Crafers, South Australia
Encyclopedia
The town of Crafers is located in the Adelaide Hills
to the southeast of Adelaide
, South Australia
. Although technically considered to be an outer suburb of Adelaide, with many residents commuting to the city to work, locals consider Crafers to be more a suburb of the nearby township of Stirling
.
was known as the Tiers, infamous for being the haunt of numerous Tiersmen and woodcutters on the run from authorities in Adelaide.
The historic Crafers Primary School was first established in the area in 1865 by Mr Edward Smith. The school was initially located in small premises in Atkinson Road, and then moved to its present location in Piccadilly Road in 1928. The historic stone and brick building was opened on 31 August of that year. The late 1970s saw extensive upgrading of the school facilities under Principal Allan Stanley-Smith, including construction of the Ruth Beare Hall in 1976 named after Ruth Beare who taught at the school from 1937 to 1944 and 1947 to 1975.
The Church of the Epiphany, Epiphany Place, Crafers has played a prominent role in the life of the district since it was built in 1878. It has a splendid music tradition, a lively choir and one of the finest pipe-organs in South Australia. The Church of the Epiphany is a favourite church for many couples for their marriage service.
For many years Crafers was well known for being the start point of the South Eastern Freeway
linking Adelaide with the town of Murray Bridge, and to the Princes Highway
leading to Melbourne
. It wasn't until 2000 that the Heysen Tunnels
was completed to extend the freeway to Glen Osmond on the outskirts of Adelaide. Prior to the tunnel opening, the windy road from Adelaide to Glen Osmond via Eagle On The Hill
was frequently the scene of horrific vehicle accidents, often involving semi-trailers.
The Mount Lofty Botanic Garden
is nestled in the hills behind Crafers. The gardens, opened in 1977, include an extensive mix of European and Australian native plants and are at their finest in the spring months.
On 16 February 1983, Crafers was hard hit by the Ash Wednesday bushfires. Many homes adjacent to bushland on the western side of the suburb were destroyed as the fire came roaring out of Cleland Conservation Park
, and the devastation would have been much worse if a change in weather had not occurred right when the township of Crafers itself was being threatened. A memorial on Mount Lofty Summit is dedicated to those in the Adelaide Hills who lost their lives that day.
Crafers is under the administration of the Adelaide Hills Council
, and is in the state electoral district of Heysen
and the federal electorate of Mayo
.
Adelaide Hills
The Adelaide Hills are part of the Mount Lofty Ranges, east of the city of Adelaide in the state of South Australia. It is unofficially centred on the largest town in the area, Mount Barker, which has a population of around 29,000 and is also one of Australia's fastest growing towns.- History :The...
to the southeast of Adelaide
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...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. Although technically considered to be an outer suburb of Adelaide, with many residents commuting to the city to work, locals consider Crafers to be more a suburb of the nearby township of Stirling
Stirling, South Australia
Stirling is a town located in the Adelaide Hills. It is administered by the Adelaide Hills Council. Its population is about 2500, though the town has largely merged with neighbouring townships such as Crafers and Aldgate. The towns closely surrounding it are: Aldgate, Crafers, Bridgewater and...
.
History
Crafers was named after David Crafer, who arrived in Adelaide in 1838 and moved to the area. With his wife he established an inn, the Sawyers Arms, in 1839 three years after South Australia was first settled. He then built the Norfolk Arms on 16 acres (6 ha) in 1840 with banquet seating for 150. He moved to Adelaide and sold the Norfolk Arms in 1842, at which point it was known as The Crafers Inn. A new hotel was built on the site in 1880, remaining into the 21st century as The Crafers Inn, but the original building was burned down in 1926. At the time the area at the foot of nearby Mount LoftyMount Lofty
Mount Lofty is the highest point in the Mount Lofty Ranges. It is located about 15km east of the centre of the city of Adelaide in South Australia and gives unrivalled panoramic views of the city and the Adelaide plains and foothills. It was first climbed by a European when explorer Collet Barker...
was known as the Tiers, infamous for being the haunt of numerous Tiersmen and woodcutters on the run from authorities in Adelaide.
The historic Crafers Primary School was first established in the area in 1865 by Mr Edward Smith. The school was initially located in small premises in Atkinson Road, and then moved to its present location in Piccadilly Road in 1928. The historic stone and brick building was opened on 31 August of that year. The late 1970s saw extensive upgrading of the school facilities under Principal Allan Stanley-Smith, including construction of the Ruth Beare Hall in 1976 named after Ruth Beare who taught at the school from 1937 to 1944 and 1947 to 1975.
The Church of the Epiphany, Epiphany Place, Crafers has played a prominent role in the life of the district since it was built in 1878. It has a splendid music tradition, a lively choir and one of the finest pipe-organs in South Australia. The Church of the Epiphany is a favourite church for many couples for their marriage service.
For many years Crafers was well known for being the start point of the South Eastern Freeway
South Eastern Freeway
The South Eastern Freeway is a 66 kilometre four-lane divided carriageway road in South Australia linking the Adelaide-Crafers Highway to the Princes Highway at the Swanport Bridge, a one kilometre long bridge over the River Murray, near Murray Bridge...
linking Adelaide with the town of Murray Bridge, and to the Princes Highway
Princes Highway
The Princes Highway extends from Sydney to Port Augusta via the coast through the states of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, a distance of 1941 km or 1898 km via the former alignments of the highway ....
leading to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. It wasn't until 2000 that the Heysen Tunnels
Heysen Tunnels
The Heysen Tunnels are twin tube road tunnels which carry the Adelaide-Crafers Highway under Eagle On The Hill in the Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia. The tunnels were excavated using a tunnelling machine normally used in heavy-duty mining operations which tunnelled through 500 metres of rock...
was completed to extend the freeway to Glen Osmond on the outskirts of Adelaide. Prior to the tunnel opening, the windy road from Adelaide to Glen Osmond via Eagle On The Hill
Eagle on the Hill, South Australia
Eagle On The Hill is an unbounded locality of Adelaide in the Adelaide Foothills. It borders Mount Osmond and Waterfall Gully.The village is located on Mount Barker Road, which was the only connection from Adelaide to the South Eastern Freeway. Once the Adelaide-Crafers Highway through the Heysen...
was frequently the scene of horrific vehicle accidents, often involving semi-trailers.
The Mount Lofty Botanic Garden
Mount Lofty Botanic Garden
First opened in 1977, the crescent-shaped Mount Lofty Botanic Garden is situated on 97 hectares on the eastern slopes of Mount Lofty in the Adelaide Hills east of Adelaide in South Australia. The cooler, wetter location suits plants from temperate climates which are difficult to grow on the...
is nestled in the hills behind Crafers. The gardens, opened in 1977, include an extensive mix of European and Australian native plants and are at their finest in the spring months.
On 16 February 1983, Crafers was hard hit by the Ash Wednesday bushfires. Many homes adjacent to bushland on the western side of the suburb were destroyed as the fire came roaring out of Cleland Conservation Park
Cleland Conservation Park
Cleland Conservation Park is a conservation park in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia. from Adelaide City centre. Cleland Conservation Park conserves a significant area of natural bushland on the Adelaide Hills face and includes the internationally popular Cleland Wildlife Park and the popular...
, and the devastation would have been much worse if a change in weather had not occurred right when the township of Crafers itself was being threatened. A memorial on Mount Lofty Summit is dedicated to those in the Adelaide Hills who lost their lives that day.
Crafers is under the administration of the Adelaide Hills Council
Adelaide Hills Council
Adelaide Hills Council was established in 1997 by the amalgamation of four smaller district councils...
, and is in the state electoral district of Heysen
Electoral district of Heysen
Heysen is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. It is named after Sir Hans Heysen, a prominent South Australian landscape artist. It is a 616 km² electoral district stretching from residential suburbs in the east and southeast of Adelaide...
and the federal electorate of Mayo
Division of Mayo
The Division of Mayo is an Australian Electoral Division located in the hills, east of Adelaide, South Australia and currently includes the towns of Victor Harbor, Lobethal, Mount Barker, Strathalbyn, Woodside and Kingscote....
.