Blackwood, South Australia

History

The name "Blackwood" most likely comes from either the Acacia melanoxylon, also known as the Australian blackwood, which grows in the nearby Mount Lofty Ranges, or the Eucalyptus odorata, which grows in Blackwood and has dark bark.

The earliest reference to Blackwood was a mention of Blackwood Vale Farm in 1847, though this is in present-day Glenalta. One of the earliest places named for Blackwood was the Blackwood Inn, The first land grants in the area had been made in 1840, and various churches were established throughout the 19th century, but most development in Blackwood didn't take place until the Adelaide to Aldgate section of the Adelaide–Wolseley railway line was opened, with Blackwood railway station opening in 1883. Land was subdivided for housing at about the same time and the railway line was later connected all the way to Melbourne.

Places of interest

Blackwood Soldiers' Memorial was erected in 1921 in the most prominent place in Blackwood: the five-ways roundabout. It is a place of Local Heritage, listed for being "a notable landmark in the area".

Wittunga Botanic Garden, originally a private property with English gardens established in 1901, is located in Blackwood and features displays of Australian and South African plants.

Blackwood High School and Blackwood Primary School are located nearby in Eden Hills.

St Peters Lutheran School is also located on Cumming Street, opposite to the Blackwood Football Club oval, bordering the suburb of Craigburn Farm. There is diverse fauna in the park that wanders into Craigburn Farm including kangaroos, koalas and echidnas. Many waterfalls, creeks and gullies are also scattered and found throughout the area.

Uniting (former Methodist), Anglican, Church of Christ, Baptist, Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches are located in Blackwood, as well as Pentecostal churches including the Hills Christian Family Centre and Frontier Christian centre.

The Blackwood Freemasons Lodge was established on 1 May 1920, initially meeting in the Church of England Hall. In 1933, in the middle of the Great Depression, the masons started construction of a fine two storey building in 1930, with the foundation stone being laid by Past Master, James Burnside on 16 December 1933. The lodge building was opened by the Governor of South Australia, Sir Alexander Hore-Ruthven VC KCMG CB DSO (later to be Lord Gowrie, Governor General of Australia) on 17 March 1934. The official party included the Governor General, Sir Isaac Isaacs.

thumb|right|Blackwood Roundabout looking south-east, January 2012 thumb|right|B1 train substitute bus at Blackwood roundabout

Transport

Blackwood railway station is a transport hub with buses to Adelaide and the outer Southern suburbs, and trains to Adelaide and Belair.

Media

The Blackwood area was home to the Coromandel (4 August 1945 – 13 August 1970) and its successor, the Coromandel Times (20 August 1970 – 18 March 1976), published weekly by the Blackwood Progress Association. On 22 January 1970, it changed from a Saturday to a Thursday paper.

It was also home to a regional publication, The Blackwood Times. The publication, first issued in December 1994, described itself as "a tabloid size, monthly newspaper, delivered free of charge to over 13,000 households and businesses in Belair, Bellevue Heights, Blackwood, Eden Hills, Coromandel Valley, Glenalta, Hawthorndene, Blackwood Park, Upper Sturt, Aberfoyle Park and Flagstaff Hill." Besides local news and events, it also contained information related to the activities of Mitcham Council. Its last issue was in June 2024.

Residents

The suburbs of Blackwood, Glenalta and Craigburn Farm had a combined population of 6,379 in 2,596 households in 2001. Norman Tindale, an anthropologist, archaeologist and entomologist, lived in his Blackwood residence "Kurlge" from 1955 to 1969. The hip hop group the Hilltop Hoods and country singer Beccy Cole (whose song "Blackwood Hill" references the suburb) are from the area. Blackwood Hill refers to the hilltop oval where the Blackwood Football Club (The Woods) are based. Award-winning screen composer and filmmaker Milton Trott grew up in Blackwood. Independent hip hop artist Allday also grew up in Blackwood.

Politics

Blackwood is in the state electorate of Waite, represented in the South Australian House of Assembly by Labor MP Catherine Hutchesson, and the federal electorate of Boothby, represented in the Australian House of Representatives by Labor MP Louise Miller-Frost. Blackwood has a relatively high vote for the Greens when compared to the rest of its electorate and state,

Notes

References

1. "The Manning Index of South Australian History - Blackwood". State Library, South Australia.
2. "History of Blackwood". Blackwood Business Network.
3. Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions.
4. Laube, Anthony. "LibGuides: SA Newspapers: C-E".
5. (1945). "The Coromandel [newspaper]". Blackwood Progress Association.
6. "About The Blackwood Times".
7. (1994). "The Blackwood times [newspaper: microform]". Miles Badcock.
8. "Community Profile". City of Mitcham.
9. "Beccy Cole". Postcards SA.
10. "Polling Place Results".