Abandoned buildings become eateries

Carla Caruso

Any loss from your "Open Green Public" Park Lands to new development is to be avoided.

However, some cafes have made use of previously-abandoned heritage Park Lands buildings, finding ways to stay viable even during the notoriously quieter, cooler months.

The kiosk at Bonython Park/Tulya Wardli reopened in April 2021 after being closed for several years.

Carolyn, a baker and cake decorator by trade, is behind the new Café Bonython. As well as serving up cupcakes and lolly cones, customers can order celebration cakes, and participate in cake decorating classes.

“I’m relying on the cake business to keep the café alive [over winter],” Carolyn says. “I do the decorating out the back.”

Meanwhile, historic Lounders Boatshed Café, near City Bridge in Park 12, this month enclosed a pavilion on its eastern side.

“On beautiful days, with sunshine, the place is packed,” says Andrew Lolic, who operates the eatery with partner Christine Ross. “It’s on those not-so-beautiful days that we still have to try to run a business, pay rent, and all the rest of it. So, the whole idea of the gazebo was just to give us shelter to be able to do that.”

The boatshed was in near ruins before it was transformed into a café, though it’s steeped in history. Built in 1913, its name honours Harold Lounder, who built many boats there, including one that represented Australia in the 1924 Paris Olympics.

In November 2021, Andrew and Christine are planning a rowing carnival “revisiting the Henley on Torrens Regatta”, with the hopes of old wooden boats returning to the water.

At the couple’s request, a bike repair station has also been installed by the City of Adelaide on the bicycle pathway adjacent.

Historic boatsheds on the River Torrens in Park 12 - Picture: State Library of SA

Historic boatsheds on the River Torrens in Park 12 - Picture: State Library of SA

Other cafes in the Adelaide Park Lands include