volunteer team work hard tending to Waterfall Gully Reserve along First Creek, ensuring the area is clear of weeds and debris to allow for native species to grow. This group’s work is vital in ensuring the reserve remains a beautiful, diverse open space that is accessible to wildlife and visitors.