Brooklyn Park, South Australia

Brooklyn Park is a western suburb of the South Australian capital of Adelaide. It is located on Kaurna land, immediately north-east of Adelaide Airport and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) base on Sir Donald Bradman Drive. It is bound on the north by Henley Beach Road, on the east by Marion Road, and on the west by the Kooyonga Golf Club on May Terrace.[2]

A public space in Brooklyn Park today

Brooklyn Park Adelaide, South Australia
Brooklyn Park
Coordinates	34.929°S 138.544°E / -34.929; 138.544
Population	4,781 (2016 census)[1]
Postcode(s)	5032
Location	6 km (4 mi) W of Adelaide city centre
LGA(s)	City of West Torrens
State electorate(s)	West Torrens
Federal Division(s)	Hindmarsh
Suburbs around Brooklyn Park: Lockleys Underdale Torrensville Lockleys Brooklyn Park Cowandilla Adelaide Airport West Richmond Richmond

Brooklyn Park is approximately 5.8 kilometers away from the Adelaide coast and 5.5 kilometers away from the Adelaide Central Business District. Lockleys Post Office opened on 1 September 1904 and was renamed Brooklyn Park in 1967.[3]Brooklyn Park now includes a subdivision that was originally named Bismarck; it was changed by the Nomenclature Committee to "Weeroopa" in 1918.[2][4]

From 1925, Brooklyn Park was the 6 acres (2.4 ha) site of the transmitting station for radio 5CL,[5] which became an ABC station in 1929. It was then joined by facilities for the second ABC station, 5AN, ten years later. In 1961, with the commissioning of the new Pimpala transmitters, the facility was closed down, then demolished, and has now been replaced by medium-density housing. Reasons for the shift include proximity to Adelaide Airport, encroaching suburbia, and the perceived need to upgrade to more powerful transmitters and a taller, more efficient antenna.

The family residence of Jack and Emily McGowan (Jack died in 1950) and their children (including Mary McGowan) remains on the site of where Jack's horse stables were.

As an area with significant horse racing heritage, Brooklyn Park was home to the Stables of Jack McGowan (Jacks father-in-law rode the winner of the 1870 Melbourne Cup and 1871 Australian Cup on "Nimblefoot"). Jack was one of five brothers who were all jockeys (and at one time famously all rode in the same race at Ballarat [6]). Jacks brother Paddy McGowan, who won the 1890 Caulfield Cup and 1891 Australian Cup on "Vengeance", was killed in a race fall at Flemington in 1894[7] a year after Jacks brother Edward was killed after a horse fall at the Old Adelaide Race Course in 1893.[8] Jack McGowan was South Australia's leading cross-country jockey[6] in the late 1800s, early 1900s winning the A.R.C Grand National Hurdle at Victoria Park on "Jack Spratt" and again on "All Fours" as well as the Harry D. Young Hurdle and the Oakbank Hurdle at the Oakbank Racecourse. Jack also run close seconds in the Great Eastern Steeple Chase on "Edirol" and the Oakbank hurdle on "Culluleraine". Jack also won the Victorian Racing Club (VRC) Cup Hurdle on "Fairlight"[9] and was a regular winning Jockey in all forms of Thoroughbred Racing around Adelaide at Victoria Park, Morphettville[10] and Cheltenham Park [11]Racecourses over many years.

Jack McGowan's Brooklyn Park stables were extensive and in 1903 Jack offered to buy Paula Street, Brooklyn Park from the West Torrens Council to assist in its upkeep and the development of the area.[12] Jacks sons Bill and John were successful horsemen, with John at one point riding 7 winners in a row[6] and winning 22 hurdle and steeple races in one year which was a record [13] while one of Jack's daughters, Mary McGowan, was a pioneer female jockey[14] in the 1920s winning 16 trophies in 16 races.[15] Mary married local Malcolm Allan who was one of South Australia's most skilled and leading horsemen.[16] The popular Malcolm rode many harness racing winners in the 1920s at Thebarton Oval[17] [18]when Trotting was in its fledgling years in South Australia, while also being successful in Thoroughbred Racing at the same time (with winners such as "Taurus" and "Strangway" [19]) before shifting to Harness Racing full time. With the rapid rise of Trotting (Harness Racing) in South Australia with legalised betting in 1934, Adelaide's Harness Racing meetings became the talk of Australia.[20] It was in this sport and during this period that Malcolm won hundreds of races, and various awards including the Wade Cup,[21] the Brennan Gold Cup, The Gawler Cup, The ANA Cup, The S.A Trotters Cup,[22] The Hambletonian Cup, The Candy Cup, and the famous Goshen Cup at Wayville from the Goshen Club in New York. Malcolm lived and kept horses in Brooklyn Park during these early years and was a pioneer in the sport of Trotting/Harness Racing in South Australia riding horses such as "Red Satin", "Red Love", "Western Queen" and "Claridge" at Jubilee Oval, Thebarton Oval, Wayville and Globe Derby[19] Malcolm later trained and rode horses that were owned by South Australian Parliamentarian, the Hon. Leslie "Larry" Heath.[23] Malcolm won the last race he participated in, at Globe Derby in 1972 on a horse named "Mamre".[23] Malcolm's nephew and Jack McGowan's Grandson Steven Mowday (who was raised and schooled in Brooklyn Park as an inaugural St John Bosco Primary School Student in 1954) was understudy to and took over from Malcolm, collecting his first harness racing win on the same horse "Mamre" in 1971.[23]

Brooklyn Park is the site of the Adelaide College of Divinity (associated with Flinders University). The College moved to the site of the former Salesian College in late 1997. The Salesian College opened as a Catholic boys school in 1954, became open to girls as well in 1978, and closed in 1996. Part of the site is now the campus of Emmaus Christian College.[24] The Lockleys Primary School and the St John Bosco Primary School are also in Brooklyn Park.

Brooklyn Park has a Kindergarten and a separate Child Care Centre.

There are four (4) churches in Brooklyn Park;

• St. John Bosco Catholic Church
• Brooklyn Park Church of Christ
• Adelaide West Uniting Church
• St. Richards Anglican Church

Brooklyn Park also has a joint Metropolitan Fire Service and South Australian Ambulance Service Station.

The 2016 Australian Census identified that the median age of Brooklyn Park residents was 36 years (South Australia's median age was 40, and Australia's was 38). The Census also identified that 25% of Brooklyn Park residents held a Bachelor Degree or higher (while in broader South Australia, 18.5% held a Bachelor Degree or higher and across Australia that was 22%).

The streets of Brooklyn Park today.

The West Torrens Branch of Meals on Wheels is located in Brooklyn Park.

"Trees for Life Australia" is located in Brooklyn Park. The organization was established in 1981 and now has over 7,000 active supporters. Trees For Life delivers conservation, revegetation, community engagement, training programs and services to assist the environment.[25]

The German Club of South Australia has moved to Brooklyn Park and is undergoing development of its premises.[26] The club joins other boutique dining and coffee places in the area, including the retro designed pizza and cocktail bar Chicco Palms which has proven to be a drawcard across the metro area since 2017.[27] The original council, heritage listed building (circ. 1888)[28] on Marion Road, Brooklyn Park has recently been purchased to develop into a restaurant, bar and micro brewery.[29]

CoreLogics Best of the Best report released in late December 2020 identified Brooklyn Park on the national list of suburbs around Australia with growth in value better than any other capital city location in 2020. [30]