A Year-Round Holiday: The Histories of West Lakes by Susan Marsden
West Lakes was created in the 1970s, transforming what many considered a wasteland of swamp and sand into well-groomed waterways and suburbs. Who carried out this vast engineering and urban project? Were perceptions of the area consistent with reality, before and after the signing of the West Lakes Indenture in 1969?
‘A Year-Round Holiday’ covers an extensive and environmentally complex region, now a large swathe of western metropolitan Adelaide. Stepping back through nearly 200 years in time she reveals a diversity of people and pursuits, not least of them ornithology and Australian Rules football.
Commissioned by the City of Charles Sturt, and published in partnership with Wakefield Press, this book is a must for anyone interested in South Australian history, the development of metropolitan Adelaide, environmental heritage, and Australian town-planning.
‘A Year-Round Holiday’ can be purchased from Charles Sturt libraries, Civic Centre, or online at Wakefield Press
1992 West Lakes wins the inaugural Prix D’Excellence Real Estate Award
The West Lakes development was awarded the inaugural Prix D’Excellence by FIABCI, the Paris based International Real Estate Federation at the World Congress, Montreux, Switzerland in 1992. West Lakes was selected from among entrants worldwide as “the project that produced the greatest synergy from all the real estate disciplines – quality of counselling, appraising, finance, marketing, management, maintenance and community benefits – without losing sight of the project’s impact on its environment and the quality of life of its occupants and neighbours.”
The FIABCI World Prix d'Excellence Awards recognises projects that embodies excellence in all real estate disciplines involved in its creation. An international panel of Judges comprising of top real estate professionals award projects based on overall merits and not just aesthetics, functionality or size.
The International Real Estate Federation has chapters in more than 60 countries. It represents the world's real estate professions in the capacity of Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. FIABCI's role in the United Nations is to make recommendations and provide advice on matters such as property rights, housing for the poor.
The West Lakes development is a 688ha site and the project was undertaken by the Delfin Property Group.
West Lakes: You'll want to live here (1974)
This historic video shows the development of West Lakes in the 1970s and was initially described in the film as a wasteland near the sea.
it includes footage of the area pre-development, shows then South Australian Premier Don Dunstan and Deputy Premier Des Corcoran surveying the region, aerial views of the land and coastal development, the creation of the central lake, Football Park and finally the finished suburb.
Please note the audio reflects the quality of the original film.
This video is shared on our website with written permission from the S.A. Film Corporation and the State Library of South Australia.