Clovelly Park, South Australia
Encyclopedia
Clovelly Park is an inner southern suburb of Adelaide
in the local government area of the City of Marion
. Before becoming an 'advanced' suburb, it was a farm and vineyard. It has a population of around 2,700. The borders are defined by Daws Road
to the north, South Road
to the east, Sturt Road to the south, and a combination of Percy Avenue and the Tonsley railway line to the west. It is situated approximately 20 minutes from the CBD, and about 10 minutes from Flinders University
, Flinders Medical Centre
and Westfield Marion
.
It is the location of the (now closed) Mitsubishi plant, although this is often called Tonsley Park, due to the former name of that part of the suburb.
For a time, Clovelly Park was also referred to as Chrysler Park due to misprints on street directories labelling the train station as 'Chrysler Park' railway station and due to the presence of the Chrysler Australia
car plant, which was opened in 1964 and taken over by Mitsubishi Australia in 1980.
Clovelly Park is situated on former Viaduct and Watts Creek. Following World War II
, Clovelly Park was opened up for limited housing and the bitumising of roads began. Prior to widespread development in the mid 1950s, Clovelly Park remained a farming and agricultural region with a large number of vinyards and almond orchards. In 1955, Chrysler Australia
purchased 71 hectares (175.4 acre) of land in Clovelly Park and built a car assembly plant which was opened in 1964, and was, at the time, the largest such operation under one roof in the southern hemisphere.
The Clovelly Park Post Office opened on 15 November 1950 and was renamed St Marys in 1967.
During the 1960s, urban encroachment by the city of Adelaide enabled developers to build on the remaining farms, many bankrupted by rising land taxes and council rates. Created was a small semi-town very similar to that of modern day Sellicks Beach
or McLaren Vale
. The late 1960s saw Clovelly Park and most other suburbs of Marion turn into a 'family friendly' establishment due to the introduction of parks, reserves, and in the 1970s, playgrounds. This establishment although toned down, stands today.
During the 1980s, Clovelly Park opened its doors to a more retail scene, with the opening or upgrading of a few major shopping centres in surrounding suburbs. Today, Clovelly Park has lost most of its countryside charm but is still regarded as a safe family friendly neighbourhood.
The area contains a government primary school — Clovelly Park Primary School — which caters to approximately 300 students and includes a New Arrivals Program (NAP) for young migrant students. The nearest government secondary school is Mitchell Park's Hamilton Secondary College (formerly Mitchell Park Technical College). St Bernadette's School in St. Marys
is a lower-primary Catholic school
, teaching from reception
to grade 5, and is located on the other (eastern) side of South Road. Sacred Heart College Middle School
in Mitchell Park provides Catholic schooling for boys in grades 6-9, while Westminster School
is an independent Uniting Church school catering for approximately 1000 students from reception to year 12, and is located in the nearby suburb of Marion
.
There is no kindergarten
within the suburb, but Mitchell Park Kindergarten is close by, and the suburb houses an ABC Learning Centre
which provides childcare
.
A plan to convert an existing shopping complex on South Road into an independent primary school for the Exclusive Brethren
was initially approved by the City of Marion's
Development Assessment Panel, before being successfully challenged in the Supreme Court
by a local business owner.
Clovelly Park Primary School houses the office of Family Life SA which delivers programs and provides resources on sexuality education
to schools around the state.
Finally, Clovelly Park was the location of the former Marion High School, established 1955, which closed in 1996. The old high school grounds were converted into a housing estate
, but the school hall remains as a community centre.
, a garden center and a snack bar, but there are no significant shopping centers situated within Clovelly Park. The nearest is Park Holme Shopping Centre, which is within walking distance of the residential portion of the suburb. In addition, South Road provides ready access to the CBD
and to Castle Plaza
in Edwardstown
, while Westfield Marion
in Oaklands Park possesses over 300 stores (with a forthcoming expansion increasing the number by an additional 90) and is readily accessible by road and public transport.
The largest park within the suburb is Rosslyn Avenue Reserve, which sits between Rosslyn Avenue and Beverley Street at the northern end of the suburb. Rosslyn Avenue Reserve has a playground, seating and a playing area.
The Clovelly Park Reserve lies between Scottish and Australian Avenues. It features a playground, a community hall, electric barbecues and tennis courts that can be hired by the general public.
Slightly further south, on the site of the former Marion High School, sits Cosgrove Hall — the original school hall and gymnasium. The hall can be hired for a variety of purposes, and the site includes the Graham Watts Playground (completed in February 2006, and named after the long-serving local councillor
), a basketball net and undercover seating. The hall can be found on the corner of York Street and Scott Avenue. (Officially opened September 2007). Cosgrove Hall is also the unofficial home of the National Wrestling Alliance: NWA Pro Australia NWA Pro Australia. The NWA run numerous pro wrestling events at the Hall throughout the year. The events feature the best wrestlers from across Australia, battling it out in many explosive matches. It has become a very popular attraction for people of all ages, with crowds sometimes exceeding 500 people.
On the corner of Kensington Street and Windsor Avenue, just west of Cosgrove Hall, is situated Kensington Reserve. While it doesn't possess any play equipment, it does provide seating.
Byron Avenue Reserve, which resides next to the old Clovelly Park Scout Hall on Byron Avenue, encompasses 0.49 hectares which are in the process of being revegetated with pre-European flora. The reserve contains 200 year old river red gums, and used to include Viaduct Creek before the creek was built over as part of the Chrysler/Mitsubishi development.
Finally, hidden behind units on Cohen Court and the southern end of Windsor Avenue is a small reserve containing seating and a playground.
Although not located in Clovelly Park, the adjacent Mitchell Park Reserve on Bradley Grove provides a full-sized playing oval, a community hall, tennis courts, barbecues, large open spaces and two playgrounds.
, which is a short drive away and directly accessible by public transport.
Clovelly Park Pharmacy sits alongside the Southern Clinic and the Community Health Service on South Road.
Clovelly Park is well serviced by public transport. Frequent buses run along South Road, and both the 213 and 297 run through the center of the suburb. In addition, the northern residential portion of Clovelly Park is serviced by the Mitchell Park railway station on the Tonsley railway line. Clovelly Park railway station primarily services the southern portion of Mitchell Park and Mitsubishi
's Tonsley plant, while Tonsley station handles the southern end of the suburb, as well as being in walking distance of Flinders University
. The Noarlunga Centre railway line, which provides more services than the Tonsley line, is close by and is accessible via the Ascot Park railway station to the north of the suburb.
According to the 2006 census by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, just under 11% of the employed population of the suburb used public transport to travel to work, up from 9% in the 2001 census. The majority (68%) of those traveling to work using a single form of transport relied on cars, motorbikes and trucks, with 7% of those employed choosing to travel as a passenger.
led by Andrew Southcott and the state seats of Elder
and Mitchell
.
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
in the local government area of the City of Marion
City of Marion
The City of Marion is a local government area in the southern suburbs of Adelaide, South Australia. The council offices are in the suburb of Sturt.-Suburbs:The suburbs in the City of Marion are:-External links:**...
. Before becoming an 'advanced' suburb, it was a farm and vineyard. It has a population of around 2,700. The borders are defined by Daws Road
Daws Road, Adelaide
Daws Road is a major double lane arterial road in the central southern suburbs of Adelaide, running east-west between Goodwood Road in the east and Marion Road in the west. Daws Road crosses South Road and the Tonsley railway line. It passes under one of the two diagonal railway bridges of the...
to the north, South Road
South Road, Adelaide
South Road is a major north–south conduit in Adelaide, South Australia. Also known as Main South Road, it is Adelaide's most important arterial road.- Route :...
to the east, Sturt Road to the south, and a combination of Percy Avenue and the Tonsley railway line to the west. It is situated approximately 20 minutes from the CBD, and about 10 minutes from Flinders University
Flinders University
Flinders University, , is a public university in Adelaide, South Australia. Founded in 1966, it was named in honour of navigator Matthew Flinders, who explored and surveyed the South Australian coastline in the early 19th century.The university has established a reputation as a leading research...
, Flinders Medical Centre
Flinders Medical Centre
Flinders Medical Centre is a 580 bed public teaching hospital and medical school, co-located with Flinders University and the 130 bed Flinders Private Hospital located at Bedford Park, South Australia. It opened in 1976. It is one of the major public hospitals operating in metropolitan Adelaide...
and Westfield Marion
Westfield Marion
Westfield Marion is the largest shopping complex in Adelaide, South Australia. The centre, its management and all tenant addresses are located in the suburb of Oaklands Park...
.
It is the location of the (now closed) Mitsubishi plant, although this is often called Tonsley Park, due to the former name of that part of the suburb.
For a time, Clovelly Park was also referred to as Chrysler Park due to misprints on street directories labelling the train station as 'Chrysler Park' railway station and due to the presence of the Chrysler Australia
Chrysler Australia
Chrysler Australia is the importer of Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles for sale in the Australian marketplace. However, there had previously been a "Chrysler Australia Ltd" which had operated as a vehicle manufacturer in Australia from 1951 until 1980....
car plant, which was opened in 1964 and taken over by Mitsubishi Australia in 1980.
Etymology
Clovelly Park is simply named after the village in Devon, England of the same name. The landscape of Clovelly Park at the time was similar to that of Clovelly, Devon.History
The original inhabitants of the area, the Kaurna, lived mainly along the Sturt River which passes several hundred metres to the south of the suburbs southern boundary, Sturt Road. Richard Hamilton, whose family went on to become major wine producers in the state, planted the first vineyard in the area in 1838, just two years after the colony of South Australia was founded. Settlers followed, planting vineyards, market gardens and almond orchards around the banks of the river and the creeks further north in what was later to become Clovelly Park.Clovelly Park is situated on former Viaduct and Watts Creek. Following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Clovelly Park was opened up for limited housing and the bitumising of roads began. Prior to widespread development in the mid 1950s, Clovelly Park remained a farming and agricultural region with a large number of vinyards and almond orchards. In 1955, Chrysler Australia
Chrysler Australia
Chrysler Australia is the importer of Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles for sale in the Australian marketplace. However, there had previously been a "Chrysler Australia Ltd" which had operated as a vehicle manufacturer in Australia from 1951 until 1980....
purchased 71 hectares (175.4 acre) of land in Clovelly Park and built a car assembly plant which was opened in 1964, and was, at the time, the largest such operation under one roof in the southern hemisphere.
The Clovelly Park Post Office opened on 15 November 1950 and was renamed St Marys in 1967.
During the 1960s, urban encroachment by the city of Adelaide enabled developers to build on the remaining farms, many bankrupted by rising land taxes and council rates. Created was a small semi-town very similar to that of modern day Sellicks Beach
Sellicks Beach, South Australia
Sellicks Beach is a town in South Australia, close to Aldinga, and representing the southernmost extent of the Adelaide urban conurbation. At the 2006 census, Sellicks Beach had a population of 1,622....
or McLaren Vale
McLaren Vale
McLaren Vale is a wine region approximately 35 km south of Adelaide in South Australia. It has a population of about 2,000 and is internationally renowned for the wines it produces. The region was named after either David McLaren, the Colonial Manager of the South Australia Company or John...
. The late 1960s saw Clovelly Park and most other suburbs of Marion turn into a 'family friendly' establishment due to the introduction of parks, reserves, and in the 1970s, playgrounds. This establishment although toned down, stands today.
During the 1980s, Clovelly Park opened its doors to a more retail scene, with the opening or upgrading of a few major shopping centres in surrounding suburbs. Today, Clovelly Park has lost most of its countryside charm but is still regarded as a safe family friendly neighbourhood.
Schools and childcare
St. Marys, South Australia
St Marys is a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia, located to the south of the Central Business District. It is bordered by Daws Road , South Road , Cashel Street and Mill Terrace . The suburb is located within the City of Mitcham local government authority...
is a lower-primary Catholic school
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
, teaching from reception
Reception (school)
Reception or Primary 1 or FS2 is the first year of primary school in the United Kingdom and South Australia. It is preceded by nursery and is followed by Year One in England and Wales or Primary 2 in Northern Ireland and Scotland.Pupils in Reception are usually aged between four and five...
to grade 5, and is located on the other (eastern) side of South Road. Sacred Heart College Middle School
Sacred Heart College Middle School
Sacred Heart College Middle School is an all-boys school founded in 1967 in Mitchell Park, Adelaide, South Australia that serves boys in Years 6 to 9....
in Mitchell Park provides Catholic schooling for boys in grades 6-9, while Westminster School
Westminster School, Adelaide
Westminster School is an independent, Uniting Church, Early Learning to Year 12, coeducational, day and boarding school located at Marion, South Australia, 12 km south of Adelaide. Founded as a Methodist day and boarding school for boys, the school was opened by the Prime Minister Robert...
is an independent Uniting Church school catering for approximately 1000 students from reception to year 12, and is located in the nearby suburb of Marion
Marion, South Australia
Marion is a suburb located in the City of Marion in Adelaide around 10 km south-west from the CBD. Founded as a rural village in 1838 on the banks of the Sturt River, Marion was found to have rich soil and the population expanded rapidly...
.
There is no kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
within the suburb, but Mitchell Park Kindergarten is close by, and the suburb houses an ABC Learning Centre
ABC Learning
ABC Learning is an Australian company that was the world's largest provider of Early Childhood Education services. It is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange with its market capitalisation reaching A$2.5 billion in March 2006...
which provides childcare
Day care
Child care or day care is care of a child during the day by a person other than the child's legal guardians, typically performed by someone outside the child's immediate family...
.
A plan to convert an existing shopping complex on South Road into an independent primary school for the Exclusive Brethren
Exclusive Brethren
The Exclusive Brethren are a subset of the Christian evangelical movement generally described as the Plymouth Brethren. They are distinguished from the Open Brethren from whom they separated in 1848....
was initially approved by the City of Marion's
City of Marion
The City of Marion is a local government area in the southern suburbs of Adelaide, South Australia. The council offices are in the suburb of Sturt.-Suburbs:The suburbs in the City of Marion are:-External links:**...
Development Assessment Panel, before being successfully challenged in the Supreme Court
High Court of Australia
The High Court of Australia is the supreme court in the Australian court hierarchy and the final court of appeal in Australia. It has both original and appellate jurisdiction, has the power of judicial review over laws passed by the Parliament of Australia and the parliaments of the States, and...
by a local business owner.
Clovelly Park Primary School houses the office of Family Life SA which delivers programs and provides resources on sexuality education
Sex education
Sex education refers to formal programs of instruction on a wide range of issues relating to human sexuality, including human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, abstinence, contraception, and...
to schools around the state.
Finally, Clovelly Park was the location of the former Marion High School, established 1955, which closed in 1996. The old high school grounds were converted into a housing estate
Housing estate
A housing estate is a group of buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to country. Accordingly, a housing estate is usually built by a single contractor, with only a few styles of house or building design, so they tend to be uniform in appearance...
, but the school hall remains as a community centre.
Shopping
There are a number of retail stores lining South Road, including a local Cash ConvertersCash Converters
Cash Converters International Limited is a worldwide pawnbroking franchise company. They also offer small financial loans to people. -Australia:Cash Converters International is a franchised retail network listed on the ASX and London Stock Exchange....
, a garden center and a snack bar, but there are no significant shopping centers situated within Clovelly Park. The nearest is Park Holme Shopping Centre, which is within walking distance of the residential portion of the suburb. In addition, South Road provides ready access to the CBD
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
and to Castle Plaza
Castle Plaza
Castle Plaza is a shopping centre located in the Adelaide suburb of Edwardstown approximately 7km from the CBD, along South Road.It was expanded in the mid 1980s and the new development was opened in July 1987. Attending that day were a number of local personalities including John Platten...
in Edwardstown
Edwardstown, South Australia
Edwardstown is an inner Southern suburb located 6 km southwest of Adelaide in the City of Marion.Edwardstown is in the South Australian House of Assembly Electoral district of Elder and the Australian House of Representatives Division of Hindmarsh. Edwardstown is home to the Castle Plaza Shopping...
, while Westfield Marion
Westfield Marion
Westfield Marion is the largest shopping complex in Adelaide, South Australia. The centre, its management and all tenant addresses are located in the suburb of Oaklands Park...
in Oaklands Park possesses over 300 stores (with a forthcoming expansion increasing the number by an additional 90) and is readily accessible by road and public transport.
Parks and community halls
The Clovelly Park Reserve lies between Scottish and Australian Avenues. It features a playground, a community hall, electric barbecues and tennis courts that can be hired by the general public.
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
), a basketball net and undercover seating. The hall can be found on the corner of York Street and Scott Avenue. (Officially opened September 2007). Cosgrove Hall is also the unofficial home of the National Wrestling Alliance: NWA Pro Australia NWA Pro Australia. The NWA run numerous pro wrestling events at the Hall throughout the year. The events feature the best wrestlers from across Australia, battling it out in many explosive matches. It has become a very popular attraction for people of all ages, with crowds sometimes exceeding 500 people.
On the corner of Kensington Street and Windsor Avenue, just west of Cosgrove Hall, is situated Kensington Reserve. While it doesn't possess any play equipment, it does provide seating.
Byron Avenue Reserve, which resides next to the old Clovelly Park Scout Hall on Byron Avenue, encompasses 0.49 hectares which are in the process of being revegetated with pre-European flora. The reserve contains 200 year old river red gums, and used to include Viaduct Creek before the creek was built over as part of the Chrysler/Mitsubishi development.
Finally, hidden behind units on Cohen Court and the southern end of Windsor Avenue is a small reserve containing seating and a playground.
Although not located in Clovelly Park, the adjacent Mitchell Park Reserve on Bradley Grove provides a full-sized playing oval, a community hall, tennis courts, barbecues, large open spaces and two playgrounds.
Health and community services
The Southern Clinic provides health services for the area, with six medical doctors on staff. The clinic is open Monday to Saturday, and out-of-hours appointments can be organized for Sundays. Counseling and related services are available through the Inner Southern Community Health Service http://www.southernhealth.sa.gov.au/corporate/a8_publish/modules/publish/content.asp?id=6899&navgrp=2406, which includes the Aboriginal Health House on the corner of Wingfield Street and Newton Avenue. More serious cases are handled at the Flinders Medical CentreFlinders Medical Centre
Flinders Medical Centre is a 580 bed public teaching hospital and medical school, co-located with Flinders University and the 130 bed Flinders Private Hospital located at Bedford Park, South Australia. It opened in 1976. It is one of the major public hospitals operating in metropolitan Adelaide...
, which is a short drive away and directly accessible by public transport.
Clovelly Park Pharmacy sits alongside the Southern Clinic and the Community Health Service on South Road.
Notable residents
- Robert Coulthard, local doctor and Member of the Order of AustraliaOrder of AustraliaThe Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
. - Shaun MicallefShaun MicallefShaun Patrick Micallef is an Australian actor, comedian and writer. After ten years of working in insurance law as a solicitor in Adelaide, Micallef moved to Melbourne to pursue a full-time comedy career in 1993...
, comedian, ARIA award winner and host of Talkin' 'bout Your GenerationTalkin' 'bout your GenerationTalkin' 'Bout Your Generation is an Australian game show produced by Granada Productions which premiered on Network Ten on 5 May 2009. It is hosted by Shaun Micallef....
.
Transport
The suburb lies adjacent to South Road to the east, and Marion Road lies a short distance to the west. South Road is the main north-south arterial road in Adelaide, and thus it provides rapid access to a large portion of the city. Limited east-west travel is facilitated through Daws Road/Oaklands Road to the north and Sturt Road to the south.Clovelly Park is well serviced by public transport. Frequent buses run along South Road, and both the 213 and 297 run through the center of the suburb. In addition, the northern residential portion of Clovelly Park is serviced by the Mitchell Park railway station on the Tonsley railway line. Clovelly Park railway station primarily services the southern portion of Mitchell Park and Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi Motors Australia
Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited is a fully owned subsidiary of parent company Mitsubishi Motors Corporation of Japan. Its Australian administrative headquarters are located at Tonsley Park , with branch offices in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth...
's Tonsley plant, while Tonsley station handles the southern end of the suburb, as well as being in walking distance of Flinders University
Flinders University
Flinders University, , is a public university in Adelaide, South Australia. Founded in 1966, it was named in honour of navigator Matthew Flinders, who explored and surveyed the South Australian coastline in the early 19th century.The university has established a reputation as a leading research...
. The Noarlunga Centre railway line, which provides more services than the Tonsley line, is close by and is accessible via the Ascot Park railway station to the north of the suburb.
According to the 2006 census by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, just under 11% of the employed population of the suburb used public transport to travel to work, up from 9% in the 2001 census. The majority (68%) of those traveling to work using a single form of transport relied on cars, motorbikes and trucks, with 7% of those employed choosing to travel as a passenger.
Politics
The suburb is part of the federal seat of BoothbyDivision of Boothby
The Division of Boothby is an Australian Electoral Division in South Australia. The division was created in 1903 and is named after William Boothby , the Returning Officer for the first election of Members of the House of Representatives in 1901....
led by Andrew Southcott and the state seats of Elder
Electoral district of Elder
Elder is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after nineteenth-century businessman and philanthropist Thomas Elder...
and Mitchell
Electoral district of Mitchell (South Australia)
Mitchell is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the state of South Australia. It was first created in 1969 and is named after philosopher Sir William Mitchell...
.