Wattle Park, South Australia
Encyclopedia
Wattle Park is a suburb of Adelaide
, South Australia
in the City of Burnside
. It was named for the abundance of Golden Wattle
, Acacia pycantha, which grew in the sandy creek bed that runs through the suburb. The creek is also host to a large number of ancient River Red Gum
s which give the area its distinctive feel. As a result of its proximity to central Adelaide, large block sizes, and its dramatic Adelaide hills backdrop, it has become quite an affluent area.
One result of this increasing wealth has been the replacement of many of the houses, built in the early 1950s post-war boom, with modern houses. This led to developers cutting down the 300 year-old red gums. In 2000 the octogenarian Wattle Park resident Joan Keightley brought things to a head by threatening or actually chaining herself (it is not clear which) to one of these trees. As a result, the laws were tightened and developers learnt to build around the trees.
It was home for many years to a convent
and a teachers' college, now the Magill campus of the University of South Australia.
The original Penfolds
winery sits behind Wattle Park, although this has since been converted into housing and Penfolds has moved to the Barossa Valley
.
Wattle Park Post Office opened on 8 April 1965 and closed in 1967.
. Other schools nearby are Norwood Morialta High School
(Senior Campus) and Magill Primary School in Magill
.
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...
in the City of Burnside
City of Burnside
The City of Burnside is a local government area with an estimated population of 44,300 people in the South Australian city of Adelaide. Burnside was founded in August 1856 as the District Council of Burnside, and was classed as a city in 1943. It is named after the property of an early settler and...
. It was named for the abundance of Golden Wattle
Golden Wattle
Acacia pycnantha is Australia's floral emblem. It is a tree which flowers in late winter and spring, producing a mass of fragrant, fluffy, golden flowers.-Description:...
, Acacia pycantha, which grew in the sandy creek bed that runs through the suburb. The creek is also host to a large number of ancient River Red Gum
River Red Gum
The River Red Gum is a tree of the genus Eucalyptus. It is one of around 800 in the genus. It is a plantation species in many parts of the world, but is native to Australia, where it is widespread, especially beside inland water courses...
s which give the area its distinctive feel. As a result of its proximity to central Adelaide, large block sizes, and its dramatic Adelaide hills backdrop, it has become quite an affluent area.
One result of this increasing wealth has been the replacement of many of the houses, built in the early 1950s post-war boom, with modern houses. This led to developers cutting down the 300 year-old red gums. In 2000 the octogenarian Wattle Park resident Joan Keightley brought things to a head by threatening or actually chaining herself (it is not clear which) to one of these trees. As a result, the laws were tightened and developers learnt to build around the trees.
It was home for many years to a convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
and a teachers' college, now the Magill campus of the University of South Australia.
The original Penfolds
Penfolds
Penfolds is an Australian wine producer, founded in 1844 by Christopher Rawson Penfold, an English physician who emigrated to Australia, and his wife, Mary Penfold...
winery sits behind Wattle Park, although this has since been converted into housing and Penfolds has moved to the Barossa Valley
Barossa Valley
The Barossa Valley is a major wine-producing region and tourist destination of South Australia, located 60 km northeast of Adelaide. It is the valley formed by the North Para River, and the Barossa Valley Way is the main road through the valley, connecting the main towns on the valley floor of...
.
Wattle Park Post Office opened on 8 April 1965 and closed in 1967.
Facilities
There are no schools in Wattle Park. The closest school to Wattle Park is St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School in StonyfellStonyfell, South Australia
Stonyfell is a prestigious suburb in the foothills of Adelaide in the City of Burnside. It has many parks with walking tracks, waterfalls and bike tracks. St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School is the only school in Stonyfell. The historic Stonyfell Winery is one of Australia's oldest. There is also a...
. Other schools nearby are Norwood Morialta High School
Norwood Morialta High School
The Norwood Morialta High School is a dual-campus, co-educational, public High School. The school’s two campuses are both located in the Eastern suburbs of Adelaide, South Australia...
(Senior Campus) and Magill Primary School in Magill
Magill, South Australia
Magill is a suburb of Adelaide in the City of Burnside and the City of Campbelltown.-History:Magill is a suburb located approximately 7 km from the Adelaide CBD in the eastern suburbs. Magill was first established as the Makgill Estate, owned by two Scots, Robert Cock and William Ferguson,...
.