Norwood, South Australia

William Street in Norwood, facing west towards the Adelaide city centre

Before British colonisation of South Australia and subsequent European settlement, Norwood was inhabited by one of the groups who later collectively became known as the Kaurna peoples.[2][3]

Early settler Edward Stephens, who arrived in the colony in 1839, wrote: "Norwood and Kent Town were unknown then. The site of the present Norwood was then a magnificent gum forest, with an undergrowth of kangaroo grass, too high in places for a man to see over; in fact persons lost their way in going from Adelaide to Kensington in those days, through attempting a short or near cut across the country".[4]

Norwood is named after Norwood, then a village south of London. The new village east of Adelaide was first laid out in 1847.[5] The former City of Kensington and Norwood was the first outside of the City of Adelaide to receive the right to set up their own municipal corporation. The charter of the town was given on 7 July 1853 by the Governor, Sir Henry Young.[6]

The suburb consists of four segments, being divided into north and south by the major thoroughfare of The Parade and east and west by Osmond Terrace. It is bounded on the south by Kensington Road on the north by Magill Road, on the east by Portrush Road and on the west by Fullarton Road. It is a leafy suburb, with streets lined with plane trees.

First Creek and Second Creek once flowed through the suburb, but First Creek is only visible between Edward Street and Birrell Street,[13] and both creeks are mostly underground in concrete tunnels.[4]

Osmond Terrace is a street with a wide grass, median strip featuring a prominent war memorial commemorating ANZAC soldiers who fought in the first and second World Wars, created by architect H.F.R. Culley.[14][15] The median strip also features sculptures from local artists,[16] and rose gardens. There is a sculpture of the first Italian to arrive in the new colony of South Australia in 1839, Antonio Giannoni (1814–1883), who worked as a cab driver in Norwood, and whose son, Peter Gannoni, became mayor in 1920.[17][18] The memorial bust, created by Wandrina Douglas-Boers,[16] was unveiled in November 1993.[19]

One of the most visible landmarks in Norwood is the Clayton Wesley Uniting Church, at the eastern end of The Parade, on the north-east corner of Portrush Road. Actually located in Beulah Park, the church and spire that are visible along the road from Norwood was built in 1883, although an earlier building (still behind the present church) was built in 1856.[20] The Norwood Town Hall is on the north-western corner of The Parade and George Street.

Norwood attracted many European migrants post-World War II, in particular Italians.[21] In the 2016 Australian census, 4.1% of the population spoke Italian at home, with Greek coming a close second at 3%.[22] By the 2016 Australian census, the top language other than English spoken at home was Mandarin Chinese, at 3.6%, while 3.2% of the population spoke Italian and 2.8% Greek.[23]

In 2016, there were 5,953 people living in the suburb, with a median income of A$1,485 per week. The top ancestries in 2016 were English, at 26.3% and Australian, at 17%. Only 64.4% were born in Australia, while 43.2% had both parents born in Australia.[23]

Norwood is known for its many restaurants[27][28] and shops selling fashion and goods of all kinds.[29][30] It also plays host to a variety of events and festivals throughout the year.[31]

• Norwood Town Hall was heritage-listed on the SA Heritage Register in November 1985.[40]
• Norwood Library is located on 110 The Parade, near the corner of Osmond Terrace, in the old Kensington and Norwood Institute building,[41] which was heritage-listed in 1981 on the South Australian Heritage Register.[42] The institute, designed by government architect W. H. Abbott free of charge, and built in 1876, was one of many mechanics' institutes in Australia established during the 19th century. It was largely funded by its founding president, Sir Edwin Smith. In 1882 its collection, available for loan by subscriptions paid by members, was enhanced by books acquired from the Magill Institute after its demise. In 1883 extensions were added to the building, including a hall and reading room, and in 1895 it also had a musical program. In 1914 the library held 13,744 volumes, and 190 periodicals and newspapers, and an art school was opened in the building. In the 1950s the Institute supported the free lending of books, but fell into debt to the council. In 1977 the City of Kensington and Norwood acquired the building, and carried out renovations, retaining the library. In 1986 the Institute was dissolved, setting up a Friends of the Library group as the building becoming the responsibility of the council. The building was refurbished in period style and became Norwood Library.[41]
• The former Norwood Baptist Church, on the south-eastern corner of Church Avenue and The Parade (no. 134), designed by architect James Cumming, built in 1869[43] by Charles Farr and opened in January 1870,[44] was heritage-listed on the SA Heritage Register in 1982.[45] Its classical style was particularly influenced by the Metropolitan Tabernacle in Newington Butts in London, where influential Baptist preacher Charles Spurgeon used to preach. The building contains one of the most significant church organs in South Australia, installed in 1882. Its use as a church ceased and for some time it housed the Mary Martin Bookshop,[43] but that closed in the 2010s and has since been used as a restaurant.

Saint Ignatius Church

Saint Ignatius Church is a Catholic parish church, built after land at the north-eastern corner of William and Queen Streets was purchased by the Society of Jesus (more commonly referred to as Jesuits) in 1869 and the church built in Italianate style and opened in August 1870.[46]

Saint Bartholomew's on Beulah Road in Norwood, also known as St Bart's Norwood, is "an Anglican church in the evangelical tradition that participates as a member of the Anglican Communion".[47] It was for some years part of the Grace Anglican Network (created by St Bart's in 2016[48]) with St Matthew's Church, Marryatville,[49] but as of February 2022 is again independent.[50]

The Unitarian Meeting House at 99 Osmond Terrace is an independent, self-governed church "affiliated with the worldwide Unitarian and Unitarian-Universalist free church movements".[51]

• Norwood Primary School, Osmond Terrace,[52] which was designed and built by the same architect and builder as the Norwood Baptist Church, architect James Cumming and builder Charles Farr, as Norwood Public School in 1871.[53]
• Saint Ignatius' College, junior campus

Several Adelaide Metro bus routes serve the suburb. These are the main routes running through or adjacent to Norwood as of 2020:[54]

• H30, H33: Magill Road
• H20, H21, H22, H23, H24, N22: The Parade
• 140, 141,142: Kensington Road
• 300: Suburban Connector (Portrush Road)

In addition to these, there are a number of school services running during term-time, and special services to Adelaide Oval for big events.[54]

• Reginald Blundell, politician[55]
• C.J. Dennis, writer[56]
• Bill Denny, politician[56]
• Don Dunstan, former Premier of South Australia[57]
• Antonio Giannoni, first Italian settler in South Australia[19]
• May Gibbs, writer[56]
• Max Harris, poet[56]
• Lionel Hill, politician[56]
• Mary MacKillop, Australia's first beatified saint[56]
• Mary Martin, bookseller[56]
• Sir Edwin Thomas Smith[56]
• Catherine Helen Spence, women's rights campaigner[58]
• Alexander Tolmer, former police officer and police commissioner
• Stanley Price Weir, public servant and Australian Army officer[56]

• Electoral district of Norwood
• List of Adelaide suburbs

• Norwood Swimming Pool (in neighbouring Kensington)
• Woodroofe, a soft drink company

• Norwood Payneham & St Peters Council

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