Funding secured for adventure playground at Glenthorne
Funding has been secured to ensure a nature-focussed adventure playground will be developed as an iconic destination within the new Glenthorne National Park-Ityamaiitpinna Yarta in Adelaide’s southern suburbs.
The City of Marion has agreed to contribute $2 million towards a huge adventure playground which is expected to attract thousands of visitors to the park once it is opened in 2021.
Glenthorne National Park-Ityamaiitpinna Yarta is a State Government environmental initiative, creating an open space network extending from the hills to the sea, and incorporating the 208-hectare Glenthorne Farm at O’Halloran Hill.
Engaging young people with nature is a key objective of Glenthorne National Park-Ityamaiitpinna Yarta and having a must-visit playground, focused around the concept of nature, will be a drawcard for people from across the region.
The government wants the playground to rival the play space at St Kilda and will be considering other successful nature play areas such as the one at Morialta Conservation Park to help ensure that Glenthorne’s facility becomes a premier adventure playground.
Marion Council Mayor Kris Hanna said the playground would help attract more visitors to Glenthorne.
“As a former President of Friends of Glenthorne and campaigner for open space there for 20 years, I’m thrilled with what the State Government has achieved there in the past two years,” Mayor Hanna said.
“Glenthorne is a very special part of the Marion Council area. The State Government is opening up Glenthorne to a new era of public enjoyment and the Council-funded play area will be a wonderful feature. Our local community and families far and wide will enjoy it for generations to come.”
The playground design will be undertaken thanks to $100,000 from the Commonwealth Government’s Adelaide City Deals program, a ten‑year partnership between the Australian Government, the Government of South Australia and the City of Adelaide to grow Adelaide as an innovative and vibrant city.
Glenthorne National Park-Ityamaiitpinna Yarta is Adelaide’s second major metropolitan national park and will preserve and revitalise more than 1,500 hectares across the Glenthorne property, O’Halloran Hill Recreation Park, Marino Conservation Park, Hallett Cove Conservation Park, Happy Valley Reservoir and areas of the Field River Valley.
