New lights shine on a bright future for Callington oval
The brightest oval lights in the Murraylands have been switched on at the home of the Cobras, Tigers and Raiders.
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Bill Filmer said, “Let there be light” – and lo, there was light.
As of Saturday night, Callington’s oval is the brightest in the Murraylands thanks to the installation of four top-notch night towers.
With a power of 300 lux, the new lights are bright enough for evening footy training sessions or matches, and even day-night cricket.
That last fact was not lost on some of the older members of the Bremer-Callington Cricket Club who ventured straight out to the square for a hit, new white ball in hand.
The first catch spooned to cover and the safe hands of Adrian Braddock, whose company – Sports Lighting SA – installed the lights.
It had taken three years for the project to go from concept to reality, he said, but locals had been involved at every step.
Architect Bruce Millican donated his time as project manager, and electrician Jacob Lloyd, Rockleigh Services’ Daniel Rohde and numerous other contractors chipped in.
There had been challenges along the way, Mr Millican said.
The biggest was a familiar one for anyone who has tried to build anything between the Adelaide Hills and River Murray: drill down and soon enough you hit bedrock.
In the end, he and the team needed to redesign the footings for the four light towers, using a combination of a hole going straight down and supports going out from each tower’s base.
“What we’ve got is something I don’t believe is ever going to blow over,” he said.
Callington's lights are switched on publicly for the first time. Video: Peri Strathearn.
While Mount Barker Mayor David Leach was unable to attend the opening, his Murray Bridge counterpart, Wayne Thorley, congratulated the community on its achievement.
“This is something you should be proud of,” he said.
“You’ve created your own community (facility) by working very hard … I take my hat off to you.”
We're sure there was a great view from the top of the 30-metre-tall towers, but ... no thanks. Photos: Jacob Lloyd.
Already the Callington Recreation Park committee had had contact with a number of clubs interested in hiring the facilities at night, Mr Braddock said.
That would ultimately bring more visitors and income into the community.
The oval was only likely to get more use in years to come, he suggested, as Callington’s population grew alongside Murray Bridge and Mount Barker.
After all, the new lights were brighter than those at any ground in the River Murray league, including Mannum Showground, whose newly installed lights top out at 174 lux.
Cricketers test out the new lights on Saturday night while a drone looks on from above. Photos: Peri Strathearn, Adrian Braddock.
The Callington lights project was supported by a $100,000 grant from the state government’s Community Recreation and Sporting Facilities Program; $25,000 from the South Australian Cricket Association; and smaller contributions by the Mount Barker and Murray Bridge councils, Callington Recreation Community Centre, Hillgrove Resources and Premix Concrete.
It was one of the biggest upgrades in the history of Callington Recreation Park, going back to its establishment in 1955 on paddocks donated by local farmer Don Brown.
The original clubrooms were built soon afterwards with funds raised at two boxing matches, attended by 500 people.
Among them was a little boy named Clive Wundersitz, later a stalwart of both the park committee and the local show society, a Bremer-Callington life member and – on Saturday night – a wicketkeeper.
The current clubrooms were opened in 2021.
As well as the cricket club, Callington Recreation Park is the home of the Adelaide Hills Tigers Rugby League Club, the Bridgewater-Callington Football Club and the Callington Show.
