This very special FREE* event has been proudly arranged by the Norwood Football Club and the Kensington Residents’ Association over the past 2 years (2024, 2025) and we hope to run it again in 2026.

Kids aged 5-12 years accompanied by their adult caregiver are invited to join in the fun at Norwood Oval. Activities include:

Coaching session (dress warmly and wear shoes to kick in, but no footy boots please!);

Tour of Norwood Oval including viewing footy memorabilia displayed beneath the grandstands;

Meeting Norwood players;

Refreshments on the day;

Footy gift to take home.

* FREE for Kensington Residents’ Association members’ children, $10 each for other children payable on the day (or $15 for one year membership to K.R.A.)

Event registration is essential. Limited to 25 children. A responsible adult must be registered to accompany every family group of 1-3 children.

Mid 2026 we will once again be planting and staking, then mulching around native seedlings in the Borthwick Park garden beds.

Jobs for everyone! Full training provided. Come by yourself or bring the family or a friend. All welcome! Kid-friendly events! Please wear clothing/footwear suitable for gardening.

Bring your KRA volunteer vest if you have one (if not, we’ll issue you one) and a couple of buckets if possible. Buckets are always in demand on planting days!

Why are we still planting in Borthwick Park? It seems to be already full of plants!

🌱Weed suppression – More native ground covers = less weeds in the beds.

🌱Replacement – Species like wattles and soft herbaceous plants are short-lived. Plants are regularly damaged during park activity or due to storms or heat.

🌱Diversity – Increasing the diversity of plant species maximises the health of the park.  Every year we try out new species of shrubs, grasses and groundcovers to attract new butterflies and birds and benefit our ancient River Redgums.  All species planted are indigenous to the local area, mostly sourced from Trees for Life as seedlings.  In the past local volunteers have also provided plants grown from seeds and cuttings collected in Borthwick Park.

Find out more about the widely acclaimed biodiversity project which has transformed Borthwick Park since conception in 2009 by clicking here.

Winter Solstice Open Mic! If you sing, play an instrument, do stand-up comedy or recite poetry please join in for the open mic. Register to perform via email to contact@kra.org.au or put your name on the board on the night. Acts limited to 10 minutes length.

Starting time to be announced asap! Free Entry! Free Finger Food!

Where? Regent Room, Kensington Hotel, 23 Regent Street, Kensington

Discount drinks for KRA members. You are welcome to join the KRA on the night ($15 for 1 year membership).

Past events – see posters below:

21 June 2025 Open Mic & Kensi Frenzy Singalong

22 June 2024: Winter Solstice Open Mic featuring Daddy Crow

22 June 2023: The Apocalyptic Winter Solstice featuring live music by Apocalyptic Breakdown, The Rude Mechanicals plus open mic opportunity

Date, time and venue to be advised closer to the time.

Agenda items typically include:

Treasurer’s Report

President’s Report

KRA Committee election – KRA members present elect committee members and office-bearers to drive KRA activities for the coming year*

Other business

Guest speaker/s

Supper, wine, tea and coffee after close of meeting – a great opportunity to talk with the KRA committee, guest speakers, and Kensington friends and neighbours whilst enjoying one of the supper spreads the KRA is famous for!

* If you are interested in joining the KRA Committee, please contact our Secretary NOW to nominate via email to contact@kra.org.au. Joining the KRA Committee is a great way to get involved with YOUR Association and work with other locals to make Kensington the best possible neighbourhood.

Gather together some friends to FUNdraise for 2026/2027 Kensington community activities and enjoy a fabulous film in the gorgeous Regal Theatre.

KRA bar open for an hour prior to the film commencing. Purchase drinks, enjoy complimentary finger food, and get involved in raffles and fundraising auctions. Great locally-sourced prizes!

Ticket price covers cinema entry, a drink on arrival and pre-movie finger food provided by the KRA committee.

Tickets available for $20 from any KRA Committee member (listed here) or email Secretary Andrew Dyson at contact@kra.org.au to secure your tickets. Online tickets available for $22 through Trybooking.

The Kensington Residents’ Association annually offers two grants to be spent on projects which benefit the Kensington community:

$1000 grant for adults (18 and over);

$250 grant for children (under 18).

Any project that benefits our fabulous suburb will be considered! It may be environmental, cultural, artistic, social, even virtual. Click here for some ideas to get your thoughts bubbling! 2025 grant guidelines are available here.

Who is eligible to apply? Anyone living in Kensington or on its perimeter roads who is a member of the Association (or living in a member household). Non-members may join on payment of our $15 annual fee.

Thanks to PGH Bricks & Pavers for the use of their mobile pizza oven.

Where? Borthwick Park, Thornton St Kensington

When? Spring 2026 – date to be confirmed

The KRA’s most popular event will be back on again in the Spring of 2026! We’ll be stoking the fire in the pizza oven ready for the residents and friends of Kensington to descend on the park with chairs, drinks, good spirits, and a hearty appetite. Bring your own plates and/or cutlery please.

The KRA committee will make and serve pizza until everyone is happily full. The usual team will be there, rolling, topping, baking, and slicing delicious pizzas for you as you mingle with fellow Kensingtonians, enjoying our beautiful Borthwick Park, and listening to live music performances by local musicians.

This is a family friendly event and a perfect opportunity to invite new friends or neighbours to meet other locals and make new connections.

Registration in advance is essential so we know how many people we’re catering for… then when you get to the Park on the day please check in at the registration table and pick up a name tag.

Not a KRA member yet? No worries! It’s just $15/household/year to join. Click here to download a membership form. Payment options are listed on the form. Return your completed form to our Secretary at 42 Regent Street or email to contact@kra.org.au

–Join the Borthwick Park summer watering roster!

Spend some peaceful time watering our newest plantings, watching the birds frolic in the River Redgums, and maybe meet a few locals to-ing and fro-ing through this magical green space. 

Simply email our Secretary at contact@kra.org.au to volunteer to hose-water once (or more if you like) during December-March. Please advise any dates you aren’t available.

Once the roster is finalised you’ll be advised which week and which zone of the park you’ve been allocated to water. The mid-year plantings (small or staked plants) and any stressed plants need to be watered just once in your allocated week and the task should take no more than 1-2 hours… choose your best time to water.

If you’ve not watered in the park before, we’ll arrange a time to show you the water points and all the hoses and connections stored in the park shed. We have a handy trolley to wheel the hoses to the water points.

See you in the park this summer!

Gather in Regent Garden next to McKellar Stewart kindy from 6.45pm for a 7pm start.

We’ll cross over to The Kensi first for some warm up carols in the front bar. Led by bagpipers, we’ll make our way down Thornton St pausing to sing at the Lithuanian community units, then turn right into High St to join the Sisters of St Joseph at the Bethany Centre (4 High Street) to sing a few carols.

Next the group will walk southeast on High St, then along Richmond St and though Borthwick Park to the Thornton St entrance of the Norwood Aged Cottage Homes (NACH).

We’ll make our way through the NACH property, exiting onto Bridge Street , and head up to the Rising Sun Inn to finish with a few carols inside the front bar at approximately 8.30pm.

We stop frequently along this route to sing carols and spread Christmas cheer through our suburb.

Side-tracks and minor route variations are possible – if you would like the Kensington carollers to sing outside your home please get in touch with our Secretary (contact@kra.org.au) and we’ll do our best to make it happen!

Song sheets are provided by KRA.

Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress with some Christmassy flair – tinsel, Santa hats, Christmas shirts, reindeer antlers…