Attunga, Toorak Gardens
Encyclopedia
Attunga was a mansion which now forms part of a hospital.
The mansion was built by Benjamin Burford in 1900 on 4.5 acres (1.8ha) at 120 Kensington Road
, in what was then Rose Park
, (an inner eastern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia). Containing 14 rooms, the two story house is the largest and most extravagant mansion built in the area that became known as the suburb of Toorak Gardens
. With Burford's death in 1905, the property was bought by an investor from Broken Hill, Otto Georg Ludwig von Rieben. While maintaining and paying particular attention to the property, von Rieben eventually settled at "Pomona" at Mt Lofty in the Adelaide Hills
.
In 1944, almost forty years after he purchased it, and having lived in it for 37 years, von Rieben (then aged 82) offered Attunga to the Burnside Council
free of charge, for use as a hospital, with the stipulation that the house and gardens be preserved. (In August 1943, a committee of the Council had suggested building a community hospital as part of the Council's Post-War Reconstruction and Development Plan. In November 1943, the Council adopted the committee's recommendation to spend up to £100,000 on the building of a hospital, and that the hospital was intended to be the district's principle memorial to honour Burnside's war dead. In February 1944, Mayor P.R. Claridge announced von Reiben's donation. The council subsequently unanimously accepted the donation.)
By April 1949, the first stage of the conversion of the mansion had been completed, with Attunga having been converted into a convalescent hospital caring for 21 patients. When it closed in September 1956 it had cared for over 1,400 patients. In October 1956, the adjacent new 45-bed Burnside War Memorial Hospital
, built at a cost of £145,000, was opened. The mansion has subsequently been used for a number of medical support purposes - for example, since March 1989 it has used as the "Attunga Medical Centre".
In the 21st century, the mansion and its well kept formal gardens continue to occupy nearly all of the western half of the original 4.5 acres, with multi-story hospital buildings covering most of the eastern half of the original area.
The mansion was built by Benjamin Burford in 1900 on 4.5 acres (1.8ha) at 120 Kensington Road
Kensington Road, Adelaide
Kensington Road is a main road in the South Australian capital city of Adelaide. It serves the eastern suburbs, primarily the northern side of the City of Burnside and the southern side of the City of Norwood, Payneham & St Peters. Its western end, on the edge of the city centre, is at the infamous...
, in what was then Rose Park
Rose Park, South Australia
Rose Park is a suburb with a population of 1,293 in the South Australian capital city of Adelaide. It is located one kilometre east of Adelaide's central business district . Rose Park is a leafy, tree-lined and wealthy inner suburb containing a number of historical and contemporary attractions...
, (an inner eastern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia). Containing 14 rooms, the two story house is the largest and most extravagant mansion built in the area that became known as the suburb of Toorak Gardens
Toorak Gardens, South Australia
The Toorak Gardens area was originally part of the then larger, and now adjacent, suburb of Rose Park. Between 1912 and 1917 it was named "Toorak", and subsequently "Toorak Gardens". It is an inner eastern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia located 2 km east of the Adelaide city centre...
. With Burford's death in 1905, the property was bought by an investor from Broken Hill, Otto Georg Ludwig von Rieben. While maintaining and paying particular attention to the property, von Rieben eventually settled at "Pomona" at Mt Lofty in the Adelaide Hills
Adelaide Hills
The Adelaide Hills are part of the Mount Lofty Ranges, east of the city of Adelaide in the state of South Australia. It is unofficially centred on the largest town in the area, Mount Barker, which has a population of around 29,000 and is also one of Australia's fastest growing towns.- History :The...
.
In 1944, almost forty years after he purchased it, and having lived in it for 37 years, von Rieben (then aged 82) offered Attunga to the Burnside Council
City of Burnside
The City of Burnside is a local government area with an estimated population of 44,300 people in the South Australian city of Adelaide. Burnside was founded in August 1856 as the District Council of Burnside, and was classed as a city in 1943. It is named after the property of an early settler and...
free of charge, for use as a hospital, with the stipulation that the house and gardens be preserved. (In August 1943, a committee of the Council had suggested building a community hospital as part of the Council's Post-War Reconstruction and Development Plan. In November 1943, the Council adopted the committee's recommendation to spend up to £100,000 on the building of a hospital, and that the hospital was intended to be the district's principle memorial to honour Burnside's war dead. In February 1944, Mayor P.R. Claridge announced von Reiben's donation. The council subsequently unanimously accepted the donation.)
By April 1949, the first stage of the conversion of the mansion had been completed, with Attunga having been converted into a convalescent hospital caring for 21 patients. When it closed in September 1956 it had cared for over 1,400 patients. In October 1956, the adjacent new 45-bed Burnside War Memorial Hospital
Burnside War Memorial Hospital
The Burnside War Memorial Hospital is the only community hospital in the City of Burnside, Adelaide, South Australia.A local resident of Toorak Gardens, Otto George Ludwig von Rieben, offered his Attunga property for use as a community hospital free of charge in 1944...
, built at a cost of £145,000, was opened. The mansion has subsequently been used for a number of medical support purposes - for example, since March 1989 it has used as the "Attunga Medical Centre".
In the 21st century, the mansion and its well kept formal gardens continue to occupy nearly all of the western half of the original 4.5 acres, with multi-story hospital buildings covering most of the eastern half of the original area.