Port Lincoln Foreshore Redevelopment

• Plans are culmination of extensive public consultation (3 years)
• Foreshore Project is unrelated to the Hallett Place/Cinema project
• Council Rates do not need to increase to fund the project
• ‘Yacht Club’ lawns will not be redeveloped
• The existing jetty will be repaired
• Community feedback shows majority support for the project
• We cannot choose to spend the grant funding on something else
• The stormwater outfall at the Yacht Club is being addressed
• The jetty upgrade is supported by tour vessel operators and SATC

Following the last round of community consultation from January - February 2021, two Council design workshops were held and the concept plans have been updated to reflect public feedback.

The main changes are:

• reconfigured car park to reduce loss of parking (reduced loss from 23 to 6 parks)
• the creation of new accessible parks and safe passenger drop-off zones for children, the elderly and those with mobility and access challenges;
• updates to the plan’s drawings, which create a clearer and more accurate vision of all aspects; and
• more refined imagery of the precinct features to better demonstrate concepts to community.

The Foreshore Redevelopment project is expected to create benefits for Port Lincoln in the areas of tourism, recreation, community connection and event attraction.

The project will deliver:

• increased amenity and a significantly improved shared public space
• destination adventure and nature play spaces
• a flexible plaza/market shared space ideal for hosting community events
• toilets and change spaces adjacent to the play space and jetty
• inclusion of a passenger pick-up and drop-off zone
• activation of the jetty supporting nautical tourism
• multiple event and staging options
• enhanced sport and activity space on the foreshore
• disability access to the beach
• embraced Indigenous heritage of the area incorporating stories of our first peoples, and
• business opportunities for a ‘pop up’ space on the jetty.

Decisions about the parking arrangement on the foreshore are not being made in isolation. Importantly, several preceding studies and investigations adopted by Council form the basis for the recommended changes.

Precincts Master Plan

The 2018 co-design workshops and 2019 engagement with the community highlighted a strong desire for the area near the town jetty to be upgraded and 'activated'. As the natural energy centre of our town, this is the prime location on our foreshore - the ideal place to showcase our identity and culture. Elements of play, public art, history and high quality open space can be brought together to create an iconic regional destination for locals and tourists alike.

CBD Access & Car Parking Action Plan

Council's recently adopted CBD Access & Car Parking Action Plan highlights several points relevant to our Foreshore Redevelopment Project:

• the car park is not the destination
• improved accessibility and attractiveness will drive long term CBD business growth
• car parking is only one element of accessibility

Along with requests for more parking spaces, feedback on the action plan also highlighted strong community need for more pick up and drop off spaces, short term parking and wheelchair accessible spaces in prominent locations.

Foreshore Redevelopment Project

The Foreshore Redevelopment Project aims to make Port Lincoln’s popular foreshore more accessible for all. Currently people with a disability or mobility issues, families with young children and tour operators struggle to safely access the foreshore. As space in this area is at a premium, any improvements in access for these minority groups will result in a reduction in the number of car spaces. Council has been working hard to minimise this impact.

Under the latest concept plans, Council is proposing reconfiguring the car park to introduce a parallel parking lane. This lane will result in the loss of only six parking spaces, but will deliver key benefits:

• a pick-up/drop-off zone and/or short-term parking
• access for buses (eg. for tour groups)
• safer access for rear access taxis
• improved access for service vehicles
• increased size of community plaza area
• more pedestrian circulation space and tree planting
• improved separation of vehicles from play spaces.

Council understands community concern about the loss of car parking spaces and has revised the planned car park reconfiguration to reduce the loss of parking spaces from 23 to 6.

Council has also in March this year created 7 extra car parks in Washington Street to offset any car park loss along the foreshore, and is investigating a further 7 also in Washington Street. Council will continue to work hard to increase access to parking in our CBD and other parts of the foreshore in line with the actions outlined in the recently adopted CBD Access & Car Parking Action Plan. The intention of Council is that the short term actions from this plan (including opening up extra parking spaces) will be delivered prior to the Foreshore Redevelopment Project being completed.

The concept for a sun deck and accessible walkway incorporated into the public amenity facility upgrade aims to enhance amenity, accessibility and create a visitor destination and point of interest.

Two concept options have been released for community comment in this round of consultation.

The first option incorporates a sun deck and accessible raised walkway link to the nearby play space. It includes:

• feature sun deck and roof garden and stepped access
• amphitheatre steps with views over the coast
• elevated views of the Tuna Poler
• access to the inclusive play space from the sun deck
• additional vantage point and venue space for plaza events
• creation of a new destination.

The second option is for a green-roof on the new amenity building, but no sun deck or walkway. This option would create:

• less visual impact on horizon from car park
• roof garden showcasing coastal plants.

The total Foreshore Redevelopment Project cost is $7.24m. This cost has been revised down from an initial precinct plan with an estimated cost of $18m. The project was awarded 50% matching funding of $3.62m in March 2021 through the SA Government’s Local Government Infrastructure Partnership Programme. The total expected cost to Council to deliver the project is $3.62m.

Council has been consulting with and listening to the Port Lincoln community since 2018 when work began to create the concept for the Foreshore Redevelopment.

Over this time, surveys and community consultation periods have shown majority support for the project. The jetty upgrade is supported by tour vessel operators and the SA Tourism Commission. Council has actively responded to community concerns with elements of the project, such as the loss of car parking spaces, by working with its contractor to revise the concept designs in response to public feedback. Further, it’s significantly cut the cost of the project from $18m to now $7.24m.

Have your say on the Foreshore Redevelopment Project by:

• completing the online survey
• dropping in to our fixed project display on Tasman Terrace
• verbal submissions to Special Council Meeting

To find out more, you can also visit our Fixed Display in the old Eyre Travel office on the Ground Floor of 60 Tasman Terrace, Port Lincoln, open from 31 May to 10 June:

• Weekday mornings: 8am - 11am
• Weekday afternoons: 3pm - 6pm
• Saturday 5th June: 11am - 2pm
• Sunday 6th June: 11am - 2pm

Council wants to hear from the community about their views on concept designs for:

• Changes to the car park configuration; and
• The proposed sun deck and accessible walkway.

These elements of the project are undecided and community feedback will help Council refine the plans.  Artist’s impressions of the concepts give a visual representation of the different options. These can be found in the gallery on Council’s Your Say web page.

What will happen to my feedback?

All feedback will be logged and considered by Council at an Ordinary Council Meeting following the close of the public consultation period.

When will a decision be made?

Following the close of the consultation period on 11 June 2021, Council will consider feedback received before making a final decision at a subsequent Special Council Meeting in June.