Port Noarlunga South Residents Association bolster campaign to save Seaford Meadow’s Gary the Goat

SEAFORD Meadows celebrity resident Gary the Goat – who thinks he’s a roo – is at the centre of a new rallying cry to keep he and his marsupial mates at home, and a developer at bay.

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A COMMUNITY group is upping its campaign to keep southern celebrity Gary the Goat and his mob of kangaroos at their 42ha home threatened with being carved up for housing.

Port Noarlunga South Residents Association spokesman Gordon Penhall has put up at least 12 signs, some two metres long, along Commercial Rd, asking people to take a stand.

That stand is in opposition to the Hickinbotham Group and its plans for 600 houses at the corner of Commercial and Jared roads in Seaford Meadows.

Their opponents will hold another rally “soon” asking the developer to change those plans so Gary the Goat – who thinks he is a roo – and his friends can stay on the land.

Mr Penhall said the developer had to “use its imagination” to amend its proposal so new homeowners and wildlife can live simultaneously at the site.

“It would be nice to have the space from about Nelson Rd, heading north, and also the transport corridor along Commercial Rd (for Gary) – we don’t want much,” Mr Penhall said

“Maybe there could be some kind of tourist thing (at the site).

“It would be nice to have something like the Wine Centre when you go into McLaren Vale.

“There could be something there that tells people about the kangaroos, Gary and fishing nearby, and a place to have a coffee.

Adelaide celebrity Gary the Goat thinks he is a kangaroo and, along with his mob, faces eviction from the Seaford Meadows farmland he calls home. Picture: Supplied

“We just want people to be able to continue to pull up on the side of the road and see Gary and the kangaroos.”

Gary the Goat’s future has been under a cloud since 2016, with some residents vowing to get in front of bulldozers to save the southern celebrity’s farmland home.

There is also a “Leave Gary the Goat Alone” Facebook page, which is liked by more than 5500 users.

Mr Penhall, who is also concerned about stormwater, environmental impact and traffic congestion, said more residents had jumped on the ‘save Gary the Goat’ bandwagon over the past few weeks.

Under the building proposal, about 6ha – or 17 per cent – of the land would be kept as open space, including a wetland area with walking trails and a linear reserve connecting the development to the Onkaparinga River Recreation Park.

There would be 600 houses built on the site, which would create about 1200 jobs.

In February, when Hickinbotham released plans for the land, managing director Michael Hickinbotham said the company was finding ways to manage wildlife.

He promised that Gary and his mob of kangaroos would be looked after.

“Their future will be considered as part of the master plan and development process,” he said. “The group is consulting with ecologists to determine the best way to do this.”