Port Adelaide Enfield Council considers wetlands for Gepps Cross State Sports Park

One of Adelaide’s largest sports parks would get multiple wetlands for locals and tourists under a huge plan.

Several million-dollar wetland projects could be developed across a state sports park in Adelaide’s north to boost greenery and provide relief from the heat for locals and visitors.

Surrounded by the new SAPOL horse yards, a Woolworths depot and the Roma Mitchell School, the 90ha facility at Gepps Cross is home to a velodrome, state soccer park and other sporting facilities.

The site also includes four flood basins that manage run-off from within park and some outside areas.

Port Adelaide Enfield Council this year engaged DesignFlow Consultancy to develop a greening and water sensitive urban design plan for the site, which identified four “greening precincts”.

A $1.9m “entry statement” wetland, spanning 8500sq m, is proposed for the Main North Road entrance, providing open water views and “extend the wetland footprint” on the northern side of Anna Mears Way.

The former master plan for the State Sports Park, which has been dropped after SAPOL’s mounted unit moved there.. Picture: Supplied

Adjacent to the school, a 6000sq m wetland and a 2000sq m ephemeral wetland are proposed as part of a $1.6m Biodiversity Education Precinct, with the study suggesting students could take ownership of the space and help look after the wetlands.

“The location of the basin … offers a possibility to provide biodiversity educational opportunities for students and would allow students to become actively involved in the development of the wetland and study wetland ecology,” the plan suggests.

The plan also proposes a wild nature trail connecting an eastern basin with Foresters’ Forest in Gepps Cross and a 6250sq m ephemeral wetland system at the southwest basin called the “Bushland Stormwater Treatment Precinct”.

In 2023, it was revealed a planned “second generation of parklands” at the site was dumped after SAPOL horse unit was moved to Gepps Cross.

Northern suburbs residents would have had a planned parklands, including playing fields, sports courts, nature adventure areas, bike trails and picnic areas under the proposal but that site is now home to the mounted unit.

Supplied Editorial

The Women’ Madison Championships in 2021, at the State and National Cycling Championships in Adelaide in Gepps Cross. Picture: The Advertiser / Morgan Sette

The Advertiser understands the park features some of the hottest land parcels in Gepps Cross and the greenery and wetlands at the site would reduce the impact of the heat island effect.

The concept plan is yet to be endorsed by council.

Port Adelaide Enfield has currently set aside only $1.5m for detailed design and construction of the south western retention basin, which documents says would also provide flood mitigation opportunities.

Council has applied for federal grant funding for the design and construction of the Roma Mitchell Wetland within the Biodiversity Education Precinct the northern wetland basin within the Cool Wetland Precinct.

Meanwhile, changes to the state sports park masterplan resulting from a SAPOL move to the area mean council would also need to review its stormwater management plan.

Originally published as Port Adelaide Enfield Council considers wetlands for Gepps Cross State Sports Park