Australia loves sport. But should major sporting events come at the expense of our public green spaces? In Brisbane and Adelaide, communities are fighting to protect precious park lands from major developments. Different governments, different projects, but remarkably similar battles.
As the South Australian Government pushes ahead with plans to bring MotoGP to Victoria Park / Pakapakanthi, a leading birdwatcher says the State could be overlooking another growing tourism opportunity, one that depends on protecting our natural environment rather than building racetracks through it.
Premier Peter Malinauskas says the election settled whether his Government’s controversial Park Lands projects will proceed. Consultation can change the details, but not the decision. But what happens when some of the most contentious details were never put before voters?
The Premier claims the economic benefits of the MotoGP justify the destruction of the Eastern Park Lands. But international experience suggests World Heritage listing of the Park Lands will generate greater returns.
Senior Adelaide University academics say the SA Government used legislation to bypass normal planning assessment and public scrutiny of the North Adelaide golf course redevelopment.
Read what they found — and why the Adelaide Park Lands Association is calling for cast-iron protection against the future sale, privatisation or permanent alienation of our public Park Lands.
Construction of the new wetland in the southern portion of Victoria Park / Pakapakanthi (Park 16) is progressing well and set to continue into the New Year.
At the same time, major earthworks to upgrade the South Park Lands Creek are on hold over the summer, after getting under way during October in the nearby Blue Gum Park / Kurangga (Park 20)
Only days after Adelaide was declared a National Park City, with a wish for “higher expectations” the State Government has reaffirmed its intention to attack your Park Lands.
Newly installed Planning Minister Josh Teague has announced his decision to rezone huge areas of riverbank Park Lands for development.
A ‘greening’ project at Whitmore Square / Iparrityi has just been completed, although not all are happy with how green it has become.
Improvements include a new footpath around much of the square’s perimeter, the planting of large deciduous trees, and garden beds around the edge.
SA's new Planning Minister Josh Teague is about to make the biggest decision in the 184-year history of your Adelaide Park Lands.
Mr Teague will decide the fate of riverbank Park Lands totalling 35 times the size of Adelaide Oval, but he won’t accepting a meeting with community representatives, and all public feedback, and advice delivered to him will be secret until after he’s made his decision.
The Adelaide City Council is about to start removing at least some of this green duckweed which has discoloured the Torrens Lake over the past few weeks.
The Council is trying to balance the appearance of the River, with the environmental benefits the duckweed brings to water quality and to the waterbirds.
The London-based National Park City Foundation has "encouraged" the South Australian Government to "properly protect" Adelaide's "nature and recreation spaces."
The State Government has been warned that many people have “higher expectations” now that Adelaide has been declared a “National Park City.”.
SA's new Planning Minister Josh Teague is about to make the biggest decision in the 184-year history of your Adelaide Park Lands.
Mr Teague will decide the fate of riverbank Park Lands totalling 35 times the size of Adelaide Oval, but all public feedback, and advice delivered to him will be secret until after he’s made his decision.
It's been more than 12 years since your Adelaide Park Lands were nominated for State Heritage listing.
During that time, attacks on Open Green Public Park Lands have continued relentlessly, while progress on Heritage listing has stalled.
Now that 12-year delay is about to come to a head in State Parliament, with a draft law to formally recognise your Adelaide Park Lands as a State Heritage Area.
Adelaide's losing mature trees at an alarming rate. As many as 75,000 trees are disappearing each year across the metropolitan area. Premier Steven Marshall has threatened hundreds more of them to build a proposed stadium in Helen Mayo Park. A campaign launch by the National Trust next Wednesday, December 1, will showcase how people power can help reverse this trend.
