Newsletter - March 2024

This is the March 2024 newsletter for the St Peters Residents Association, representing the Residents of St Peters, College Park, Hackney, Stepney, Maylands, Evandale & Joslin.

The newsletter is available as a PDF for downloading and printing.

Contents

Items that we hope you will find of interest include: -

Town Hall Candidate Forum – Dunstan By-Election

Candidates will give their vision for the electorate, followed by questions from the audience.

Everyone is welcome to attend, however as space is limited, please register to secure your place.

For more information refer to the Dunstan Forum 20 March 2024 page.

SPRA Annual General Meeting

The 2024 SPRA Annual General Meeting will be held prior to the Town Hall Candidates
Forum. Wednesday 20 March at 6.30pm in the St Peters Banquet Hall, St Peters Street, St Peters. The meeting agenda and other information can be on the 2024 AGM page.

Are you interested in nominating for a position on the committee as there will be some vacancies on the 12 person SPRA Committee? If so, please email the Returning Officer secretary@stpeters.asn.au or call David Cree (0418 622 163) for more information.

St Peters Heroes Memorial WW2 Plaque Grant Application

The Association was recently advised that the application for a grant to fund an additional bronze plaque to commemorate the local service personnel who died in the Second World War has been successful.

The Grant of $8,265 also includes the costs to extend the lighting to illuminate the rear face with the new plaque.

Research is continuing, however to date about 90 names have been identified.

More details can be found on the St Peters Heroes Memorial WW2 Plaque Grant Application page.

Marden & Royston Park Traffic Management Plan

In 2021, the Council initiated a project to improve traffic management in Marden and Royston Park. After consulting residents and road users in 2022, and evaluating various street redesign options, the Council is now advancing Stage 1 works.

While this area is not directly in SPRA’s main area of interest, it will influence traffic in the Avenues, College Park & Hackney.

Council is inviting community feedback until the 15th of March. Details can be found on the Marden and Royston Park Traffic Management page on the council website.

Dunstan Adventure Playground

By Claire Clutterham – Councillor - St Peters Ward.

It was my pleasure to attend the official re-opening of the Dunstan Adventure Playground on Saturday, 3 February 2024.

The NPSP Council ran a wonderful event with the highlights being the free gelati on what was a very warm day! It was also fabulous to have elected members of the NPSP Council, plus State and Federal representatives, including our premier, Peter Malinauskas, attend and support the event.

The playground re-development is a huge success with new equipment, leisure facilities and beautiful landscaping. Community spaces like the Dunstan Adventure Playground provide places for people to meet, spend time together and get some exercise in the fresh air. After the lack of community connection caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, community spaces promoting wellbeing and connection are more important than ever, and residents of the NPSP Council are privileged to be able to enjoy such a wonderful playground. I encourage all residents to head to the playground to enjoy what it has to offer.

Rainbow Lorikeet near Transport SA car park

Former Transport SA Carpark

The State Planning Commission is canvassing options on where land could be provided to accommodate an estimated 300,000 new dwellings in Greater Adelaide over the next 30 years.

Land to be investigated for possible infill development includes the former Transport SA carpark off Holton Court, St Peters. The triangular vacant site is surrounded by the River Torrens on two sides and the O-Bahn on the other. The area is rich in urban wildlife including frequent sightings of koalas and birds.

SPRA is concerned that a large high-rise infill apartment complex on this sensitive riverine site has the potential to add a great deal of pollution to the river and to destroy the amenity of the local environment and its wildlife. We also understand that the former Transport SA carpark is built on fill, due to the history of sand and gravel mining along the River Torrens, followed by use as a rubbish dump.

The recommendation of SPRA is that this land should be added to the Linear Park. This is also the preferred option of the NPSP Council.

For more details refer to the Transport SA Car Park articles.

SA Tree Of The Year Competition 2024

It has been suggested that SPRA should enter a local tree in the 2024 SA Tree of the Year Contest. The competition is organised by 20 Metre Trees. Nominations opened on the 1st March and will close on 1st April.

Do you know of a local tree that should be entered?

If so, please email Evonne Moore info@stpeters.asn.au and tell her why this tree is important to you. A story and photo will help in the application process. Evonne will select the best example and enter it as the SPRA entry on your behalf.

The Tree of the Year Competition 2024 article contains a link to the National Trust SA magazine article with last year’s finalists.

Proposed 40km/h Speed Limit in Residential Streets

In August the residents in the area bounded by Lower Portrush Road, Payneham Road, North Terrace, Hackney Road and the River Torrens were consulted regarding Council’s proposed introduction of a 40km/h speed limit on the local streets. Stephen Terrace is not included as this road is not controlled by Council.

SPRA made a detailed submission to council. SPRA regularly engages with council on traffic issues.

The results of the consultation were considered by Council Members at the meeting on Monday 4th December, and it was unanimously resolved that the 40km/h speed limit should be implemented. It is planned that the introduction of the new limits will be in late 2024 or early 2025.

Stolen Waterbird Sculpture - Linde Reserve

Follow up correspondence to Council earlier this year, indicated that SPRA would like to see the insurance money used for a replacement sculpture that recognises the importance of the artwork as part of the history and cultural heritage interpretation of Linde Reserve. SPRA went on to say that we would like to liaise with Council staff with respect to any replacement being contemplated, as the officers may not know of the history or background to the original project in 2010, and how the works were commissioned and why.

SPRA believes this knowledge is important in guiding the process, as Linde Reserve is an important and unique community space which celebrates both its Kaurna and 19th century German settlement history.

More information is available on the Stolen Egrets from Linde Reserve page.

Council Tree Incentive Program

Trees cool and shade homes, buildings and streets, reduce electricity bills, and are our best way of adapting to the impacts of climate change.

Council is offering property owners within the City an $80 voucher towards the purchase cost of an established tree to plant on their land. Applications for a voucher close on the 9th June 2024.

For more information and to make an application go to the Tree Incentive Program on the Council website.

Power Outages Due to Bats

A number of residents in St Peters and Evandale are complaining about the frequent power blackouts due to the increase in the number of bats that are landing on power lines. It seems that the colony of flying foxes in Botanic Park is getting larger and is currently estimated to number about 60,000.

SA Power Networks have provided an press release on the growth of the bat colony and outages and Information about Adelaide's Grey-headed Flying Fox colony from Zoos SA staff at the Adelaide Zoo.

From late January to early April is the busiest period for bat-related outages as a new brood of young get on the move. Customers can experience either extended outages when an animal gets caught on powerlines, or short ‘momentary’ outages, as equipment reconnects power after an animal temporarily contacts overhead powerlines.