Our story

Our Story

Nestled in Tea Tree Gully on Kaurna land, Saint David's continues to offer a competitive local primary school option for families living in Adelaide's North Eastern suburbs. Nearby Hancock Road provides an easy link to the Golden Grove area and for hills families travelling in to the metropolitan area from around Houghton, Birdwood and Kersbrook, the school is conveniently placed and easily accessible. With current enrolments at around 330 students, Saint David's offers a good medium sized primary school option for parents who don't want their child to get lost in a larger setting.

Saint David's Parish School first opened in February 1977 with 49 students as a co-educational, Reception to Year 7, Catholic Primary School.

From its foundation in 1977 until 1998, Saint David’s Parish School was under the guidance of the Sisters of St. Joseph. Since 1998, the school has been staffed by educational professionals.

The school maintains strong links to our Parish of Tea Tree Gully, with the Parish Church situated next door to the school grounds.

Priests are actively involved in the school community and help celebrate the many special liturgical occasions that are part of the school calendar.

The enduring school Mission is to ensure that all students are provided a quality primary education, rich in Christian values which enable them to become strong community role models now and in the future.

From the start of 2019, in line with the direction of Catholic Education in SA and public schools in other states across Australia, Saint David's transitioned our Year 7 students to a secondary school setting. The school now offers Reception to Year 6.

The History of Tea Tree Gully

The First people of Tea Tree Gully

The Kaurna people of the area lived by the Little Para River, camping near springs and waterholes, where Snake Gully Bridge is now located on One Tree Hill road. In 1836, there were approximately 500 Kaurna people living in the area.

The Kaurna people’s language is still evident across the City of Tea Tree Gully today. The Little Para River, Para Hills and Para Vista come from Kaurna word for water. A word which is found in the Aboriginal name ‘Karra-wirra-parri’ (River of the red gum forest). Yatala means in Kaurna “running by the side of the river”.

Steventon (Tea Tree Gully)

Prior to being known as Tea Tree Gully, the area was named Steventon, after Adelaide miller John Stevens. Steventon grew in the 1850s after John Stevens acquired a large piece of land and subdivided it. After 1900, the name Steventon was no longer used officially and Tea Tree Gully became the town’s name.

Tea Trees

Native tea trees once grew up to 12 feet high in the local gullies. Settlers used the leaves from the tea tree to make tea, and the wood was used for fencing in the swampy areas. Today, there are very few wild white flowering tea trees left.

Source: The City of Tea Tree Gully website (https://www.teatreegully.sa.gov.au/Council-business-news-and-information/Our-History?lang_update=637907931148611954)

Historical Images