At last Thursday night’s dinner, we enjoyed the delightful company of Brian and Barb Brock who were mill workers at the Onkaparinga Woollen Mills until it was shut down in 1993. Brian started working at the Mill in 1858 when he was just 14yo and took on a number of jobs over his 30 years with the company. Now he and Barb – and Club member Helen Smith – travel around to schools, service clubs and history buffs to promote the need for the old Mill to be turned into a Museum to showcase the enormous amount of quality Onkaparinga blankets, tartans, jackets and 7,000 swatches of material samples that were saved and safely stored following the demise of the Mill.
The big looms and other equipment are still on site. At its peak, the Onkaparinga Mill (in Lobethal) employed over 600 employees, and produced such products as war blankets and uniforms, small Qantas flight blankets, clothing such as lumberjackets, and quality blankets of various colours and patterns that were toasty-warm! Helen Smith is seeking State Heritage nomination for the vast collection as the Adelaide Hills Council (who inherited the site following council amalgamations) has been loath to grant the use of the old Mill as a dedicated Museum site.
The Mill’s demise was mainly due to competition of cheaper overseas blankets (following tariffs being abolished), plus the use of doonas that gained huge popularity in the 1980s and 1990s onwards. Brian said “we couldn’t compete against cheaper goods coming in even though the quality of our products were topnotch”. Brian started off on the floor picking up material and later learned his trade to become a Weaving Technician and later a Loom Tuner – a dying art!
On Thursday 19 June, our Club will hold its Changeover – or Rollover of Presidency – at The Caledonian Hotel, 219 O’Connell Street, North Adelaide in the Barton Room, 6.30pm for 6.45pm start. The 2-course meal (with two price-points) provides Vegan and Gluten-free options - just let the staff know when you order. Please book your seats for yourself and partner/friend at president@rotaryadelaidelight.org - it will be a great evening. RSVP prior to 12 June so that we can make arrangements with the Hotel.
Don’t forget the Robert “Rabbie” Burns dinner on 11 June (6.15pm start) at the Edinburgh Hotel, 7 High Street, Mitcham if you feel like a Scottish night of entertainment with song, dance and theatrics - and an entree taste of haggis (optional, of course)! Book your place via john@wothers.net.
See you on Thursday at the White Picket Café from 9.30am for coffee.
Best wishes and have a great week. Yvette, President.
Scotland’s best loved bard... Robert (Rabbie) Burns is celebrated at dinners all over the world on his birthday, 25 January 1759. Yet it’s a decidedly unScottish summer here in January, so we prefer to make merry over this rascally poet during our Antipodean winter instead.
Please join us for another theatrically Scottish dinner at the Edinburgh Hotel’s Victoria Room on Wednesday 11 June for only $65 each. There’ll be toasts, bagpipes, dancing and merriment with a Haggis entrée option or the Ed's entrée if you prefer, then a four-choice main meal. Our piper, Ethan will thrill us with his address to the haggis as he’s done before. Drinks will be available from the bar.
Maybe dress a little Scottish? Our friend, Rosemary has Scottish connections that enable her to freely loan you a kilt if you wish, just ask.
An educational walk offering our South Australian community a chance to connect and gain an insight into key signs of Domestic Violence & Coercive Control that surround us.
Saturday 11 October 2025
From 9am - Meet in Victoria Square
From 10am - the 1.2km walk starts along King William Street
10.30am - Arrive at the Elder Park Rotunda
From 10.30 to 11am - Inspirational presentations
11am to Noon - Mingle | Coffee | Food | Displays
Visit www.WalkForRespect.au to learn more and connect with survivors of Domestic Violence and local support groups.
Register to walk - FREE
On the day, choose the group you want to walk with when you arrive in Victoria Square.
United in the spirit of Service we value truth, fairness and friendship; and we welcome the opportunity that Rotary gives us to contribute our talents and resources in support of others.
Rotary Club of Adelaide Light Mission Statement
To have fun and engage interest from new members and friends as we use our strengths for a better world here and abroad - a welcoming, flexible group having fun doing hands-on activities for positive impact.
