State Government yet to take ownership of Glenthorne Farm – the heart of its newest planned national park
The 200ha piece of land at the heart of plans for a new national park is yet to be handed over to the State Government, a year after Adelaide University agreed to pass over the site.
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Adelaide University is yet to hand over ownership of Glenthorne Farm to the State Government – making way for our newest national park – more than a year after agreeing to do so.
The State Government in June 2018 signed a memorandum of understanding with the university paving the way for the transfer of the O’Halloran Hill site, and marketing material for the park shows ownership changes was expected to be settled before December.
Environment Minister David Speirs this week confirmed that was yet to happen, but insisted the national park plans were progressing.
The university owns the Majors Rd site, which was used to graze sheep for about a decade, until they were eventually removed from the land earlier this year.
In the lead up to the March 2018 election, the Liberal Party announced that if it won power, it would create a new 1500ha national park by taking ownership of Glenthorne and connecting it with O’Halloran Hill Recreation Park, Marino and Hallett Cove conservation parks and the Field River valley.
Rae Campbell, who founded the Adelaide Koala + Wildlife Hospital and has been negotiating with the State Government for a wildlife education centre and native animal release area to be part of the park, hoped the 208ha site would soon be in Government hands.
“Everyone is in limbo waiting for this to eventuate,” the Fauna Rescue volunteer said.
“Like many I’m still confident that this is a way to help save our koalas by re-establishing them into the park.”
Environment Minister David Speirs said the ownership transfer was “a complex property transaction”, which was “progressing well”.
He did not say what the Government had offered the university in exchange for the land, why the transfer was behind schedule or when the site would be in Government hands.
“Glenthorne National Park is on track as planned and is full steam ahead with massive community support,” Mr Speirs said.
“We have ongoing access to the site, with a new southern ranger station recently constructed on the property and volunteers working on the property weekly, rather than very limited access as was previously the case.
“There is massive momentum around Glenthorne and works are being planned to open the park in full by 2021.”
An Adelaide University spokeswoman said the university was working “positively” with the Government on the transfer of the land, which would happen “shortly”.
The farm was settled by Thomas O’Halloran in 1839, and later used by the army and CSIRO.
In 1998 the State Government bought the land, later selling it to the university, subject to a deed preserving the property for agricultural use. Various housing development plans have been flagged over the years, prompting strong community opposition.
Keen cyclist Peter Stokes is a member of the Environment Department’s steering committee for the creation of Glenthorne National Park, which he said would be an ideal place to bring the family.
“It’ll also be a great way to introduce the kids to some of South Australia’s recent history,” Mr Stokes said.
“As a family we want to spend a lot of time riding the new bike trails north of Majors Rd, but we also look forward to being able to ride along the reservoir land east of South Rd.”
michelle.etheridge@news.com.au