Oakden, South Australia

Oakden
AdelaideSouth Australia
Aerial image of eastern half of Oakden, bounded by Grand Junction Road to the north (top of frame), and Sudholz Road to the east
Population3,583 (SAL 2021)[1]
Established1993
Postcode(s)5086
Location12 km (7 mi) from Adelaide
LGA(s)City of Port Adelaide Enfield
State electorate(s)Torrens
Federal division(s)Sturt
Suburbs around Oakden:
Northfield Walkley Heights Valley View
Northgate Oakden Gilles Plains
Lightsview Hillcrest Gilles Plains

Oakden is a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia,[2] located to the northeast of the Central Business District. It was established as a housing estate named Regent Gardens in 1992 and is located on former Department of Agriculture land.

Geography

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The area, which includes land formerly known as Gilles Plains and a small portion of SA Housing Trust properties and land from Hillcrest, was renamed 'Oakden' in 1993, using the maiden name of the wife of Osmond Gilles, who was South Australia's first Colonial Treasurer.[3] Gilles married Patience Oakden in Hamburg, Germany in 1825, but she died in England in 1833. Her brother, a former business partner of Gilles, was the banker and pastoralist Philip Oakden. Her nephew was the South Australian explorer and pastoralist John Oakden. Suburbs Northgate and Northfield are also right next to Oakden.

Its boundary is Lord Howe Avenue, Oxford Street, and Bristol Terrace to the south, Sudholz Road to the east, Grand Junction Road to the north, and Fosters Road to the west.

History

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Oakden scandal

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Mark and McLeay Nursing Home, a part of the state government's Aged Mental Health Care Service in Oakden, became the subject of ill notoriety in 2016 and 2017 when it was sanctioned by the federal government following allegations (later proved) of mistreatment of residents.[4] Due to enormous public pressure, the facility was effectively closed in April 2017.[5][6] The following political fallout was known in the media as the 'Oakden scandal'.[7][8]

Main sights

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Its notable buildings include the Salvation Army Corps and Community Centre; the Christadelphian Church run Heritage College Adelaide; James Nash House, a secure mental health facility; various former Hillcrest Hospital buildings, most of which have been converted for use by other tenants including for student accommodation, small business and nursing home; The Oakden Central, a tavern run by the Adelaide City FC with associated training venue; the Oakden Fire Station; and the remainder of the Strathmont Centre (1971–2017), a Government of South Australia institution for those with a severe intellectual disability. Makk and McLeay Nursing Home and Clements House, formerly known as Hillcrest Hospital, which closed in 2017 was also in Oakden at 200 Fosters Road. The facility was a part of the state government's Aged Mental Health Care Service.

Oakden has two retail establishments, housed in the same building on Sir Ross Smith Boulevard, consisting of a cafe and hairdresser.

It is home to Roy Amer Reserve,[9] a regional park including wetlands that serves as a storm water capture and aquifer recharge system as well as a native fish sanctuary, which was constructed by the City of Port Adelaide Enfield in the early 1990s and won state and national engineering awards.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Oakden (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ 2008 Adelaide and Surrounds Street Directory, 46th Edition. UBD (A Division of Universal Press Pty Ltd). 2008. ISBN 978-0-7319-2118-8.
  3. ^ "About the area - Oakden-Hillcrest". City of Port Adelaide Enfield.
  4. ^ Donnellan, Angelique; Gage, Nicola (21 March 2017), Oakden mental health facility slapped with sanctions as former advisers reveal 'shocking' failings, ABC News, retrieved 6 June 2017
  5. ^ Gage, Nicola; Donnellan, Angelique; Harmsen, Nick (20 April 2017), Oakden mental health facility to be shut down by South Australian Government, ABC News, retrieved 6 June 2017
  6. ^ Donnellan, Angelique; Gage, Nicola (3 May 2017), Oakden apology given by SA Premier as four more staff suspended over abuse concerns, ABC News, retrieved 6 June 2017
  7. ^ Dayman, Isabel (8 May 2017), Oakden scandal could lead to ICAC investigation against SA Minister Leesa Vlahos, law society says, ABC News, retrieved 6 June 2017
  8. ^ Gage, Nicola; Donnellan, Angelique (25 May 2017), Makk and McLeay wards at Oakden Older Persons Mental Health Facility: A history of problems, ABC News, retrieved 6 June 2017
  9. ^ "Roy Amer Reserve". City of Port Adelaide Enfield.
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Media related to Oakden at Wikimedia Commons

34°51′11″S 138°38′37″E / 34.85306°S 138.64361°E / -34.85306; 138.64361