Urrbrae, South Australia

History

In the early 1850s, Robert Forsyth Macgeorge bought land in the area and built a house, naming the estate Urrbrae after the village Haugh of Urr in Scotland; the word brae refers to a hillside, especially near a river or creek. One notable son was the architect James Macgeorge (1832–1918).

Demographics

The 2016 Census by the Australian Bureau of Statistics counted 966 persons in Urrbrae on census night. Of these, 47.3% were male and 52.7% were female.

The majority of residents (68.5%) were of Australian birth, with other common census responses being China (5.3%) and England (5.2%).

The age distribution of Urrbrae residents was comparable to that of the greater Australian population. 71.1% of residents were over 25 years in 2016, compared to the Australian average of 68.5%; and 28.9% were younger than 25 years, compared to the Australian average of 31.5%.

Attractions

Urrbrae House Historic Precinct

Urrbrae House is a two-storey, bluestone mansion located on Walter Young Avenue, on the Waite Campus of the University of Adelaide. It was probably Waite, a Scot like MacGeorge, who opted to carry on the name Urrbrae.

For many years, Urrbrae House was the family home of Waite, his wife Matilda and their family. After Peter and Matilda's death, the house was bequeathed to the University of Adelaide, being handed over in February 1923 by the couple's two daughters.

Urrbrae House was the first home in Adelaide to be electrified. The page also contains information about:

• Urrbrae House
• Urrbrae House Historic Precinct, which includes Urrbrae House, the Coach House and Stables, Waite Arboretum and the Waite Campus of the University of Adelaide
• Birksgate, built 1851, demolished in 1971 to establish Miramonte
• The Glen, built in the 1840s, sold to the Passionist Catholic order in 1896, is now the monastery of St Paul's Retreat
• Hartly Bank, which became Claremont in the mid-1860s
• Alverstoke, adjacent to Claremont

The house and its surrounds now constitute the Urrbrae House Historic Precinct within the university campus.

St Paul's Retreat Monastery

On Cross Road, in the suburb's north, lies the Roman Catholic monastery of St Paul's Retreat. Formerly an oriental-style mansion named The Glen, the house was occupied for several years by a retired Indian judge. Later, the house passed to the Boothby family before being sold in 1896 to the Passionist Catholic order.

As well as the monastery, St Paul's Retreat includes a convent and other facilities lying outside the suburb.

Waite Research Precinct

As well as the University of Adelaide's Waite Campus, the precinct contains:

• Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics (ACPFG);
• Australian Grain Technologies
• Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI);
• CSIRO research laboratories;
• Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA)
• South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI)
• Urrbrae Agricultural High School

University of Adelaide Waite Campus

The University of Adelaide's Waite Campus is primarily located in the west and southwest of Urrbrae, extending into the neighbouring suburbs of Springfield and Brown Hill Creek.

Developed on land bequeathed by the late owner of Urrbrae House, Peter Waite, Waite Campus holds several research facilities:

• Waite Research Institute (WRI) The page also contains links to:
• Urrbrae House Historic Precinct
• Waite Research Institute
• Waite Arboretum
• Waite Conservation Reserve as well as information about the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics.
• Waite Conservation Reserve
• Waite Arboretum

Parks

There are parks and small reserves throughout the suburb.

Transport

Roads

Cross Road forms the northern boundary of Urrbrae and Fullarton Road forms part of the eastern boundary. The intersection of Cross Road, Glen Osmond Road, and Portrush Road forms the entry to the South Eastern Freeway.

Public transport

Urrbrae is serviced by public transport run by the Adelaide Metro.

Climate

| Jan record high C = 43.6 | Feb record high C = 43.1 | Mar record high C = 41.4 | Apr record high C = 36.6 | May record high C = 28.8 | Jun record high C = 21.9 | Jul record high C = 25.5 | Aug record high C = 26.3 | Sep record high C = 31.3 | Oct record high C = 33.4 | Nov record high C = 40.7 | Dec record high C = 41.2 | year record high C = 43.6 | Jan avg record high C = | Feb avg record high C = | Mar avg record high C = | Apr avg record high C = | May avg record high C = | Jun avg record high C = | Jul avg record high C = | Aug avg record high C = | Sep avg record high C = | Oct avg record high C = | Nov avg record high C = | Dec avg record high C = | year avg record high C = | Jan avg record low C = | Feb avg record low C = | Mar avg record low C = | Apr avg record low C = | May avg record low C = | Jun avg record low C = | Jul avg record low C = | Aug avg record low C = | Sep avg record low C = | Oct avg record low C = | Nov avg record low C = | Dec avg record low C = | year avg record low C = | Jan record low C = 8.0 | Feb record low C = 10.1 | Mar record low C = 7.8 | Apr record low C = 5.4 | May record low C = 5.0 | Jun record low C = 3.3 | Jul record low C = 2.6 | Aug record low C = 2.9 | Sep record low C = 3.8 | Oct record low C = 4.3 | Nov record low C = 5.6 | Dec record low C = 8.4 | year record low C = 2.6

References

References

1. "Search results for 'Urrbrae, SUB' with the following datasets selected – 'Suburbs and localities', 'Counties', 'Local Government Areas', 'SA Government Regions' and 'Gazetteer'". Government of South Australia.
2. {{Census 2016 AUS
3. {{Census 2006 AUS
4. "Urrbrae, South Australia (Adelaide)". Postcodes-Australia.com.
5. "Urrbrae House". University of Adelaide.
6. "Place Names of South Australia". State Library of South Australia.
7. (2 June 1928). "Stately Homes". National Library of Australia.
8. "Urrbrae House Historic Precinct". University of Adelaide.
9. The monastery serves the Catholic community in the [[Glen Osmond, South Australia. Glen Osmond]] and Parkside areas.St Paul's Retreat, [https://www.facebook.com/StPaulsRetreat Facebook site], accessed on 31 January 2026
10. "Background". Australian Wine Research Institute.
11. "Profile – Location". Australian Wine Research Institute.
12. (16 August 2019). "PIRSA, SARDI partnership with University of Adelaide helps dryland innovation".
13. "Climate Data Online".