Hahndorf traffic fix risks Beerenberg strawberry farm, Paechtown residents say

A community-led solution to get heavy trucks out of Hahndorf would cut right through Beerenberg’s famed strawberry fields and end its ‘pick-your-own’ experience, locals say.

Strawberry fields beloved by tourists at the acclaimed Beerenberg Farm would be ploughed up under a community-led proposal to address Hahndorf’s traffic woes.

The company’s managing director Anthony Paech has vowed to step up the fight to block the potential construction of a new freeway underpass and connector road between Mount Barker and Echunga roads.

The new option recently approved for consultation as part of a $1m Hahndorf Strategic Traffic Planning Study is aimed at delivering next year’s $250m transport upgrade for the historic town.

Paechtown resident Rachel Cowan, centre, with fellow residents aren’t happy about traffic in and around Hahndorf. Picture: Brenton Edwards

If approved, the development would cut through prime strawberry production land, including patches usually opened up to the public as part of a tourist attraction to “pick your own”.

“The problem with this option four is that, not only does it cut through all of our best strawberry patches, but it’s also going to reduce the strawberry experience as all you’ll be able to hear is accelerating trucks coming off the slip road,” Mr Paech said.

“The proposed road would go through our (back) patches … which is our best land … so we could see a 75 per cent reduction in our pick-your-own strawberry production, which would mean we’d be turning people away in droves and we’d have to shut it (down).

“The whole point of Hahndorf is to have a nice tourism experience so this isn’t helping … and we plan to write to the Minister to voice our opposition.”

The solution to the Hahndorf main street traffic snarl worked out between the community and state government. Picture: supplied

Concerned Paechtown residents have also rallied together to save their beloved community after being advised of the new fourth option via an article in The Advertiser last week.

This includes Professor Guy Ludbrook and wife Diana Dibbs-Ludbrook, who have written to Infrastructure Minister Corey Wingard to voice their concern.

“We understand others with interests have been discussing this new proposal for months,” the letter reads.

“Yet, residents of Paechtown and surrounds first hear their houses will now be located on major roadways, and in some cases may be demolished, last Saturday. The reasons for this are opaque.”

Kristy Miller, whose property could be compulsorily acquired, said the announcement had caused much anxiety for her family.

She said she appealed to the department to extend the consultation deadline until early next year to allow residents time to respond.

“We were previously told by a department engineer that this option was not viable … so we would like some extra time to talk to the Minister to find out why this has changed and whether it’s just because there are some people who claim that the whole community is in agreeance with it – which they are not,” she said.

A department spokeswoman said no decision had been made on a final option for the project.

“All four options are still being considered and a final decision on the preferred option will be made by early 2022,” she said.

“As part of the consultation process, a letter was sent to about 15 local landowners to inform them their property is within the vicinity of the latest option being considered.

“The letter invites them to contact the department to discuss this further if they wish.”

Concerned residents are invited to attend community consultation sessions on November 23 and 28.