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In this episode of Burnside Highlights we take a look at our lobbying efforts to restore funding to the Greater Adelaide Freight Bypass, our upcoming Disability and Inclusion Expo and much more. Find out more details below!

The slow, lumbering bullock dray would have been a familiar sight in the early 1900s. Bullock teams, consisting of as many as 20 oxen, were used to transport goods or passengers over distances of up to 15 kilometres a day. While not as quick as a horse, oxen were cheaper to purchase and care for, and also less excitable. The person driving the team was known as a ‘bullocky’ and walked on the left of the bullocks and used a whip to guide them forward.

For those interested in discovering more local history, visit the Local History Room at Burnside Library.

Photograph: A bullock team pulling a large tree trunk in Glen Osmond, circa 1922.

The City of Burnside has announced the 2024/25 rate rise following the decision of Council at their 24 June 2024 Special Council meeting last night.

Following an intensive community consultation process the Council has adopted a 9.8 per cent rate rise as part of a three-year recovery model, with a number of operating and capital projects removed. This rate would then be followed by rate rises of between 4-7 per cent for the following two financial years, achieving a breakeven position within three years.

Mayor Anne Monceaux said that this budget results from listening to the wishes of our community and making compromises.

“It was a very difficult but important decision to make in setting the next financial year’s rates rise, taking into account the valued and varied feedback from our community,” Mayor Monceaux said. “The Council listened and compromises were made by all Members for the benefit of the whole community,” Mayor Monceaux said.

CEO Chris Cowley said that the Council adopted a 9.8 per cent rate increase following a comprehensive community consultation process and that Council has listened to the feedback.

“I thank our ratepayers who took the time to be involved in the community consultation to understand the position that Council is in and the hard decisions that need to be made,” Mr Cowley said.

“Two thirds of the residents that responded to the community consultation were comfortable with at least a 9.8 per cent rate rise however they also asked us to review our service levels and asset renewal intervention levels to investigate savings opportunities,” Mr Cowley said.

Mr Cowley said that Council’s decision will ensure that the many services that are valued by the community will still be delivered, while dealing with the inflationary pressures impacting on the costs of providing those services.

“In the coming year Council will focus on finding savings and reviewing our existing services and service levels,” Mr Cowley said.

We all have those things around the house that we just haven’t gotten around to getting rid of. Old mobile phones, spare cords and chargers, empty printer cartridges and for some reason those old x-rays from 2004. All of it just taking up space in some cupboard draw that you say you’ll get to at some point.

To help you with this, the City of Burnside has introduced the Re-use and Recycling Hub to help you dispose of your old items that can’t go in the red waste or kitchen bin.

Containing toxic materials or certain metals these items cannot be thrown away in the usual way due to their environmental impact. Other household items like light bulbs, eyeglasses, loose CD’s and DVD’s, small e-waste and blister packs can also not be put in the red bin and need to be disposed of properly.

With approximately 9 in 10 Australians owning a mobile phone it is estimated that only 20 per cent of no longer in use phones are recycled correctly. This means the other 80 per cent end up in landfill, making mobile phones one of the largest contributors to e-waste in Australia.

This new free drop off point located at the Burnside Civic Centre allows anyone to bring in items that are unable to be included in red waste bin collection and dispose of them. Quick and easy.

Larger items, like televisions, microwaves and computers can be disposed of at the e-waste drop of location at the City of Burnside depot.

All items disposed of are secure and anonymous. However the City of Burnside recommends residents factory reset or wipe any digital devices of personal information before disposal.

For the full list of items that can be deposited into the Re-use and Recycling Hub, as well as how the items will be re-used or recycled, visit our website.

The Hub is accessible during Civic Centre business hours.

In this episode of Burnside Highlights we look back on the massive success of the Environment & Sustainability EXPO on Saturday, provide an update on our upcoming budget for the 2024/25 financial year and much more.

Last night Conservation SA hosted their 2024 SA Environment Awards – devoted to spotlighting the state's most dedicated environment champions.

In what is an incredible achievement, City of Burnside Coordinator Conservation and Land Management Dr Mark Ellis won the Pelzer Prize in a highly competitive and decorated field. Green Adelaide's prestigious Pelzer Prize is awarded to those who have gone above and beyond to restore landscapes, create habitat for wildlife, connect people to nature, or clean up our parks, beaches and waterways.

Since 2013, Dr Ellis has led the City of Burnside’s Conservation and Land Management Program. Through this program, he leads the management of 130 hectares of reserves and is actively involved in the management of the Council’s urban biodiversity sites. Dr Ellis also develops detailed management plans and guides restoration works by skilled contractors, staff and volunteers.

You might know Dr Ellis through his work at the City of Burnside Biodiversity Nursery and the Native Plant Giveaway program (now open for orders), one of the city’s most in-demand annual initiatives. Dr Ellis is also responsible for the restoration of Michael Perry Botanic Reserve, converting the previously weed-infested historical site into a beautiful hub of over 350 native floras.

Burnside at Work: Dr Mark Ellis and the Biodiversity Nursery

Dr Ellis has made a substantial contribution to the restoration of landscapes in urban Adelaide. As a champion for indigenous landscapes and botanical beauty, Dr Ellis has contributed to the restoration of hundreds of hectares and created beautiful places for people to enjoy.

Congratulations to Dr Mark Ellis the 2024 Pelzer Prize winner!

Dr Ellis will be speaking at the 2024 Burnside Environment and Sustainability Expo on 15 June at the Burnside Civic Centre. Talking all about the Native Plant Giveaway and Biodiversity in Burnside, Dr Ellis will be speaking on the main stage from 1.20 pm.

For more information on the Environment and Sustainability Expo, visit our website.

Left to right: Green Adelaide Pelzer Prize winners James Smith (2023), Dr Mark Ellis (2024) and Jill Woodlands (2021).

Green Adelaide's Pelzer Prize.
Awarded to Dr Mark Ellis

Dr Ellis leads a community tour through Michael Perry Botanic Reserve

Did you know the City of Burnside has a fund dedicated to helping residents care for regulated and significant trees on private property?

It is the Regulated and Significant Tree Assistance fund, also known as RASTA.

Following a successful application to Council, a reimbursement of up to 75 per cent of the work, capped at $2,000 per tree, can be made in relation to approved works. Consideration for funds up to $3,000 may be given, at the absolute discretion of the Council. Factors to consider will include cost of the works and the amenity or ecological value of the tree.

All applications must be reviewed prior to works being conducted.

Recently, a resident in Skye was assisted by the RASTA fund to help retain a significant tree being strangled by ivy. The resident was informed by an arborist that if the ivy was not removed, the tree would die. Through the RASTA fund the resident was able to retain the tree and ensure longevity for years to come. The tree is now flourishing and ivy-free.

With the new financial year beginning on 1 July, the RASTA fund will be replenished. Funds are limited.

To fill out an application visit bit.ly/CoB-RASTA-fund.

Skiing in Burnside?!

In 1978, there was an investigation into the possibility of establishing a grass ski run at Chambers Gully. The City of Burnside’s Recreation Team considered the idea after receiving advice that the natural grassed hill on Council land was an ideal location. A private developer showed interest in the project, which included plans for a mechanical chair lift, parking lot, toilets and a kiosk. However, the project did not proceed.

Photograph: Debra Herde demonstrates grass skiing at Chambers Gully as part of a newspaper article from the Sunday Mail, 21 May 1978.

In a significant milestone for fostering inclusivity and understanding, the City of Burnside proudly announces the successful completion of its inaugural Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), known as the Reflect RAP.

Initiated in November 2022, the Reflect RAP is a testament to the city’s commitment to supporting the national reconciliation movement, guided by Reconciliation Australia.

Crafted as a comprehensive framework, the Reflect RAP outlines specific deliverables to foster respectful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Integral to its mission is the raising of awareness regarding the rich heritage and culture of the Kaurna People, the Traditional Custodians of the land of the City of Burnside.

The Reflect RAP can be accessed on the City of Burnside’s website.

The culmination of this endeavour was marked on 5 March 2024, as the RAP Working Group confirmed the achievement of the Reflect RAP. The City of Burnside is proud to have achieved its Reflect RAP goals and has forged strong partnerships in the process.

Among the accomplishments are:

• Commemoration of National Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week through hosting well-attended community events and activities, including cultural awareness training, weaving workshops, cultural walks, Author Talks and an Aboriginal language workshop.

• Inclusion of an Acknowledgement of Country to the City of Burnside website.

• Adoption of an Anti-Racism Statement on 25 July 2023.

Additionally, the City of Burnside proudly unveiled Nguyanguya Muri (meaning Reconciliation in Kaurna language) an artwork designed by prominent Aboriginal artists Allan Sumner and Sarah Bates at the City of Burnside Civic Centre and the creation of Yaitya Kumartapi (meaning Indigenous Keeping Place), a collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander books and audio-visual material in Burnside Library for the community to borrow.

Reflecting on the journey, the City of Burnside acknowledges the significance of the challenging and emotive discussions that transpired during the planning and implementation phases. However these conversations have served as catalysts for meaningful progress toward genuine reconciliation. Cultural awareness training was provided to equip Council Members and staff with an empathetic understanding of Aboriginal culture, heritage and values in relation to contemporary society.

City of Burnside CEO Chris Cowley said completion of the Reflect RAP had been an important step.

‘It has been a privilege to work closely with our Kaurna representatives, Mayor, Council Members and staff to deliver the projects contained in our Reflect RAP as we progress on our reconciliation journey.’

Left to right: Mayor Anne Monceaux, Cr Kerry Hallett, Lynette Crocker and Jeffrey Newchurch.

Indigenous smoking ceremony held during a cultural walk in Michael Perry Reserve.

An inhabitant of Burnside’s reserves and wetlands, a native frog has recently been classified as a new species.

Thanks to scientists with the Australian Museum and community amphibian enthusiasts associated with the FrogID Project, the Brown Tree Frog (Litoria ewingii) native to south-eastern Australia, has been found to consist of three geographically isolated species, not a single species as originally thought.

Found along the southern parts of NSW, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia, the Brown Tree Frog can be found thriving in urban gardens and parklands.

Following the study which included audio analysis and DNA testing, the Australian Museum found the three species evolved from a common ancestor over two million years ago.

Two recordings from the FrogID project, recorded in the City of Burnside, were used in the acoustic analysis for the project – one from an unknown property near Bell Yett Reserve and another from near Willowbridge Reserve.

The two newly classified species are the South Australian Tree Frog (Litoria calliscelis) which is found in the Mount Lofty Ranges, Fleurieu Peninsula and Adelaide coastal plain (including Burnside) and the Kangaroo Island Tree Frog (Litoria sibilus), which as the name suggests, is found solely on Kangaroo Island.

Kensington Gardens and Magill Councillor Kerry Hallett is a member of the FrogID Project and said frog population growth in the area was a positive sign.

‘It is a sign the water is clean and the environment is flourishing.’

Cr Kerry Hallett at Kensington Wama. Inset: South Australian Tree Frog (Litoria calliscelis).

Inset image credit: Tom Hunt via iNaturalist.