Birdwood, South Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Birdwood South Australia
The old mill building at the National Motor Museum on Birdwood's main street
Birdwood Location in South Australia
Established	1848
Postcode(s)	5234
Location	44 km (27 mi) from Adelaide
LGA(s)	Adelaide Hills Council Mid Murray Council
State electorate(s)	Morialta
Federal Division(s)	Mayo
Localities around Birdwood: Forreston Cromer Mount Pleasant Gumeracha Birdwood Tungkillo Kenton Valley Mount Torrens Tungkillo

Birdwood, originally called Blumberg, is a small town in the beautiful Adelaide Hills area of South Australia. It's about 44 kilometers (27 miles) from the city center of Adelaide. This town is part of two local government areas: the Adelaide Hills Council and the Mid Murray Council.

History of Birdwood

Why the Name Changed

Birdwood was first named Blumberg by settlers from Prussia in 1848. The name probably came from a village called Groß Blumberg near the Oder River in their home country.

During World War I, many German place names in Australia were changed. In 1917, Blumberg became "Birdwood." This new name honored Sir William Birdwood. He was a general who led the ANZACs during the famous battle at Gallipoli. Around the same time, the government also closed the German-language school in the area.

Early European Settlement

The first Europeans to explore this area were Dr. George Imlay and John Hill in January 1838. In 1839-40, the South Australian Company claimed land here. This land was later divided for people to settle.

In 1848, migrants who had settled in Lobethal started looking for their own land. A pastor named Fritzsch suggested this spot near the Torrens River. Birdwood grew with homes and a church. By the 1850s, the town was doing well. Enough grain was grown to build the Blumberg Flour Mill. This mill is now the site of the motor museum. In 1865, during a local gold rush, the Blumberg Inn was built.

Geography of Birdwood

Birdwood is located at an important crossroads. It sits where the Adelaide-Mannum Road meets other roads. One road goes north towards Williamstown and the Barossa Valley. Another road goes south towards Lobethal, Hahndorf, and the South Eastern Freeway.

What's in Birdwood?

Birdwood has a government primary school, which opened in 1878. It also has a high school, which opened in 1909. You can find a motel, a small supermarket, and two coffee shops/bakeries here. There are also two antique shops and a petrol station.

Many churches have been part of the town's history. These include the Roman Catholic Church, a Lutheran church with a cemetery, and the United Church in the town center. There is also a Seventh-day Adventist Church.

National Motor Museum

Birdwood is home to the National Motor Museum. This museum is located in what used to be the Old Mill. It's the finish line for the yearly Bay to Birdwood run [1]. In this event, owners drive vintage motor vehicles from Glenelg through the hills to the museum. A festival is held there to celebrate.

The museum started in 1964 with Jack Kaines and Len Vigar. The South Australian Government bought it in 1976. It has a large and important collection of cars, motorcycles, and commercial vehicles. Next to the museum is the Birdwood Motel.

Cromer Conservation Park

Just north of Birdwood is the Cromer Conservation Park. This park was created in 1976. It has open forests with long-leafed box trees and Pink Gum trees. There are also open woodlands with Red Gum trees. These trees provide an important home for honeyeaters. Yellow ochre was mined in the park during the 1800s. The park does not have walking trails or visitor facilities.

Birdwood is also home to Birdwood High School, which has over 700 students. Birdwood Primary school has about 200 students.

Getting Around Birdwood

The area does not have public transport from Adelaide Metro. However, a coach service runs from Tea Tree Plaza Interchange to Gumeracha and Mount Pleasant. This service is operated by LinkSA.

Birdwood has a lot of cars passing through it. The Adelaide-Mannum Road can be quite busy.

Old Railway Line

Birdwood once had a train station on the Mount Pleasant railway line. This line was about 71 kilometers (44 miles) from Adelaide. The train route went through Balhannah and was not very direct. The line was closed in 1963 because it was not used much. This was probably because the Adelaide–Mannum Road was a more direct route.

The train tracks are now gone. However, you can still see where the railway line used to be. This is along the edges of the Birdwood flat towards Mount Torrens and Mount Pleasant. An old stone railway bridge near Mount Torrens is also still standing.

Gallery

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  New National Motor Museum

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  Tribute statue to the FJ Holden

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  Display at the National Motor Museum

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  Full length Road Train at the Museum