Bundaleer North, South Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bundaleer NorthSouth Australia |
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 Bundaleer North
Location in South Australia
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| Postcode(s) | 5491 | ||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | Northern Areas Council | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Stuart | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Grey | ||||||||||||||
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Bundaleer North is a small country area in the Mid North part of South Australia. It is located within the Northern Areas Council, which is like its local government area.
The main road, RM Williams Way, splits Bundaleer North. To the west, you'll find the Bundaleer Forest Reserve. To the east, there are lots of farms. The current borders for Bundaleer North were officially set in April 2001. It uses the postcode 5491.
Contents
A Look Back: Bundaleer North's History
Much of the farmland in Bundaleer North was once part of very large properties. In the early 1900s, the government bought these big areas. They then divided them into smaller farms for more people to settle on.
The North Bundaleer Estate land was divided up in 1912. Later, in 1918, more land called Moore's Farm was added for these farmers. This was done because their first plots were a bit too small to make a good living.
The Historic North Bundaleer Homestead
The North Bundaleer Homestead is a very old house that was part of the original large property. It was built in 1901 by George and Catherine Maslin. At that time, it was the center of a huge sheep station. This station was about 60,000 acres (24,000 ha) big and had over 90,000 sheep!
When the government divided the land, the homestead was left on a much smaller piece of land, about 1,500 acres (610 ha). The house was later left empty, and the land around it was used for farming.
By the 1970s, the homestead was in very bad shape. But in 1999, a couple from Sydney, Marianne and Malcolm Booth, bought it. They worked hard to fix it up and turned it into a fancy place for tourists to stay.
The homestead was put up for sale in 2013 and again in 2015. Over time, much of its land was sold off. By 2017, only 24 ha (59 acres) remained. Today, it's a beautiful historic property.
Exploring Bundaleer Forest
The Bundaleer Forest Reserve is a very special place. It was started in 1875 and was the first place in Australia to grow trees for timber. It was also the first state forest in South Australia. Because of this, it's known as the "birthplace of Australian forestry."
At first, the forest sold hardwood logs. Later, a sawmill was built in 1910, and they started making sawn timber. As of 2016, the forest covers about 3,200 ha (7,900 acres).
Even though it's still used for forestry, the Bundaleer Forest is open to everyone! You can go camping there from April to November. Inside the reserve, you'll find the Bundaleer Picnic Ground and the Bundaleer Arboretum, which is a collection of different trees.
Some old buildings in the forest are also very important. These include the Conservator's Hut, the old Forest Office, and the 1876 Nursery Site. They are all listed on the South Australian Heritage Register. The Conservator's Hut has been fixed up and you can even stay there now.
In 2017, the Forest Reserve was sold. But a group of local people worked hard to keep the picnic area for the community. The Bundaleer Forest Community Areas Association now looks after this part of the forest.
In December 2020, a new building called the Maple & Pine function venue opened. It's a great place for events, both indoors and outdoors. The community helped raise over $500,000 for this project, along with government grants.
The association also works with the local Nukunu and Ngadjuri people. They want to share cultures and connect with the land. There's even an adventure playground for kids in the forest!
Fun Times: Bundaleer Festivals
For many years, Bundaleer was home to a fantastic event called the Bundaleer Weekend, which later became the Bundaleer Festival. It was a mix of sports and arts, started in 1999 by Brian Gilbertson. The local community helped run the whole event.
In the first year, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and famous opera singers performed. The orchestra kept coming back until 2009. On Sundays, people could enjoy a special Forest Walk, which was first mapped by a local farmer named John Malone. The festival happened every two years until 2013.
In 2003, the festival featured 30 different performances! There was music, poetry, theatre, acrobatics, sports, and dance. Visitors could explore the forest and discover these shows on a Sunday afternoon.
Later festivals hosted other well-known singers like Cheryl Barker and Teddy Tahu Rhodes. In 2007, the festival even won a special award called a Ruby Award. In 2011, jazz musicians like James Morrison and Andy Firth performed.
The last big festival was in March 2013. Famous singers like Greta Bradman, Rosario La Spina, and Emma Pask were there. And for the children, Peter Combe performed! This event was part of the Adelaide Fringe program, but the local community still organized it.
In March 2022, a new musical event was held in the Maple & Pine venue in the forest. It was also part of the Fringe festival.
