Funding commitment for new national park
The proposed Glenthorne National Park in Adelaide’s southern suburbs has received a significant boost with the State Government confirming it will commit $10 million over the next four years to make the metropolitan park a reality.
The $10 million will be allocated in the State Budget to be delivered on 4 September.
Glenthorne National Park will be a 1,500-hectare site combining O’Halloran Hill Recreation Park, Hallett Cove and Marino conservation parks, Happy Valley Reservoir and the Field River Valley, as well as Glenthorne Farm.
Glenthorne will be Adelaide’s second major metropolitan national park and will enable large tracks of open space to be preserved and revitalised for future generations.
The vision for Glenthorne National Park includes significant recreation opportunities such as walking and bike trails, picnic areas, camp grounds and 200 hectares of native revegetation.
The initial investment in the park will be focused on providing basic infrastructure including amenities for visitors, and walking and cycling trails.
A consultation process to design the park in partnership with the community is being developed and a public open day is expected before the end of the year.
Initial work at the site will begin soon with the aim of having parts of the park open to the public by the end of 2019.
The $10 million funding will also include investment in a large-scale revegetation partnership with the University of Adelaide that will result in the creation of an urban forest.
The forest will have significant environmental benefits and provide a home for native birds and animals, many of which are endangered as a result of habitat loss.
The State Government has promised that key stakeholders and surrounding communities will have the opportunity to influence the shape of, and the amenities to be included, in the new park, in order to realise the full environmental and recreational potential of the land.
