How time and progress completely changes a face

The SA Institute of Technology (SAIT) at The Levels was built on a large parcel of land between the abattoir sheep paddocks that were low lying and had much standing water in them each winter, and the Parafield airport. The institution stuck out like a saw thumb.

In 1978, even the buses only called in there early morning and late afternoon, at other times you had to walk across the seemingly huge sporting fields to the main road, or trudge about a mile across the pathless cow paddocks to catch a train. Car parking was almost at a premium and half of it was dirt.

In those early days, it was very much a male dominated seat of learning, with degree courses in civil, mechanical and electronic engineering, chemical technology, medical technology, metallurgy and geology being offered.

The Union Building was at the centre of campus life, the infamous “Caf”. The staff always seemed so darned serious and sour. It was the place to be fed such unforgettable foods like “caf chips” and if you were one of the quite rare female species, you were the centre of attention, whether you wanted it or not. It was also the place where I met my future husband.

Once the abattoir was “moved” outside the metro area, a huge area of land, including vast sheep paddocks, was left totally vacant and the State Government had to make decisions as to it’s use.

With the demise of the Multi Function Polis (MFP) on industrial land at Gillman, boy how I’ve always hated that name, the Government had the perfect opportunity to transfer their ideas to the new site.

In 1982 Australia’s first “technology park” was created. It was then deemed necessary to create housing for those who worked there, so Mawson Lakes (named after Antarctic explorer Sir Douglas Mawson) was born. Artificial lakes and waterways were created to deal with the almost swamp-like conditions that occurred every winter. Even the cow paddocks are in the process of being replaced by roads, houses and waterways as the tentacles feel their way around that side. A new train and bus interchange has been built where the little, dreary old railway station used to stand and they’ve tissied up the name from Greenfields to reflect the name of the new suburb.

The master plan calls for “approximately 11,000 residents in 4,300 homes by 2010, plus 6,000 students and an estimated business community of 8,000”. There are now all levels of education encompassed in the development.

In 1992 SAIT amalgamated with the SA Colleges of Advanced Education and became the University of SA.

All homes were built pre-wired for technology, and a huge water recycling project was undertaken – this water is piped in from a treatment works 8km away. Each home has 2 sources of water, fresh for drinking, bathing, washing, etc, and recycled for garden and toilet use.

The suburb has an “exclusive” feel about it, something for which the developers have a reputation. Around 30% of the area has been devoted to waterways and green space, and public works of art abound. However, the housing blocks are small, most homes are double storey and have little or no yards – sadly, much the same as most modern housing I suppose.

We don’t get to that side of the city very often these days, and if we do, it’s only because we’re on our way to destinations much further a field. It felt strange driving through the area today, we were, to say the least, quite surprised at the changes over the last 28 years, but I’m pleased we decided to get off the main road and have a quiet little drive around. There was still enough of the old SAIT to evoke memories of simpler, more carefree times.