Colonel Light Gardens, South Australia
Encyclopedia
Colonel Light Gardens is a model garden suburb, featuring wide, tree-lined streets, rounded street corners, and lots of open space, located within the City of Mitcham
in the greater City of Adelaide
, capital of South Australia
. The area is 1.58 km².
It contains Colonel Light Gardens Primary School, the Colonel Light Gardens RSL, a number of sporting clubs using the name Reade Park, and a multitude of historical parks and gardens. It also contains many paved and unpaved laneways, alleyways and bike tracks, most of which do not appear on maps.
Labor
government from the estate of William Tennant Mortlock. It was formerly known as Grange Farm. During World War I
it was the site of the Mitcham army camp.
The Government decided to establish it as a 'model garden suburb' following New Zealand town planner Charles Reade
's 1914 Australian Town Planning Tour.
The Post Office on Goodwood Road originally opened as Light's Gardens, was renamed Colonel Light Gardens on 1 January 1929 and Daw Park in 1967.
Placed on the Register of The National Estate in October 1999. In 2000, the suburb was declared a State Heritage Area. For the heritage significance of Colonel Light Gardens see the State Heritage Branch web page on Colonel Light Gardens.
, Colonel William Light
.
For many years residents in the northern section of the suburb adopted Reade Park as their address to distinguish themselves from the Thousand Homes Scheme
area.
The northern boundary of the suburb is Grange Road.
residents are confused by the unusual layout of Colonel Light Gardens, and its maze of laneways and cul-de-sacs. Part of the suburb is said to significantly resemble a rising sun (the symbol of the Australian military) or a Union Flag
when viewed from the air. However it was not designed this way. The Colonel Light Gardens Historical Society website suburb myths section explains in more detail.
Until the 1970s the suburb was administered under the Garden Suburb Act and controlled by a South Australian government appointed Garden Suburb Commissioner, who carried out the functions of local government until it was eventually absorbed by the Mitcham
Council.
buses along the former tram line along Goodwood Road and East Parkway.
The closest railway stations, Mitcham
and Torrens Park on the Belair railway line, are situated some distance to the east on Belair Road. (Clapham station
was closed in 1995.
, Gault Ward
State government: Electoral district of Waite
in the South Australian House of Assembly
Federal government: Seat of Boothby
in the Australian House of Representatives
City of Mitcham
The City of Mitcham is a Local Government Area situated in the foothills of eastern Adelaide, South Australia. Within its bounds is Flinders University, South Australia's third largest....
in the greater City 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...
, capital of 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...
. The area is 1.58 km².
It contains Colonel Light Gardens Primary School, the Colonel Light Gardens RSL, a number of sporting clubs using the name Reade Park, and a multitude of historical parks and gardens. It also contains many paved and unpaved laneways, alleyways and bike tracks, most of which do not appear on maps.
History
An area of 1.2 km² was purchased in June 1915 by the VaughanCrawford Vaughan
Crawford Vaughan , was Premier of South Australia between 3 April 1915 and 14 July 1917.Vaughan unsuccessfully campaigned for a seat in the Australian House of Representatives in 1901, and for the Australian Senate in 1903...
Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
government from the estate of William Tennant Mortlock. It was formerly known as Grange Farm. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
it was the site of the Mitcham army camp.
The Government decided to establish it as a 'model garden suburb' following New Zealand town planner Charles Reade
Charles Reade (town planner)
Charles Compton Reade was a town planner who supported the garden city movement of the early twentieth century.Born in Invercargill, New Zealand in 1880, Reade became the major figure in disseminating Garden City ideas in Australia...
's 1914 Australian Town Planning Tour.
The Post Office on Goodwood Road originally opened as Light's Gardens, was renamed Colonel Light Gardens on 1 January 1929 and Daw Park in 1967.
Placed on the Register of The National Estate in October 1999. In 2000, the suburb was declared a State Heritage Area. For the heritage significance of Colonel Light Gardens see the State Heritage Branch web page on Colonel Light Gardens.
Naming
Named after the first Surveyor-General of AdelaideAdelaide city centre
The Adelaide city centre is the innermost locality of Greater Adelaide, known by locals simply as "The City" or "Town". The locality is split into two key geographical distinctions: the city "square mile", bordered by North, East, South and West Terraces; and that part of the Adelaide Parklands...
, Colonel William Light
William Light
Colonel William Light was a British military officer and the first Surveyor-General of the Colony of South Australia...
.
For many years residents in the northern section of the suburb adopted Reade Park as their address to distinguish themselves from the Thousand Homes Scheme
Thousand Homes Scheme
A public housing scheme in Adelaide, South Australia, financed through the State Bank with government support after the First World War.-History:...
area.
The northern boundary of the suburb is Grange Road.
Unusual facts
The school used to be an army training camp and the bell was there when it was used by the army. Many AdelaideAdelaide
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...
residents are confused by the unusual layout of Colonel Light Gardens, and its maze of laneways and cul-de-sacs. Part of the suburb is said to significantly resemble a rising sun (the symbol of the Australian military) or a Union Flag
Union Flag
The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada. It is also used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas...
when viewed from the air. However it was not designed this way. The Colonel Light Gardens Historical Society website suburb myths section explains in more detail.
Until the 1970s the suburb was administered under the Garden Suburb Act and controlled by a South Australian government appointed Garden Suburb Commissioner, who carried out the functions of local government until it was eventually absorbed by the Mitcham
City of Mitcham
The City of Mitcham is a Local Government Area situated in the foothills of eastern Adelaide, South Australia. Within its bounds is Flinders University, South Australia's third largest....
Council.
Transport
The suburb is served by Adelaide MetroAdelaide Metro
Adelaide Metro is the public transport system of the South Australian capital of Adelaide and the brand name of the Public Transport Division of the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. It is an intermodal system with services provided by bus, tram or commuter rail throughout the...
buses along the former tram line along Goodwood Road and East Parkway.
The closest railway stations, Mitcham
Mitcham railway station, Adelaide
Mitcham railway station is located on the Belair railway line in Adelaide, South Australia. It is located 8.5 km by rail from Adelaide Railway Station, and is actually located in Lower Mitcham...
and Torrens Park on the Belair railway line, are situated some distance to the east on Belair Road. (Clapham station
Clapham railway station, Adelaide
Clapham railway station was a railway station on the Belair railway line in suburban Adelaide, South Australia, which was closed in April 1995. Its remains are located on the north side of the Springbank Road overpass in the inner southern Adelaide suburb of Clapham. It was located 10.0 km by...
was closed in 1995.
Politics
Local government: City of MitchamCity of Mitcham
The City of Mitcham is a Local Government Area situated in the foothills of eastern Adelaide, South Australia. Within its bounds is Flinders University, South Australia's third largest....
, Gault Ward
State government: Electoral district of Waite
Electoral district of Waite
Waite is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. Named after Peter Waite, a 19th entrepreneur and philanthropist in the current area of the electorate, it is a 30.6km² urban electorate in Adelaide's inner south-eastern suburbs, taking in the...
in the South Australian House of Assembly
South Australian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. The other is the Legislative Council. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Adelaide.- Overview :...
Federal government: Seat of Boothby
Division 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....
in the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....