Colonel Light Gardens, South Australia

Colonel Light Gardens Adelaide, South Australia
Population:	3,237 (2006 census)
Postcode:	5041
LGA:	City of Mitcham
State electorate:	Waite
Federal Division:	Boothby
Suburbs around Colonel Light Gardens: Clarence Gardens Westbourne Park Hawthorn Daw Park Colonel Light Gardens Lower Mitcham Daw Park Panorama Clapham

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.

History

An area of 1.2 km² was purchased in June 1915 by the Vaughan 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.

Naming

Named after the first Surveyor-General of Adelaide, 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.

Unusual facts

The school used to be an army training camp and the bell was there when it was used by the army. Many Adelaide 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.

Transport

The suburb is served by Adelaide Metro 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.

Politics

Local government: City of Mitcham, 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

See also

• List of Adelaide suburbs

External links

• Entry in Australian Heritage database
• Mitcham Council's information page
• Colonel Light Gardens Historical Society
• "Entry AHD19429". Australian Heritage Database. Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl?mode=place_detail;place_id=19429. 
• South Australian State Heritage Area-Colonel Light Gardens