Port Noarlunga Esplanade

Mr COWDREY (Colton) (15:21): I rise today to talk about a matter of interest within my portfolio responsibility. Earlier today, just prior to question time, on behalf of the broader community of Port Noarlunga and in particular those who live in close proximity to the dune conservation reserve, I tabled a petition of more than 1,500 signatures for the save the porties dune petition.

This particular issue revolves around an allotment of land at 108 Esplanade at Port Noarlunga, which is an ecologically significant portion of what has essentially become part of the Port Noarlunga sand dunes. It sits directly adjacent to, but may as well be, for practical purposes, part of the South Port Noarlunga conservation reserve.

I had the opportunity to go down there a couple of weeks ago to meet with the petitioners and the broader group of the community there that are very passionate about this issue. It arose from the fact that in their view there had been an intention by the state government to sell the particular plot of land that I have just referenced. There have been moves obviously within the community there to reject the proposal, to bring this issue to light and to work to have that section of land retained as public open space.

There is a long history as to how that particular allotment of land has been treated historically. It has, from time to time, been seen as public open space land. It has had that designation changed and since then there has been a push, and a part of this petition is to try to have that sense of zoning returned to that particular allotment of land so that it cannot be developed and is there for many members of the local community to enjoy into the future. There are very few sections of our coastline that now see such significant sand dune systems on them. I am very jealous; I wish my section of Adelaide's coastline had as significant a dune system as they have down there. We obviously support that push and that change.

What is clear now, given there has been a statement from the planning minister that there is no longer any intention to sell that land, is that there is still not clarity in terms of how that land will be zoned into the future. I think that is something that is going to be explored in the not too distant future. It is something that those particular petitioners, the more than 1,500 people of Port Noarlunga and the surrounding suburbs, are keen to get a clear answer on from the government as to what the zoning around that particular allotment is going to be into the future.

While I am on my feet I would also like to recognise a significant event that occurred on 14 September, a Saturday afternoon. It was essentially the Lockleys and Henley footy clubs going back-to-back to back against each other in the C, B and A grade grand finals of the division 3 section of the Adelaide Football League at Woodville Oval. It was a fantastic day with a crowd that I am sure most SANFL games would be jealous of. There was a huge number of my local community down there supporting their two local football clubs. Unfortunately for Lockleys, despite having a ripper of a season, they went down in all three of the grades. They were very close games in terms of the support from both sides but not necessarily, unfortunately, the score lines.

To have a situation where we have Lockleys, a strong junior club, developing as they are, shifting from division 3 now to have promotion into division 2 next year is going to be fantastic for them, but for the Henley football club, a return to division 2 football next year. Both clubs have a significant women's program that is continuing to gather steam and momentum as those two programs continue to grow.

To Damon and his coaches and the leadership of the Henley football club, congratulations on your season. In anticipation of being on behalf of the Lockleys Football Club, can I thank Tom Clarke, the A-grade coach over the last number of years, for his contribution to the club. He announced post the grand final that he would be stepping away from the club. On behalf of the local community, thank you for what you have done, Tom, in re-energising and bringing the Lockleys Football Club up into a division that is well and truly competitive in division 2. For the Sharks and the Demons, we look forward to Cowdrey Cups continuing into next year and for some good local footy in the 2025 season.