Tony Zappia (Makin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Manufacturing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Saturday, 6 April, Pooraka Primary School celebrated its centenary with an open day at the school and many activities including memorabilia displays and a re-creation of the first flag-raising ceremony that took place when the school opened in 1914. The flag was raised by Heather Thornton, granddaughter of Kate Powell, who raised the flag in 1914. One hundred years later, the first building is still being used for classrooms and the original Union Jack flag has been safely preserved. The school was formerly known as the Abattoirs Primary School because it was built to service the rapidly growing community surrounding the state's new abattoirs that had opened in the area in 1913. In 1941 the school changed its name to Pooraka Primary School, although its close association with the abattoirs continued until the abattoirs closed about 20 years ago. Uniquely, each year in October the school had an extra public holiday to enable children to attend what was known as the 'butchers' picnic'. As a past student of the school myself, the 100th birthday celebration was an opportunity to reconnect with many of my old schoolmates and former Pooraka families whom I had not seen for decades.

For the best part of the 20th century, Pooraka was a relatively isolated community on the northern outskirts of Adelaide, identified almost solely because of its association with the abattoirs and the livestock industry. The importance of the meatworks to Pooraka's history cannot be overstated, with the abattoirs at its peak being the single largest government employer in South Australia. In 2007 Adelaide artist and writer Richard Maurovic, who was left a paraplegic from an accident he sustained while working as a stockman at the abattoirs, compiled an excellent book entitled The Meat Game about the meatworks and its history.

Pooraka's isolation made it a very close-knit community where families all new and supported each other. Through their collective efforts, many of the local community facilities, including the Scott Street hall, the scout hall and the football, cricket, netball and soccer facilities on what is now known as Lindblom Park were established. Joe Lindblom, whom the park was named in recognition of, was a student at Pooraka Primary School in 1937 and went on to become the first mayor of Salisbury. Joe was at the Centenary Day celebrations with his wife, Ethel. Although getting on in years and having moved out of the area some years ago, Joe and Ethel are still very much part of the Pooraka community. Today there is nothing left of the meatworks. However, the Pooraka Primary School is still there, serving the community and being the most notable connection with Pooraka's origins.

On a sad note, Maureen Looft, a local resident, who for decades devoted her life to the Pooraka community including the primary school, passed away through illness on 23 March aged 72. Maureen was an original member of the Pooraka Residents Association and in more recent years the local Neighbourhood Watch coordinator. To Maureen's husband, Hans, and their family, I extend my sincere condolences.

In closing, I congratulate Pooraka Primary School principal Jo Everett and her team for a job well done in organising the centenary celebrations, which brought together past and present students and teachers.