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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-10-14 Daily Xml
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The Rising Sun Inn

Ms O'HANLON (Dunstan) (16:19): This year we celebrate 180 years of one of the true icons of Kensington in my electorate of Dunstan, the Rising Sun Inn. To step into the Rising Sun Inn is to step into history, and it is also to experience the very best of hospitality and community spirit today. It is a place where the past and present sit perfectly side by side, where heritage is not just preserved but lived, and where stories that began nearly two centuries ago continue to be written every day.

Built in 1845, the Rising Sun Inn has stood through almost two centuries of South Australia's history. It has witnessed the early struggles of a fledgling colony, the growth of Kensington from a day-long journey into Adelaide into a vibrant and coveted inner eastern suburb, and all of the social, economic and cultural changes that have shaped our state.

Much of the original building remains intact. The four fireplaces have warmed locals and travellers alike for generations, and beneath the iron roof the original shingles are still preserved, but it is the bricks that tell the story most vividly. In those early days, travelling from the city to Kensington was a challenge, so the bricks were all handmade locally. Many still bear the fingerprints of the bricklayers who shaped them by hand.

My father was a bricklayer and I remember going with him to collect second-hand bricks from old building sites. He would point out the indentations and explain that they were modelled using the side of a man's hand, a human imprint in every brick. Whenever I see the Rising Sun Inn I think of my father's teachings and of the generations of craftsmen whose skill and effort built the foundations of our community.

The Rising Sun Inn has had many chapters. It was once a busy coaching inn providing lodging for travellers on their way to and from the city. Later it became a private home. In the 1950s it was even a motorcycle factory, the only place in South Australia where motorcycles were produced. In the 1990s three young visual effects specialists held their first meeting there and named their new company after it. Rising Sun Pictures went on to work on some of the biggest films in the world, including productions nominated for and even winning Academy Awards, quite the legacy for a local pub.

Today, thanks to the dedication of owners Grant and Jacqui Goodall, the Rising Sun Inn is both a heritage treasure and a vibrant local business. One might start the evening with a delicious South Australian red in front of a roaring fire on a chesterfield, followed by a modern Australian meal in one of the dining rooms, or take one of Adelaide's most charming high teas, served on vintage crockery with crocheted tablecloths. I have had the pleasure of experiencing all of these over the years. Every visit is special and Grant never fails to have a story about the inn's long and colourful history. He has a gift for bringing the past alive and you cannot help but be caught up in the passion of the place.

But it is not just the locals who love it. The Rising Sun Inn has been named Best Pub or Bar at the Eastside Business Awards for the past two years running, an award recognising not only excellence in food and service but also the way a venue is woven into a community. Grant and Jacqui have achieved both. They have carefully balanced reverence for the past with a clear vision for the future, ensuring that the Rising Sun Inn is not a static museum piece but a living, breathing part of Kensington life.

The Rising Sun Inn is a place where birthdays, engagements and anniversaries are celebrated, but also a place for everyday meals with friends and family. It is where relationships begin—truly, I have heard the stories—and where friendships are enjoyed over good food and wine. I can also testify to that. That is what makes it such a rare treasure: it is both a landmark of history and a living part of our community fabric. It embodies continuity, connection and a uniquely South Australian ability to make spaces both deeply rooted yet welcoming to all.

This year there is an extra reason to celebrate: on 26 October the Rising Sun Inn will mark its 180th anniversary with an event that promises to be nothing short of spectacular. There will be live music inside and out, giveaways from Coopers Brewery and Paracombe Wines, and prizes for best period costume. It will be a celebration that honours the stories of the past and, deservedly, Grant and Jacqui, who have tirelessly ensured that it is every bit as much a part of our present and our future.

This milestone is not just about the longevity of a building, it is about the communities that have grown around it. It is a reminder of how powerful places can be in shaping how we live together. I might also note that the Rising Sun Inn is not only one of my favourite places in the electorate, but it is also known to be one of the Premier's, and I can hardly blame him. It is, after all, one of the few establishments in South Australia that has managed to outlast more than almost all our state's governments combined. There is something very grounding about that thought. As we raise a glass to the Rising Sun Inn let us celebrate all that it represents: craftsmanship, continuity, heritage and the joy of gathering together.

The ACTING SPEAKER (Ms Clancy): Thank you, member for Dunstan, and happy birthday for Saturday! I call on the member for Frome.

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