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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2022-10-19 Daily Xml
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Motions

Reservoirs

The Hon. D.G. PISONI (Unley) (11:05): I move:

That this house—

(a) commends the Marshall Liberal government for implementing a plan to open up the Myponga, Bundaleer, South Para, Warren, Hope Valley, Little Para, Mount Bold and Happy Valley reservoirs to provide public access to beautiful open spaces that had been locked away for far too long; and

(b) calls on the Malinauskas Labor government to continue investment in reservoir reserves to increase access to improve the visitor experience and boost local economies.

The Marshall Liberal government achieved in its four years a huge amount in terms of investment and promotion of our natural environment and our nature-based tourism. Our achievements were not isolated to just one area; however, our accomplishments under our Opening up our Reservoirs program have been significant. They continue to be hugely popular with South Australians. In 2017, we announced our election pledge to open reservoirs across the state, a plan to provide public access to these beautiful natural environments and to boost local tourism.

On being elected to government in 2018, we delivered on our promises. The Liberal leader David Speirs, who was then the environment and water minister, passionately delivered public access to our reservoirs. It was a huge step in promoting our natural environment and supporting healthy communities. Of course, it was not a world first to give public access to the land around reservoirs and the ability to use reservoirs for water activities; it was just that South Australia had never allowed it previously.

We have 16 reservoirs across the state. Eleven are now open for the public to enjoy, from the bottom of the Fleurieu Peninsula to the West Coast of South Australia. Nature-based tourism is hugely popular and opening our reservoirs has enabled tourism operators to provide tours, recreational services and educate people about our unique environment. These reservoirs have provided a much-needed economic boost for many regional communities in South Australia, with over a million South Australians now only a short drive away from enjoying one of these beautiful reservoir reserves.

We have encouraged South Australians to enjoy our reservoirs, immersing themselves in our natural environment and being able to fish, kayak, cycle, hike, paddleboard and swim. Importantly, we opened environmental volunteer programs within the reservoirs. We know it is our shared responsibility to foster a healthy and sustainable environment, and it is fantastic that there are opportunities for South Australians to now get a more hands-on experience. This is important because I think you treasure what you use, and opening these reservoirs, and now enabling people to use them, has certainly lifted the awareness of the importance of those reservoirs and, of course, of an interest in preserving our natural environment.

Volunteer opportunities are available at Barossa, Happy Valley, Hope Valley, Mount Bold, Myponga, South Para and Warren reservoir reserves, each tailored to the local environment and recreational activities at each site. It may include habitat improvement, weed control and revegetation involving seed collection, propagation and planting.

In 2021, the international National Park City Foundation awarded Adelaide National Park City status. This made Adelaide the first city in Australia and the second in the world, after London, to receive the honour. The Marshall Liberal government's reservoir policy has improved city life through enabling our community to enjoy connecting with nature and each other.

For over four years, Adelaide has been consistently rated as one of the world's most livable cities, with amazing food and wine, clean coastlines, beautiful hills, iconic wildlife, as well as national and conservation parks, and local reserves. Our reservoir system is now part of that experience. Our nature is special and unique. We have 30 per cent green space and diverse wildlife, with 1,080 native plant species and 281 native species of birds.

There are some fun facts about our reservoirs. For example, the Myponga Reservoir is 60 kilometres south of Adelaide on the Fleurieu Peninsula. I have visited the Myponga Reservoir on a Sunday and it is amazing the activity that happens; you cannot get a car park in Myponga with the activities that are happening. Families visit, the car park is full, the shops are full and people are buying from the bakery and other food outlets. It has been a real boom for the local economy. The trail is ideal for walking and running, with room for families to enjoy a picnic. The reservoir contains 250 hectares of water. Shore-based fishing is available within the publicly accessible area of the reserve, or you can drop a line in from a canoe or a kayak. It really has been a success story.

Bundaleer is south-east of Port Pirie in the Mid North—the member for Frome's electorate. It was constructed over a five-year period from 1898 to 1903. Bundaleer is a small reservoir where you can fish, kayak, enjoy views of the water from the loop walking trail and have a picnic. There is fishing, as the reservoir is stocked with golden perch, silver perch, Murray cod, rainbow trout and brown trout. This is important because our fly fishermen in particular have traditionally had to go interstate to Victoria or over to New Zealand in order to have that experience. People can now have that experience of freshwater fishing here in South Australia. South Australians are staying here and enjoying what we are offering.

Bundaleer Reservoir was built to supply Snowtown, Redhill, Brinkworth, Narridy, Blyth and Port Wakefield, and was an important source of water to the region for local towns and agriculture until the Morgan to Whyalla pipeline was completed in 1944. Supplementing supply from Beetaloo, Bundaleer also helped secure water supply for the lead smelters in Port Pirie while maintaining water supply to the local towns.

The Warren Reservoir is a short drive south-east of Williamstown in the Barossa Valley. The Warren Reservoir was built during World War I, with a number of workers given a leave of absence to join the armed forces. It was built to ensure water supply to the local area. When the natural springs supplying Eudunda dried up every summer, Warren Reservoir was built to ensure reliable water supply for the local area.

Then, of course, there is the South Para Reservoir. It is the second largest reservoir in South Australia just a few minutes' drive or a leisurely 30-minute walk from Williamstown in the southern Barossa Valley. While construction of the South Para Reservoir began in 1949, it was not finished until 1958 due to the huge demand on funds and resources following the Second World War. It was built to support industrial development and population growth in the north of Adelaide in the 1950s. With the establishment of Elizabeth in 1955, the north of Adelaide was booming.

The Hope Valley Reservoir Reserve is located in the north-eastern suburbs. Hope Valley Reservoir was completed in 1873 to become Adelaide's second reservoir and is our oldest in operation. The Hope Valley Reservoir Reserve was the state's first metropolitan reservoir reserve to open to the public. The reserve links into the O-Bahn bikeway and it is a 4.6-kilometre trail. Cod have been released into the reservoir to ensure there is a quality fishing experience.

The Little Para Reservoir is South Australia's youngest reservoir, situated north of Adelaide alongside the suburbs of Greenwith and Golden Grove. It was built in 1979. The Mount Bold Reservoir, the largest reservoir in South Australia, is about 45 minutes' drive south of Adelaide. The reservoir is surrounded by more than 5½ thousand hectares of land, including three Trees For Life sites. The reserve is predominantly stringy bark woodland but also has an amount of gumwood land, swamps and creeks.

More than 160 native animals call Mount Bold home, including the southern brown bandicoot, and it was constructed over a six-year period from 1932 to 1938. A little-known fact about Mount Bold Reservoir is that between 1938 and 1961 Mount Bold also supplied its own electricity through a small hydro-electric plant.

The gates of the Happy Valley Reservoir in the southern suburbs were unlocked under the Marshall Liberal government, for the first time in 120 years. Visitors are now able to enjoy a range of land and water-based recreational activities such as kayaking, fishing, cycling, hiking and picnicking. It is just 35 minutes from the city and of course very accessible to those who live in the southern suburbs. The Happy Valley Reservoir was completed more than 120 years ago in 1897, making it one of our oldest reservoirs.

Labor remained highly critical of the Liberals' plan to open the Happy Valley Reservoir. The water minister at the time of the announcement had previously described the idea as setting off into big seas with a dinghy and no lifejackets. I think there is no doubt that South Australians were ready and prepared to swim in this world that was depicted by the Hon. Mr Hunter.

As I said earlier in my speech, this is not revolutionary and this is not world first. One of the biggest regional tourist spots in Australia of course is the Hume Dam and the reservoir that surrounds it. It has been open to the public for years as a caravan park. There are motels and hotels. The towns that feed it and that you pass on the way all have enormous economic activity from those visiting the dam, whether it be for a couple of hours of sightseeing or for an extended stay using the water on a kayak or swimming or fishing.

It is pleasing that, after having our dams locked away for so long, South Australians are now enjoying that natural resource right here on their doorsteps, something they can do for a few hours, half a day, a whole day or a whole weekend if they wish. No longer do you need to drive hours or days to go to a location that offers the same amenity. You can do that right here in South Australia and of course word is getting out. We are seeing people coming from other states to experience our natural heritage and our natural environment surrounding those reservoirs.

It has certainly lifted the status and the awareness of the reservoir system in and around Adelaide and across the state as people are experiencing it firsthand and getting up close. Rather than just driving past and looking through the fences, people can get in there and experience those reservoirs and the parks that surround them firsthand. I commend the motion to the house.

Ms THOMPSON (Davenport) (11:18): I move to amend the motion by the member for Unley as follows:

Delete (a) and insert new (a):

(a) Notes the action undertaken by the former government to implement the Opening up our Reservoirs program in South Australia;

Delete (b) and insert new (b):

(b) Commends the Malinauskas Labor government for ensuring that recreational access is effectively managed together with the public safety and utility of our reservoir reserves.

SA Water operates 17 reservoirs around South Australia. Of these, a range of recreational activities have been introduced or expanded at 10 reservoirs across SA Water's portfolio. I would like to acknowledge the role that the former government played with their Opening up our Reservoirs program, which saw eight of the state's reservoirs either opened or their access upgraded.

I especially acknowledge the good work of the Department for Environment and Water and SA Water staff, who have ensured that the reservoirs were opened with great care and planning to prevent any impacts on the security of South Australia's safe, clean drinking water. I would also like to take the opportunity to acknowledge and thank all of the various 'friends of' reservoir groups around the state that have really helped to plant out these spaces and have helped with collecting any rubbish and keeping them clean.

Reservoir visitor numbers continue to grow. Activities include walking, bike trails, picnic locations, kayaking and fishing. My community in the electorate of Davenport and thousands of visitors to the area have been thoroughly enjoying the Happy Valley Reservoir since it opened last year. The beautiful Happy Valley Reservoir is home to some incredible wildlife, including a huge kangaroo population, other native species and more than 90 species of land and water birds. Visitors can take in the wildlife while walking, riding, fishing and, as I said, kayaking in this gorgeous part of the world.

Community meetings in my electorate now often include a short walk around the reservoir. These are now known as 'Around the res with Ez' and I encourage anyone to come and join us for those walks. We also always stop by and enjoy a coffee from Signature Coffee Co., which is a locally run Flagstaff Hill coffee van run by Anne-Marie Thornhill. She makes a fantastic coffee and is doing a great business there. At the moment, she is also looking to expand her business to offering picnic baskets for people to come and collect and take to a spot around the reservoir to enjoy. I am looking forward to seeing her business grow.

It was not long after the reservoir opened in my community that people started to notice some serious safety concerns. People were dashing across the road, Happy Valley Drive, which has an 80 km/h speed limit, often with bikes, kayaks in tow—little kids and their families wanting to get into the kayak but not having a safe passage to do so. I have worked with SA Water, the infrastructure department and also the City of Onkaparinga council to manage some of those safety issues. The community also raised safety issues such as gate access and the potential to get locked into the reservoirs at night. Again, we have worked through those safety issues. Further to this, the community has always had a keen interest in the protection of our wildlife and the water quality within our reservoirs; this is, of course, our drinking water.

While the opening of our reservoirs has increased access to green spaces and recreational pursuits for the community, it has been extremely important that the Malinauskas Labor government ensure that this has been done with complete due diligence. The position that our government took was that we would seek assurance from SA Health that they regarded the current management of the reservoirs being opened as being safe. This assurance was provided early in our term of government.

It was necessary to seek assurance, as the reservoirs were opened without thinking through all the details. Projects that the Liberals pursued during their term of government did not demonstrate sound decision-making. Projects like the now cancelled Crystal Lake development posed unacceptable financial and environmental risks to South Australia. While the Malinauskas government values the benefit of creating open spaces, the Crystal Lake election commitment was a reckless and rushed policy idea that would have cost taxpayers millions of dollars.

Our now Minister for Climate, Environment and Water, Dr Susan Close, rightfully scrapped the project and cancelled the deed to protect South Australians and to provide the quarry owners, Holcim, with certainty going forward. The deed provided for the sale of that land had been signed on the eve of caretaker provisions by the former environment minister. Thankfully, there has been no cost to the taxpayer associated with our termination of that deed.

The announcement lacked any planning work, funding or community consultation and was ultimately just a thinly veiled campaign video paid for by taxpayers. Crystal Lake was a costly pipedream trotted out by a desperate Liberal Party on the eve of the state election, exposing—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Ms THOMPSON: —South Australian taxpayers to millions of dollars in costs. It was one of a number of rushed and thoughtless commitments made by the former government in its final days.

But, credit where credit is due, the opening of the reservoirs has been a positive initiative for our state and one that is certainly being embraced by our communities, particularly the people of my electorate of Davenport. That is why we will continue to invest in these important spaces, ensuring that recreational access is effectively managed, together with the public safety and utility of our reservoir reserves.

Mr TEAGUE (Heysen) (11:24): I take this opportunity to speak up for the motion as moved by the member for Unley. In coming back to this topic in the new parliament, the parliament ought rightly to congratulate in particular the former Marshall Liberal government and the leadership shown by the then Minister for Environment and Water on staying the course to deliver on an election commitment.

Not only that, it was a commitment that had been made years in advance of the 2018 election that was met before, during and after that campaign—indeed, for years after that campaign—with a negative response from the then opposition and the constant raising of the spectre that it might somehow bring down all kinds of calamity upon the population of South Australia if people could access reservoirs and enjoy the natural environment that surrounds them.

What has been brought to bear and demonstrated as a result of the opening of now many reservoirs throughout the state is just what a magnificent benefit it is to local communities to be able to make use of these spaces. So I am glad to hear the member for Davenport commending the previous government for that decision. As history has demonstrated, it is all very well, once you are out there, to come along and smile and cheer, as the member for Hurtle Vale did on that wonderful day, the opening of the Happy Valley Reservoir.

The member for Hurtle Vale was there, present, smiling and walking happily along the banks, yet not only she but also those all the way up through the opposition had maintained their opposition and spread fear in relation to the prospect of the opening. So congratulations to former Minister Speirs and congratulations to the former Marshall Liberal government on what was a tremendous policy initiative. It will benefit South Australians for generations ahead.

In the short time available to me, I propose to focus on the benefits to Mount Bold and Happy Valley, in particular, and go back for a moment to their origins. Part of the benefit of opening the reservoirs to all kinds of recreational activity, and access generally, involves an engagement in local regions and an understanding of our state's history.

As many know, the Clarendon Weir was first established in the 1890s as a means of flushing metropolitan sewers by holding back some water on its way through to the southern suburbs. That relatively modest establishment in the 1890s was followed by an extraordinary endeavour, the digging of the tunnel through to the Happy Valley Reservoir. That was constructed in the 1890s with no catchment of its own; Happy Valley Reservoir is a pond that is fed by the Clarendon Weir and the tunnel.

The engineering endeavour, the human ingenuity, and therefore the identity of Clarendon and the region to those endeavours that have served Adelaide's metropolitan area so well for more than a century, are appreciated, but they can be better appreciated, and I think they can be better appreciated by people being present in the environment.

After the Clarendon Weir, the tunnel and the Happy Valley Reservoir were completed, the needs of suburban Adelaide kept growing, and the great Mount Bold Reservoir was constructed as a 20th century project over the bulk of the 1930s, commencing in about 1932 and being completed in about 1938. As the member for Unley has adverted, until 1961 or thereabouts it did indeed supply its own power with a little hydro plant. It was an innovative 20th century project in every respect, and it was also the first reservoir built in the state that was storing on-stream water, water fed by the Onkaparinga River.

What we see now—and not just when there is an abundance of water but when the power fluctuation dictates that it is appropriate—is a gush down the Onkaparinga River coming from the Murray when it is the right thing to turn the pumps on and send that water down the Onkaparinga. It flows a long way down, including past the Mylor Baptist camp where, if you are there on the right day, the children will be playing on the oval and, all of a sudden, this gush comes down the Onkaparinga River on its way to the Mount Bold Reservoir. It is a key central part of SA Water infrastructure, and it is surrounded, as the member for Unley said, by thousands of acres of the most beautiful countryside in the Adelaide Hills.

Adjacent to it is the Scott Creek Conservation Park, an area that people have been able to appreciate over many decades, and it is well to remember that it was acquired by the government in the mid-seventies with a view to extending the water catchment. For a variety of reasons, it was not deemed necessary for that purpose, or perhaps suitable, according to the catchment and so over the ridge from Mount Bold Reservoir we now have what was long-settled suburban land that has been turned into a modern large conservation park in Scott Creek Conservation Park, unfortunately devastated by fire the summer before last but on the way to recovery.

In that Mount Bold-Scott Creek Conservation Park area and all the way down to the Happy Valley Reservoir, we have two connected areas of great natural beauty of great value to our state and, being a bit parochial, right at the centre of the Heysen Hills, of great local identity, not only for the community of Clarendon but also for Kangarilla and those in all directions around it.

Before Mount Bold Reservoir was opened, you had this extraordinary situation in which there were towns to the north, east, south and south-east, all the way around this area of Mount Bold, and there were great big, nicely maintained fences with SA Water signs saying 'Do not go past'. In a natural environment like that it really jarred. Just over that fence is a Flinders Ranges equivalent natural wonderland with all kinds of things that can be done.

Knowing that the Mylor Baptist camp is just the other side of those fences at Mylor, it was particularly clear that there are a whole range of children and adults who are coming to experience the outdoors in the Mylor area, and they are experiencing kayaking, bushwalking and learning about being out in nature, but they can only go so far before there is this area that has been shut off.

The opening of Mount Bold Reservoir—in all the ways that are appropriate to that particular set of circumstances, including the lookout on Razorback Road where those who just want to take in the amazing scenery now have that wonderful chance, all the way through to kayaking, fishing where it is appropriate and walking and at Happy Valley the opportunity to get around and do a lap of a reservoir that is really right in the middle of the southern suburbs—has added enormous value to those communities where reservoirs have been opened, and that is just to focus on those two in particular. Of course, Myponga, starting it all off, was a tremendous example. It has transformed the town as we know, and I was very proud to be present on that very happy day as well.

Mount Bold is a particularly special and historically important part of the state's infrastructure, and it is great that it can be part of this reservoir opening. The day at Happy Valley Reservoir, opening the connection between the two, is one that I will not forget. Meanwhile, of course, we see important capital upgrades going on to what are important SA Water assets. The $12½ million that is about to be applied at Mount Bold to improve it for the future generation and for the century ahead is welcome and we look forward to seeing both done in concert. I commend the motion as originally presented.

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (11:34): I, too, rise to support the member for Unley's very good motion on the importance of our reservoirs, our dams and our water storages in South Australia, because we have to rely on those water storages for the sustainability of water supply, even though we have a desalination plant at Port Stanvac now. It is the continuity of water that we need not only for drinking but for water needs for industry and food production.

It is also important to understand that we need an ecology that is based around that water and those water bodies. We know that many of those water bodies are sustained by inflows and sustained by an environment that allows water to be captured, controlled and diverted, whether into a dam or a reservoir. It is very important that we maintain those capturing capabilities.

I will touch quickly on a matter that the members for Heysen and for Unley outlined. I was very disappointed by the government continually amending a very good motion. The former government had a vision in opening up our reservoirs. We know that reservoirs, water storages and dams all over the world are used for recreation. Whether it is used for nature-based tourism or for mainstream tourism, it is something that is there to behold.

If we look internationally and to our eastern seaboards, we see motor craft and all sorts of capacity of the tourism sector and nature-based sector using our water storages and waterways that are, at the end of the day, used for human consumption, for industry and for food production, without this fanfare of saying that, if someone is going to hop on a boat and go through some of our waterways, they will contaminate that water. That has been dispelled and proven to be inaccurate, and the former government had the vision that South Australia had long needed to give opportunities not only to our water bodies but to all of our waterways in the importance they play, not just for storage and consumption but for diversity that every water body on the planet presents.

I will touch on some of our reservoirs, which play an important role. We can look at the number of reservoirs and storages: Myponga, Happy Valley, Hope Valley, Mount Bold, Barossa, South Para, Little Para, Kangaroo Creek, Millbrook and the Warren. We cannot forget the Warren in the Barossa because it is a great piece of infrastructure that not only provides water for human consumption but also provides water for ongoing storage to provide an economy around food production and horticulture. It is very much like the River Murray in a small sense.

In South Australia our main reservoir capacity is about 200 gigalitres. If we look further beyond, we have many regional lakes and rivers: Baroota, Blue Lake, Bundaleer, Middle River, Tod River and Wirrina Cove. They play a role in water capture and diversion so that we have water for our country towns, our livestock and our country communities. I want to touch on some of the great water courses and water storages in South Australia but also importantly in the country.

For me, having the electorate of Chaffey on the banks of the River Murray, right from the border down to Mannum, gives me a great sense of pride but also a great sense of responsibility in having to monitor and advocate. As a local member of parliament in South Australia it is my job to ensure—and my constituents expect me to advocate for—a healthy working river. It is also about putting balance into the argument that often comes about. We know that many politicians like to use the River Murray as a political tool; they like to grandstand and make gratuitous comments that help nobody.

Over the course of time, South Australia has been a leader in water storages and the utilisation of some of those efficiencies within our water storages and within our watercourses. I must say that we saw a lot of overreaction by this current state government in its previous life when it saw an opportunity to build a 50-gigalitre desal plant as an insurance policy to provide critical human-needs water so that South Australia did not run out of water.

In the wisdom of the then government and the then minister they thought, 'We can double the size of that desal plant. Let's make it 100 gigalitres,' but in their wisdom they forgot to check the fine print and the fine print was that the first 50 gigalitres was there as an offset and as an environmental project. It was there to bolster critical human-needs water and it was also there to bolster the uncertainty around what we were experiencing in the Millennium Drought.

Again, back to the state government, what they forgot to understand was that the next 50 gigalitres of water was not going to be given funding from the commonwealth. That was through the implementation of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. So all of a sudden, that decision to put the extra 50-GL capacity into that desal plant had to be stumped up by taxpayers here in South Australia, and that came at great cost. That came through the naivety of a government that saw this opportunity through rose-coloured glasses, and it came at great cost.

Sadly, we are not utilising that desal plant. In the good spirit of this debate, when we do have to use that desal plant it means that the Murray River is under stress and the question is: is it viable? Are the flows from the River Murray into South Australia sustainable? That would be the reason that we would turn the desal plant on. Over many, many conversations that all of us as politicians have had, that is a shiny nugget down there in the southern suburbs that is really not being utilised like it could be. Yes, it is expensive to run, but people have to drink. People need the security of water. People need to accept that a desal plant should be utilised; it should be there for the diversity of water supply, not just as a remnant piece of infrastructure lying idle.

As I said, I will touch on the Murray-Darling Basin. I have already mentioned that South Australia has been a global leader and is leading the way in all our basin states. What we have seen over time is that we have large water bodies as storage: reservoirs, dams, call them what you will. First, the Hume Dam was constructed between 1919 and 1936. It holds about a 3,000 gigalitre capacity. To put that into perspective, all South Australia's water storages—reservoirs and dams—hold about 200. If we look at what the Hume Dam means in the big picture, it is significant.

Then we saw the construction of the Dartmouth Dam. That was constructed through an agreement between our basin states and it came about after great political debate over time. I think now that we have seen that dam constructed, it is probably one of the most important pieces of infrastructure for South Australia's water security. It holds nearly 4,000 gigalitres and accounts for about 40 per cent of the River Murray's total storage capacity. The Hume and the Dartmouth work hand in glove. The Hume fills, spills and the Dartmouth captures. It is just like the tributaries that feed water into those dams to fill our water storages.

We have a regulated system now. We are currently seeing about 80 gigalitres of water flow over the border into South Australia. It is a great thing to see and I urge anyone who wants to see one of the great natural wonders to get up to the Riverland and have a look at the water flowing across our borders, replenishing our flood plains and our wetlands. It is breathing life back into a very stressed and fatigued flood plain system.

South Australia should be commended, but we are entering a third La Niña event nationally. We saw the first La Niña event on record back in the 1956 flood. We saw the second La Niña event in the 1974 flood and we are about to embark on the third La Niña event on record in 2023. So watch this space because we are going to see our storages, our reservoirs, our dams full. They are going to overflow and South Australia needs to be prepared.

We look around the globe at all the phenomenal water bodies and they are all under stress. Thankfully, here in the Murray-Darling Basin, we are enduring great wetting events, and I look forward to talking about that more one day.

Ms PRATT (Frome) (11:44): I rise to support the motion moved by the member for Unley, and an important one it is. It recognises the innovation of both the Marshall Liberal government and the former Minister for Environment, the member for Black, in understanding what a fabulous natural resource we had dotted around South Australia, sitting and taunting us all but really not being put to best use.

I have family and friends who live around the southern suburbs in the city, and to walk past Happy Valley Reservoir and see it twinkling in the sunshine but sitting behind really ugly fencing was, I am sure, one of the motivations for the minister recognising what a fantastic resource it would be to all South Australians. The Marshall Liberal government recognised that this was going to be a game changer for local residents, for South Australians, for access to a water source, for domestic tourism, and I think the numbers speak for themselves.

Of the 16 reservoirs we have across South Australia, 11 of them are now open. In the time that those fences were torn down and the public was given access, we have seen over 700,000 visits, which is just extraordinary, so people have voted with their feet. South Australia is recognised as being the driest state in the driest continent, and I do pay my respect to people who live along a river system currently because they certainly would not recognise that adage. We love water in Australia. Most of us live closer to a coastline or a water supply than inland, and there is something magical and mystical about water in any weather condition. The idea that—

An honourable member interjecting:

Ms PRATT: 'Magical' and 'mystical' are terms I will stand by. Whether it is flat, whether it has a ripple or a bit of a white cap about it, there is something that draws us to water. In the electorate of Frome, I am proud that I get to rise to speak about Bundaleer Reservoir. To paint you a picture, this reservoir is nestled west of Spalding in the hills that lead across to Gulnare. It is lovely to discover this water source that is currently for emergency use only. Its capacity is of enormous relief, I am sure, to the locals—a capacity of 3,000 Olympic swimming pools. Its history goes back to 1898, when its construction was commenced, so it has been something of a water supply for many years.

For those who are fishing afficionados, there are certainly examples online, on YouTube and in other sources, for those recreational fishers to get a sense of what it would be like to canoe across Bundaleer Reservoir and drop a line. It offers a lot more than that, of course—all our reservoirs give an opportunity for families to come and have a picnic, walking trails and loops have been created—and I speak with particular reference to the Bundaleer site, where the sunrises and sunsets are quite spectacular. Whether you are facing east or west, you are not going to be disappointed.

The Marshall Liberal government and the former Minister for Environment recognised the recreational opportunities for all South Australians and visitors to this state. We know that getting out of the house, moving around, exercising and moving your joints and generally enjoying nature are great not just for physical wellbeing but also mental wellbeing.

Again, the initiative to open these reservoirs was an opportunity, I am sure with the support of Wellbeing SA and Open Your World, to encourage us through those limited months and years of experiencing COVID to get out and experience nature and get the endorphins going, but there is another benefit that came along with opening these reservoirs, and that of course was to the local economy. In the electorate of Frome, on any compass point, the townships that surround the reservoir also benefit.

If you are travelling north, the best way to get to this reservoir is through my town of Clare, and I recommend stopping in that beautiful town for a coffee or a pasty at the bakery or a little bit of shopping for the picnic before you head north-west to the stunning views that are offered by this reservoir. The other townships that surround the Bundaleer Reservoir allow camping sites to flourish. Certainly, in Jamestown Ali Cooper's work at the park has been extraordinary.

To the east, it is a quick drive over to Burra for some antiquing, and the road from Spalding to Gulnare is a beautiful drive. Currently, our crops are looking fantastic ahead of a bumper harvest, so the enticement for locals and visitors alike to drive around the Mid North, on their way to the Bundaleer or from the doorstep of the southern Flinders for that extended camping experience, is pretty good.

I note that last year in December the Northern Areas Council had a fantastic initiative through their youth advisory committee (YAC), which was a Come and Try Day: grab a canoe or kayak and get yourself out on the Bundaleer. It is with enormous regret that I was not able to attend, and I implore the local council to offer that initiative again. I will be there with flippers on, perhaps. The council has made commitments that support continuing the establishment of green space. It is somewhat bald compared to Myponga or Happy Valley in its treescape, so I look forward to seeing it green up. With those brief comments, I commend this original motion to the house.

Mrs HURN (Schubert) (11:52): I, too, rise in full support of the motion moved by the member for Unley. Can you believe that 700,000 visitors have passed through our reservoirs since we first opened them up—700,000 people passing through our reservoirs. I think that is a perfect example, which highlights so beautifully how popular this policy has been right across South Australia, including in my local community.

My beautiful electorate of Schubert is home to not one but two reservoirs that are now open to the public for fishing, kayaking, walking and cycling, and they are the South Para Reservoir and the Warren Reservoir in the southern Barossa, on the outskirts of Williamstown. These beautiful spots were locked up from the general public for far too long, and I think that opening them was a bold and really exciting vision that we saw come to fruition under the former government.

Of course, this policy was spearheaded by our now leader, the member for Black, David Speirs. This was all part of the Marshall Liberal government's $130 million investment into nature-based tourism in South Australia, focused on improving the visitor experience, on creating local jobs and ultimately on building our reputation as one of the most livable cities and one of the most livable places in the nation and, indeed, the world.

Opening up our reservoirs has gone beyond just having people connect with nature and getting people active. It has also been the catalyst for some small businesses opening in my neck of the woods, and I think that is fantastic to see. We have a policy that is focused on not only getting people connected with nature but connecting with the environment and really getting out and getting healthy and active, not just physically but, indeed, mentally. What a genius policy.

I would like to acknowledge locals Matt and Faye Hale. They are a couple who went out on a limb on the back of this policy to open up our reservoirs. They are really two of the most grounded, dedicated and enthusiastic people I have come across. They are constantly throwing forward ideas, opportunities and ways in which we can better embrace the great outdoors and better embrace these reservoirs, which have been locked up for far too long.

They set up a business. They originally started with hiring kayaks and now they have moved on to e-bikes and they are also doing some hiking tours. There is really no denying that this policy has been a game changer not only for adventure seekers and for people who love the great outdoors but it has also provided a huge economic opportunity for so many people, including in my electorate.

Over the weekend, the Warren Reservoir hosted its second annual ROAR Barossa triathlon, an event that attracted more than 100 adventure seekers from right across South Australia. They are kayaking, they are running, they are cycling and, before you ask, Mr Speaker, I did not compete and therefore I did not win the race, but I was there to kickstart one of those races, and I presented the medals at the end on what was a truly idyllic day in the southern Barossa.

October 2021 was the inaugural event of the ROAR Barossa. It was the first event of its kind at a reservoir the Marshall Liberal government opened, and it was exactly the type of thing that we had hoped for when we really forged ahead with this policy of opening up our reservoirs. The former government helped to get that event off the ground by providing a $6,000 grant to the organisers of the ROAR Barossa. That event went on to be named Community Event of the Year last year by the Barossa Council, and I think that it was truly fitting. I am not surprised because there was so much energy, activity and economic opportunity that people were really grabbing with open arms.

Interestingly, a survey done after the event showed that 90 per cent of the participants had never been to the Warren. Before this event, 90 per cent of the people had said they had never been to the Warren Reservoir, and 100 per cent of people said that they would be back. How good is that? I had the opportunity to speak with a participant whose name is Henry. Over the weekend, he did his second ROAR Barossa triathlon and he said that the thought that the event gave great exposure to the Warren. It gave him a reason to visit our beautiful region on multiple occasions for training.

There are some people who, of course, take their preparation far more seriously than others, which is why we have an intermediate race and a novice race. He also said that by getting involved and by putting himself forward for this race, throughout the preparation it did help him build a healthy lifestyle. Not only did it improve his physical health but it also really improved his mental health. I think that goes to the heart of what this policy is all about: it is about improving mental health, it is about improving physical health, and what better way to do it than in the great outdoors.

I would like to send huge congratulations to a lady by the name of Lyn Venning. She is an absolute powerhouse of the southern Barossa, and she has called Williamstown home for many, many decades with her husband, Glen. She is a doer and she is the volunteer that every single community wants but they cannot have, because, of course, she is completely dedicated to the Barossa Valley and to spearheading events like we saw over the weekend with the ROAR Barossa.

I would like to extend my thanks to the Southern Barossa Alliance, to The Barossa Council, to the Barossa Kayak Hire and to all of the volunteers who worked around the clock to get the track ready, to make sure that everything was in pristine condition so that these adventure seekers could really make the most of what an idyllic day it was. It is not easy, but this event keeps getting better and better.

Whilst we are talking about reservoirs, I would also like to acknowledge the former Liberal government's half-a-million-dollar investment to revamp the Whispering Wall for new pathways, more green spaces, improved ramp access, as well as nature play. There is more to do, there is no doubt, but this is something that the local community wanted and we are so pleased to deliver.

In closing, my final message would be that we have really got to keep our momentum up with our reservoirs. I know that there are locals in my community who want to see more reservoirs open and they want to see more activity being allowed in our reservoirs, whether it is windsurfing, whether it is having paths for horses and for dogs, so I am certainly listening very closely to the calls of the community in that regard.

I support this motion and I thank the member for Unley for drawing the house's attention to what I think was a key policy of the former government. It was a fantastic achievement and I am so delighted that these reservoirs in my local community are open for all to use.

The Hon. D.G. PISONI (Unley) (12:01): I thank those who have participated in the debate. It is very pleasing to see that the doubting Thomases on the other side of the house have had a conversion on the road to Damascus. I came across a media report on ABC News from June 2019 on the opening of the Myponga Reservoir where the now Deputy Premier, who was the environment spokesperson for the Labor Party at the time, said:

We have a Government that is being reckless about our drinking water supply in order simply to stubbornly insist on opening reservoirs for recreation.

It is quite extraordinary that we are now seeing that the government will use its numbers to amend this motion to actually congratulate the former government on doing it—but to simply note that it was done—but then suggest in paragraph (b) of their amendment that this parliament commends the Malinauskas Labor government for ensuring that recreational access is effectively managed together with the public safety and utility of our recreational reserves.

Well, I have news for the Malinauskas government: that was being done before they came to office. It was being done before they came to office. That is why it is continuing. We had the foresight and the will to deliver it.

We heard from the member for Davenport, who praised SA Water for doing it. SA Water—sure, they opened them up, but it was government policy that opened them up. SA Water was being operated under a 16-year Labor government. There was no policy to open them up—as a matter of fact, the opposite—so it did not happen. That is how government works. Public servants and government instrumentalities deliver the policies of the government of the day. The policy of the Labor Party for 16 years, and when they were in opposition, was to oppose this very, very successful policy that opened up natural assets for South Australians to enjoy, ones that were sitting there behind fences. It is a bit like the locked shopping centre doors on public holidays that we will be seeing in the future.

There are some peculiar things about South Australia, but I am very pleased that when we were in office we removed one of those peculiar things and brought South Australia in line with what many other states are doing in opening up their natural assets to be enjoyed. I thank members for their participation in the debate. I understand that there will be a vote on the amendment. We do not support the amendment, but of course it will go through on the voices. I hope that will then mean the Labor Party will be in a position to support this motion.

Amendment carried; motion as amended carried.

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