Elizabeth That Was Part 8: The Fall

The eighth and final part in this 8 part series is based in part on the book "Good Times, Hard Times" by Mark Peel, and covers the irrevocable course Elizabeth was set upon with the arrival of General Motors Holden as the town's primary source of industry, and economic stability, along with the competing smaller light industries and large and small retail traders, as they all vie for dominance within Elizabeth's local economy.
History of Elizabeth
Before the 1950s, most of the area surrounding today's suburb of Elizabeth was farming land. After the end of the Second World War with its shortage of materials, the state government decided that South Australia needed to grow and become industrialised. A satellite city was planned for northern metropolitan fringe of Adelaide between the existing townships of Salisbury and Smithfield. The South Australian Housing Trust initiated a housing development program in the area, with a purchase of 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) at the site of the present suburb.
The township (now suburb) of Elizabeth was established on 16 November 1955, being named after Queen Elizabeth II, queen of Australia, and inaugurated by Sir Thomas Playford, who was then premier of South Australia.
The town council was briefly renamed the District Council of Salisbury and Elizabeth on 22 August 1963. On 13 February 1964, a new local government body, the municipality of Elizabeth, later called the City of Elizabeth, was created by severance from the District Council of Salisbury.
By the late 90's local council bodies were being forced to amalgamate by the State Government, resulting in the amalgamation of Munno Para and Elizabeth City Councils to become Playford.
The entire lifespan of Elizabeth the City lasted just 33 years.

[@elizabeththatwas]

Thank you for watching and supporting the channel. For more Elizabeth (and Adelaide) that was, please Like the video and hit the Subscribe button. Cheers, Will 🙏

[@jjdean3793]

Well informed, well observed and well articulated - great work Will.

[@elizabeththatwas]

Thank you kindly, that is much appreciated! Warmest, Will :-)

[@susanjacquier5358]

Great work Will. I find it so sad...what's happened to the Elizabeth I knew as a child, and the wilful destruction of her most beautiful areas. The 'local' shops, now ugly derelict. The gardens gone and the discarded trolley like litter everywhere. Now, the ugly 'urban spread on agricultural land. Thank you for keeping the hopes and dreams of our families relevant and unforgettable.

[@elizabeththatwas]

I feel you, Susan. I must say, doing this doco series has given me a sense of coming full circle in understanding what happened to the world around me. Hopefully it helps others, too. And stands as a sense of pride not only for those who were there, but those who come after when discovering their own history, and the tough stock they came from. Thank you, as always, for watching and supporting the channel. It's much appreciated :-) Warmest, Will

[@royphillips4751]

Again, a great job Will. Lived in Salisbury North 1954-1961 and watched the development of Elizabeth throughout. Dad was LRWE/WRE and Fairey Aviation. Mum a school teacher Salisbury North. My folks moved toward Adelaide in the late 60s but I travelled to Elizabeth on my annual return from RAAF Service for some 20 years. Very evocative images and a great story told of just how quickly the best of intentions, even with huge expenditure, can unfold. Well done.

[@elizabeththatwas]

Thank you, Roy. That is much appreciated, mate. I'm glad to hear all the positive feedback, and all the wonderful stories people have been sharing with me and each other. It's made it all worth while. Cheers, Will :-)

[@BellaBarossa]

Thank you for this well-researched and well-narrated series. I have lived in the Elizabeth area for 52 years, minus 15 or so years spent living in the rural mid-north (the only way I could afford to raise my two kids somewhere nice). I've watched it change from a booming satellite city in the late-70s to the unemployment scrap-heap it became in the 90s (which is when I moved to the country), to what is essentially now a commuter suburb for people working in Adelaide. Watching this series, and this last video in particular, has evoked such an emotional response in me. It can be hard to watch change, but change is also necessary.

[@elizabeththatwas]

My pleasure, Bella. Researching and making this has answered many questions for me relating to how everything went downhill so quickly, and how far removed Elizabeth is today to what was originally planned and hoped for. It must be heartbreaking at times for those who were there to build it, between 1955 and 1970. I was born in 1970, growing up in Smithfield Plains. That was a very different experience from the 15 years that preceded my birth with so much hope and optimism. Everything so new. And Elizabeth today isn't remotely what it was like when I was growing up. It could be rough, but it wasn't derelict in parts or suffering so much depression and hopelessness. It's astonishing how many changes took place in such a short time. How many Elizabeth's there have already been, in such a short time. And, of course, her story isn't over. Perhaps things will come full circle one day and she will see happier times again. It will take new and special leadership, however. But, you never know. Thank you for watching, Bella. Much appreciated :-)

[@BellaBarossa]

@elizabeththatwas "How many Elizabeths there have already been, and in such a short time." Spot-on. Wow. You were born the same year as I, 1970. So I guess our experiences of growing up in Elizabeth are very similar. I was born in Hope Valley, but we moved to Elizabeth Park when I was 2. Moved to Elizabeth East when I was 8, and never left until 1994, returning in 2009. I live behind the house I grew up in. The northern section of Hillbank didn't exist when I left, and a lot had changed when I returned to the East 15 yrs later. The biggest change is the amount of traffic on the road I live on now. It's insane. I feel like the council has been struggling to keep up in terms of roads and infrastructure, but I am starting to see some positive progress in the past couple of years. I hope it continues. 🙂

[@elizabeththatwas]

@@BellaBarossa Oh, my. Have you seen Curtis Road? That thing is crying for some extra lanes. The amount of houses and apartments that have been built without taking traffic into account. I just don't get it. When I was a kid, the area behind Curtis road was all paddocks and farms. Curtis Road has not changed in all that time. Crazy

[@BellaBarossa]

@@elizabeththatwas oh, Curtis Road! That area around the Peachey Rd/Curtis Rd intersection had completely changed by the time I returned from the mid-north. I still struggle to recognise it. I don't drive down there very often, mainly because of that impossibly narrow single lane bottleneck. I had a boyfriend who lived in Smithfield Plains back in the late 1980s, just off Peachey Road. So I spent a lot of time in that area as a newly P-plated teenager. It's barely recognisable to me now. And sooo busy!

[@dixie265]

Thanks for the memories, I remember playing on that steam train in about 1975 waiting to be picked up, so sad what happened to Elizabeth was a nice place once.

[@elizabeththatwas]

My pleasure, mate. Thank you for watching. BTW, That train is now in service on the cockle train line down at Victor Harbour. Which is a nice happy ending for her :-)

[@5kMagic]

Great series! Thank you for your exceptional work. I grew up in Adelaide in the 80s and had no idea about Elizabeth pre-downturn.

[@elizabeththatwas]

Brilliant. One of the 3 main reasons I began this channel, and in particular this series, is because I wanted to present an alternative narrative to the more common one presented about Elizabeth for people who only hear about her problems today on the news. Something a little more hopeful and honouring of the people who left everything behind and took a chance on creating a future in an entirely new town. That takes a lot of hutzpah :-) Thank you for watching, and for the very kind words. Much appreciated :-) Will

[@rkh7904]

Thank you for such an interesting documentary.

[@elizabeththatwas]

My pleasure. Glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for watching, it is much appreciated. Will :-)

[@tomrusack3266]

The 60‘s certainly the best years for Elizabeth. Lived in Elizabeth East 64-71.

[@elizabeththatwas]

I would love to have experienced Elizabeth between 1955 and 1970. A very unique experience to live through, I would think. Thanks for watching Tom. Hope the video brought back some happy memories. Cheers, Will :-)

[@stew8584]

Wow it's been a long time since I heard the name WRE, thats where my mother worked. Skating, swimming and the Hotel Elizabeth which I think was across the road (mmm Sarsaparilla) Oh and of course the Octagon. Golden Bread T-shirts were popular and some sneakers that Had a Surfboard in the sole, long time ago. Cheers once again wonderfully put together, thank you.

[@elizabeththatwas]

Thank you Stew. Have you watched Episode 4 on Salisbury North? There's lots of WRE footage from the 50s in that episode. As well as the video titled "Guided Weapons Testing Woomera, Edinburgh Airfield & the WRE Salisbury." You can find both on the homepage. Cheers again for watching Stew. Always appreciated :-)

[@stew8584]

@@elizabeththatwas Oh thank you very much, I shall halve a look, Cheers.

[@baabaabaa-yp2jh]

Well done Will! Dad went from SAR to WRE to GM/H, mum was a nurse at WRE then SAHT... Took em 3wks to get a house (Hogarth Rd then Manningford Rd) back then.. now it's 13 yrs +... anywhere!! I keep looking out for mum or dad to be in the pics, naa, no luck yet!

[@elizabeththatwas]

Mate, have you checked out the Playford's Past Recollect website? I sourced a number of shots from there. You can check it out via this link: playfordspast.recollect.net.au/ There are thousands of images there. You never know, you just may spot your mum and dad in one of them. All the best, Will

[@baabaabaa-yp2jh]

@@elizabeththatwas Thanks mate, appreciate it.

[@topghia]

This is an excellent series. The analysis and historical perspectives are revealing and in many ways quite profound. A question that arises for me is what the future may hold. The Elizabeth envisaged in the 1950s will no doubt meld even further and indistinguishably into the 21st century Australian urban landscape. But I wonder if new opportunities and/or unanticipated change are awaiting their turn in the cycle? Change is constant; and I suppose time (twenty years?) will tell.

[@elizabeththatwas]

Excellent observation @topghia. As this channel covers the Elizabeth that was, it can seem a little depressing, or finite. But, I agree with you. We don't know what the future holds, or what unforeseen influences may emerge in the future - any more than Elizabeth's originals and planners were able to see the unforeseen circumstances that would lead to her downfall. The future is unwritten. Who knows, maybe she'll even return to her own council body again, one day. Thank you for watching, and for the kind words. Much appreciated :-) Will

[@garychopping2184]

grew up in theVale int the 60,s and 70,s those were good days no ferals in the HT homes back then,, every primary school even had a rugby team , i still remember watching the Octogen getting built ,playing on the old cannon on windsor green even the old city centre had character, weekends we walked up the the horse stables behind Eliz/ East... and as school rushing to the front of the Tramsway bus.. now head north you take the expressway and bypass it. miss the old days but not elizabeth,,, now in my 60,s people still ask where does my accent come ..aussie with a touch english.

[@elizabeththatwas]

How cool. I would love to have been around then, watching the Octagon get built, etc. Such a unique time. I was born 1970, so all of those iconic structures and landmarks were already just freshly built. That clock tower has seen much come and go. Thank for watching, Gary. Much appreciated :-) Will

[@geoffmower8729]

Hi Will wow fantastic job. The turn off just after the West garden centre was the street my brothers crash repairs used to be Elizabeth West Crash repairs, late 70s and through to 2,000s. It's all changed now totally unrecognisable. I went for a drive last year and I got lost I couldn't make out where I was. Anyway top job mate very well done.👍🏻

[@elizabeththatwas]

Thank you Geoff. Yes, my old neighbourhood in Smithfield Plains is unrecognisable, too. I got disorientated when I visited there for the first time in years back in 2018. Most of my old street had been demolished. New houses have been built since, but that day there was nothing. That experience actually led to this channel. Your brother ran that business for over 2 decades. That's very cool. Thank you for all your support, mate. Much appreciated :-)

[@vascoemyer]

Very sad what happened to all those dreams.

[@elizabeththatwas]

Agreed. Thank you for watching. much appreciated :-) Will

[@strazd86]

Makes you almost cry for how it's become today.

[@elizabeththatwas]

Not the vision Thomas Playford had in mind, that's for sure. Thank you for watching @strazd86. Much appreciated :-) Will

[@crustymoto]

Elizabeth has been destroyed by poorly qualified Council management that used their positions in the Elizabeth Council as a stepping stone to a more Lucrative position in other Council areas or Politics . Elizabeth has suffered because of bad decisions by unqualified and untalented CEO'S & so called Managers . The main problem was and is ; people with the true ability will not Lower themselves by taking up a position in ELIZABETH .

[@elizabeththatwas]

Thank you for watching, @crustymoto, and for sharing your thoughts. Much appreciated :-) Will

[@CurtisLSA]

lol at 15:33

[@elizabeththatwas]

Subtle, isn't it?