Edinburgh, South Australia facts for kids

Edinburgh is a suburb located in the northern part of Adelaide, South Australia. It's part of the City of Salisbury. This area was officially created as a suburb in 1997.

Before that, in 1940, the Australian Government bought this land. They needed it to make supplies for the war effort during World War II. Over time, it became home to several important defence facilities. Today, the suburb is mostly known for the RAAF Base Edinburgh and an industrial area called Edinburgh Parks.

History of Edinburgh

The land where Edinburgh now stands originally belonged to the Kaurna people. They are the traditional owners of the Adelaide Plains.

Making Supplies for War

In 1940, this quiet rural area changed a lot. The Australian Government bought a large amount of land between Penfield and Salisbury. Their goal was to build a factory to make supplies for the war.

This factory was officially called the Salisbury Explosives Factory. People also just called it "the Munitions factory." Building started in November 1940. An architect named Herbert Jory helped oversee the construction. At its busiest, about 3,000 workers were there seven days a week. The factory was finished in just one year.

The Salisbury factory was one of many places built across Australia during World War II. These factories made sure the country had enough ammunition and other supplies. This site was chosen because it was in a good spot. It was close to train lines, water, and workers. The factory complex had 1,405 buildings. During the war, between 3,000 and 6,000 people worked there. A new railway line was even built to serve the factory.

Other Defence Facilities

After the war, the area continued to be important for defence.

• In 1947, the Long Range Weapons Establishment (LRWE) was set up. This was a place for scientific research.
• In 1949, more laboratories were added. These included the High Speed Aerodynamics Laboratory and the Electronics Research Laboratory. They were all part of the Chemistry & Physics Research Laboratory.
• The RAAF base, which is an air force base, was established in 1955.

Over the years, the LRWE and laboratories changed names. They became the Weapons Research Establishment (WRE) in 1955. Then, they were called the Defence Science & Technology Organisation (DSTO) in 1974. Today, they are known as the Defence Science and Technology Group (DST).

Edinburgh is now mostly an industrial suburb. It is still dominated by the RAAF Base Edinburgh and the DST Edinburgh site. You can still see some paddocks where sheep graze.

Edinburgh Becomes a Suburb (1997)

Edinburgh became its own suburb in 1997. It was separated from the suburb of Salisbury. This happened because the Australian Government decided to change how the "DSTO Salisbury" site was used. They sold off about 70% of the land. This land, along with other government-owned land, was used to create the "Edinburgh Parks" industrial area.

What's in Edinburgh?

Besides the RAAF base and the DST Group site, Edinburgh has many other things.

• Several companies that work with defence are located here.
• There are also factories that used to make car parts. These supported the Elizabeth Holden car manufacturing plant until it closed in 2017.
• Other industries are here too, like a big distribution centre for Coles Supermarkets. This is where products are stored and sent out to stores.
• You can also find the Penfield Golf Club golf course.
• There's a model railway track for hobbyists.
• A facility for model boats.
• A pistol range.
• Clubrooms for a gemology club, where people study gems.
• And, as mentioned, a few flocks of sheep still remain!

Edinburgh Parks

Edinburgh Parks is a very large industrial area. The City of Salisbury says it's one of Australia's biggest advanced industrial areas. It has over 300 hectares of land ready for businesses.

This area is a huge investment, worth about $1.9 billion. It has four main sections for different types of businesses:

• Aerospace and manufacturing (making things for planes and other products).
• Defence technology.
• Logistics support (helping move and store goods).
• Automotive industries (car-related businesses).

The land in Edinburgh Parks is considered very good value for industrial use in Australia. It's in a great location, connected by Adelaide's new northern highway system.

Many big companies have set up in Edinburgh Parks. These include:

• BAE Systems Australia
• DHL (a shipping company)
• Inghams (a food company)
• MTU Detroit Diesel
• The Coles Supermarkets Distribution Centre
• Lockheed Martin Australia (a defence and aerospace company)

The City of Salisbury believes that over 3,000 jobs have been created in the area because of Edinburgh Parks. The "Invest Northern Adelaide" website also promotes the area. This website is a team effort by the cities of Playford, Salisbury, and Tea Tree Gully.