Elizabeth: Ten reasons why we love this working class suburb named for a Queen
Elizabeth has copped more than its fair share of flak over the years but we reckon there are plenty of reasons to be proud of postcode 5112. Todd Lewis lists 10 of them.
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Suburbs like Elizabeth in Adelaide’s north tend to cop more than their fair share of flak for its well-publicised problems with crime and unemployment.
A popular Facebook page that shall not be named recently voted Elizabeth Adelaide’s “sh***iest suburb.
But c’mon, which suburb doesn’t have its own issues?
You don’t have to dig too deep to discover that Elizabeth has a heart of gold, with a rich and interesting history, good people, champion athletes and a slew of famous exports.
In the 1950s, a vision by Tom Playford was brought to life, when the area became a satellite city to accommodate English migrants.
It marked the start of more than 70 years of colourful history.
In other words, there’s plenty about Elizabeth to be proud of, and that’s the stuff reckon should be celebrated.
To that end, we’ve put together this lighthearted list of ways you can tell you’re from Elizabeth.
It produces top notch sporting talent
If you are an Elizabeth resident then you’re more than likely a loyal Central District Football Club fan. And no two players have become more synonymous with the red, blue and white than brothers, Chris and James Gowans. The pair arrived at the club in 2000 and quickly became the face of, not only the Bulldogs, but also the wider SANFL. They both played in all nine of Central District’s premierships before retiring together in 2012. The brothers were best know for their skill with the football, but they also never shied away from any chance to niggle or annoy an opposition player. This led to them being despised around the league, but they remained heroes among Central District supporters.
It’s a suburb fit for a Queen
Premier Tom Playford was the mastermind behind Elizabeth and it was he who asked the Queen if it could be named in her honour. She gave her blessing and on February 21, 1963 she even visited, unveiling a brand new fountain at the town square area known as Windsor Green. The fountain was placed into storage for about 20 years until it was recently refurbished and reinstated in Elizabeth.
Jimmy Barnes!
In the 1950s Elizabeth was developed as a satellite city and became a model for public housing to accommodate English migrants. The family of Australian rock icon Jimmy Barnes arrived from Scotland and settled at Elizabeth in 1962. Barnes’ memoir Working Class Boy tells of his tough upbringing in Elizabeth with a father who drank too much and a mother who was often absent. While Barnes tried to distance himself from Elizabeth throughout his career, he remained an icon for residents and he was able to bury his ill feelings during a visit to Elizabeth Shopping Centre in 2019. ”There was a time I felt I couldn’t come back to Elizabeth. It was too raw, all the stuff I went through in the past,” he said in 2019. “But I’m starting to realise I had a lot of good times and I have a lot of great friends here, too.”
It has a proud manufacturing history
The former Holden plant in Elizabeth built cars for 54 years, so everyone knew someone who worked there. When it closed in 2017, there were still 1000 workers in production, engineering and support roles. According to Holden’s official history, the automotive company originated in Adelaide in 1856 when a shop was set up on King William St. In 69 years of domestic manufacturing Holden produced more than 7.6m vehicles for Australian and export markets. The closure of the Elizabeth plant on October 20, 2017 marked the end of an era, but residents have remained loyal to the manufacturer. Holden remained the Elizabeth’s most popular car according to data gathered in 2020. You may have met Josh Arbon from down the road at Smithfield. He sports tattoos of all South Australia’s iconic brands and places, none moreso than the Holden logo, which has pride of place under his left elbow. What a legend.
The Royals like to hang out there... no big deal
The Queen isn’t the only royal to pay a visit the suburb named in her honour. William and Kate also dropped in back in 2014. You might have been there when the pair scratched dance music and displayed their knowledge of hip hop at youth community centre in Elizabeth. Known for supporting the youth, the couple spent more than an hour with the Rememdy Break Dancing crew. Party on, your Royal Highness!
Few Adelaide suburbs can match its history of promoting live music
The Octagon was officially opened in 1965 and many Elizabeth residents still reminisce about the good times they had there. With a 1422-people-capacity, the venue attracted many well-known bands including the Bee Gees who played their last performance in Australia at the venue in the late 60s. From blue light discos to wrestling to bingo, it became the home of a wide range of events and activities. Residents were saddened to see it demolished in 2001. The smaller Shedley Theatre still remains and holds some of the Octagon’s heritage.
That’s how we roll. Elizabethans know how to have fun
Decades ago, skating was a popular hobby in many areas of Adelaide and the Elizabeth Roller Skating Rink was the largest hall of its type. It was a popular place to visit, particularly on weekends when midnight dances were held and skating sessions went on till dawn. Whether you liked skating, or just playing Space Invaders on the arcade machine, there was something for everyone. The World Roller Skating Championships were even held there in 1977. Unfortunately, the rink just became another part of Elizabeth’s history when it closed in 1986.
Elizabeth does good weather. Take this massive storm from 1968
The dust storm that rolled in from the north on a day in February 1968 is remembered by many Elizabeth residents. Historical pictures show a huge dark cloud of dust approaching from the north. It has been well-documented by several people on social media. “What a strange, strange day - from bright blue skies to complete darkness so quickly. I remember we rolled up towels and put in the window sills and under the door, trying in vain to keep the dust out of the house,” one poster said. “The noise was scary, the darkness was scary and at the same exhilarating - I think we knew we were experiencing something that we would remember for a lifetime,” another recalled.
Do you have a massive air show down the road from your place? Didn’t think so
The RAAF Base Edinburgh Air Show in November, 2019 was a hit, not only among northern suburbs residents, but the wider Adelaide community. If you live in Elizabeth, you more than likely made the short trek down the road to be among thousands who lined the tarmac to get a glimpse of the RAAF fleet. The base has been the home of many air shows dating back to the 1960s but this was the first held since 2007. The nation’s fifth-generation F-35 combat fighter jet made its inaugural touchdown in SA during the show, which proved a crowd-favourite.
Build it and they won’t come. We don’t care about your fancy car park!
If you have, you’re one of very few. The $8.5m car park was built in 2018 and by March 2020, it had only had 120 paying customers, giving ratepayers a return of less than $1900. It was built to help service three projects in Elizabeth, with no success. Instead, a proposed ice arena, medical centre and government office building were shelved or stalled indefinitely. Ratepayers have repeatedly raised concerns about the carpark and why it has remained largely empty since it was built.
What do you love about Elizabeth?
And what suburb should we profile next? Comment below.
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