Federal Government pledges $850,000 to Old Government House, Wittunga Botanic Garden in pre-election cash splash

Heritage sites including Old Government House, in Belair National Park, and Wittunga Botanic Garden will be upgraded with $850,000 in federal funding.

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Heritage sites including Old Government House, in Belair National Park, and Wittunga Botanic Garden will be upgraded with $850,000 in federal funding.

There is $750,000 for garden upgrades and the installation of a long-awaited nature play space at Wittunga Botanic Garden at Blackwood.

Mitcham Council unsuccessfully applied for $3 million from the Federal Government in 2016 to develop the play space.

The following year, the council again pushed for a nature play area the size of almost five basketball courts, but the Botanic Gardens of South Australia ruled out funding for the project.

The pre-election cash splash announced last week also includes $100,000 for Old Government House.

Old Government House, in Belair National Park.

That funding will go towards up upgrade of the kitchen facilities to enable the Friends of Old Government House to more easily provide catering for visitors and tour groups, as well as garden design and restoration work.

Announcing the funding, Boothby Federal liberal MP Nicolle Flint — who holds the seat by just 2.7 per cent, SA’s tightest margin — said the upgrades would “enhance the existing tourist opportunities that these fantastic environmental and heritage sites already offer.”

“They will be complemented by the new visitor centre that we are investing in at Carrick Hill as well as new signage and digital technology, which were announced as part of the Adelaide City Deal,” Ms Flint said.

Wittunga Botanic Garden.

“This funding will support existing and expanded tourism activities at these important local attraction. Bringing more people into our community helps bring more people into our local businesses.”

The money is in addition to the $2 million for the development of the Mitcham Hills and Glenthorne Trails.

The smart technology-enabled trails — a possible model for similar installations around the state — will provide tourists with new and innovative ways to explore Adelaide’s cultural landscape.