Heritage Living
03
ADAPTIVE REUSE
The unveiling of a new City of Adelaide housing initiative and a visit to Scotland prompts former National Trust vicepresident George Hobbs to ponder the potential for adaptive reuse to transform our heritage buildings.
06
WORLD HERITAGE BREAKTHROUGH
A significant advance has been made in achieving World Heritage listing for South Australia’s iconic copper mining sites at Moonta and Burra.
08
STANGATE BLOSSOMS
A new partnership with the SA branch of the Australian Rhododendron Society is set to benefit Stangate House and Garden at Aldgate, writes garden historian and horticultural adviser to the National Trust, Merilyn Kuchel.
12
NATURAL HERITAGE
Alex Emmins celebrates the man behind Brinkworth Reserve and the volunteers sustaining this popular recreation space and home to Eyre Peninsula’s first arboretum.
14
ART DECO ADELAIDE
Francine Smith explores Glenelg’s architectural treasures, after a leading international design authority credited the combination of sand, sea and Art Deco buildings with Adelaide being named the world’s most beautiful city.
16
CONSERVATION APPEALS
Help restore a South Australian maritime treasure cared for by the Kingscote Branch of the National Trust and Adelaide’s “cathedral of Methodism”at Kent Town.
18
BUTCHERS AND BAKERS
Peter Foster reveals a nostalgic soft spot for the horse-drawn tradesman’s vehicles that delivered household essentials in days gone by.
20
SHELL GARDENS
Creative writing student Madeleine Fewster shares the story behind a remarkable piece of Australian folk art history that lives on thanks to a new permanent exhibit at Millicent’s National Trust museum.
26
WHAT'S ON
Select from a rich palette of cultural events for all ages as we approach the festive season and long summer days.
From the President
PAUL LEADBETER
With my term as president drawing to a close, I have been considering the valuable role the National Trust has played in South Australian society and what its role should be in the future.
The National Trust was established by state government legislation in 1955, prompted by pressure from community members, who were particularly concerned about threats to the natural environment. At the time there was minimal legislative protection of our natural heritage and nothing to protect buildings and items of cultural heritage, which were all facing increasing pressures because of rapid population growth, the consequential demand for more housing, and scant regard by many in the development industry for heritage buildings.
The National Trust was vocal in its advocacy for our built, cultural and natural heritage. It created a Register of Historic Buildings and advocated for their protection. In 1978 the first state heritage legislation established a statutory register using the National Trust’s register as its base, finally providing some protection for places of state heritage significance. The National Trust also acquired many properties, largely through bequests and gifts or government transfer.
In recent years, the National Trust has campaigned for better heritage protection in the State’s new Planning and Design Code and for tree canopy law reform, hosted a pre-election forum on heritage, and spoken out against threats to heritage buildings such as the Waite gatehouse.
Despite statutory protections, pressures remain to demolish and replace heritage buildings. Places supposedly protected, such as the Thebarton Police Barracks, have been undermined by blatant government action. Across Adelaide many well designed and functional mid-century modern buildings are being demolished and replaced by buildings constructed with little regard for siting and context, appropriate landscaping and environmental sustainability. While there is an increase in adaptive reuse of older buildings many are still needlessly demolished, losing their embodied energy, undermining neighbourhood character and destroying our heritage.
The National Trust must remain vigilant, calling out government failures to adequately protect heritage. We need to campaign for the heritage listing of more Art Deco and mid-century modern buildings. And we need to challenge those who seek to destroy our heritage and make baseless claims about why such destruction is necessary.
The National Trust of South Australia is a communitybased organisation established in 1955 to preserve, protect and promote the State's built, natural and cultural heritage. Our magazine is published three times a year.
PUBLISHER
National Trust of South Australia North Adelaide Baptist Church 154 Tynte St North Adelaide SA 5006
08 8202 9200 publications@nationaltrustsa.org.au www.nationaltrust.org.au/sa
EDITOR
Liz Harfull www.lizharfull.com
DESIGNER
Rosie Everett Brand Warrior www.brandwarrior.com.au
ADVERTISING
Kerri Spillane kspill1@bigpond.com ON THE COVER
Cover Image: Mezzanine view of the Old Chaff Mill, now luxury accommodation at Sellicks Hill (photo by Maxx Corkindale).
The National Trust acknowledges the Traditional Owners and ongoing occupants of the lands and waters in South Australia. We respect their spiritual beliefs, culture and heritage, and pay deep respect to Elders past and present.
ISSN 0815-7871 PP536155/0036
Adaptive reuse – it’s not rocket science!
A visit to Scotland and the unveiling of a new City of Adelaide housing initiative prompts former National Trust vice-president George Hobbs to ponder the incredible potential of adaptive reuse to transform heritage buildings with sustainable benefits.
BY GEORGE HOBBS
While visiting north-west Scotland earlier this year, I was fortunate to be invited to the Summer Isle of Tanera Mòr, my grandmother’s birthplace, which is undergoing an amazing transformation. A private project is converting the longabandoned herring fishing station and ruined croft houses into luxury accommodation, despite the remote location. Around a hundred trades and crafts people have been involved, using mostly salvaged local materials. This visionary conversion demonstrates that neglected heritage buildings can be given new life without losing their history.
Adaptive reuse ensures the survival of a building and preserves its significance, not only in a physical sense but as part of the cultural fabric of a community, allowing it to be appreciated well into the future. Reusing existing structures not only conserves their material and integrity but reduces the environmental impact of demolition and even new construction, where waste levels can be as much as 30%. It allows buildings which are part of a familiar streetscape or landscape to be retained, preserving a sense of place, instead of being replaced with an unsympathetic or incongruous development.
LOST OPPORTUNITIES
Unfortunately, Adelaide has seen the demolition of many wonderful buildings, victims of what some would argue is an overly-influential development lobby. In many cities worldwide, former industrial wharf areas have become highly desirable places to live and work, with restored heritage buildings retaining atmospheric links to the past. The loss of Fletcher’s
Slip and Shed 26 in Port Adelaide was disappointing when this historic maritime precinct was crying out for regeneration not demolition. The heritage-listed shed was knocked down in 2019 rather than being converted despite fierce campaigning to save it. The townhouses proposed for the site have no relationship to its previous use and could be in any suburban setting.
The Islington Railyards are another prime example of lost opportunity. These wonderful stone engine sheds and workshops could have become the centre of a world-class development – imagine them fronted by a piazza with trees, cafes and local shops to anchor sympathetic new buildings around them. Instead they are marooned in a sea of modern shops with no spatial relationship to the original buildings. This is planning at its saddest.
CHANGING ATTITUDES
But perhaps the tide is finally turning in Adelaide, as it is in other parts if the world where views are changing about the retention of old buildings, not only for their heritage credentials but also sustainability. While there are plenty of disappointments, there are also some outstanding recent triumphs.
One of the most successful examples is Lot Fourteen, North Terrace, which utilises heritage buildings on the former Royal Adelaide Hospital site. The external appearance has been improved greatly and the practical internal layout has attracted a vibrant community of hi-tech businesses. In 2020,
refurbishment of the former hospital admission and casualty wing won the state prize for sustainable architecture in the annual Royal Australian Institute of Architects’ awards, as well as a commendation in the heritage architecture category.
A rural example of creative but sensitive adaptive reuse is the Old Chaff Mill at Sellicks Hill, where Richard Jasek and Bernice Devereaux spent six years transforming a derelict chaff mill and granary into luxury boutique accommodation. Despite its terrible state when they first saw it 18 years ago, the building ‘spoke’ to them and they naively thought of doing it up cheaply and living there. Planning regulations resulted in frustrating delays and additional costs because their proposal was ‘non complying’, however they persevered.
During a visit to Adelaide, Professor Donavan Rypkema, a US-based global expert on city planning to maximise heritage reuse, recommended modifying building regulations to create more potential. His real estate background recognised the superior drawing power of heritage streetscapes in cities versus poorly conceived and ugly out-of-scale new builds being interposed like rotten teeth.
The City of Adelaide has taken up the challenge, unveiling a new Adaptive Reuse City Housing Initiative dedicated to supporting projects that adapt underused buildings to create more rental premises and residential living in the central business district and North Adelaide. With financial and policy support from the State Government, the scheme should help preserve heritage architecture while promoting sustainability and revitalising streetscapes. The council already has a heritage incentive scheme which provides funding for the adaptive reuse of heritage-listed properties. The new initiative creates more opportunity for more buildings, with a new grant scheme providing partial funding for feasibility studies, professional advice and preparing documentation for development applications, as well as construction work in buildings up to four storeys high.
As Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith said when the initiative was unveiled in July, “if we can put a man on the moon we can put a family above a shop!”
ON PREVIOUS PAGE: Rundle Street, Adelaide (courtesy City of Adelaide).
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The Millery at Old Chaff Mill Retreat, Sellicks Hill (photo by Maxx Corkindale); and internal and external aspects of the award-winning Allied Health Building at Lot Fourteen (courtesy JPE Design Studio).
World heritage bid advances for Moonta and Burra
BY LIZ HARFULL
After years of work, a significant breakthrough has been achieved in the arduous process of securing World Heritage listing for two historic landscapes related to Cornish copper mining in South Australia.
Achieving UNESCO World Heritage status is not an easy feat. Since the concept was formally ratified almost 50 years ago, fewer than 1230 sites around the world have been added to the list. Australia has a respectable 20 of them, including the Naracoorte Caves which is the only South Australian inclusion.
Before an Australian site can be nominated, it must first be placed on the National Heritage List. The Cornish mining sites at Moonta and Burra were added in 2017 after years of effort to secure recognition for their outstanding importance as the only two areas in Australia where Cornish mining technology, skills and culture is demonstrated to a high degree.
Taking the next step and securing international recognition has always been the end goal. Momentum built last year when the State Government agreed to support the bid and a consortium was formed by the National Trust, the Regional Council of Goyder and the Copper Coast Council to drive it. The consortium also engaged renowned world heritage consultant Barry Gamble, a mining heritage specialist from Cornwall, to prepare the necessary paperwork.
His first task was to develop a Statement of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV). This essential document provides a brief summary of why a site is considered to be of international significance, how it meets World Heritage criteria, its current condition or integrity, and what is required to protect and manage it. The statement was officially handed to Deputy Premier Susan Close in June this year for submission to the Australian Government.
World Heritage nominations for sites in Australia can only be made by the Australian Government, which must first agree to place them on what is known as the Tentative List. Excitingly, that hurdle was cleared in September. Making the announcement, Federal Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek said Burra and Moonta showcased
Australia’s industrial history and she wanted to see them recognised alongside other precious places such as the Great Barrier Reef, so they were protected for future generations.
The hard work is by no means finished. The consortium is now working with Mr Gamble to develop a detailed nomination dossier for UNESCO. Expected to be ready by August 2025, the document will include conservation management plans for each site, as well as plans covering regional tourism, interpretive signage, risk management and climate change.
“The whole process has been a massive undertaking and the outcome is by no means guaranteed. Only a few of the other existing Australian World Heritage sites relate to built rather than natural heritage, and there are already another seven places on Australia’s Tentative List, including the Flinders Ranges,” says National Trust president Paul Leadbeter.
“However, the potential benefits are enormous and the consortium is working hard to put forward the best possible case. That includes leveraging the amazing work recently done at Moonta to conserve the mining precinct and create new visitor experiences, thanks to a $4.9 million grant awarded to the National Trust by the Australian Government.”
OPPOSITE: Morphett’s Engine House, Burra, which can be visited as part of the Burra Heritage Passport experience (photo by onlyjane / Shutterstock.com).
Learn more
For more information about the World Heritage bid and to keep in touch with the latest developments visit burramoontaworldheritage.com.au and subscribe for updates.
New partnership blossoms at Stangate
A new partnership with the South Australian branch of the Australian Rhododendron Society is set to bring great benefits to Stangate House and Garden at Aldgate. Garden historian and horticultural adviser to the National Trust, Merilyn Kuchel, explores the history of this Adelaide Hills treasure and what lies ahead.
MERILYN KUCHEL OAM
During the late 19th century, Aldgate, Crafers and Stirling became popular choices for prominent families wanting to build large homes on expansive acreages. The cooler climate was more pleasant for summer living than the Adelaide Plains. Coupled with a higher rainfall, high altitude, steep slopes and acidic soils, it was also perfectly suited to camellias, rhododendrons and azaleas, which became features at properties such as Forest Lodge, St Vigeans, Wairoa, Carminow and Beechwood. These gardens still exist today and their owners are members of what is now the South Australian branch of Australian Rhododendron Society.
After Aldgate was subdivided in 1882, the Stangate land was purchased by Florence Emily Thomas, a descendant of founding South Australian colonists. She left it to her daughter Florence Gwyneth Thomas, who married Reverend Raymond Cornish in 1927. Influenced by the Arts and Crafts Movement, Raymond designed the house which was built in 1940, but in the garden his older sister held more sway.
Born in 1870, Elsie Cornish began her career as a horticulturalist and garden designer at the age of 46, following the death of her mother and sister. Elsie formed a partnership with architect Walter Bagot and
in the mid 1920s worked with him on the garden at Broadlees in Crafers West, built for the Waite sisters Eva and Lily. Eva, a friend of Gwyneth Cornish, was a passionate gardener and a follower of Getrude Jekyll, the most influential English garden designer of the late 19th century.
Elsie also worked on many significant Adelaide gardens including properties in North Adelaide that later became St Ann’s College and Aquinas College. From 1929 to 1946, she made gardens for the University of Adelaide. Elsie also designed and planted the Pioneer Women’s Memorial Garden between 1937 and 1940.
At Stangate, from 1940 until her death in1946, Elsie helped Gwyneth and Raymond design and plant the garden, including creating a tilia avenue along the driveway, rerouting the creek, building stone walls and planting thousands of bluebells, as well as oaks, conifers and camellias. Some very tall rhododendrons planted by the Cornishes, possibly as early as the 1950s, are also still growing in the garden.
Gwyneth Cornish had no children. In 1967, she bequeathed the house to the National Trust, which took possession three years later. The Mount Lofty Branch
took care of the house from 1970 until it disbanded in 2019. Members of the Camellia Society, Adelaide Hills started planting the garden’s collection of camellias in 1977, and have been working there ever since. For more than 40 years they have gathered every Tuesday to tend the collection, now numbering over 750, and continue to plant ornamental trees, shrubs and perennials. In 2012, their efforts were honoured when the garden was recognised as an International Camellia Garden of Excellence.
In January 2020, a group of National Trust volunteers also began working on the garden surrounding the house. We have removed a huge old cypress hedge behind the house and planted the now sunny bank with 30 heritage roses donated by the Adelaide regional group of Heritage Roses in Australia. In the tradition of Getrude Jekyll, we are now developing an herbaceous border with perennials and liliums set amongst hundreds of spring bulbs.
Earlier this year members of the Rhododendron Society approached the National Trust with a view to also becoming involved in maintaining the garden, and developing new beds of rhododendrons and azaleas. During the 1990s, the society donated around 20
PREVIOUS SPREAD: Spring flowers at Stangate.
LEFT: Azaleas in bloom at Stangate House & Garden.
rhododendrons and Mollis azaleas, which are now quite mature but in need of remedial pruning and fertilising.
The new partnership has been welcomed by the National Trust of South Australia, the Camellia Society and the National Trust volunteers. The garden will benefit from the extra workers and help raising funds to install a new bore and build a shade house for the propagation of rare rhododendrons and azaleas.
“Having dedicated areas in the garden to showcase rhododendrons and associated plants will encourage interest in the genus and demonstrate the versatility of the plants,” said outgoing Rhododendron Society branch president Elizabeth Dobson. “Our intention is to add to the collection but firstly to improve the health of existing plants and to identify and label them correctly. The first area to be planted with new species is under the canopy of the giant old oak tree.”
Incoming president Robert Hatcher agrees. “The partnership at Stangate is a fantastic opportunity to engage more with the wider community and give a greater understanding of the genus rhododendron and it's long association with the gardens in the Adelaide Hills region,” he said.
The Rhododendron Society meets at 7pm on the third Tuesday of each month, from February to November, at the Stirling RSL clubrooms. Visitors are always welcome.
Merilyn Kuchel leads the National Trust garden volunteers at Stangate. She is also Chair of the Pioneer Women’s Memorial Trust.
Get Involved
Would you would like to join the enthusiastic band of volunteer gardeners who help care for Stangate House and Garden? To register and find out more about other volunteering opportunities with the National Trust visit nationaltrust.org.au/volunteers-sa
Photos by Elaine Bailey.
Volunteers’ hard yacca sustains popular reserve
Eyre Peninsula’s first arboretum, nature-based learning and popular recreation spaces mingle with precious remnant bushland at one of the National Trust’s most popular reserves, writes natural heritage manager Alex Emmins.
BY ALEX EMMINS
If you’ve not had the chance to explore stunning Eyre Peninsula, you’re certainly missing out! Not only does our State’s west coast offer spectacular national parks, beautiful beaches and tempting eateries, it is also home to Brinkworth Reserve.
Popular with locals and visitors alike, Brinkworth Reserve is a recreation and picnic area at Winter Hill on the outskirts of Port Lincoln, with free barbecues, a nature-based playground and an important pocket of remnant vegetation. Officially opened to the public in 1998, it was gifted to the National Trust of South Australia by Ken Brinkworth, who ran a few sheep there. The small shearing shed he once used has been restored and houses an interpretive display.
Today, the reserve covers 7.74 hectares of partially revegetated farmland, as well as a beautiful and rare remnant patch of drooping she-oaks (Allocasuarina verticillata) and mixed eucalypt woodland with ancient, densely-growing grass trees or yacca (Xanthorrhea semiplana ssp tateana). This species was at one time harvested so its gum could be processed to make varnishes, dyes, shoe polish and explosives. Walking through the area at certain times of the year, you will be surrounded by gorgeous native butterflies, feeding on many of the plants.
The reserve is supported by an active and dedicated group of volunteers who have undertaken several major projects along the way. These amazing volunteers are also responsible for substantial and ongoing fundraising efforts to ensure the reserve is maintained and accessible to the community year-round. In recent weeks, new signage has been installed identifying tree species as part of a major project to develop Eyre Peninsula’s first arboretum. A grant from Bendigo Community Bank covered the cost, and the Adelaide Botanic Gardens and a local native plant expert helped identify the species, which come from across Australia as well as overseas and were mostly planted by Ken. The volunteers have also created a nature-play space and upgraded the toilets, and are about to build a new shelter to cater for the increasing number of larger groups and organisations that use the reserve. Funding for this project has so far come from the Lincoln Auto Club, an endowment fund set up by Ken and Friends of the Brinkworth Reserve.
Brinkworth Reserve is a fantastic ‘multi-use’ space with areas for play, pleasure and nature-based learning. The small but spectacular remnant bushland area is a reminder of what we have lost on Eyre Peninsula, but also of what is left and needs protecting and conserving for future generations to enjoy.
THE MAN BEHIND THE NAME
Brinkworth Reserve is the legacy of a community-minded farmer who developed a passion for native plants. Kenneth Neville Brinkworth was a descendant of the family after whom the Mid North town of Brinkworth is named. In 1926, at the age of 23, he bought a scrub block at Yeelanna, about 80 kilometres north of Port Lincoln, and moved to Eyre Peninsula. About 13 years later Ken leased the farm and acquired land at Winter Hill, where he became interested in planting native trees and shrubs.
A foundation member and patron of the now disbanded National Trust branch at Port Lincoln, he made a gift of 1.6 hectares (four acres) at the western end of the property to the organisation in 1968, primarily to preserve its grass trees. Then in 1986 he donated another 4.8 hectares (12 acres), where he had planted many more species. He also established an endowment fund of $50,000 to help maintain the reserve for years to come. 'I’d rather see the money go to the reserve than the taxman,' he said.
Made a life member of National Trust of South Australia in honour of his contribution, Ken also helped to form the Southern Eyre Group of the Society for Growing Australian Plants, which continued his work planting trees at the reserve. He devoted many years serving on the board and fundraising for the Eyre Peninsula Old Folks Home, where he was cared for in his final days.
Ken died at the age of 94, in February 1997, about two years after his wife, Eva. Their only child, Kay, had died at the age of nine. In an obituary published in the Port Lincoln Times, Ken was described as 'a man with very little schooling who became a man of great knowledge, understanding and wisdom'.
LEFT: Remnant bushland at Brinkworth with grass trees, she-oaks and eucalypts (photo by Elliott Thyer).
RIGHT: Ken and Eva Brinkworth handing over the reserve to National Trust vice-president Len Alexander (left), with Port Lincoln Branch chairman, Doug Barnes, centre, in August 1969 (courtesy Port Lincoln History Group).
Art Deco Adelaide
BY FRANCINE SMITH
When international design authority
Architectural Digest recently named Adelaide the most beautiful city in the world, it credited sand, sea and Art Deco architecture among the reasons why, with a special mention to Semaphore. But the greatest concentration of genuine Art Deco buildings is actually found at another popular seaside suburb, writes Francine Smith, from the Art Deco & Modernism Society of South Australia, Adelaide Chapter.
Art Deco architecture in Adelaide reflects broader global trends that emerged in the 1920s and 1930s. The world was changing more rapidly than ever before. Improvements in transport, communication and building technology were matched by the pace of social change, which were symbolised in Art Deco designs with motifs of speed, power and modernity. The great strength of reinforced concrete permitted much larger windows, often with metal framing, and cantilevered projections that appeared to have no visible support. Shop windows could now be fitted with curved glass, while pubs were often faced with Vitrolite, a form of heat-toughened glass available in a range of brilliant colours and advertised to ‘last 1000 years’. By night, neon signage added to the drama of these modern structures.
Art Deco buildings are recognisable today by their distinctive ornamentation, especially above the ground floor. Characteristic features are zigzags and chevrons. Stylised floral elements, sunbursts, or frozen fountain motifs are also common. Later in the 1930s, frontages were streamlined, with rounded corners and bands of horizontal lines (or waves in seaside locations) to convey a sense of speed and motion.
In South Australia, the earliest example of Art Deco style is the 1933 facade of the Sands and McDougall Building (King William St), designed by architect Philip Claridge in association with Lionel Gregory Bruer and Norman G. Fisher. However, it is in Glenelg that the greatest number of Art Deco buildings may be found today, with the suburb experiencing a boom in the interwar period.
Built on South Esplanade in 1938, Shoreham is a well-known although somewhat modified example. The stepped-back design of this three-storey block of flats by architect William Lucas gave each flat a wide outlook. Featuring curved, cantilevered balconies with a cantilevered canopy over the topmost balcony, curved glass in the corner windows and bands of horizontal speed lines, Shoreham had something of the streamlined style of an ocean liner heading out to sea – cruising on a luxurious ocean liner was very aspirational in the 1930s.
Nearby on Moseley Street, Shandon (1940) comprises four flats with typical Art Deco features such as the staggered ‘waterfall’ frontage with alternating bands of red brick contrasting with cream-painted render, rounded corners and curved,
steel-framed windows. Shandon was commissioned by Mrs Edith Duncan, who greatly admired the Everard Court flats on Anzac Highway. Both buildings were designed by Ronald Leslie Golding, who set up the Architectural Homes Company when he was only 25. Golding had worked with his architect father, Leonard Golding, but had no formal qualifications, which has contributed to him being somewhat overlooked in the architectural world, however he is finally receiving due recognition with Everard Court added to the State Heritage Register in 2023 and Shandon in June 2024.
It would be remiss not to emphasise the rarity and importance of purpose-built interwar flats such as Shoreham and Shandon. By the end of the Great Depression building rates were not keeping pace with population growth, as is indeed the case today. Flat dwelling offered a new, convenient and thoroughly modern lifestyle. In beachside suburbs, especially Glenelg and Somerton Park, apartments also capitalised on the idea of a year-round holiday. Modern, purpose-built flats were a solution to the housing shortage. Staggered doorways ensured privacy, while insulation was fitted to assist with heat and sound issues.
When designing these modern dwellings, it is not surprising that architects turned to Art Deco, which was part of a broader trend of modernisation in the city. This architectural style reflected a desire for progress and an embrace of new technologies and materials. Today, many of these buildings are preserved as heritage sites, celebrated for their historical and aesthetic value. We are fortunate that in Adelaide we can still enjoy notable examples, from cinemas and hotels to office buildings and private residences, and to know that their heritage value is now being recognised. The Art Deco and Modernism Society of Australia will continue to work to ensure these iconic buildings remain a visible part of Adelaide's urban landscape.
Learn more
Architecture, cultural treasures, historical relevance and natural appeal were among the factors considered by Architectural Digest when it named the world’s most beautiful cities in an online article published in July 2024.
To read the full story scan the QR Code or go to architecturaldigest.com/gallery/themost-beautiful-cities-in-the-world
FROM TOP: Everard Court Flats (photo by Chris Burns); Shoreham at Glenelg in 1939, with proprietors Mr and Mrs E. Kiernan standing outside (photo by Jack A.P. Kaines, State Library of SA, PRG 1638/12/150).
Old Cape Willoughby Light Appeal
BY DEAN WILES
Funds are being urgently sought to restore a South Australian maritime treasure, cared for by the Kingscote Branch of the National Trust. Local volunteer Dean Wiles explores the precarious history of the old Cape Willoughby light and ongoing community efforts to save it.
Fifty years ago several tons of perfectly machined 19th-century cast iron lay in scattered profusion beneath a tarpaulin at the base of Cape Willoughby Lighthouse. The first lighthouse built in South Australia, it has stood guard at the eastern tip of Kangaroo Island since 1852, guiding ships through Backstairs Passage. Now its lantern room and light apparatus was destined for the scrap merchant.
Manufactured by Chance Brothers in England, the light floats in a bath of mercury, set on a pedestal, with illumination provided by a pressurised kerosene mantle burner. At night, it was operated by a clockwork mechanism that had to be wound every two hours. This magnificent piece of engineering originally came to South Australia in 1872, and was first installed on Tiparra Reef in Spencer Gulf. Thirty years later, due to a lack of coastal shipping, it was removed and installed atop the ninety-foot high (27.4 metres) masonry tower at Cape Willoughby, replacing a simple reflector lantern. In 1974 it was deemed redundant and all the machinery and fittings were removed. The tower itself was destined to be bulldozed over the cliff.
When the Kingscote Branch learnt of the planned demolition, determined efforts were made to save both the tower and the mechanism. Thanks to a generous gift, the light’s many
Hope Cottage and the reconstructed Cape Willoughby light (photo by Dean Wiles).
pieces were acquired, including 600 lenses and the copper-dome roof, on condition the lantern room was reconstructed. Led by then chairman John Downing, the branch decided to rebuild the salvaged light on a short tower at the Hope Cottage Museum in Kingscote.
Without John’s tenacity, the project faced so many challenges that it could easily have faltered, including the reluctance of local tradesmen to tackle erecting the new tower’s round, convexly-tapered walls. The work was eventually taken on by Bill Budarick, an unemployed truck driver, who laid the bricks on a substantial foundation created by the local council. Retired farmer Jack Elsegood smoothly plastered the brickwork with cement render and Johnny Edwards, a council mechanic, did much of the welding. The height of the resulting tower (9.14 metres) was determined by the maximum lifting height of the only crane then on Kangaroo Island, owned by the Electricity Trust of South Australia. A heritage grant of $6,000 paid Bill Budarick's wages and covered the cost of replacing other steel work and creating an outside visitor’s gallery. All this effort resulted in a working example of an historic lighthouse being made accessible to the public.
Now the old Cape Willoughby light is in need of major refurbishment to protect and preserve this national treasure. Failing protective coatings need to be removed and replaced externally and internally to prevent corrosion, and the lantern needs special maintenance, including re-bedding loose prisms, deep cleaning the lenses, and servicing the mercury bath and clock mechanism.
Wesley Uniting Church Appeal
Since first opening for worship in 1865, what is now the Wesley Uniting Church at Kent Town has gained a reputation for hosting grand events and celebrations. Not so well known is its historical and cultural significance. Once referred to as a ‘Cathedral of Methodism’, the State heritage-listed building is one of the few dissenting churches in the State built by Wesleyan Methodists and still intact.
Designed by leading colonial architects Edmund Wright and Edward Woods, the church is replete with ornate Neo-Gothic architectural features. One of the largest pipe organs in Adelaide adds to the grandeur and ambience of the sanctuary as a place of worship where music and art are also celebrated, taking advantage of excellent acoustics and a seating capacity of 1100 people.
While the church and its associated hall and school room have been maintained over the years to the extent finances allowed, comprehensive restoration and renovation work is required to secure the future of this important heritage site and vital community asset. A generous bequest received from the estate of Mrs Jean Lang, supplemented by Mr Roger Lang, acted as a catalyst to set priorities and establish a fund. A public appeal has now been established under the auspices of the National Trust of South Australia to raise money for the highest priority works, estimated to cost $900,000.
Donate
Now
The Kingscote Branch has launched an appeal which aims to raise $32,000 so work on restoring the old Cape Willoughby light can commence this summer. A generous donation from the Lions Club has kick-started the fundraising but more is needed. Donations of $2 or more are tax deductable. Donations can be made online or sent to Old Cape Willoughby Light Appeal, c/o National Trust of South Australia, PO Box 290, North Adelaide SA 5006
Scan the QR Code or visit: nationaltrust.org.au/donate-sa
For more information about the church, the restoration work and the appeal visit wesleykenttown.org.au/conservation-andrestoration
Donations of $2 or more are tax deductable. To pay online scan the QR code or visit nationaltrust.org. au/donate-sa. Alternatively donations can be sent to the National Trust Wesley Uniting Church Kent Town Heritage Conservation Appeal, c/o National Trust of South Australia, PO Box 290, North Adelaide SA 5006.
Butchers and bakers
BY PETER FOSTER OAM
Peter Foster usually avoids naming favourites among the National Trust horse-drawn vehicle collection that he tends as honorary curator, but in his latest contribution to Heritage Living he reveals a nostalgic soft spot for the tradesman’s vehicles that delivered household essentials in days gone by.
How well some of us can remember lying half awake in the early hours anticipating the rattle of ladle on billy can as the milkman delivered our daily supply. Other exciting deliveries came near lunchtime, when the baker brought fresh bread and buns. Taking a full loaf from the basket, we would break it in half, exposing the still warm kissing-crust. The baker walked with his bread basket, accompanied by Dolly, Rusty or Sargeant clip-clopping behind. Waiting shovel in hand was old Harry, the neighbour, eager for that little something extra that the horse might leave to nurture his roses.
Do you recall that delightful 14th centenary nursery rhyme: Rub-a-dub-dub, three men in a tub, and who do you think they be? The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker…. I am at a loss to unearth any information describing vehicles used by candlestick
makers, but undertakers are another story, and the substitute retains the rhyme.
As the collection’s curator, I am often asked what is my favourite vehicle. This is as problematic as asking a birdwatcher to nominate their favourite bird. Change the question to naming a favourite group of vehicles and it would be those used by tradesmen – an easily identifiable sub-group within the broad range of commercial vehicles.
Tradesman’s vehicles were many and varied. These carts or vans had an interesting place in social development as shopkeepers, tradesmen and manufacturers began recognising the demand for bringing services and products to the consumer’s door. The most frequently seen and therefore the most memorable
were those delivering bread, milk and meat. Less so were the hawkers’ vans, hearses, ice-cream carts and greengrocers’ vans – van being a term used to describe vehicles with hoods covering the contents.
These vehicles were most common in Australia during the last quarter of the 19th century. They were very much a feature of our cities and large regional towns, being more visible than private carriages because of the eye-catching advertising they displayed on large flat panels decorated with ornate lettering, descriptive artwork, and elaborate lining and scrollwork. Larger businesses even employed full-time signwriters, artists and liners. The vehicles were usually pulled by one horse or two, according to the use and weight. The designs were very similar within a particular genre, variants being two or four wheels, open carts or closed vans using two or four horses and one driver. For the horses it was often hard work, however almost all were well treated.
Despite the large number that once plied the streets, few vehicles have survived. The use of horse-drawn trade vehicles certainly extended beyond the 1930s, with the Great Depression putting pressure on larger enterprises moving to motorised transport. Fuel rationing during the Second World War was also a factor in retaining the horse. The vehicles in the National Trust collection survived as a result of these
two factors, and one or two because their owners wanted to retain their beloved horses until increasing motor traffic made it dangerous to do so.
Perhaps the most striking example in the collection is an Oldfields van, built circa 1925 and known among bread carters as a high wheeler. In the 1930s, its design was replaced by a modern version set on motor wheels, and therefore low to the ground, which offered excellent protection in all weather and greater carrying capacity. This vehicle was the mainstay of the Oldfield’s fleet in 1953 when the company opened a new bakery at Albert Park and was distributing bread daily to 12,000 homes in the Port Adelaide and Woodville districts. At the time, business owner Edgar Oldfield told the Port Adelaide District Pictorial newspaper that although the firm had spent thousands of pounds modernising its bakery, 'no one had yet produced a more economical means of transport than horses.' After comparing fuel and vehicle prices the company had decided to mechanise only the largest transport units and retain 42 horse-drawn vehicles.
OPPOSTE: Oldfield’s bread van, built c. 1925 (photo by John Nieddu).
BELOW: Delivering bread the old-fashioned way, n.d. (courtesy The Advertiser).
Reviving the renowned Shell Gardens
BY MADELEINE FEWSTER
A remarkable piece of Australian folk art history lives on thanks to a new permanent exhibit at the National Trust’s Millicent Museum. Flinders University student Madeleine Fewster shares the story that captured her imagination during a two-week placement as part of her creative writing degree.
In 1952, Mrs Iris Howe began to construct what would become one of Millicent’s most renowned tourist attractions. After transforming a pair of rubber boots with seashells and glass, Iris went on to cover much of her garden in decorative mosaics featuring a multitude of seashells set among shards of glass and crockery. With the support of her husband, Jack, she even created beautiful cement sculptures and mosaic scenes on the garden walls. Her work was surrounded by colourful foliage, bringing together the natural and the man-made in an artistic garden.
The Shell Gardens first opened to the general public in the 1960s. It quickly became popular with local children, and later with visitors from all over the country and even overseas. In 1972, Mrs Howe moved to Adelaide and the property was bought by Don and Aisla Salmon. The new owners continued to care for the garden and build its reputation as a tourist attraction.
Millicent’s Shell Gardens has been described as an excellent example of fantasy folk art. It blended elements of fairy tales and nursery rhymes with historical elements significant to the area. The appeal to children was part of what made it so successful. The walls and sculptures depicted characters such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Humpty Dumpty and Dennis the Menace, as well as animals and ballerinas.
Other elements were even more significant because of their connection to local history and the people in Iris’s life. Her admiration for Millicent’s early pioneers was symbolised in an image of a loaded wagon, while her ancestors, who came to the area in the late 1800s, were depicted gathered around a campfire. Many of Iris’s friends and family were also illustrated, often in attire different to what they might have worn in daily life. For example, two of her friends were shown wearing circus outfits.
The Shell Gardens closed to the general public in 1998. Fourteen years later the property was sold to Boneham Aged Care Services and the house and gardens were demolished to make way for expanded facilities. But the tourism icon was not completely lost. Members of the Millicent branch of the National Trust were able to save some significant pieces, which are now on permanent display at the Millicent Museum.
They include the Mermaid Wall, one of the most recognisable elements, contributed by the Salmons. Tourists and locals alike would get their photo taken as they peered through holes in the wall, becoming either King Neptune or a mermaid. During transport to the museum, the wall sustained some damage and was broken into several pieces. However, volunteers worked passionately to repair it and fix it securely within a steel frame for display in an outdoor area, where it was placed in 2023.
Nearby is the pioneer wall created by Iris, which contains the quote: ‘When singing our praises of progress in years, try and remember the old pioneers’. Now restored, this piece in particular reveals much about her dedication to portraying the history of the town through her art. The new area also includes some of the smaller sculptures that were saved, complemented by succulents and flowering plants. A sign donated by Jim and Louise Hyland contains pictures of the original Shell Gardens and information about its history.
Although closure of the original gardens was a great loss to the community, owing to the hard work of volunteers at the Millicent Museum the new exhibit preserves an important chapter in Millicent’s history, reviving the treasured memories of the thousands of people across generations who enjoyed it.
OPPOSITE PAGE AND TOP: The Shell Gardens display at Millicent museum (photos by Madeleine Fewster)
ABOVE: Children playing in the original Shell Gardens, 1998 (courtesy Caroline Hammat).
WHERE WILL YOUR MEMBERSHIP TAKE YOU?
Canada coast to coast to coast
From the east coast to the west and the north, Canada boasts unique natural landscapes, magnificent wildlife and storied historic sites. Explore a taste of what’s on offer for National Trust members travelling overseas, through reciprocal arrangements with other heritage organisations.
Formed by the Canadian government in 1973, the National Trust for Canada is an independent national charity dedicated to empowering communities to save and renew heritage places. While the organisation owns only a small number of properties, a membership card provides free access to more than 100 historic sites across Canada through the Passport Places network.
Lighthouses with puffin colonies, early English settlements and archaeology in action, immersive Indigenous experiences, and grand estates that have graced the big screen – there’s something to tempt every visitor.
Across Canada, lighthouses symbolize safety, strength and safe harbour. More than 750 lighthouses and 100 heritage lighthouses across the country continue to be an important part of Canada’s cultural identity. One of the most visited and photographed sites in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador is the Cape Bonavista Lighthouse. Built in 1843, it safely guided mariners to seal hunts and fisheries. Today, it is one of the few lighthouses in the world where visitors can climb the stone towers and view a seal oil-fuelled catoptric light apparatus used in the 1800s. The coastline and steep cliffs that surround the site provide amazing examples of North Atlantic Ocean waves and their erosive power. Take in the history of the lighthouse on a guided tour and enjoy spectacular views
CAPE BONAVISTA LIGHTHOUSE
of the rugged coastline. Cape Bonavista Lighthouse is also a prime location for viewing whales, icebergs and a nearby puffin colony.
CUPIDS COVE PLANTATION
Established by John Guy in August 1610, Cupids Cove Plantation was the first English settlement in what would later become Canada. Settlers cleared the land, fished, farmed, explored and attempted to establish a fur trade with the Beothuk, a group of Indigenous people who lived in Newfoundland. Since the discovery of the colony in 1995, excavations have uncovered four 17th-century buildings and more than 170,000 artifacts. Today, visitors can explore this active archaeological site as efforts continue to reconstruct the lives of the first 38 settlers. Join an interpreter for a guided tour and see archaeologists hard at work. Afterwards, visit the Cupids Legacy Centre just a short 5-minute walk away to learn more about John Guy and his colony.
PARKWOOD NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
Located at Oshawa, just outside Toronto, Parkwood is a sprawling mansion built between 1915 and 1917 for Samuel McLaughlin, founder of General Motors of Canada. The estate was designed by Darling and Pearson, a Toronto-based architectural firm also responsible for the original building (now the eastern wing) of the Royal Ontario Museum, the largest museum in Canada, several buildings at the University of Toronto, and many other iconic Toronto landmarks. Parkwood Estate boasts 55 rooms, a Beaux-Arts design and beautiful gardens that are popular for weddings. Visitors may even recognize locations from film and television shows such as The Handmaid’s Tale, X-Men, Amelia, Murdoch Mysteries and Chicago. Join a tour to learn more about the servants, Samuel McLaughlin himself, the gardens and more.
MÉTIS CROSSING
Experience Métis culture and traditions at Métis Crossing near Smoky Lake in central Alberta. A unique post-contact Indigenous people formed from the union of European fur traders and First Nations women, the Métis have developed their own distinct culture and traditions. At Métis Crossing, visitors can explore independently Métis knowledge, storytelling, history, traditions and culture. Alternatively, join unique guided adventures that take guests through Métis traditional winter activities and skills such as snowshoeing; wildlife tours and stargazing; and traditional art, dance and storytelling. For a truly unique experience, stay on site in a sky-watching dome.
Visit nationaltrustcanada.ca/where-to-visit/passport-placescanada to find out more and plan your trip.
FROM
Travel the World with the National Trust
For a full picture of where National Trust of South Australia membership can take you visit www.into.org/places
Not a member? Join now.
Scan the QR Code or visit: nationaltrust.org.au/membership-sa
CLOCKWISE
OPPOSITE: Cape Bonavista Lighthouse (courtesy Provincial Historic Sites, government of Newfoundland and Labrador); Parkwood Estate (photo by Jeff Hitchcock); winter visitors at Métis Crossing (photo by Jeremy Derksen).
Member moments: Carlsa Carter OAM
Carlsa
Carter was awarded a much-deserved Medal of the Order of Australia earlier this year for her service to nature conservation and the environment.
Carlsa has a long list of achievements in both a professional and volunteer capacity since joining the Friends of Engelbrook Reserve about 30 years ago. An honorary life member of the National Trust of South Australia and former vice-president, she served for many years on the Natural Heritage Advisory Committee, including ten as chair (2002-2012). She was engaged for six years as joint natural heritage manager (1996-2002) with Dr Caroline Crawford. In 2012, Carlsa received the prestigious Dr Mildred Mocatta Award for exceptional service to the National Trust.
HOW DID YOU COME TO JOIN THE NATIONAL TRUST?
My husband, Derek, and I came to live in Bridgewater in 1988. We have 12 acres and our northern boundary is shared with Engelbrook Reserve. In the summer of 1989 there was a significant bushfire which burnt through the reserve and three quarters of our property. The following year, stimulated by the new Friends of National Parks movement, the National Trust decided to follow that example. A Friends of Engelbrook Reserve group was started under the leadership of botanist Dr Russell Sinclair, with mentorship from Enid Robertson (a botanist and member of the Trust’s Nature Preservation Committee). My friend Caroline saw it advertised in the local paper and brought it to my attention. It sounded like a perfect opportunity to tackle broom and gorse infestations, and hopefully reduce the impact of future fires.
I was a biology teacher and came from interstate to live in South Australia, but we had three young children and I hadn’t gone back to teaching. In addition, my husband is a geologist and was away from home a lot. It seemed a great way to meet people and get to know more about local flora and fauna. Later, while I shared the role of natural heritage manager with Caroline, I kept on volunteering on several reserves in the Hills. I am still involved in the National Trust via restoration work on our side of Cox Creek, which contains part of Engelbrook.
WHY IS SUPPORTING THE NATIONAL TRUST IMPORTANT?
I think the National Trust does a wonderful job in cultural heritage, collections, interpretation, actively conserving nature reserves and in advocacy for natural heritage. It has pioneered development in all kinds of things such as landscape assessment, guidelines for the assessment of wind farm sites, the Significant Tree Register and developing management plans for nature reserves. Given very limited resources, it punches above its weight and has passionate support in regional areas.
WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO VOLUNTEER WITH THE NATIONAL TRUST?
Absolutely. It’s a great opportunity to learn as you go and be part of an aspirational organisation with people who are similarly enthused about history, our heritage, our culture, Australia’s natural heritage and the bigger picture.
ABOVE: Carlsa Carter (courtesy The Mt Barker Courier).
BY ALEX EMMINS
Meet the new team
After months of careful planning and recruitment, a new team is finally on board to support the expanding responsibilities and needs of the National Trust, and its focus on enticing more people to experience, enjoy and support heritage in South Australia.
Leading the way is Chief Executive Officer Simon Ambrose who brings a vast array of experience from years spent leading the National Trust in Victoria and a passion for promoting natural, cultural and Indigenous heritage.
“Our new team encompasses a vast array of skills such as natural heritage management, planning and marketing exciting new events that will activate our spaces and draw in new audiences, and financial and governance acumen to ensure we thrive and meet essential compliance regulations,” says Simon. “Importantly, we also now have more resources to support our hardworking branches, passionate members and volunteers, and to develop strategies that will help us manage our extensive portfolio of heritage properties.”
To find out more about each team member, visit nationaltrust.org.au/staff-sa/
ABOVE: CEO Simon Ambrose with, front from left, Regional Operations Manager Laura Evans, Finance Manager Victoria Pavliv, Finance Officer Jimmy Oddy and Business Manager Leanne Plews; and back from left, Events and Engagement Coordinator Louise Stanford, Senior Finance Officer Debbie Kite, Memberships and Admin Coordinator Michelle Bayly and Natural Heritage Manager Alex Emmins.
What's on
Select from a rich palette of cultural events for all ages being held at National Trust properties, as we approach the festive season and long summer days. Tickets are selling fast for many of the events wrapping up our 2024 calendar, so don’t delay.
For the latest event information and to book please visit the Event section on our website. Event details in this magazine are correct at time of printing.
Fairy & Elf Picnic
STANGATE HOUSE & GARDEN, ALDGATE
10 November 2024 at 11am to 3pm
Step into a world of whimsy and wonder at our Fairy & Elf Picnic. Bring your own picnic food, rugs or chairs and explore springtime at beautiful Stangate House & Garden. Dress up as a fairy or elf and prepare for a fun-filled day with free face painting, fairy entertainers, games and activities. Coffee and treats available. Tickets only available online.
Tickets: National Trust members $12, adults $15, concession $12, children (under 15) free
Christmas Card Art Workshop
STANGATE HOUSE & GARDEN, ALDGATE
16 November 2024
Christmas is just around the corner and it’s time to get crafty! Join local artist Zinia King and create a selection of Christmasinspired watercolour cards to gift to your family and friends. All materials provided, together with endless cups of tea and coffee served in fine china.
Tickets: National Trust members $55, adults $65
Scan the QR Code or visit: nationaltrust.org.au/sa/
Music & Heritage
NORTH ADELAIDE BAPTIST CHURCH
17 November 2024 at 2.30pm to 4.30pm
Celebrate the rich legacy of organ music and discover the historical significance and ongoing contribution to cultural life of the church’s renowned pipe organ at this captivating presentation hosted jointly with the Organ Music Society of Adelaide. Learn the latest exciting developments in the restoration of the internationally significant Bevington chamber organ, a cherished piece in the National Trust's collection, and how you can support this important restoration project. Complimentary afternoon tea provided.
Tickets: Free entry, please register your interest online
High Tea at Stangate House & Garden
ALDGATE
17 November and 15 December, from 11am to 1pm
Experience an unforgettable high tea in the historic surrounds of Stangate House and its award-winning Adelaide Hills garden. No need to travel overseas, when you have a slice of England in your backyard!
Tickets: Premium high tea $59, deluxe high tea (includes sparkling pinot noir) $79
Christmas Outdoor Movie Night
BEAUMONT HOUSE, BEAUMONT
7 December 2024 from 6pm to 11pm
Join us for a magical evening under the stars on the lawns of Beaumont House, where festive cheer meets cinematic delight. Bring your own picnic rug or chair and settle in for a holiday film that will get everyone into the Christmas spirit. Delicious food and beverages available for purchase on site. Don’t miss this chance to create wonderful memories with family and friends.
Tickets: National Trust members $55, adults $65
Christmas Carol Singalong
NORTH ADELAIDE BAPTIST CHURCH
15 December 2024 from 2pm to 3pm
Celebrate the magic of the season with festive music. Experience a special program featuring the church choir and the magnificent sounds of our renowned pipe organ as we come together and sing beloved traditional Christmas songs that will fill your heart with joy. A perfect way to embrace the holiday spirit whether you’re a seasoned singer or simply wish to enjoy the melodies.
Tickets: National Trust members $8, adults $10, children (under 15) $5
GUIDED TOURS
Walking Tour: Somerton Man Mystery
Adelaide, 9 November 2024
On 1 December 1948, an unidentified man’s lifeless body was discovered on Somerton Beach, igniting worldwide curiosity during the early days of the Cold War. Discover new details that have emerged about the baffling mystery of the enigmatic ‘Somerton Man’. Take a journey back in time to retrace his last steps and delve into the hints that stirred imaginations for more than 70 years.
Walking Tour: Heritage Reborn
Adelaide, 24 November 2024, 10am to 11:30am
Explore sites around the city where heritage places have been carefully adapted to new purposes with an often funky twist. Discover some remarkable transformations of heritage buildings including a former bank, a rogue department store and a building that survived not one but two fires.
Old Treasury and Tunnels Tour
Adelaide, Sundays until 8 December 2024 and from 12 January 2025 at 1pm and 3pm
Go underground and journey through a winding hallway and hidden chambers to discover one of Adelaide’s oldest buildings. Meet some of the colourful characters who shaped South Australia. Bookings essential.
Z Ward: Behind the Walls Tour
Glenside, selected weekend dates at 2pm
Constructed in the 1880s, Z Ward was home to South Australia’s ‘criminally insane’ for almost 90 years. Take a 90-minute tour and discover the extraordinary history of this institution. Visit the rare complete example of a Ha Ha Wall, a deception piece of design that provided security while softening the prison-like image. Bookings essential.
Tickets for all the above tours: National Trust members $15, adults $20, concession $18, children (under 15) $12, Companion Card free
@NATIONALTRUSTSA
Connect
Your National Trust
COUNCIL
President, Mr Paul Leadbeter
Vice President, Ms Millie Nicholls
Alice Fitch
Alison Stillwell
Catherine Peacock
Chris Guille
Di Wilkins
Elaine Davies
James Harvey
Jo-Ann Lokan
Tully Brookes
STATE OFFICE STAFF
Simon Ambrose, Chief Executive Officer
Leanne Plews, Business Manager
Laura Evans, Regional Operations Manager
Victoria Pavliv, Finance Manager
Alex Emmins, Natural Heritage Manager
Louise Stanford, Events & Engagement
Coordinator
Michelle Bayly, Membership & Admin Coordinator
Debbie Kite, Senior Finance Officer
Jimmy Oddy, Finance Officer
COUNCIL COMMITTEES
Audit, Finance and Governance
Cultural Heritage
Members, Regions and Branches
Natural Heritage
BRANCHES
Ardrossan, Auburn, Barmera, Beachport, Burnside, Burra, Ceduna, Central Yorke Peninsula, Clare, Cleve, Coromandel Valley, Gawler, Glencoe, Goolwa, Hahndorf, Jamestown, Kadina, Keith, Kingscote KI, Kingston SE, Koppio, Millicent, Minlaton, Moonta, Mount Barker, Mount Gambier, Naracoorte, Overland Corner, Penneshaw, Penola, Port of Adelaide, Port Elliot, Port Pirie, Renmark, Robe, Strathalbyn, Streaky Bay, Tea Tree Gully, Tumby Bay, Victor Harbor, Waikerie, Wallaroo, Whyalla, Willunga, Yankalilla
PATRON IN CHIEF
Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC Governor of South Australia
Cultural Tours
Bulgaria & the Black Sea: Painted Towns, Byzantine Monasteries & Thracian Treasures
7 – 21 May 2025
Led by Prof. Ivan Vasilev and Russell Casey
Australians Studying Abroad Over 40 years of innovation and excellence
Join an ASA cultural tour for a fresh vision of the world.
Learn about places you have always longed to visit or see your favourites with new eyes. Feed your imagination with new sights and knowledge, and delight in the company of like-minded travellers.
24 June – 8 July 2025
“
The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.
”
Cultural
5 – 22 September 2025
of Southern Spain 23 September – 10 October 2025
Heritage Cities of the Baltic: Vilnius, Kaunas, Riga, Tartu & Tallinn
Led by Dr Uldis Ozolins and Juris Baltputnis
Andalucía:
Landscapes
Led by Anneli Bojstad and Dr Christopher Gribbin
–Marcel Proust
Rila Monastery, Bulgaria
Silver Coast & Golden River: Art, Architecture & Culture of Portugal
Led by Dr Maria de Lourdes Riobom and Inge Pullar
