Revealed: The exciting new projects set to transform the Adelaide Hills
The Adelaide Hills is SA’s fastest-growing region and with growth comes exciting development. From hospitals to shops to leisure centres, these projects will transform the Hills.
Adelaide Hills & Murraylands
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The Adelaide Hills is the state’s fastest expanding region and with such growth, comes exciting development.
The booming town of Mount Barker is on track to be the state’s second-largest city in the next decade and the town has been basking in the national limelight having hosted an AFL game during the recent Gather Round at the impressive Summit Sports Park – a new facility built in an effort to prepare for the population surge.
Mount Barker’s population, and that of the surrounding communities is expected to top 50,000 by 2035.
Below, The Messenger has listed some of the projects, both big and small, set to transform the Adelaide Hills.
New Mount Barker Hospital
Mount Barker is set for a new state-of-the-art hospital, a $220m development the government hopes will help address the state’s ramping crisis.
The new hospital will be built on the site of the existing Mount Barker District Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital and will have 102 beds – 68 more than the current capacity – and will include more beds for maternity, paediatric, rehabilitation, medical, surgical and palliative care.
Initial works are expected to start by the end of this year, with construction expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
Services at the existing hospital will continue to operate throughout that period.
Premier Peter Malinauskas said the Hills were rapidly growing and extra hospital services were an important plan of the government’s plan to address ramping.
“A bigger and better Mount Barker hospital is exactly what the local community has been calling for, and we are getting on with the job of delivering this important election commitment,” he said.
Aston Hills Shopping Centre development
A new retail precinct in Mount Barker celebrated its opening just a few weeks ago but the centre will continue to grow as new tenants move in.
The Aston Hills Shopping Centre includes a Drakes Supermarket to service the growing area.
Homestead Meats, Schnithouse Australia, Rachael’s Hair Creations and Snap Fitness are fellow tenants with more specialty shops set to follow.
The centre is located next to the Summit Sports Park with direct access from the freeway and the developer says the location will allow the precinct to service the entire Hills region, from Strathalbyn to Stirling.
Drakes Supermarkets director John-Paul Drake said his supermarket chain expanding to the Adelaide Hills had been a long time coming.
“We want to be part of the local community – and the village lifestyle that the Aston Hills precinct offers matches our core values to a tee,” he said.
The new centre has been built by South Australian-owned property developer Lanser.
Industrial hemp precinct
An ambitious plan to make South Australia the industrial hemp capital of the country is underway with the creation of a huge innovation precinct at the foot of the Hills at Monarto.
Advanced manufacturer VALO has expanded into the former Big W distribution centre – a mammoth 65,000sq m facility being transformed into a production hub for hemp-based building materials.
VALO’s sister company Vircura is spearheading the project, and is working with local SA farmers to grow specific varieties suitable for processing in the facility.
VALO and Vircura founder and chief executive Aaron Hickmann said 60ha of hemp crops had already been planted by local growers to supply the Monarto facility, which would begin production next year.
“One of the big challenges with industrial hemp farmers is they want to cultivate – they’re not necessarily wanting to manufacture, and so the Monarto Innovation Precinct becomes a central hub for the manufacturing process,” he said.
“We’re now working with these farmers and our aim is to have, by the end of 2023.”
Hahndorf main street upgrade
It is one of the state’s most beloved tourist destinations and the charming Adelaide Hills village is set for an upgrade to its popular main street.
Plans to upgrade Hahndorf’s main street include new street seating, enhanced outdoor dining areas, upgrades and extensions to footpaths, interpretative signage and heritage plaques for buildings.
The main street will also feature new landscaping.
The upgrades to the street are part of the Hahndorf Township Improvements and Access Project, a venture jointly funded by the Federal and South Australian governments with construction set to commence this year
The Mount Barker District Council is also committing funding towards the main street upgrade.
New Wellington Road shopping centre, Mount Barker
A new shopping centre on Wellington Road, accessed by the Heysen Boulevard connector, is set to feature a 3,600 square metre full line Woolworths supermarket with an additional specialty retail.
And, a new McDonald’s restaurant is in the works on the same site.
A PlanSA development application revealed Mount Barker was set for a second McDonald’s restaurant near land that has already won approval for a new shopping centre development.
Aquatic and leisure centre
A multimillion-dollar aquatic and leisure centre for Mt Barker is set to form part of the Summit Sports Hub masterplanned leisure, sports, and entertainment precinct.
The state’s public works committee approved work on the $29.6m centre in 2021, with stage 1 to include a 25m indoor lap pool, a learn-to-swim pool, as well as a toddler and leisure pool.
There will also be change areas, a gym, a cafe and other supporting elements.
Stage 2 would include a 50m outdoor pool and water slides.
Kanmantoo copper mine could reopen
Hillgrove Resources says its Kanmantoo copper mine, which has been on care and maintenance, could start up again.
The company has released an economic assessment for a restart of the mine in the Adelaide Hills, and says bringing it back into production would cost just $25m and have a payback period of just nine months.
The company is currently conducting a capital raising and is yet to make a final investment decision on the restart, but managing director Lachlan Wallace said in a statement to the ASX that the economic assessment was “very favourable”.
“The updated study reaffirms the excellent project potential,’’ he said.
“The Kanmantoo Underground Stage 1 presents a unique opportunity to produce copper in a tier one jurisdiction, generating post-tax cash flows in excess of $200m in the initial stage.
“With all infrastructure and permitting in place, the project is well positioned for a fast, low capital restart, with first copper production only seven months from commencement.’’
New distillery at Narine
Plans for a distillery in the Adelaide Hills would see a manufacturing facility operating seven days making craft spirits while satisfying a “demand for a sophisticated drinking environment” in the region.
The award-winning Tin Shed Distilling Company has submitted a development application for a new facility at Nairne, set to produce gin, whisky and rum.
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