Netley Places

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NETLEY

(+ former suburb of Netley Estate)

Netley was initially settled by Thomas Hudson Beare, an officer of the South Australian Company who arrived at Kangaroo Island on 27 July 1836 aboard the Duke of York, the first of the immigrant ships to reach the new colony. His farm was established on Section 101, which also included the Inn known as the Halfway House, first licensed on 26 March 1840.

Beare's farm was flourishing by 1850 when the correspondent of the Register known as 'Old Colonist' passed through although Beare moved to the Yankalilla district soon after. The area remained substantially agricultural into the 1930s and up to the Second World War.

After the War emergency housing was constructed by the Housing Trust and seventy dwellings were built on available land at Netley. The West Torrens Council was assured that such buildings were to be temporary in nature although they remained until well into the 1960s. 

Subdivision of the area after the 1940s meant that increasing population required the construction of new schools, and a school at Netley was constructed on Watson Avenue after 1960. [demolished 1998] 

A portion of Netley is taken up by the Adelaide Airport and there is now a large commercial park established by the South Australian Government off Richmond Road. [From 1998 Heritage Review - UPDATED]