by Shane Sody

An elderly man's lucky escape from fire has thrown a spotlight onto one of the best-kept secrets of your Adelaide Park Lands.

The Roma Mitchell Garden, at the rear of the Old Adelaide Gaol, is tended by clients of the Adelaide Day Centre for Homeless Persons.

Although it's a full hectare in size (10,000 square metres, or two-and-a-half acres) few people know that it exists, because it's hidden from sight behind the stone walls of the old Adelaide Gaol, a railway line, and high cyclone wire fencing, with a locked gate.

92 years old

A rose garden was started on this site, back in 1932 by female prisoners at the Old Adelaide Gaol. Male prisoners took over caring for the garden in 1969.

The last prisoners were moved out in 1988, after which the old Adelaide Gaol became (and remains) a heritage tourist site in Park 27 of your Adelaide Park Lands. https://adelaidegaol.org.au/

But with no prisoners remaining to maintain the garden, it then fell into disrepair.

In the early 1990's the "Adelaide Day Centre for the Homeless" in Moore Street in the city, led by the world-famous Adelaide singing nun, Sister Janet Mead, was invited by the City Council to rescue the garden.

What’s in the Garden?

Since the 1990s the garden has been subject to a lease or licence, granted for a peppercorn rent. For more than 30 years, the Adelaide Day Centre for Homeless Persons has helped and encouraged homeless and disabled people to work productively in the garden.

Co-ordinator Joyce van der Sman describes the arrangement as "a model for rehabilitation, healing and promoting health."

The garden includes fruit and nut trees, vegetable patches, chicken sheds, bee hives, flower beds and hedges. In the past, there’s been a resident goat or two.

Inside the Roma Mitchell Garden, April 2024

It's maintained, at no cost to taxpayers, as a State Heritage site, and operated as a productive market garden. Food grown here is used not only for clients of the Adelaide Day Centre, but also donated to several other charities for disadvantaged, poor people.

"The gardening work itself is an opportunity for therapy for disabled people through the Day Centre Rehabilitation programme”, Ms van der Sman said.

“Aboriginal community groups, architecture students, permaculture teachers, SA Community Gardens volunteers, service clubs, school staff groups and school students are among the many visitors who have accessed the Garden over the years.”

*Co-ordinator Joyce van der Sman in the Roma Mitchell Garden*

"Altogether it is a happy and productive place of which South Australia can be proud" Ms van der Sman said.

Houses in the Garden?

*Yes, there are “residents” on your Park Lands.*

There are two houses within the Garden. One is an 1883 stone cottage, originally constructed as a residence for the keeper of the adjacent (long-defunct) stone-walled "powder magazine" (explosives store). The stone cottage is now the residence of the garden caretaker, currently "Ali" and his family, who are refugees from Afghanistan.

*The 1883 stone cottage, the State Heritage-listed former Powder Magazine Keeper’s cottage now home to the Garden caretaker, Ali, and his family*

Ali's next door neighbour (until 15 April) was 83-year-old Joe, a former (retired) caretaker, who lived in a modest 1960s brick bungalow. However that changed on the morning of Monday 15 April 2024.

Lucky escape from fire

On 15 April, there was a near-catastrophe at the bungalow. Joe was lucky to escape with his life. He was taken to the nearby Royal Adelaide Hospital in a serious condition suffering from smoke inhalation.

On the morning of the fire, SA Ambulance officers were delayed and almost thwarted in their efforts to get to Joe, because State Government contractors had blocked Gaol Road, hindering access to the site, while undertaking stormwater trenching works for the new Women's and Children's Hospital in your Park 27.

A new road has now been hastily constructed alongside the former SA Police horse paddocks and some of the remaining heritage olive trees in the adjacent Kate Cocks Park, while Gaol Road remains closed indefinitely.

*Gaol Road, closed indefinitely as part of construction works for the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital, during which dozens of trees are set to be destroyed.*

It’s not clear whether the 1960s brick house, now in ruins, will be rebuilt.

*Joe’s former residence, pictured nine days after the fire, on 24 April 2024.*

Fortunately, the fire did not damage the 1883 stone cottage alongside.

Why is the Garden locked?

This one-hectare enclosure had to be secure as long ago as the 1880s because it housed explosives.

Later, it was locked because the garden was tended by the Gaol's prisoners. Since the Gaol's closure in 1988, it has been locked to prevent vandals causing damage to the gardens or their setting next to the heritage-listed stone buildings.

In 2024 there may be a case for the State Heritage department to open up the site, to allow the public to see these features of Adelaide's early colonial history. However, allowing public access would be problematic for operation of the Roma Mitchell Garden.

To allow homeless and disabled persons to continue their valuable work and therapy, some new security features presumably would be essential.