- City of Elizabeth
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This article is about a former local government area. For the suburb, see Elizabeth, South Australia.
The City of Elizabeth was a Local Government Area located in the northern suburbs of Adelaide from 1955 to 1997.
History
Prior to the 1950s, most of the area surrounding today's suburb of Elizabeth was farming estates. After the end of the Second World War and the accompanying shortage of materials, the state government decided that South Australia needed to grow and become an industrialised state.
A "satellite city" was planned for the Elizabeth area, and the South Australian Housing Trust initiated a housing development program in the area, with a purchase of 3,000 acres (1,200 hectares) of rural land between the older "country towns" (now Adelaide suburbs) of Salisbury and Smithfield.
The City of Elizabeth was formed on 16 November 1955, being named after Queen Elizabeth II, who visited the city in 1963.
As well as the Town Centre,[1] originally with open air shopping malls and theatre (named "The Octagon"),[2] Elizabeth had residential suburbs (the earliest being Elizabeth South and Elizabeth North) each configured as a local community around a small shopping centre - each originally contained a supermarket, bank, hotel and service station along with other shops. Major employers such as Holden and the Long Range Weapons Establishment (later Weapons Research Establishment (WRE), now Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO)) moved into the area, and migrants were encouraged to settle in Elizabeth and its suburbs.
Elizabeth had large areas of open space, with the most prominent being Fremont Park, on Main North Road. Elizabeth was the sister city of Fremont, California;[3] Lake Elizabeth in Fremont Central Park is named for the city.
Elizabeth also had a strong music scene, providing homes for many including Jimmy Barnes,[4] John Swan,[5][6] Glenn Shorrock[7] and others.
Amalgamation
Elizabeth is now part of the City of Playford, the City of Elizabeth having merged with the City of Munno Para in 1997.
References
- ^ Elizabeth Shopping Centre website
- ^ Ariel rocks the Octagon, 1973, Treasures of the State Library, State Library of South Australia.
- The Octagon Theatre Elizabeth was a multi-use auditorium specially designed for a wide range of activities. Built by the City of Elizabeth, it was completed in August 1965 and was a centre for live entertainment for the central and northern suburbs of Adelaide until it was closed in January 2003. The floorboards from the theatre were refurbished and used in the Great Hall of the City of Playford's new Civic Centre which opened in March 2004.
- ^ "Central Park (Lake Elizabeth)". City of Fremont. http://www.fremont.gov/index.aspx?NID=317. Retrieved 2009-07-03.
- ^ There are many news stories and television transcripts referring to Barnes childhood in Elizabeth - very small selection: The Advertiser, 26 April 2008; Enough Rope, 11 October 2004; Talking Heads, 24 March 2008; etc.
- ^ John Swan, Enough Rope, 10 December 2007, www.abc.net.au
- ^ Swanee, John Swan's official website
- ^ Thompson, Peter (17 May 2010). "Glenn Shorrock transcript". Talking Heads with Peter Thompson. Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). http://www.abc.net.au/tv/talkingheads/txt/s2895289.htm. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
- City of Elizabeth is at coordinates 34°42′54″S 138°40′12″E / 34.715°S 138.67°ECoordinates: 34°42′54″S 138°40′12″E / 34.715°S 138.67°E
Categories:- Former Local Government Areas of South Australia
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