Glenthorne National Park

Mr MURRAY (Davenport) (14:31): My question is for the Minister for Environment and Water. Will the minister update the house on the government's commitment to the creation of Glenthorne national park and the role the local community will play in its establishment?

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Minister for Environment and Water) (14:32): Thank you, Mr Speaker and, with the way you controlled the house just there, it will be far more pleasant to answer this question, I am sure—

The SPEAKER: I can only try, minister.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —and for people to listen, so I applaud your control. The member for Davenport asks a very worthy question about what is one of the new Liberal government's flagship environmental policies for South Australia. In October 2016, we announced that if elected to government we would create Glenthorne national park, an area of around 1,500 hectares of open space stretching from the member for Davenport's electorate, around Happy Valley reservoir, covering that open space, moving through existing areas of Crown-owned land—O'Halloran Hill Recreation Park, Marino Conservation Park, Hallett Cove Conservation Park and areas of the Field River valley.

But most importantly our vision captures the site of Glenthorne Farm, 208 hectares of open space, which for far too long has had a cloud hanging over it and has been under threat from development for one reason or another. That land, which encompasses Glenthorne Farm, has been held in stewardship by the University of Adelaide since the early 2000s. It is fair to say that the University of Adelaide has struggled to find a clear purpose for that land, and its potential has not been maximised. I am delighted to be able to tell the member for Davenport and the house today that initial conversations have been had with the University of Adelaide about bringing that land into a body of management which would become Glenthorne national park.

We should not underestimate the significant environmental legacy this will leave South Australians, particularly those living in the southern suburbs. Individual conservation parks by themselves are valuable, but the idea of a nature corridor extending from the Hills to the coast and encompassing 1,500 hectares of land will be an incredible asset to our southern suburbs environment. That nature corridor has the opportunity to create recreational opportunities for people living in the local area and visitors alike.

Majors Road, which runs from the coast through towards Flagstaff Hill, will be the recreational spine of the new park. Existing recreational activities such as Riding for the Disabled, which is there at the moment, the model aeroplane club, the archery and the pistol club will have the potential to be complemented by other recreational activities in the future—walking trails, cycling trails. There is already a substantial mountain biking facility at O'Halloran Hill Recreation Park and there is the option to establish soccer facilities, and potentially BMX facilities, down the track as well.

It really is the wellbeing of the southern suburbs and the natural environment which will benefit most from this policy. As to the opportunity to undertake a large-scale revegetation project on Glenthorne Farm, I hope to be able to partner with the University of Adelaide and local environmental groups to fulfil that. Community engagement will be critical to the fulfilment of Glenthorne national park.

The new government will work with the various stakeholder groups and the friends groups that exist at O'Halloran Hill Recreation Park, Marino and Hallett Cove conservation parks, the lower Field River and on Glenthorne Farm itself. I pay tribute to the Friends of Glenthorne for their perseverance over many years which really pushed Glenthorne and the need to save it into the public domain. Community consultation will also involve a community forum at some point in the coming weeks, and I look forward to working with members from across this house on both sides of parliament as we develop what should be an incredible environmental legacy for all South Australians.