‘We don’t want to be a glitzy Glenelg’: Locals fight Normanville foreshore project

A multimillion-dollar plan to spruce up the foreshore of a popular seaside holiday spot has stirred a passionate response from some locals with no interest in becoming a tourist hub.

Work is set to begin on a $12m redevelopment of Normanville’s foreshore, but some residents are still fighting the project they say will turn the town into another “glitzy Glenelg”.

Yankalilla Council this week voted to enter a contract with Yarrawonga Manufactured Housing to buy 20 new cabins for the Normanville Jetty Caravan Park.

It’s part of a wider plan to attract more people to the popular seaside holiday spot. A new surf life saving club and kiosk, larger lawn, nature playground and plaza area are also earmarked.

The council originally planned to install 23 new cabins revised it down this week based on an Australia-wide increase in building costs.

Councillors asked for more consultation with the kiosk’s future leaseholder about designs for a new surf life saving club and kiosk before signing off on the plan.

Normanville locals against the foreshore redevelopment proposal Karen Gibbs, Ruth Trigg and Pam Kirsten. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

The new cabins have been a bone of contention for Ruth Trigg, Pam Kirsten and Karen Gibbs, who are worried they will change the area’s character and not turn enough profit to justify their cost. They say the wider upgrade is too large-scale for the area.

“We don’t believe we should be going into the amount of debt they’re going into – there’s only 5600 ratepayers here … and our rates are extremely high,” Ms Kirsten said.

“The reason people come here to live, to visit is because of what it is. It’s natural and unspoilt, a lovely character-filled town and we don’t want that commercialised into a tourist hub where you can’t get a carpark anymore.

“A Glenelg, glitzy type of thing doesn’t need to happen – it’s not characteristic of this rural area.”

“This council seems to be hell bent on turning us into a glitzy weekend holiday place.”

Ms Kirsten said locals would continue to hold monthly protests.

Ms Trigg said the council had “imposed” the plan on the community.

“The community haven’t asked for this – it’s been imposed on us,” she said.

“We’re very unhappy with what we feel is the lack of listening to us,” she said.

Yankalilla chief executive Nigel Morris said ground work was about to start at the caravan park and the cabins would be installed in May 2022.

That was also when the Normanville Surf Life Saving Club would be demolished to make way for the rebuild.

An artist's impression of the new Normanville Surf Life Saving Club. Picture: Supplied

Work on an expanded lawn area and improvements to disability access is scheduled to begin in November.

Mr Morris denied the council’s consultation had been inadequate, saying instead of a process that took a few weeks, it happened over “a few months’.

“We understand it’s not to everyone’s liking but it’s the best compromise we could come up with based on all the feedback,” Mr Morris said.

Normanville Surf Life Saving Club president Dave Jensen said the upgrade would “spice up the foreshore”.

“There are a lot of people that want to leave it as it is, but we need the change to happen to bring it into line with other council foreshores,” he said.

“I think the council is doing the right thing as far as the influx of tourists we’re having and there’s only going to be more coming.”