Wallaroo residents hope developer is found to fill desperate need for new housing

Wallaroo is booming with tourists and a surging population, but locals fear a housing shortage could deepen after developers walked away from a $220m project.

Wallaroo locals are pinning their hopes on a developer swooping in on a stalled $220m housing project, and filling a desperate need for more housing in the region.

A post-Covid tourism boom and a growing population in Copper Coast are fuelling the demand for more housing, but builders are struggling to meet the demand amid labour and materials shortages across the construction industry.

The local council expects the population of Copper Coast - comprising the main centres of Wallaroo, Moonta and Kadina - to reach close to 18,000 by 2026, up from a little more than 15,000.

Copper Coast Mayor Roslyn Talbot said that level of growth would put even more pressure on the current housing shortage, and it was important a new developer was found to complete the stalled Wallaroo Shores development, which had been expected to deliver hundreds of new homes in the town.

“We just don’t have enough housing, whether it’s affordable housing, executive housing or any sort of housing,” she said.

Artist's impression of the $220m Wallaroo Shores housing project. Picture: Monopoly Property Group

“And if you try and get accommodation up here for a holiday you will not because we’re just bursting at the seams.

“We need someone who has the financial wherewithal to get it (Wallaroo Shores) up and going and put mixed housing there, so there’s something for all of our needs in the area.

“I also think it lends itself to some sort of retirement living because of its close proximity to the town centre.”

The Wallaroo Shores project was expected to deliver more than 600 houses and apartments, offices, shops, cafes, a retirement village and medical centre across 18.5ha of waterfront land just north of the town centre.

While promising to complete a first-stage resort with 100 townhouses, developer Monopoly Property Group is looking to offload the remaining 13.85ha of land which had been set aside for future stages.

Rob Parsons, who part-owns the Coopers Alehouse, located adjacent to the site, said he was disappointed Monopoly was walking away from the project but was confident a new developer would be found to fulfil the original vision.

Developers are being sought to take over the shaded portion of land. Picture: realcommercial.com.au

“That site used to be an Incitec Pivot (fertiliser) site which was quite contaminated so it was empty for a long time - whoever took it on had to do the remedial works,” he said.

“We were very excited when we heard Monopoly were going to take that on because it is a prime spot and obviously we wanted it to happen - we’d be waiting for years to be honest.

“We’re hopeful now that somebody will pick it up - it’s a prime spot and I think they’ll do well.

“Accommodation is very tight in Wallaroo - we have seasonal workers who help us out over this busy period and trying to find them accommodation is impossible. So there’s definitely a need for accommodation - whether it’s long-term, short-term or permanent.”

Wallaroo Community Development Association president Andy West said he was not surprised the Wallaroo Shores project had stalled, drawing comparisons to The Dunes golf course project in nearby Port Hughes which ground to a halt a decade ago.

The $42m Wallaroo Shores resort currently under construction. Picture: Facebook

Mr West said the local community was broadly supportive of Monopoly’s plans for the site, and was now keen to see the project progress under new ownership.

“With most of these big developments it’s usually about the third developer who carries it through - it usually takes a few,” he said.

“There’s a fair bit of feeling in the community about the way that the development of the resort is happening. I think the community is interested in seeing the resort development progress and I think it would be more than happy for the housing development to follow on.

“It’s prime foreshore land and it’s very important that it’s of a certain standard - for towns like Wallaroo their reputation is very important.

“You don’t want people to remember Wallaroo for an ugly development on the foreshore - you want them to remember the town as an attractive town that they want to return to so that we can continue to be a viable tourist spot.”