All News and Events
Care for Kensington grants
We think Kensington 5068 is the best place to live and we hope you do too.
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.
18 Oct – Pizza in the Park 🍕
Join the annual Pizza in the Park gathering! Free wood oven pizza for KRA members!
Not a KRA member? Join on the day!
❤️ Big love to PGH Bricks & Pavers for loaning us their mobile pizza oven once again ❤️
Where? Borthwick Park, Thornton St Kensington
When? Sunday 18th October 2026
The KRA’s most popular event is on again this Spring! We’ll be stoking the fire in the pizza oven ready for the residents and friends of Kensington to descend on Borthwick Park at 4pm with chairs, drinks, good spirits, and a hearty appetite. Bring your own plates and cutlery if wanted.
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 a Spring arvo in beautiful Borthwick Park.
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.
FREE registration for KRA members! 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




Planting Days – Winter 2027
Winter is planting time! Come and help us build the biodiversity in Borthwick Park, Thornton Street, Kensington. 2027 dates to be advised closer to the time.
We will be planting locally-indigenous native seedlings, staking them, watering well and covering any exposed soil with mulch.
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 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 more 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.






Carolling in Kensington – December 2026
Kensington residents and friends gather annually to walk through our suburb singing Christmas Carols as we go. Join us for a fun, family-friendly activity and sing-in the season!
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…


Clean Up Australia Day – March 2027
On the first Sunday in March, Kensington residents join thousands of people across the nation, all cleaning up their local area on Clean Up Australia Day.
Meet Kensington’s Clean Up Coordinator Peter Duffy in Borthwick Park, Thornton Street at 10am on Sunday 1st March 2026.
Wear shoes for comfortable walking, sun protection and clothing to suit the weather.
Volunteers will be given gloves and sturdy bags for waste and recyclables, and assigned one suburban block to lap and collect items discarded on the footpath. In small groups we’ll cover all of Kensington.
Regroup in Borthwick Park to drop off your collected waste and recyclables and enjoy a free brunch cooked on the park barbeques by Kensington Residents’ Association members.
The KRA clean up is registered on the CUAD website here – and you can find out more about this national clean up by clicking here.

Neighbour Day – March 2027
Celebrate neighbourly connections in Kensington on Neighbour Day!
Borthwick Park, Thornton Street Kensington
Time and date to be advised closer to March 2027.
Bring a neighbour or neighbours to Borthwick Park. Bring the kids. Bring favourite games or sports – bocce, frisbee, finska, footy, soccer ball, whatever you like.
Food and drinks provided by the Kensington Residents’ Association.
If you prefer your own seating, bring it along; we will have some chairs and trestle tables ready for everyone to use.


Kids AFL event – Winter 2027

This very special event has been proudly arranged by the Norwood Football Club and the Kensington Residents’ Association over 3 consecutive years and we hope to run it again in 2027.
Primary school age kids accompanied by their adult caregiver are invited to join in some fun at Norwood Oval.
🏈Participate in a coaching session and have a kick on the Oval (dress warmly and wear shoes to kick in but no footy boots please!)
🏈Meet Norwood Redlegs players
🏈Behind-the-scenes tour of team facilities
🏈Refreshments for the kids e.g. pies, pasties and a drink
🏈Norwood FC gift to take home.
Event registration is essential. Limited to 25 children in total. A responsible adult must be registered to accompany every family group of 1-3 children.
Online registration link will be advertised in advance of the 2027 event.
Winter Solstice @ The Kensi – June 2027
There’s no better way to spend the darkest and longest night of the year, than at the Kensington Residents’ Association’s Winter Solstice event at The Kensi Hotel.
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 closer to the event. Free Entry! Free Finger Food!
Where? 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:
20 June 2026 Kensi’s Got Talent Open Mic
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




11 Apr: Wobbly Line Drawing Workshop
From The Parade to the Pool
Saturday 11th April, 10am – noon
Limited to 20 participants, suitable for ages 12 & up.
Learn or practice the Wobbly Line Drawing Technique with local artist Deborah Smalley. No drawing experience necessary, anyone can draw with wobbly lines! Learn a little more about Kensington’s history as we sketch and wander along Phillips St from The Parade to the Pool.
Meet outside Karl Chehade Dry Cleaning, 296 The Parade, Kensington, ready for 10am start. We will do some warm up sketches at Chehade’s then walk a short distance to sketch another Kensington scene, pause to enjoy a drink or a snack at the High Street Café, then finish with a sketch of Kensington’s groovy 1950s public pool. All done by noon-ish.
Register & pay online through Trybooking https://www.trybooking.com/DKCWR. Tickets $20 for Kensington Residents’ Association members, $30 for others.
Paper supplied for drawings. Pens and clipboards provided for use during workshop.
We will be sketching en plein air (outdoors). Bring your own folding chair or stool, comfy walking shoes and a hat for sun or umbrella for rain.

Deborah Smalley @deborahsweetp

at High Street Cafe, 4 Phillips St

Kensington & Norwood Pool in a sketch
Zebra Crossing for Thornton St in 2026
Exciting news!
Council’s Senior Traffic Engineer, Rebecca van der Pennen, has advised the Kensington Residents’ Association that community consultation on the much-needed Thornton Street Zebra Crossing is complete, and the project is going ahead. Council is now progressing to detailed design and crossing installation is scheduled to occur March-June 2026.
KRA President Roger Bryson commenced lobbying Council for pedestrian safety improvements near McKellar Stewart Kindergarten in May 2024 after being approached by concerned kindy staff and parents. Roger queried the Mayor as to whether a pedestrian refuge could be placed in the middle of Thornton Street, however Council’s Manager Traffic & Integrated Transport, Gayle Buckby, counselled that there is insufficient width at the crossing point for installation of a median island. Ms Buckby suggested a zebra crossing as an alternative but expressed concern about sight lines and insufficient distance from the junction of Regent Street. Further investigation was scheduled into the Council’s list of traffic projects.
By December 2024, Rebecca van der Pennen had taken over as project lead and advised KRA that development of a concept design was underway. In January 2025 Ms van der Pennen met with KRA and McKellar Stewart Kindergarten representatives to discuss the developed concept.
Consultation letters were sent to directly impacted properties in late August 2025. On 27 November 2025 the KRA committee were informed that the surveyed community members supported the crossing concept design and Council is progressing to detailed design.
Project updates and information will continue to be available on the Council website located here: https://www.npsp.sa.gov.au/projects/thornton-street-zebra-crossing