Coast Park

Mr PICTON (Kaurna) (15:30): It is my pleasure to talk to the house about a very exciting announcement that has been made for the southern suburbs. As people would know, and I am sure you know, Deputy Speaker, Port Noarlunga has one of the most spectacular coastlines in South Australia, if not Australia. Unfortunately, it is currently not nearly as accessible as we would like for pedestrians and cyclists at the moment. The paths through there are very narrow, there are gaps between the areas, and it is therefore not the most attractive place to go for a cycle or a walk.

This limits its potential as a world-class tourism destination and limits the recreation opportunities available for local residents. That is why I am very delighted that the government is working to fix this. As part of the Coast Park vision for Adelaide, the Deputy Premier recently announced that the state government is going to provide $2 million in funding for the next steps of the coastal park through the Port Noarlunga and Port Noarlunga South area.

This project will address foreshore access issues and safety all the way, from the Port Noarlunga Surf Life Saving Club, across the Onkaparinga River, and then down past the South Port Surf Life Saving Club, down Weatherald Terrace, and then connecting at South Port where there is an existing shared-use path that is in good quality. The key elements of the project include:

a continuous shared-use path (something I know the Minister for Transport is very excited about), with additional cycling provision being available;

upgrading the existing reserves along the path;

new viewing areas and improved access connections;

new facilities and amenities;

landscaping across the path;

biodiversity and revegetation works;

pedestrian crossing points;

coastal fencing;

coastal protection works;

car park modification and reconstruction; and

interpretive signage.

There is quite a lot that is going to be delivered as part of this package. It is going to be built by the City of Onkaparinga, and I thank them for matching the funding that the state government is investing in this project.

Of course, this project will maintain and enhance our open space links. It is a very popular area for fishing, kayaking and swimming, and it is going to benefit all those recreation pursuits. It will provide additional connection for the community for people who already live there and also for tourists we want to see more of visiting the area. It is also going to improve the quality of pedestrian and cycling access and make this a real destination for leisure and recreation activities for people in the southern suburbs and across the whole city.

The project will use design, landscaping and public art that will highlight the local history and cultural heritage of the area. We recently had the dedication of the Mid Coast Surfing Reserve that I have previously spoken of in the house. The member for Reynell is also very supportive of that reserve which covers this area. I know that further dedications and marks in the history are very important to the group behind the reserve as well, so they will be very supportive of that.

The project will mean more support for local businesses through additional tourists who will be attracted to the area. Very importantly, it is going to provide easier access to our local surf lifesaving clubs, particularly in the area of Port Noarlunga and South Port surf lifesaving clubs, which will have greater access to their clubrooms, which are of course a large source of revenue for those clubs, and it means that they can put that funding into activities to save people's lives on the beach.

I would like to note some of the hard work of the people in those clubs, particularly the outgoing president at South Port, John Devitt (Devo), and the president of Port Noarlunga, Jarid Turner, for his hard work. I was also recently at the AGM of the South Port Surf Life Saving Club and lucky enough to be able to present three life memberships to three outstanding women, who between them have contributed 86 years of service. They are Sharryn Campbell, Liz Colegate and Jenny Whitmee, and between them they have contributed countless volunteer hours to protecting people along the coast. They are absolutely to be thanked for their hard work.

Connected to the coastal park, I would also note that our hardworking local MP, Amanda Rishworth, the member for Kingston, who has recently been re-elected in a landslide, secured a funding commitment from the federal opposition for further works on the coastal park at Aldinga and Hallett Cove. I would like to hope that the federal government will contribute some of that funding as well and match that commitment from the federal opposition so that we can have all three levels of government working together to improve our coastal walking and cycling links.