Masterplan to guide future development of Carrick Hill to ensure it stays relevant

HISTORIC Carrick Hill will not survive as a tourist attraction for another 10 years unless it is redeveloped, its director says.

Richard Heathcote in the gardens at Carrick Hill.

HISTORIC Carrick Hill will not survive as a tourist attraction for another 10 years unless it is redeveloped, its director says.

A draft masterplan to guide the future use of the Springfield mansion is being developed to ensure it remains relevant.

Carrick Hill director Richard Heathcote said the plan identified opportunities to increase visitor numbers - including the development of a function centre and extending the popular storybook trail - so Carrick Hill remained financially sustainable (see fact file).

"A vision for its future needs to be adopted by the community," Mr Heathcote said.

"We have 60,000 visitors a year and this aims at planning for 100,000 in 10 years.

"We thought about where can they park, what can they buy, eat, see and experience and what things we have to put in place… to sustain interest and keep it as a vital dynamic experience.

"We're not doing anything wrong right now, but public imagination taste shifts and changes and we need to meet those expectations."

Mr Heathcote said it was vital Carrick Hill had a "collection of experiences for everyone".

"It's good for people who want to rest and look at a view or refresh by being in the garden.

"It's very good for art and culture, families can take kids for a walk and get an ice cream.

"It's good for weddings and corporate events… but we have to find ways of making it work in terms of business."

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Carolyn Oades, associate director at Walter Brooke & Associates which was designing the masterplan, said it would guide the development of Carrick Hill over the next 20 years.

"I think it's very important for people to respond to the plans in community consultation and allow them to have a say in what's happening in the community," Ms Oades said.

"We want to get more people involved and show them what's on offer with all these exciting things that are going to happen."

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The draft master plan includes:

CREATING an agricultural sheltered and flexible timber space featuring an Australian museum of gardening, garden activities, workshops and cooking demonstrations;

EXPANDING and updating a 500m walk with small landscapes relating to children's stories;

DEVELOPING bushwalking and recreational paths to make sure visitors can orientate around the site and discover its different areas;

IMPROVING native grey box woodlands which make up two thirds of the site and have been degrading;

CREATING access to the first floor by installing a lift for people with physical disabilities; and

REPLACING the existing marque with a building to host events.

Carrick Hill was built by Edward Hayward and Ursula Barr Smith from 1937-39.

Public consultation on the draft masterplan is open until January.

Submissions can be made by visiting Carrick Hill or at mitchamcouncil.sa.gov.au