by Jan Bowman

By now most of South Australia has heard of the chain-sawing of Possum Park/Pirltawardli. But there is another park, John E. Brown Park (Park 27A) that is also in the firing line.

The State Government appears unwilling to answer some very basic questions about this development, particularly in relation to car parking and fencing. In the absence of clear information, speculation is inevitable.

If parking for driving range patrons is to be provided within the Park Lands, the public has a right to know where it will be located, how many spaces are proposed, and how those areas will be accessed. Likewise, if high perimeter fencing or netting is required to contain golf balls, people are entitled to know how high it will be and how much of the park will be affected.

The continued refusal to answer these questions is frustrating because it leaves the community guessing about matters that could significantly affect the character and use of this part of the Park Lands.

John E. Brown Park (Park 27A) is bounded by the River Torrens/ Karrawirra Parri, the Outer Harbour railway line, and Park Terrace at Bowden. The Park borders Mary Lee Park (27B) and Bonython Park. The Park is named after pioneering forester John Ednie Brown, whose 1880 book A Practical Treatise on Tree Culture in South Australia guided Adelaide Park Lands tree planting for decades. The park is home to the Workers Memorial Forest and the Bunyip Trail.

In the April APA newsletter a blog about the proposed driving range in Park 27A speculated on some of the likely impacts on the park and its users.

A number of questions were listed that had been put to the Premier, including:

Whether images or plans of the proposed driving range could be released.
What disruptions are expected for people walking and cycling through the park.
Which specific areas of John E. Brown Park and surrounding Park Lands will be closed, and for how long.
Whether parking for driving range users will be provided within the Park Lands, where it would be located, and how it would be accessed, particularly from Port Road.
Whether the Workers Memorial Forest will be affected, given its significance and its ongoing use for Workers' Memorial Day commemorations.

After several follow-ups, a response dated 22 May from the North Adelaide Public Golf Course Engagement Team addressed some, but not all, of these questions.

In relation to John E. Brown Park, the response stated that:

The location of the driving range in Park 27A was a considered design decision because it is regarded as a largely underutilised and under-established area of the Park Lands.
Locating the driving range in Park 27A allows a significant number of trees to be retained in Park 1.
Including Park 27A within the project area provides additional protection for the existing Par 3 course, described as a site of cultural and historical significance.
The Workers Memorial Forest will not be impacted by the project.
A project map identifies the future closure area within Park 27A and shows cycling and walking routes that will remain open during and after construction.
Traffic management measures will be implemented during construction to ensure safe recreational access to areas of the park that remain open.

However, the response did not address whether parking will be provided within the Park Lands for patrons of the driving range, nor did it address the issue of fencing.

Concerns about the lack of information are not confined to community groups. When asked whether he was aware of plans for car parking associated with the driving range, City Councillor and Independent candidate for Adelaide at the 2026 state election, Keiran Snape, said there had been no formal advice from the State Government.

As with many other aspects of the golf course redevelopment, we are suffering from a scarcity of information from the state government. However, it is a reasonable assumption and of deep concern that a new driving range in John E. Brown Park would require a significant amount of additional car parking for users.
This would result in the pouring of tonnes of asphalt on a park which is already slated to lose approximately 185 trees. I'd urge the state government to rethink its need for this driving range.

In subsequent correspondence with the Engagement Team, including a formal media request and follow-up phone calls, I again asked:

Will the plans include parking within the park? If so, how many spaces are proposed, where will they be located, and how will they be accessed?
Will the driving range require high perimeter fencing? If so, what height is proposed and over what extent will the fencing be installed?
When does the Government expect to release drawings, concept plans, or other detailed information about the driving range?

At the time of writing, these questions remain unanswered.

The Government has repeatedly stated that the redevelopment has been carefully designed and that impacts on the Park Lands have been minimised. If that is the case, there seems little reason not to release detailed plans and answer straightforward questions about parking, fencing and access.

If you would like answers to these questions, consider writing to the North Adelaide Public Golf Course Engagement Team, the Premier, or your local Member of Parliament. Asking for information is not opposition to the project; it is a reasonable expectation when public park lands are being permanently altered.

The more people who ask these questions, the harder they become to ignore.

Open grassed area in the eastern section of John E. Brown Park, the proposed site for the driving range — The open green area in the east of John E Brown Park is the proposed site for the Driving Range – image, Jan Bowman

A note about Park 27A, Park 27B and Possum Park

There has been some confusion on social media about which parts of the Park Lands are affected by the North Adelaide Golf Course redevelopment.

The proposed driving range is planned for Park 27A (John E. Brown Park), which is now part of the State Government's North Adelaide Golf Course project.

By contrast, neighbouring Park 27B (Mary Lee Park) remains under the control of the City of Adelaide and is not part of the golf course redevelopment. Park 27B is currently the subject of a separate City of Adelaide project involving the redevelopment of the West Adelaide Soccer Club facilities (The Soccer Club has been based in the park for over 50 years.) Concept plans for that project have been released publicly and have been considered by the Adelaide Park Lands Authority and Council. Link here - https://www.adelaide-parklands.asn.au/blog/2025/12/15/more-than-twice-the-size

There has also been confusion about the future of the existing Par 3 golf course. Following concerns about the area's Aboriginal heritage significance, the Par 3 course area has been excluded from the redevelopment footprint and will not form part of the new championship golf course. The Government has stated that incorporating Park 27A into the project allows additional protection of this culturally significant area.

For anyone trying to understand the various locations, it is worth consulting a Park Lands map. The Adelaide Park Lands are made up of many individual parks, each with different ownership, management arrangements and development proposals. Understanding the distinction between Park 27A, Park 27B and Possum Park helps avoid confusion and ensures public discussion is focused on the correct site.