The
City of Playford is a Local Government Area of
South AustraliaSouth 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...
, located in
AdelaideAdelaide 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...
's northern suburbs. The name 'Playford' comes from the recognition of
Sir Thomas PlayfordSir Thomas Playford, GCMG was a South Australian politician. He served continuously as Premier of South Australia from 5 November 1938 to 10 March 1965, the longest term of any elected government leader in the history of Australia. His tenure as premier was marked by a period of population and...
, who played a part in the development of the area, and was
South AustraliaSouth 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...
's premier from 1938-1965. The City of Playford is home to a number of
South AustraliaSouth 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...
's largest industries and employers, such as
Exide BatteriesExide Technologies is the world's second-largest producer of automotive lead acid batteries for automotive and industrial applications. The Company’s four global business groups – Transportation Americas, Transportation Europe and Rest of World, Industrial Power Americas and Industrial Power Europe...
,
General Motors HoldenGM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
, the
Defence Science and Technology OrganisationThe Defence Science and Technology Organisation is a branch of the Australian Department of Defence which researches and develops technologies for use in the Australian defence industry....
and the adjacent
RAAF Base EdinburghRAAF Base Edinburgh is located in Edinburgh, 25km north of the centre of Adelaide.It is primarily home to No 92 Wing's AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft that conduct surveillance operations throughout Australia's airspace....
. Its major business district is
ElizabethElizabeth is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Playford.-History:Elizabeth was established in 1955 as part of a planned satellite town by the South Australian Housing Trust on rural land between the older towns of Salisbury and...
.
Origins
The city was formed in 1997 through the merger of the
City of ElizabethThe City of Elizabeth was a Local Government Area located in the northern suburbs of Adelaide from 1955 to 1997.-History:Prior to the 1950s, most of the area surrounding today's suburb of Elizabeth was farming estates...
and the
City of Munno Para, which were formed in 1955 and 1988, respectively. (The City of Munno Para had previously been the
District Council of Munno Para, originally established in 1853.)
Prior to the 1950s, most of the area surrounding today's suburbs of
Munno ParaMunno Para is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Playford.-History:In the local Kaurna dialect, Munno Para means golden wattle creek....
and
ElizabethElizabeth is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Playford.-History:Elizabeth was established in 1955 as part of a planned satellite town by the South Australian Housing Trust on rural land between the older towns of Salisbury and...
were farming estates. After the end of the Second World War and the accompanying shortage of materials, the state government decided that South Australia needed to grow and become an industrialized state. A "satellite city" was planned for the Elizabeth area, and the
South Australian Housing TrustThe South Australian Housing Trust was a statutory authority established by the of the Government of South Australia responsible for providing low-cost rental housing to working people and their families.-History:...
initiated a housing development program in the area, with a purchase of 3,000 acres (1,200 hectares) of land. The City of Elizabeth was formed on 16 November 1955, being named after
Queen Elizabeth IIElizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
, who visited the city in 1963.
Despite being a major industrial centre in
AdelaideAdelaide 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...
, the City of Playford has suffered economically since the 1970s and carries a higher rate of disadvantage than other areas in Adelaide. This has occurred because of falling migration rates in the 1970s, higher rates of unemployment (as much as 30% in some suburbs), and the various recessions that Adelaide has suffered through the years.
City of Playford
Since 1997, the council has planned and built a number of new housing developments aimed at attracting young working couples and families in an attempt to rejuvenate the area. A new Civic Centre including a council chamber, library, theatre and function centre has been built. Other notable developments are the new library in
SmithfieldSmithfield is a suburb in the northern outskirts of Adelaide, South Australia. It is in the City of Playford.Gawler Plains Post Office opened on 12 July 1850 and was renamed Smithfield in 1855.-References:...
, and the revamp of the Elizabeth shopping centre, including an 8-screen cinema complex.
In it was announced that A$1 billion would be allocated to rejuvenate the Peachey Belt. Known as the Playford North Urban Regeneration project, it is expected that the population of the area will increase from 13,000 residents to 30,000 in 15 years and will involve the demolition of most
Housing SAThe South Australian Housing Trust was a statutory authority established by the of the Government of South Australia responsible for providing low-cost rental housing to working people and their families.-History:...
homes. The project has since been renamed "Playford Alive".
"As part of the 30 year Plan for greater Adelaide, significant growth and investment is pouring into Playford from business. Rapidly increasing employment coupled with new land releases has driven population growth and improved living standards.
The council elected in 2010, lead by Mayor
Glenn DochertyGlenn Brian Docherty is the third Mayor of the City of Playford. He became mayor following the 2010 mayoral election, defeating former mayor Martin Lindsell. At the age of 26, Docherty is, to date, the youngest mayor of Playford.-Council:...
, has started the creation of Playford Health Precinct around the Lyell McEwin Hospital.
The SCT Rail Freight Terminal, opened in January 2011, will provide for goods and services to be transported by road and rail more efficiently and quickly. Playford is to become the logistical and advanced distribution capital of
South AustraliaSouth 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...
.
The A$750 million expansion within the
RAAF Base EdinburghRAAF Base Edinburgh is located in Edinburgh, 25km north of the centre of Adelaide.It is primarily home to No 92 Wing's AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft that conduct surveillance operations throughout Australia's airspace....
, including facilities for 7th RAR (Mechanized Army Battalion), is due for completion in 2011.
The council is working with the South Australian Government to release 1,000 hectares of industrial land in the Greater Edinburgh Parks Region, with the intention of attracting and supporting 38,000 jobs in the northern part of
AdelaideAdelaide 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...
.
The council is also involved in discussions regarding expansion of the Elizabeth City Centre, (the major shopping precinct in Playford), onto 30-40 hectares of land to the west of the train line.
Docherty also aims to make Elizabeth the second CBD of Adelaide, as new growth to Playford will transform the commercial centre from low density commerical and housing to multiple story mixed use commercial and residential developments.
Government
The first mayor of the City of Playford was Marilyn Baker, who had been the last mayor of the City of Elizabeth. She continued to hold that role until the 2006 council elections, when she was narrowly defeated by Martin Lindsell, the last mayor of the City of Munno Para. Lindsell was defeated in the 2010 local council election by
Glenn DochertyGlenn Brian Docherty is the third Mayor of the City of Playford. He became mayor following the 2010 mayoral election, defeating former mayor Martin Lindsell. At the age of 26, Docherty is, to date, the youngest mayor of Playford.-Council:...
.
Suburbs
- Andrews Farm
Andrews Farm is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Playford.-History:Andrews Farm was founded in 1991 as a subdivision in the then Munno Para Council.-Geography:...
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- Angle Vale
Angle Vale is a semi-rural town on the Adelaide Plains between Gawler and Virginia.Angle Vale Post Office opened on 1 October 1866.-References:...
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- Bibaringa
Bibaringa is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia in the City of Playford.-References:...
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- Blakeview
Blakeview is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Playford.-Geography:Blakeview is located to the northeast of Elizabeth and lies on the opposite side of Main North Road to Munno Para.-Demographics:...
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- Buckland Park
Buckland Park is a suburb on the rural outskirts of Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. Port Wakefield Road, the main highway taking traffic to the north of Adelaide, passes through the area. Market gardening is the main activity.-References:...
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- Craigmore
Craigmore is a large suburb north of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Playford local government area, just east of Elizabeth south of Gawler.-History:...
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- Davoren Park
Davoren Park is a suburb at the northern extent of the Adelaide metropolitan area, South Australia in the City of Playford. The suburb was formed as part of a merger between Elizabeth Fields and Elizabeth West....
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- Edinburgh
Edinburgh is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is an industrial suburb dominated by RAAF Base Edinburgh and DSTO Edinburgh.It was split from the suburb of Salisbury in 1997 when the Department of Defence decided to rationalise the then "DSTO Salisbury" site and sell off about 70%...
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Elizabeth Elizabeth is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Playford.-History:Elizabeth was established in 1955 as part of a planned satellite town by the South Australian Housing Trust on rural land between the older towns of Salisbury and...
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Elizabeth DownsElizabeth Downs is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia in the City of Playford.-References:...
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Elizabeth EastElizabeth East is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia in the City of Playford.-References:...
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Elizabeth GroveElizabeth Grove is a suburb in the northern extent of Adelaide, South Australia. It was established in 1955....
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Elizabeth NorthElizabeth North is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia in the City of Playford.-References:...
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Elizabeth ParkElizabeth Park is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia in the City of Playford.-References:...
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Elizabeth SouthElizabeth South is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia in the City of Playford.-References:...
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Elizabeth ValeElizabeth Vale is a suburb in the northern extent of Adelaide, South Australia. It was established in 1955. Its main roads are Main North Road to the east and John Rice Avenue which bisects the suburb...
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Elizabeth WestElizabeth West is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia in the City of Playford.-References:...
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Evanston Park Evanston Park is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia in the Town of Gawler.-References:...
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Gould CreekGould Creek is an outer northeastern rural suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. Gould Creek is located in the City of Tea Tree Gully and City of Playford local government areas, and is adjacent to Greenwith, Salisbury Heights and Hillbank, as well as the rural districts of Yatala Vale and Upper...
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HillbankHillbank, South Australia is a residential suburb of the City of Playford.It contains such features as Jo Gapper Regional Park, Hillbank Childcare Centre and a Mobil Petrol Station....
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Humbug ScrubHumbug Scrub is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia in the City of Playford.-References:...
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MacDonald ParkMacDonald Park is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia in the City of Playford.-References:...
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Munno ParaMunno Para is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Playford.-History:In the local Kaurna dialect, Munno Para means golden wattle creek....
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Munno Para WestMunno Para West is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is within the City of Playford.-History:Munno Para West is an area of the Northern Suburbs. It is located near Andrews Farm, Angle Vale, Elizabeth and Munno Para...
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Munno Para DownsMunno Para Downs is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia in the City of Playford.It has recently undergone developments by housing development companies.-References:...
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One Tree HillOne Tree Hill is a town on the outskirts of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Playford.-History:The suburb takes its name from the 'One Tree Hill Inn' , for many years the meeting place of the District Council of Munno Para. The inn's name, in turn, referred to a giant red gum...
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Penfield Penfield is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia in the City of Playford.-References:...
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Penfield GardensPenfield Gardens is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia in the City of Playford.-References:...
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Sampson FlatSampson Flat is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia in the City of Playford.-References:...
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SmithfieldSmithfield is a suburb in the northern outskirts of Adelaide, South Australia. It is in the City of Playford.Gawler Plains Post Office opened on 12 July 1850 and was renamed Smithfield in 1855.-References:...
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Smithfield PlainsSmithfield Plains is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia in the City of Playford.Smithfield Plains Post Office opened on 7 December 1967.-References:...
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UleyburyUleybury is a rural locality near Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Playford local government area, just north of One Tree Hill along Gawler-One Tree Hill Road.-History:...
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VirginiaVirginia is a suburb on the rural outskirts of Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. Port Wakefield Road, the main highway taking traffic to the north of Adelaide, passes through the area. Market gardening is the main activity there.-References:...
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Waterloo CornerWaterloo Corner is a rural/urban suburb approximately 22 kilometres north of Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. Most of the land is used for agricultural purposes, including wheat, olives, grapes and tomatoes. Port Wakefield Road, and thus a lot of heavy freight, traverses the...
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YattalungaYattalunga is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia in the City of Playford.-References:...
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Sports teams
A number of sports teams call the City of Playford home, including:
- Central District Football Club (Australian rules football - SANFL)
- Playford City Patriots
Playford City Soccer Club are a football club from Elizabeth, South Australia. Playford play in the FFSA South Australian Premier League...
(Association football/soccer - FFSAFFSA may have three meanings:*Football Federation of South Australia*Fédération Française du Sport Automobile*Fédération Française des Sociétés d'Assurance...
South Australian Premier LeagueThe South Australian Premier League is now the second-highest state-level football competition in South Australia. It is conducted by the Football Federation of South Australia , the state's governing body. Prior to the 2006 season, this was the highest level competition in South Australia...
)
Notable residents
Notable people who have lived within the City of Playford include:
- Jimmy Barnes
James Dixon Swan , better known as Jimmy Barnes, is a Scottish-born Australian rock singer-songwriter. His father Jim Swan was a prizefighter and his older brother John Swan is also a rock singer. It was actually John who had encouraged and taught Jim how to sing as he wasn't really interested at...
(Singer and songwriter)
- Mark Cosgrove
Mark James Cosgrove is a left-handed batsman and part-time medium pace bowler, who is contracted with the Tasmania for the 2010–11 season after previously playing for South Australia. In 2005 Cosgrove was named the Bradman Young Player of the Year...
(Cricket player)
- Glenn Docherty
Glenn Brian Docherty is the third Mayor of the City of Playford. He became mayor following the 2010 mayoral election, defeating former mayor Martin Lindsell. At the age of 26, Docherty is, to date, the youngest mayor of Playford.-Council:...
(Mayor of Playford)
- Martyn Evans
Martyn John Evans , Australian politician, was an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives from March 1994 to October 2004, representing the Division of Bonython, South Australia. He was educated at The University of Adelaide...
(Politician)
- Kevin Scarce
Rear Admiral Kevin John Scarce, AC, CSC, RANR is a retired officer of the Royal Australian Navy and the Governor of South Australia. He succeeded Marjorie Jackson-Nelson as Governor on 8 August 2007...
(Governor of South Australia)
- Glenn Shorrock
Glenn Barrie Shorrock is an English-born Australian singer-songwriter. He was a founding member of pop groups The Twilights, Axiom and Little River Band as well as being a solo performer....
(Singer and songwriter)
- John Swan
John Swan, better known as Swanee, is a Australian rock singer. He was born John Archibold Dixon Swan in Glasgow, Scotland in 1952. He is the older brother of rock singer Jimmy Barnes and the uncle of singer and stage performer David Campbell. He emigrated to Australia with his family in 1961...
(Singer)
See also
External links