King Electorate

Ms LUETHEN (King) (15:20): I would love to take this opportunity to acknowledge some of the fantastic community groups in King. First, I am going to touch on the One Tree Hill Progress Association, the One Tree Hill Institute, The Grapevine, and Fred Riley.

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to speak about the great community work the One Tree Hill Progress Association does in our community. The One Tree Hill Progress Association meets regularly at the One Tree Hill Institute, which is located on Black Top Road in One Tree Hill. According to the progress association, the institute they meet in was built in 1906 and fully completed in February 1907. It is a beautiful old building.

Although the institute is owned by the City of Playford, it is managed by the progress association. The progress association regularly hires out the institute for special occasions, which include weddings, engagements, birthdays, children's parties, reunions and group meetings. On the first Saturday of each month, the famous One Tree Hill markets are held at the institute and they are very popular with the locals. Indeed, I have had stalls at this market and made new friends there.

According to the progress association, One Tree Hill has a population of approximately 1,200 people. The town was named after a single large gum tree—which was burnt down in 1890—that was situated three kilometres from the centre of town near the original One Tree Hill inn. The institute can hold functions for 200 seated guests and more if people are standing.

The progress association not only runs the institute but also produces a monthly newsletter, called The Grapevine, which is distributed to all locals. About 900 copies are printed off and it is now also accessed widely by soft copy. It also has a Facebook page where people can have a look at it. Current and all previous editions of The Grapevine, which has been going for many years now, can be found on the One Tree Hill Progress Association website at www.onetreehill.com.au. It is a fantastic way to be able to access history, at a very much grassroots level, for many years.

The Grapevine community newsletter provides an excellent variety of local content, which includes details of coming activities and events, fire safety alerts, local crime updates, council information and activities, reports from the president and the rate payers' subcommittee group, real estate available and profiles of lots of local businesses.

On Saturday 5 May, I attended the One Tree Hill markets. It was a vibrant event and it just highlighted to me how all the locals get behind and support each other. On Tuesday 22 May, I attended a senior citizens club indoor bowls and afternoon tea event at the institute. The group was very welcoming and friendly and I enjoyed playing a game of bowls. I was told at my last visit that most of the members there are in their 90s. That is quite remarkable, and they have some amazing stories to tell. The youngest person there was 75.

I would like to highlight one example of someone who exemplifies excellent community spirit and whom I have had the pleasure of meeting through both the One Tree Hill Senior Citizens Club and the last two dawn services that I have attended in One Tree Hill. This person is 99-year-old Fred Riley. Fred was one of the first to welcome me to the group with open arms. I was so amazed to hear Fred's story of serving the country during World War II.

Fred did National Service training in the Army, then applied for and was successful in getting a transfer to the Air Force. During World War II, Fred was a Spitfire pilot. He moved to South Australia in 1947 after marrying Dot and moved to One Tree Hill in the 1970s. Not only was Fred a Spitfire pilot but he spent many years on the farm. He has a love for horses, studied accountancy at night school and has two daughters.

Fred has been actively involved in the local One Tree Hill Senior Citizens Club for many years. He is famous in the club for his cooking, especially for baking for each meeting his famous recipe for delicious Anzac biscuits, which I got to try. Fred also provides his biscuits for the One Tree Hill ANZAC Day service. That is just a little bit of insight into one of the very special institutes, groups and people at One Tree Hill.