Willunga, South Australia
Encyclopedia
Willunga is a town south of Adelaide
, South Australia
in the City of Onkaparinga
local government area. It is 5 km away from the wine growing region of McLaren Vale
and is approx. 47 km from the Adelaide CBD. At the 2006 census
, Willunga had a population of 2,104.
Willunga is connected to the town of McLaren Vale by a cycle path running along a former railway line and is only a short distance from the beaches of Aldinga. Willunga is home to many festivals, including the start and finish of the fourth leg of the Tour Down Under
, the Fleurieu Folk Festival and the Almond Blossom Festival
.
Most of Willunga's large events are held on the Willunga-owned Recreation Park (Willunga's halls and meeting rooms, oval and grounds), located near the town square. The Willunga National Trust, opens its old courthouse and slate museums on weekends and Tuesdays. Its grounds host the Band of SA Police Twilight Christmas Concert.
Willunga hosts a leg of the Tour Down Under cycle race (including King of the Hill) every summer. Other attractions are the Willunga Farmers' Market (which won Best Farmers' Market in Australia 2008) held every Saturday morning; the Willunga Quarry Market, Willunga Artisans' Market and CWA Teas, Cake & Crafts all held second Saturday of each month; and the Willunga Lions Auction usually held the last Saturday of each month except December.
team (the Demons) has won six A Grade premierships in a row (2004–2009), and in the year of 2006 lost only two matches. Willunga also has a football team for students. Willunga has a netball
club, a basketball
club, tennis
club and a cricket
club. Also, the township has a soccer club, in the NDJSA league. The senior primary team won their division in 2007 and made it to the Cup Semi-Finals.
finishes at Willunga.
. The town was chosen to demonstrate archetypal FTTH deployment in a regional area with dispersed housing, providing a live test for similar deployments across the future NBN. The construction phase occurred in early 2011 and the first customer service went live on 27 June 2011.Raaj Menon's blog, discussing his new service.
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 Onkaparinga
City of Onkaparinga
The City of Onkaparinga is a local government area located on the southern fringe of Adelaide, South Australia. It is named after the Onkaparinga River, whose name comes from Ngangkiparinga, a Kaurna word meaning "The Women's River"...
local government area. It is 5 km away from the wine growing region of 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...
and is approx. 47 km from the Adelaide CBD. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Willunga had a population of 2,104.
Willunga is connected to the town of McLaren Vale by a cycle path running along a former railway line and is only a short distance from the beaches of Aldinga. Willunga is home to many festivals, including the start and finish of the fourth leg of the Tour Down Under
Tour Down Under
The Tour Down Under is a cycling race in Adelaide, South Australia and surrounding area. The race starts on the third Tuesday of January each year and attracts riders from across Australia and the world. In 2005, the Tour Down Under was promoted by the Union Cycliste Internationale to the...
, the Fleurieu Folk Festival and the Almond Blossom Festival
Almond Blossom Festival
The Willunga Almond Blossom Festival is an annual arts, social, and entertainment festival held every year for a week beginning on the last weekend in July in Willunga, South Australia, Australia.-History:...
.
Commerce
The main township of Willunga is located on Main and Aldinga Road. Being one of South Australia's earliest towns, Willunga is a character-filled, small country town which attracts many visitors. This is reflected in its many businesses. There are four churches (An Anglican, Catholic and Uniting along with a Bethesada Movement church). The Willunga Uniting Church hosts the Willunga Christmas Tree Festival with over 50 trees and Community Carols in the Park.Tourism
Willunga has an eighteen-hole golf course with a restaurant open to the public. On the same property is the Willunga Bowling Club and the Waverley Homestead, home of a community arts organisation called STARS.Most of Willunga's large events are held on the Willunga-owned Recreation Park (Willunga's halls and meeting rooms, oval and grounds), located near the town square. The Willunga National Trust, opens its old courthouse and slate museums on weekends and Tuesdays. Its grounds host the Band of SA Police Twilight Christmas Concert.
Willunga hosts a leg of the Tour Down Under cycle race (including King of the Hill) every summer. Other attractions are the Willunga Farmers' Market (which won Best Farmers' Market in Australia 2008) held every Saturday morning; the Willunga Quarry Market, Willunga Artisans' Market and CWA Teas, Cake & Crafts all held second Saturday of each month; and the Willunga Lions Auction usually held the last Saturday of each month except December.
Sports
Willunga has many sporting teams. Their footballAustralian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
team (the Demons) has won six A Grade premierships in a row (2004–2009), and in the year of 2006 lost only two matches. Willunga also has a football team for students. Willunga has a netball
Netball
Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
club, a basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
club, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
club and a cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
club. Also, the township has a soccer club, in the NDJSA league. The senior primary team won their division in 2007 and made it to the Cup Semi-Finals.
Walking and cycling trails
The Coast to Vines rail trailCoast to Vines rail trail, South Australia
The Coast to Vines rail trail open to pedestrians and cyclists, runs for 34 km through the southern suburbs of Adelaide from Marino to Willunga. Much of the trail has been constructed on the disused Willunga railway line....
finishes at Willunga.
Media
Willunga has its own free monthly newsletter (A4 size - usually 12 pages), two websites (one for events and tourism and one for businesses, services and organisations) and free Calendar Directories, which not only has a calendar with events entered on appropriate dates, but 16 pages of business, service and organisation listings. Willunga Media is run by volunteers, paid for by local businesses, organisations and individuals and promotes Willunga.Education
Willunga has three schools: Willunga Waldorf Steiner School (K-12), Willunga High & Primary, and a kindergarten. Willunga High School was opened on its present site in 1960.National Broadband Network deployment
Willunga was chosen as one of the first five release areas for the National Broadband NetworkNational Broadband Network
The National Broadband Network is a national wholesale-only, open-access data network under development in Australia. Up to one gigabit per second connections are sold to retail service providers , who then sell Internet access and other services to consumers...
. The town was chosen to demonstrate archetypal FTTH deployment in a regional area with dispersed housing, providing a live test for similar deployments across the future NBN. The construction phase occurred in early 2011 and the first customer service went live on 27 June 2011.Raaj Menon's blog, discussing his new service.