Cowandilla, South Australia

{{Use Australian English|date=August 2019}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}} {{Infobox Australian place | type = suburb | name = Cowandilla | city = Adelaide | state = sa | caption = Street in Cowandilla | pop =  | established = | postcode = 5033 | area = | dist1 = | dir1 = | location1 = | lga = City of West Torrens | stategov = West Torrens | fedgov = Adelaide | near-n = Torrensville | near-ne = Mile End | near-e = Hilton | near-se = Richmond | near-s = Richmond | near-sw = West Richmond | near-w = Brooklyn Park | near-nw = Brooklyn Park | alternative_location_map = Australia SA inner Adelaide | pushpin_map_caption = Location in greater metropolitan Adelaide | coordinates = {{coord|34.931|S|138.557|E|display=inline,title}} }} '''Cowandilla''' is a western suburb in Adelaide, South Australia, in the City of West Torrens. It is located a few kilometres west of the CBD, close to Adelaide Airport. Sir Donald Bradman Drive crosses the middle of the suburb.<ref name=PLB>{{cite web |url=http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/# |id=SA0016551 |title=Placename Details: Cowandilla |date=11 March 2009 |work=Property Location Browser |publisher=Government of South Australia |access-date=30 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012010923/http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/ |archive-date=12 October 2016 }}</ref>

Australian Bureau of Statistics data from May 2021 identified Adelaide's Western Suburbs as having the lowest unemployment rate in South Australia.<ref>{{Cite news|date=28 June 2021|title=Adelaide's West Leads Employment Surge|work=In Daily|url=https://InDaily.co/335989|access-date=29 June 2021}}</ref> left|thumb|Street corner in Cowandilla today

Cowandilla is home to the renowned Western Youth Centre (established in 1956) which provides a well maintained Oval, Tennis Courts and large clubhouse to a number of sporting teams and societies. Sports such as cricket, soccer, tennis, judo, gymnastics, marching and table tennis are all played at the venue.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Western Youth Centre|date=20 June 2013|url=https://wycinc.com.au/about-us/|url-status=live|access-date=22 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140920005725/http://wycinc.com.au:80/about-us/ |archive-date=20 September 2014 }}</ref>

The Cactus and Succulent Society of South Australia (established in 1964) is based at the Western Youth Centre, where it holds all its meetings and gatherings. Sophie Thomson, a presenter on the national weekly television show ''Gardening Australia'', is the society's patron.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=The Cactus and Succulent Society of South Australia |url=http://www.csssa.org.au/index.php/about-us |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110174156/http://www.csssa.org.au:80/index.php/about-us |archive-date=10 November 2013 |access-date=20 June 2021 |website=Cactus and Succulent Society of South Australia.}}</ref>

The intersection of Marion Road and Sir Donald Bradman Drive (Western end of Cowandilla) has been awarded 45 million dollars by the Federal and State Governments for upgrades in 2022<ref>{{Cite web |title=Marion Road and Sir Donald Bradman Drive upgrade |url=https://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/files/budget-2021-22/sa-marion-road-and-sir-donald-bradman-drive-intersection-upgrade.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624201406/https://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/files/budget-2021-22/sa-marion-road-and-sir-donald-bradman-drive-intersection-upgrade.pdf |archive-date=24 June 2021 |access-date=20 June 2021 |website=Australian Commonwealth Government}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Marion Road, Sir Donald Bradman Drive intersection upgrade |url=https://www.instagram.com/tv/CQVGWBgjvoI/ |access-date=20 June 2021 |website=7 News Adelaide |via=Instagram}}</ref>

Cowandilla House, which is said to be haunted by the ghost of Mr. Turners late daughter was sold in 2024 for $1.4 Million, which is a record for the small suburb<ref>{{Cite web |date=11 July 2024 |title=Haunted House |url=https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/adelaide-breakfast/haunted-house/104084330 |access-date=20 October 2024 |website=ABC Radio Adelaide}}</ref>

== History == {{Expand section|date=September 2022}}

=== Etymology === Its name is derived from the Kaurna name Kawandilla (Kawantilla),<ref name="schulz2018">{{cite web |last=Schultz |first=Chester |date=30 April 2018 |title=Place Name Summary: (PNS) 1/02: Kawandilla |url=https://www.adelaide.edu.au/kwp/placenames/research-publ/1-02Kawandilla.pdf |access-date=16 November 2020 |website=Adelaide Research & Scholarship |series=The Southern Kaurna Place Names Project |publisher=University of Adelaide }}{{Dead link|date=December 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> meaning "in the north". ''Kauwanta'' is the Kaurna word for north, and the suffix -''illa'' means "in".<ref>{{cite web |date=28 November 2005 |title="Kaurna Warra Ngayirda Wingkurilla (On the Airwaves)": Kaurna Language Radio Shows |url=https://www.adelaide.edu.au/kwp/resources/radio/201307/201307_08-KaurnaWarra.html?template=print |access-date=16 November 2020 |website=Kaurna Warra Pintyanthi |publisher=The University of Adelaide |archive-date=11 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210711112947/https://www.adelaide.edu.au/kwp/resources/radio/201307/201307_08-KaurnaWarra.html?template=print |url-status=dead }}</ref> However it does not reflect a place known by the Kaurna as Kawandilla (whose location is somewhat vague and possibly non-existent); when the village was established in the present location of the suburb in 1840, the developers gave it this name because they thought it meant something to do with "water" (the word ''kauwi'')<ref name="schulz2018" /> (hence also "Kauwantilla").<ref>{{cite book |last=Amery |first=Rob |title=Warraparna Kaurna!: Reclaiming an Australian language |date=2016 |publisher=University of Adelaide Press |pages=204 |chapter=Chapter 8. Kaurna in Society |jstor=10.20851/j.ctt1sq5wgq.18}}</ref> The whole of Greater Adelaide lies on the traditional lands of the Kaurna people.

== Demographics == 2021 Australian census data identified that 52% of Cowandilla residents were female compared to South Australia with 50.7% female and Australia also 50.7%. Furthermore the census identified that 11.7% of Cowandilla residents had Greek ancestry compared to 2.7% in South Australia and 1.7% in Australia. The census also found that 5.6% of Cowandilla residents were born in India compared to 2.5% in South Australia and 2.6% in Australia.<ref>{{Cite web |date=9 July 2022 |title=Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census Data Cowandilla |url=https://abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2021/SAL40318 |access-date=9 July 2022 |website=Australian Bureau of Statistics}}</ref>

== Economy == From the 3rd Quarter in 2020 to the 3rd Quarter in 2021, South Australian median house price increased by 9.66% and the Adelaide Metropolitan area rose by 13.82%<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=Jessica |date=13 November 2021 |title=A Snapshot of out State |page=11 |work=The Advertiser}}</ref> while the Valuer- General identified that Cowandilla rose by a remarkable 38.77% comparatively, making it a sought after location to live.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=Jessica |date=13 November 2021 |title=What your home is worth: a suburb by suburb review |page=Page 5 |work=The Advertiser – realestate}}</ref>

== Sport ==

=== Cricket === The centre is home to the well supported Western Youth Centre Cricket Club, which was established in 1961 and fields teams in both senior and junior grades.<ref>{{Cite web|date=23 May 2021|title=WYC Cricket Club|url=https://wycinc.com.au/cricket-club/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140816030859/http://wycinc.com.au:80/cricket-club/ |archive-date=16 August 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=23 May 2021|title=WYC Cricket Club Facebook|website=Facebook|url=https://www.facebook.com/wyccricket|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210523111252/https://www.facebook.com/wyccricket |archive-date=23 May 2021 }}</ref> The Oval also has adjoining, well maintained cricket practice nets that are available for public use every day.

Cricket in Cowandilla is fitting as the small suburb has significant cricket heritage. It is where cricket under lights was birthed in 1930 by returned serviceman and tram dispatcher Alf Stone at his Turner Street Cowandilla home (only a few hundred metres from the Western Youth Centre Cricket Club) during the depression.{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}} Up to 50 youths were attending his property every night to play under light globes.<ref>{{Cite news|date=23 May 2021|title=Electric Light Cricket|work=ABC|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-25/electric-light-cricket-invented-by-adelaide-digger/6972582}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=9 April 1949|title=7,000 Play it Now|work=The Mail|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/55928448 |via=Trove}}</ref> This led to an 11 team competition playing electric light cricket in the area in the 1930s<ref>{{Cite news |date=2 November 1934 |title=Electric Light Cricket; Returned Soldiers Invent New Game |page=13 |work=The Advertiser |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/74119770 |access-date=9 July 2022}}</ref> Bruce Dooland was also born in Cowandilla in 1923. Dooland remained in the area, learning cricket in his Cowandilla backyard before playing for West Torrens, South Australia and Australia (and later Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club, where he was regarded the best bowler in England and the first to reach 100 wickets in the season).<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 July 1954 |title=Bruce Dooland First with Hundred Wickets |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/220824444 |access-date=16 July 2022 |website=Trove - Lithgow Mercury}}</ref> His skill was also recognised by his choice for Players against Gentlemen in 1953 and 1954 and in 1950-51 he visited India with the Commonwealth team. He made his highest score, 108 against an Indian XI, at New Delhi.<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 July 2022 |title=Bruce Dooland - Cricketer of the Year 1955 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/154604.html |access-date=16 July 2022 |website=espn - cricket info}}</ref> Dooland was described as "the leg spinning magician",<ref>{{Cite book |last=Brien |first=Denis |title=Remembering Hookesy |publisher=Swan Sport |year=2004 |location=NSW |pages=24}}</ref> who took over 1000 first class wickets and taught Richie Benaud how to bowl the flipper.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Piesse |first=Ken |title=Warne Sultan of Spin |publisher=Printworks |year=1995 |location=Melbourne |pages=46}}</ref> The flipper would subsequently underpin the success of Shane Warne.<ref name=":1" /> Dooland was a Wisden Cricketer of the year in 1955. center|thumb|400x400px|A Club Cricket Match in Cowandilla

=== Tennis === The Western Youth Centre Tennis Club also uses the well maintained tennis courts alongside the Oval.<ref>{{Cite web|date=23 May 2021|title=WYC Tennis Club|url=https://wycinc.com.au/tennis-club/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140920005857/http://wycinc.com.au:80/tennis-club/ |archive-date=20 September 2014 }}</ref>

=== Angling === The Western Districts Angling Club (established in 1938) resides at the Western Youth Centre.<ref>{{Cite web|date=23 May 2021|title=The Western Districts Angling Club|url=https://www.wdac.org.au/about/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140126031225/http://www.wdac.org.au/about/ |archive-date=26 January 2014 }}</ref>

=== Soccer === The Adelaide Red Blue Eagles Football Club,<ref>{{Cite web|date=1 February 2022|title=Adelaide Red Blue Eagles FC|url=https://www.facebook.com/ARBE.FC/|access-date=1 February 2022|website=Facebook}}</ref> play in the South Australian Amateur Soccer League and call the Western Youth Centre home.<ref>{{Cite web|date=1 February 2022|title=Club directory Adelaide Red Blue Eagles Football Club|url=https://www.saasl.com.au/club-directory/|access-date=1 February 2022|website=South Australian Amateur Soccer League}}</ref>

alt=A Soccer game being played at the Western Youth Centre|center|thumb|A Soccer game being played at the Western Youth Centre in 2021|420x420px

== Areas of interest == Cowandilla is also home of the Cowandilla Primary School<ref>{{Cite web|title=Cowandilla Primary School|url=http://www.cowandilla.sa.edu.au/|url-status=live|access-date=20 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010501082002/http://www.cowandilla.sa.edu.au:80/ |archive-date=1 May 2001 }}</ref> and the Orthodox Coptic Church in South Australia.<ref>{{Cite web|date=22 May 2021|title=Coptic Orthodox Church SA|url=http://www.sacopts.org.au/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060504040846/http://www.sacopts.org.au:80/ |archive-date=4 May 2006 }}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:Suburbs of Adelaide