FOCUS On Burnside - the news hub

Rose Park Primary School alumni – what memories do you have of school?

Rose Park Primary opened on Monday 30 January 1893, with 250 students enrolled and space for 600. The School was built due to overcrowding at Norwood. The original building comprised seven classrooms.

The first head teacher, Carl August Wittber, was known for being musical and would visit classrooms to play ‘jolly tunes’ on the violin as a diversion for tired pupils.

Photograph: Rose Park School circa 1895. Burnside Local History Collection

Mayor of the City of Burnside Anne Monceaux with the 'Burnside Highlights' from our 10 August Council meeting.

Have you hiked the Toll Gate Circuit in Glen Osmond?

This one hour walk includes beautiful views of Adelaide city and provides a glimpse into the mining history of Glen Osmond. On the hillside is the chimney stack of the Glen Osmond Smelting Works. The chimney was constructed in 1849 and is the oldest surviving smelter chimney in South Australia. It was built to smelt ore from nearby mines, but was hardly used.

The stack was later painted white and served as a guide for ships in the Gulf for many years. Mine Chimney reserve was established in 1976 when a resident transferred land to the City of Burnside.

For information on how to access this walking trail visit the link below.

Pictured: Glen Osmond Smelting Works Chimney, 2021

Toll Gate Circuit

The Combined Probus Club of Burnside was delighted to welcome Her Worship the Mayor of Burnside, Anne Monceaux, recently to its 12^th Birthday celebrations. After the traditional cutting of the Birthday cake by the Mayor (within COVID restrictions, of course!), members and guests were entertained by a 22-strong Cornish Choir, offering an excellent and very enjoyable range of music from great movie themes to Australiana.

The Club, with around 90 male and female members, provides an exceptional selection of interests promoting friendship and fellowship. Among these are a Book Club, Bridge Club, day tours, coffee mornings and guest speakers.

Guest speakers in past months have included journalist Lainie Anderson telling of the 1919 race from England to Australia by Sir Keith and Ross Smith in the Vimy Vickers aircraft; a speaker who told of the history of the Cameleers in Central Australia; a lady from the Koala Sanctuary who brought along one of her koala charges to meet members; a specialist in antiques; and many others.

Day tours have included bus trips to The Cube at d’Arenberg Wines, to Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens, to Dunluce Castle at Brighton, to the Aviation Museum at Port Adelaide, to St Francis Xavier Cathedral followed by a wine and cheese tasting at Tomich Wines; to the David Roche Museum; and shortly a Dolphin Cruise and a trip to Victor Harbor and the Cockle Train – all with lunch to follow at suitable venues.

The Club meets normally on the second Monday of the month (the third Monday if a Public Holiday intervenes!) at the Beaumont Bowling Club, Devereux Road, Linden Park, from 10 am to 12 noon. Visitors are most welcome. The Club’s Secretary, Dawn Thorp, can be contacted on 0400 886 483 to arrange a visit.

Contact for further information - (Mrs) Dawn Lamont, President, Combined Probus Club of Burnside Inc. Mobile: 0409 797 615

Over the weekend of July 31 graffiti damage was caused to several public and Council assets, including cars and the community bus. Our incredible Volunteer Graffiti Removal Team got to work quickly and removed the graffiti from these assets.

Council CEO Chris Cowley said he was disappointed to see graffiti damage caused to public and Council property.

“This senseless vandalism of public and Council property is very disappointing. This matter has been reported to the police as it is a criminal act, with the aim that these perpetrators will be caught and punished,” Mr Cowley said.

“On behalf of Council and the City of Burnside community I would like to thank our amazing group of Graffiti removal volunteers who work tirelessly to ensure that any graffiti in the City of Burnside is removed a swiftly as possible.”

Please remember that graffiti is a criminal act, and if you see it please report it to the police and to Council at Action Burnside online: https://action.burnside.sa.gov.au/

This circa 1970s view of Glenside was taken looking along Fullarton Road, with the Glenside Hospital complex on the left.

The distinctive gothic buildings of Glenside Hospital were designed by architect Robert George Thomas and built with Glen Osmond stone by contractor Charles Farr. The Hospital opened in 1870, and was known at the time as the Parkside Lunatic Asylum.

Many believe that the fencing around the complex was built to keep people in, but there is another version to the story. When the asylum opened, there were no fences, except in sections that housed people who were considered difficult cases. The asylum was self-sustaining; residents tended livestock, tailored clothes and grew olives, vines, mulberries, and almonds. It is thought that, in fact, fences were added to prevent outside people from stealing produce. This was particularly an issue during the 1930s depression, when the cost to protect the plantings began to outweigh the benefits, so the garden was reduced to olives and mulberry trees.

In the 1970s, due to falling patient numbers and improved health services, the Glenside Hospital became superfluous. The property was divided for State Government use for Arts SA, SA Health, and PIRSA.

Mayor Anne Monceaux presents Burnside Highlights

Your Neighbourhood Budget (YNB) is a participatory budgeting program where residents are able to suggest ideas for small capital assets and events to occur in their neighbourhood. The community can then vote on their favourite two projects that they would like to see implemented. This program provides one of many opportunities for the community to say how rates are spent as part of the annual business plan and budget. The winning Your Neighbourhood Budget projects for 2021/22, as voted by you, have been decided.

This year’s program resulted in 24 submissions, with 12 of these projects assessed as eligible to proceed to the community voting stage. A total of 56 residents participated in the voting. Based on the votes, the successful projects which will be implemented in 2021/22 are:

• Drinking fountain, Kensington Gardens Reserve, to improve hygiene. Taps and new water service from meter with backflow valve.
• Handrail, Michael Perry Reserve, at rear of Willowbridge Grove Stonyfell to improve safety.
• Little library, Bell Yett Reserve, maintained by local residents. To create a stronger sense of community and engagement and stimulate greater interest and reasons to be out and about in the community.
• Shelter, Langman Recreation Reserve, close to tennis courts, barbecue and water fountain.

Deborah Lindsay and her family have hosted or attended many birthday parties and social gatherings with school parents or neighbours in Langman Reserve over the years. “I suggested a shelter and seating as a great focus for the facilities already there, which could be used in various weather conditions,” Deborah says. “It feels good to know that your suggestion has been supported by both the community and council.”

Jim Muir lives next to Bell Yett Reserve and suggested the Little Library. “One of the key ideas behind the project is to build connections between people and give them another reason to be in touch with each other, extending the quality of community within the local area,” Jim says.

Thomas Cooper, a shoemaker by trade, began brewing in 1862 using his wife’s family recipe. What started as a tonic for his ailing wife led him to become a brewer by accident. In 1881, he built a brewery on Statenborough Street, Upper Kensington (now Leabrook). Four of Thomas’ sons, John, Christopher, Samuel, and Stanley, inherited the business. The business operated in Leabrook until 2001, when facilities moved to a larger site at Regency Park. The Coopers brand continues today, managed by the 6th generation.

The Leabrook factory has since been demolished and is now the site of On Statenborough retirement village.

Pictured: The Coopers Brewery on Statenborough Street in the 1930s and then in the 1970s. Burnside Local History Collection. Courtesy of Coopers.

William and Christian Elve Prescott arrived in South Australia with their six children in 1838. The family first lived on Rundle Street, then from 1842, leased Section 262 (Rose Park) and 275 (Toorak Gardens) from the South Australian Company.

Their farm was bounded by what is now Fullarton Road, Kensington Road, Portrush Road and Swaine Avenue. The Prescotts grew wheat, barley, oats and hay, and later purchased a herd of dairy cattle.

In December 1938, the last load of chaff was sold, at which time the farm was prepared for subdivision.

This photograph was taken from what is now Watson Avenue, circa 1920. Burnside Local History Collection.