All News and Events
27 Jul: Winter Plant-a-thon
Winter is planting time in Borthwick Park! Thanks to all the volunteers who helped plant approximately 500 shrubs, grasses and climbers in the Park on 5th July.
We’ve got about 550 grasses, groundcovers and climbers to settle into the ground on National Tree Day Sunday 27th July, 9am to 12.30pm.
Morning tea provided mid-morning with lunch afterwards.
We’ll be planting and staking, then mulching around the new plantings. Jobs for everyone! Full training provided. Come by yourself or bring the family or a friend. All welcome! Kid-friendly events! Please wear clothing and footwear suitable for gardening.
Why are we still planting in Borthwick Park? It seems to be already full of plants!
🌱Weed suppression – More native ground covers = less weeds in the beds.
🌱Replacement – Species like wattles and soft herbaceous plants are short-lived. Plants are regularly damaged during park activity or storms or heat.
🌱Diversity – Increasing the diversity of plant species maximises the health of the park. Every year we try out new species of shrubs, grasses and groundcovers to attract new butterflies and birds and benefit our ancient River Redgums. All species planted are indigenous to the local area, mostly sourced from Trees for Life as seedlings. In 2025 we are planting a quantity of seedlings grown by local volunteers from seed provided by Trees for Life and from seed or cuttings collected in Borthwick Park.
Find out more about the widely acclaimed biodiversity project which has transformed Borthwick Park since conception in 2009 by clicking here.
13 Aug : KRA AGM
The 2025 Kensington Residents’ Association’s Annual General Meeting will be held on Wednesday 13th August.
Where: Bethany Centre, Mary MacKillop Precinct, 4 High Street Kensington SA (access via driveway west of the Mary MacKillop Museum)
When: 6.45pm for 7pm start
Agenda items include:
Icebreaker Kensington quiz – quick quizzical questions about our favourite suburb Kensington 5068… fun to be had, prizes to be won!
Guest speakers Carlos Buzzetti (NPSP General Manager, Urban Planning & Environment) and Jordan Ward (NPSP Manager, Traffic & Integrated Transport) will provide an update on local parking and transport matters, listen to your concerns regarding these important issues and answer your questions. If parking and/or traffic in Kensington are causing you issues, do not miss this opportunity to engage with the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters!
Pictorial President’s Report on KRA events and achievements since the 2024 AGM
KRA Committee election to elect committee members and office-bearers to drive KRA activities for the coming year*
Supper, wine, tea and coffee from 8.30pm – a great opportunity to talk with the KRA committee, guest speakers Carlos Buzzetti and Jordan Ward, and Kensington friends and neighbours whilst enjoying one of the supper spreads the KRA is famous for!
* If you are interested in joining the 2025 KRA Committee, please contact our Secretary NOW to nominate via email to contact@kra.org.au. Joining the KRA Committee is a great way to get involved with YOUR Association and work with other locals to make Kensington the best possible neighbourhood.
2025 Care for Kensington grants open!
We think Kensington is the best place to live and we hope you do too.
Two community grants are available in 2025 to be spent on projects which benefit the Kensington community:
Adults (18 and over): a grant of up to $1000 is available.
Children (under 18): a grant of up to $250 is available.
Any project that benefits our fabulous suburb will be considered! It may be environmental, cultural, artistic, social, even virtual. The 2024 Care For Kensington grant recipients were Shyla and Jason Mills with their Compassionate Kensington project. Click here for some ideas to get your thoughts bubbling! Full grant guidelines are available here.
Who is eligible to apply? Anyone living in Kensington or on its perimeter roads who is a member of the Association (or living in a member household). Non-members may join on payment of our $15 annual fee.
How to apply? Download an application form here. Applications to be received by the end of August 2025. Successful recipients will be notified in September. Funds must be expended by the end of June 2026.
Enquiries: Andrew Dyson, Secretary, 08 8331 9654 or email contact@kra.org.au.
High Street heritage under demolition threat
This modest building at 69 High Street was formerly the Kensington Village school house. It is thought to have been built in the 1840s-1850s.
Although the building has stood firm for approximately 180 years, it now stands cordoned off, urgently requiring maintenance. In February 2025 the property owners submitted a Development Application under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 (SA) seeking to demolish this Local Heritage building. The relevant authority considering the application is the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters Council Assessment Panel/Assessment Manager.
Both the built and natural heritage of Kensington – the character-laden buildings, the magnificent remnant river red gums, the ancient creekline – were here before we arrived. It’s important to remember that we are not so much ‘owners’ but rather ‘custodians’ of the living history in our suburb. The Kensington Residents’ Association was formed in 1977 by a group of concerned residents seeking to protect the suburb’s heritage and resolve other issues of community concern.
The Association was instrumental in the declaration of Kensington as an Historic Conservation Zone: three levels of heritage listing protect many buildings that otherwise might have been demolished. In 2014 the KRA campaigned to preserve 63 Maesbury Street (pictured below). Take a stroll down Maesbury Street to No. 63 and and you’ll see how subsequent owners successfully restored and extended this quaint cottage.
The KRA has now opposed the demolition of 69 High St through written and verbal presentations to the Council Assessment Panel (CAP). Approximately 30 KRA members and supporters attended the CAP meeting at Norwood Town Hall on 19th May 2025. Heritage consultant Sandy Wilkinson and Trent Kuchel from Urathane Solutions submitted their professional assessment that the damage to 69 High St is readily repairable, therefore demolition is not warranted. The Council Assessment Panel deferred their final decision on the 69 High Street demolition application pending further consultation.
Watch this space, watch 69 High Street, and if you share our concerns for its future write to Council’s General Manager Urban Planning & Environment, Carlos Buzzetti (cbuzzetti@npsp.sa.gov.au), and Ward Councillors Christel Mex (cmex@electedmembers.npsp.sa.gov.au) and John Callisto (jcallisto@electedmembers.npsp.sa.gov.au).
11 May: Mothers Day working bee
Since 2010 the residents of Kensington have been working together to replenish the biodiversity and beauty of Borthwick Park.
This lovely green space bounded by Thornton Street, Richmond Street, Bridge Street and Second Creek is the focus of a community-led project supported by the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters and Green Adelaide.
Borthwick Park working bees are held on the 2nd Sunday of every month 9-11am. Come along on Sunday 11th May and see what we get up to.
It’s Mothers Day so we’ll be mothering our young plants, tucking them into comfy beds of mulch and giving the place a good tidy up!!
Volunteering locally is a great way to meet new people in your neighbourhood. Bring the kids. Invite a friend or neighbour to volunteer with you. Jobs for all ages and capabilities. No prior gardening experience necessary. All training and tools are provided.
Wear enclosed footwear and clothing to suit the weather. Bring your KRA volunteer vest if you have one or we’ll issue you with on on the day.
Call John for more details on 0422 909 710.
If you can’t manage the physical work, you are still most welcome to join us for morning tea from 11am. Free tea, coffee, and a delicious spread of morning tea treats on offer. We’d love to see you.
Borthwick Park working bee
Borthwick Park is nestled between Second Creek and Thornton, Richmond Street and Bridge Streets in Kensington 5068. This lovely green space has been the focus of a community-driven revegetation project, supported by the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters and Green Adelaide, for the past 15 years. It’s hard to imagine when you visit the Park today, but when the project began the creek bank was choked with weeds and badly eroded, and the precious remnant river red gums were marooned in an expanse of kikuyu grass. Working bees are held on the 2nd Sunday of every month 9-11am to maintain the understorey of shrubs, vines, grasses and ground cover established since 2009.
🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳
Join us in the park on Sunday 13th April between 9am and 11am. We’ll be topping up mulch to keep soil moisture in and weeds out, tip pruning shrubs, evicting pesky feral grasses, hose-watering the newer plantings… whatever needs doing!
Volunteering locally is a great way to meet new people in your neighbourhood. Bring the kids. Invite a friend or neighbour to volunteer with you. Jobs for all ages and capabilities. No prior gardening experience necessary. All training and tools are provided. Wear enclosed footwear, hat and clothing to suit the weather. Bring your KRA volunteer vest if you have one or we’ll issue you with on on the day.
🍰🍪🫖☕🧁
If you can’t manage physical gardening work, you are most welcome to join us for morning tea from 11am. Free tea, coffee, and a delicious spread of morning tea treats on offer.
Winter Solstice @ The Kensi – June 2026
There’s no better way to spend the darkest and longest night of the year, than at the Kensington Residents’ Association’s Winter Solstice event at The Kensi Hotel.
Winter Solstice Open Mic! If you sing, play an instrument, do stand-up comedy or recite poetry please join in for the open mic. Register to perform via email to contact@kra.org.au or put your name on the board on the night. Acts limited to 10 minutes length.
7.00pm onwards. Free Entry! Free Finger Food!
Where? Regent Room, Kensington Hotel, 23 Regent Street, Kensington
Discount drinks for KRA members. You are welcome to join the KRA on the night ($15 for 1 year membership).
Past events:
21 June 2025 Open Mic & Kensi Frenzy Singalong
22 June 2024: Winter Solstice Open Mic featuring Daddy Crow
22 June 2023: The Apocalyptic Winter Solstice featuring live music by Apocalyptic Breakdown, The Rude Mechanicals plus open mic opportunity
Kids AFL event – Winter 2026
This very special FREE* event has been proudly arranged by the Norwood Football Club and the Kensington Residents’ Association over the past 2 years (2024, 2025) and we hope to run it again in 2026.
Kids aged 5-12 years accompanied by their adult caregiver are invited to join in the fun at Norwood Oval. Activities include:
Coaching session (dress warmly and wear shoes to kick in, but no footy boots please!);
Tour of Norwood Oval including viewing footy memorabilia displayed beneath the grandstands;
Meeting Norwood players;
Refreshments on the day;
Footy gift to take home.
* FREE for Kensington Residents’ Association members’ children, $10 each for other children payable on the day (or $15 for one year membership to K.R.A.)
Event registration is essential. Limited to 25 children. A responsible adult must be registered to accompany every family group of 1-3 children.
2 Mar: Clean Up Australia Day
On Sunday 2nd March, Kensington residents will once again join thousands of people across the nation, all cleaning up their local area on Clean Up Australia Day.
Meet Kensington’s Clean Up Coordinator Peter Duffy in Borthwick Park, Thornton Street, at 9:30am. Wear shoes for comfortable walking, sun protection and clothing to suit the weather. Volunteers will be given gloves and sturdy bags for waste and recyclables, and assigned one suburban block to lap and collect items discarded on the footpath. In small groups we’ll cover all of Kensington and regroup in Borthwick Park at about 11am for barbeque brunch provided by the Kensington Residents’ Association.
The KRA clean up is registered on the CUAD website – click here.
12 Mar: Sturt Candidates Forum
JOINTLY PRESENTED BY RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATIONS OF KENSINGTON, KENT TOWN, NORWOOD & ST PETERS AND THE MAYLANDS-EVANDALE-STEPNEY COMMUNITY NETWORK GROUP
WHEN: Wednesday 12th March 2025 from 7pm
WHERE: Banquet Hall, St Peters Town Hall Complex, St Peters Street, St Peters.
WHO: An invitation has been extended to those who have already announced their candidacy. Any other candidates will also be invited to participate.
Confirmed attendees include
Dr Verity Cooper, Independent
Claire Clutterham, Labor
Katie McCusker, Greens
James Stevens, Liberal
All voters in the Federal Electorate of Sturt are welcome to attend this important meeting. You do not need to be a member of a local resident group.
Each candidate will be allowed time to canvas the local issues and to give their vision for the electorate.
The audience will then be given an opportunity to ask questions to help decide who should represent the people of Sturt in the Federal Parliament.