Council seeks compensation as transport dept takes Outer Harbor land, cultural playground for to upgrade roads for defence growth

The state government is taking over community land and a cultural park for major defence road upgrades – but the local council wants cash.

A council is seeking compensation from the state government for the loss of community land on the Lefevre Peninsula, set to be acquired for $100m road network upgrades to cope with growing AUKUS and shipbuilding traffic.

The transport department will acquire land along Pelican Point Rd at Outer Harbor, which includes the cultural Kardi Yarta playground – meaning ‘Emu Country’ in Kaurna language – for the realignment of the Victoria and Pelican Point road junction.

The department expects traffic using the junction to triple in volume by 2030 as a result of the expanding defence sector in the area.

Upgrades will include a new access point to the Osborne Naval Shipyard carpark, a median cut out for oversized vehicles and a new, signalised junction.

A revised design for the Victoria Road and Pelican Point Road junction will result in the loss of community land, including the Kardi Yarta playground. Picture: DIT

Port Adelaide Enfield Council this month voted to seek compensation from the department to make up for the loss of council land and assets through improvements to the area, including formalised uncontrolled crossing points at the Osborne and Victoria roads junction, upgrades to RB Connolly Reserve at North Haven and an extension to the shared use path along Veitch Rd.

Council earlier sought compensation for the loss of the Kardi Yarta park and playground “in the form of funding towards the Yitpi Yartapuultiku Aboriginal Cultural Precinct development in Port Adelaide commensurate with the significance of the Kaurna cultural loss”.

Council would not comment around the sum of that funding.

Council documents state there is a “significant Kaurna cultural connection to this area” and the transport department has been working with council’s Aboriginal Advisory Panel and the Kaurna Yerta Aboriginal Corporation “to understand which items/artwork still have relevance and are suitable to be relocated to Biodiversity Park.”

Upgrade plans for the intersection initially went through Biodiversity Park but after locals and environmental groups raised concerns over the proposed infrastructure’s impact on rare flora and fauna, the transport department revised the design to instead run through the Kardi Yarta playground.

“(The department) has sought a formal response from council regarding its position on compensation for the acquisition,” council documents state.

North Haven Primary School students Lauren, 12, Ripley, 13, and Abbey Mugford, 12, using the Kardi Yarta playground. Picture: Roger Wyman

A spokesperson said the department appreciated the importance of Kardi Yarta and was “committed to maintaining its history and cultural expression in the area”.

“We have been and will continue to continue to work with Kaurna Yerta Aboriginal Corporation and City of Port Adelaide Enfield, including their Aboriginal Advisory Panel in determining future Aboriginal Urban Design opportunities,” the spokesperson said.

He said the department has received council’s request for compensation and “will respond in due course”.

Work on the road upgrades is expected to start mid year and finish in early 2027.

Originally published as Council seeks compensation as transport dept takes Outer Harbor land, cultural playground for to upgrade roads for defence growth