City of Tea Tree Gully

The City of Tea Tree Gully is a local council in the Australian state of South Australia, in the outer north-eastern suburbs of Adelaide. The major business district in the city is at Modbury, where Westfield Tea Tree Plaza, Modbury Hospital, the Civic Centre and the library are located.

Howard, Lord Florey, Australian pathologist and co-discoverer of penicillin, was a resident of the City of Tea Tree Gully.

History

The Tea Tree gully itself passes through the Adelaide foothills roughly marking the easiest path eastwards from Grand Junction Road to Gumeracha. The 1850s settlement at the entrance to the gully (approximately where North East Road enters the foothills) was known as the village of 'Steventon' after local resident and miller, John Stevens, who was a major landowner in the area. The name Steventon is retained as one of the electoral wards of the City of Tea Tree Gully.

The council was originally proclaimed in October 1858 as the District Council of Tea Tree Gully, when the northern half of the District Council of Highercombe, which had been created in 1853, successfully seceded to form its own municipality. In the early 1930s, the two councils were considered unviable, being very small in relative size and population. The District Council of Highercombe was included in a Local Government Commission list of 53 local councils with annual revenue of less than £2000. Following the commission recommendation, the two councils were recombined under the name Tea Tree Gully in May 1935.

It inherited the former 1855 Highercombe council chambers, which had been built in Tea Tree Gully, and used that building until 1967. The Old Tea Tree Gully Council Chambers survive today and are listed on the South Australian Heritage Register, having been the first purpose-built district council chambers in South Australia. In 1967 the Tea Tree Gully civic centre was opened, comprising a new council chamber and civic hall. The municipality was granted city status and proclaimed as the City of Tree Gully on 8 February 1968.

A council-owned colonial building was converted into a community art gallery, and is now known as Gallery 1855. The gallery hosts regular contemporary art and craft exhibitions and artist-led workshops.

From 1954 to 1971 the population of Tea Tree Gully council rose from just over 2,500 to almost 37,000, and in 1975 it had reached approximately 55,000 as urban residential development quickly expanded.Auhl, 1976 By 2004 the population had exceeded 100,000.

Council

Council consists of 13 Elected Members comprising a Mayor, and 12 Ward Councillors. The Council area is divided into six wards, with two Counicllors elected from each ward.

The current council is:

WardParty AffiliationCouncilorFirst electedNotesMayor Liberal Marijka Ryan 2022Balmoral Ward Independent Rob Unger 2018 Deputy Mayor (2022-2024) Liberal Irena Zagladov 2022Drumminor Ward Independent Kimberley Drozdoff 2022 Liberal Lyn Petrie 2018 Lyn Petrie was elected by a recount of votes following the resignation in November 2023 of former Councillor Damian Wyld due to illness.Hillcott Ward Labor Kristianne Foreman 2021 Deputy Mayor (2025-2026) Independent Sandy Keane 2014Pedare Ward Independent Bernie Keane 1994 Independent Donna Proleta 2025 Elected by a supplementary election held in March 2025, following the resignation of Cr Tammie Sinclair in 2024.Steventon Ward Independent Jessica Hawkvelt 2018 Deputy Mayor (2024-2025) Labor Lucas Jones 2008Watergully Ward Independent Marina Champion 2022 Vacant Blake Lawrenson resigned from Council in January 2026. A supplementary election will not be held as it falls within 12 months of the 2026 Local Government elections.

Chairmen and Mayors of Tea Tree Gully

William Henry Ind (1936–1943) Albert George Dearman (1943-1951) George Norman Lambert (1951-1954) Albert George Dearman (1954-1955) David Stanley Goodes (1955-1957) Basil David Mitchell (1957–1960) Viggo Ole Jacobsen (1960–1965) William Green (1967–1969) William Gilbert Brassington (1969–1972) John Charles Burford (1972–1974) John Garfield Tilley (1974–1981) Donald David Stuart (1981–1982) John Garfield Tilley (1982–1989) Thomas Edward Loveland Milton (1989-1991) Lesley Purdom (1991-1997) Bernie Keane (1997-2000) Lesley Purdom (2000-2006) Miriam Smith (2006-2014) Pat Trainor (2014) Kevin Knight (2014-2022) Marijka Ryan (2022-Current)

Geography

The gully to which the city name refers actually exists and is known to be sizable as it provided a gradient negotiable only by bullock wagons travelling through the Mt. Lofty Ranges. Additionally the gully had permanent freshwater springs which promoted the growth of tea trees in the area – thus the eventual name 'Tea Tree Gully'.

The Anstey Hill Recreation Park is adjacent to the suburbs of Vista and Tea Tree Gully.

Sister cities The City of Tea Tree Gully, has two sister cities. They are: Asakuchi, Japan (April 2006) Borodyanka, Ukraine (May 2023)

Suburbs and post codes

Banksia Park – 5091 Dernancourt – 5075 Fairview Park – 5126 Gilles Plains – 5086 Golden Grove – 5125 Gould Creek – 5114 Greenwith – 5125 Gulfview Heights – 5096 Highbury – 5089 Holden Hill – 5088 Hope Valley – 5090 Houghton – 5131 Modbury – 5092 Modbury Heights – 5092 Modbury North – 5092 Para Hills – 5096 Redwood Park – 5097 Ridgehaven – 5097 St Agnes – 5097 Salisbury East – 5109 Surrey Downs – 5126 Tea Tree Gully – 5091 Upper Hermitage – 5131 Valley View – 5093 Vista – 5091 Wynn Vale – 5127 Yatala Vale – 5126

City of Tea Tree Gully

Bron en licentie