WILLUNGA QUARRY MARKET COMMUNITY PROJECTS

The market’s management committee have a strong commitment to projects that support youth development, local history, and tourism.

2007 - The Willunga Quarry Market is jointly sponsoring the Willunga Almond Blossom Festival Fireworks with Willunga Car Sales and Wood n Logs. Howard & Sons, Australia’s famous fireworks family are coordinating their pyrotechnic talents for an exciting night sky show at 5.45pm on Sunday 28 July. Their innovative, imaginative and impressive, colourful and dazzling display will delighted all in attendance.

2007 - Garth Hughes, a metal sculptor was commissioned by City of Onkaparinga to create a ‘Tree of Life’ that grows, branches out and reaches for the stars. The children’s glass tiles are the buds and blossoms on the tree. English and four non-English languages will be engraved into the tree describing life and growth, in this way our migrant population of which many of the children are descendants will be acknowledged.

2006 - The Market sponsored the Willunga Almond Blossom Festival Fire Sculpture Workshop. World-renowned Bob Daly and partner Kalian Micenko of Spinfx Australia facilitated this workshop. The project provided Willunga youth with an opportunity to explore a very different, creative and exciting art form. Long cane rods, wire ties, ungreased kitchen paper and glue was used to make the sculpture, which was mounted on parallel poles for transporting. The finished sculpture was decorated with black texta. At nightfall wax candles illuminated the sculpture as it was paraded around the Willunga Recreation Park football oval.

The students were exposed to a host of creative and artistic experiences and the more practical safety aspects of working with a potentially dangerous medium.

2005 - The Willunga Quarry Market and STARS initiated a second project involving children.
The City of Onkaparinga, Willunga Primary School, the Market and STARS funded a ‘Glass Art’ project for Willunga Primary School students. Peta Cowen Goh, glass artist in residence at the Jam Factory was engaged to design and guide this exciting project with the intention that the colourful laminated glass tiles created would eventually be incorporated in a sculpture located at the Willunga Jubilee Rose Garden Maze

2005 – There was a worldwide celebration of the 200th birthday of Hans Christian Andersen, Denmark’s famous writer of fairytales. Southern Theatre & Arts supporters held a Hans Christian Festival from 1 April to 3 December 2005 to celebrate the travels, literary and artistic talents of this cobbler’s son from Odense who was feted by Danish royalty.

The Willunga Quarry Market jointly funded a Hans Christian Andersen Memorial Reading Seat, which is located on the Shiraz Trail close by the Willunga Kindergarten and Willunga Primary School. Access the seat from Station Road Willunga.
1 April 2007 the Market and STARS committees held a ceremony to unveil a plaque that outlines the history of how and why this monument to a Danish writer came to be located in Willunga.

2004 - The Willunga Quarry Market, Willunga Trade & Tourism Association, City of Onkaparinga and National Trust jointly funded the restoration of a water trough used by horses after settlement in 1839. The hollowed out tree is located on the corner of Giles and Aldinga Roads near a spring fed stream. The Willunga Branch of National Trust coordinated the ‘Water Trough Corner’ restoration. Their volunteers spent many hours weeding and rehabilitating this historic location.

2002 - The Onkaparinga Adventure Playground was built on Jubilee Park Saltfleet Street, Port Noarlunga in just six days. The community raised the money and over 2000 volunteers from all walks of life participated in constructing the playground.
Willunga Quarry Market sponsored the Tick-Tack-Toe game located quite close to the entrance.

2001 - The City of Onkaparinga held the first ‘Poetry Unplugged’ competition. This festival was designed to encourage people of all ages to embrace poetry. The Market sponsored category 1 for under 13 year olds. Meredyth Cilento a former Market committee member designed the perpetual timber trophy [below], which was sponsored by the market. We also continue to sponsor the $125.00 prize. This event was renamed Poetry Unhinged in 2005.

Local architect Jerry Keyte designed the benches. Jerry has a passion for Willunga to retain its identity and sense of community. The Market sponsored the bench located outside the Willunga Library on High Street. [below photo of brass plaque].

1997 - Willunga Township Programme was in full swing. Historic street lighting was installed, deciduous street trees planted, slate paving laid and a series of local timber street seats were dotted throughout the township.