• What happens to my feedback?

• The results from this engagement will be collated and used to inform the preparation of a report by independent Stakeholder Engagement firm: Strategic Matters. All personal details provided will be removed from council reports.

• What are the next steps for this project once the community engagement closes?

• Results from this engagement will be used to inform the design of the biodiversity garden beds. Once the design has been confirmed there will be details to follow on a community planting day.

Shannon Avenue FAQs

• Why are we going out to engagement on Shannon Avenue work?

• To:

  • find out the communities’ preference for different size/design options for the biodiversity garden beds that the community can engage with.
  • encourage residents to come and help us plant at the community planting event.
  • capture information about what the residents value about this reserve.
  • inform the community that there are variety of ways for community members to share their views on the design of their local reserve.
• Why were the two garden design options chosen?

• It has been assumed for Shannon Avenue that residents wouldn't want to lose all of the grassed area, based on previous community consultations during other Sturt River Greening Project sites. Therefore, we chose to locate the new garden beds in a wide band along the SA Water fence line, which serves the dual purpose of covering the fence while still retaining a large, grassed area.

  A second garden bed location has been proposed surrounding a couple of existing trees in the reserve. If this is the preferred option chosen by the community, it will assist in reducing evaporation from around the trees which will support their health.

• Why river red gums for the tree species?

• River red gums (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) have been chosen because they were once native to this area, and when fully grown, will provide habitat and food for native fauna.

• What are TreeNet inlets and why are you using them?

• TreeNet inlets are a WSUD (Water Sensitive Urban Design) device designed to direct stormwater from roads into green spaces, generally where trees are growing. This additional water will help to guide tree root growth into these zones, potentially reducing root damage to kerbs and footpaths.

  From the kerb, this will just look like a metal grates installed into the kerb. For more information, please go to: Kerb SPACE™ Inlet + Formwork - Space Down Under

• Why does the athel pine need to be removed?

• Athel pine, which is scientifically known as Tamarix aphylla, is a declared weed under the Landscape South Australia Act (2019). City of Holdfast Bay is located in the Green Adelaide Landscape Board, which requires landholders to control any plants of this species within 100 meters of any watercourse. Please see the declared plant policy in the documents section of this page.

• How can I be involved in the greening of Shannon Avenue?

• Residents can be involved in planting during the Community Planting Event, and can also be involved in on-going planting, bush regeneration and monitoring through the Friends of Sturt River Landcare. Check out their website to look at the fantastic work they are doing in reserves across the City of Holdfast Bay: Wariparri (friendsofsturtriverlandcare.org)

• When will the Community Planting Event be held?

• The Community Planting Event will be held in winter 2024.

  Council will advertise this event via letterbox drop, in collaboration with the Friends of Sturt River Landcare, once the date has been set.

Sturt River Greening project

• Why is the Sturt River Greening Project taking place?

• There is a global trend to ‘green cities’ through the reintroduction of trees, plants and gardens for a range of health, comfort, biodiversity, and psychological reasons.

  Embracing this movement, the City of Holdfast Bay has committed to ‘re-greening’ part of the Sturt River, known to Kaurna as Warriparri.

  A biodiversity assessment, conducted in 2018, identified Glenelg North as having low levels of biodiversity. The Sturt River Greening Project has been an opportunity for council to work with the local community on the urban greening sites along the Sturt River, with Shannon Avenue Reserve the last piece of this puzzle.

• What are the benefits of this project?

• Council is committed to both improving the wellbeing of our residents, as well as increasing and improving our native flora and fauna, and this project aims to do both of these.

  It is important that this project has positive outcomes and benefits for both our human and natural communities. We know from scientific research that viewing and spending time in nature are exceptionally good for our health, both physical and mental.

  The benefits to our natural communities are that as the native plants grow, they recreate habitat for animals such as native bees, butterflies, beetles, birds and more. The plants provide a more diverse and appropriate range of food, shelter and nesting habitat (e.g. specific native plants on which native butterflies lay their eggs) and materials that have not been available in these areas for a long time. Therefore, it is expected that these pockets of plantings will help a range of native animals to survive in our urban areas.

• Which areas are you going to plant and in which order?

• To date we have completed planting at the Bob Lewis Reserve (Highland Avenue), Stewart Reserve and the Fordham Reserve (David Avenue), which we invite you to visit.The next phase of the project is greening Shannon Avenue Reserve.

• What is the Sturt River Greening project?

• The Sturt River Greening Project has involved revegetating small pockets of land along the Council side of the Warriparri corridor in Glenelg North. It has so far resulted in a refined corridor of greenery along the river system, creating biodiversity, amenity and wellbeing benefits for the community and local flora and fauna.

  The project began in 2019, with planting at the Bob Lewis Reserve (Highland Avenue). Stewart Avenue and Fordham Reserves were planted with the help of Friends of Sturt River Landcare Group, residents and contractors in 2020 and 2021. The last part of this project is Shannon Avenue Reserve.

• What is ‘biodiversity’?

• Biodiversity is a measure of the range and variety of all life at the genetic, species, and ecosystem levels. It is the variety of all life on earth.

• What birds, and other animals, do you hope to attract that we don’t already have in the area?

• While we cannot say for sure which ‘new’ bird species may be attracted to the area following the replanting, findings from some recent bird surveys indicate that some additional nectar-feeders and insectivores could return to benefit from the new sources of nectar and habitat that the plantings will provide. We also anticipate that the planted area will attract insects such as butterflies, moths, ladybirds, beetles and native stingless bees, as well as lizards.

• Will the plantings attract litter and dumping?

• There is no evidence to suggest that this will be the case.

  While more plants may stop more wind-blown litter, residents are welcome and invited to call Customer Service at any time to report litter, whether dumped or not, and request it to be picked up by our Rapid Response team.

  With regard to illegal dumping, our Regulatory Services team have a procedure to investigate the source of the dumping. If the responsible party is identified, they are issued with the appropriate fines.

• Will the plantings attract snakes?

• The chance of encountering a snake in this area is unlikely to change because of the plantings. Snakes are not uncommon in urban Australia. While it is possible that snakes may use the planted areas as the corridor that it is intended to be, we anticipate that they will not typically use the plantings as an area in which to find food.

• What does Warriparri mean?

• The Sturt River, known as Warriparri means the windy place by the river. To the Kaurna traditional custodians this area remains an important part of Kaurna lore. Warripari - An important travel route for the Kaurna people | City of Marion

• What plant species are you going to use?

• A range of native Adelaide plants, recommended by a scientist, will be used. This ensures that we will use plants that are well suited to this environment.

  This approach will allow us to include a range of life forms, and in so doing, increase the local biodiversity. We anticipate using a range of the following: grasses, sedges, wildflowers, small and medium shrubs, climbers, groundcovers, and small, medium and tall trees.

  Some sites will not require any trees at all as they already have enough. However, Shannon Avenue will need trees because there is currently very low canopy cover.

• Where can we go to experience a similar established urban greening area?

• Other sections that have previously been planted through the Sturt River Greening Project are at Bob Lewis, Stewart Avenue and Fordham Reserves in Glenelg North.

• What will happen to our recreational space?

• Only sections of the reserve will be planted, not the entire reserve. This will leave more than 50% of the area with plenty of space for recreational activities.

• Will the plantings reduce my view?

• With careful planning, the aim is that the new vegetation will enhance the view. Rather than seeing the metal SA Water fence, which runs along the creek for safety, the view is likely to be improved through ‘screening’ as the plants mature and additional attraction of birds and butterflies that we anticipate will return.

  You are invited to attend the drop-in session on Saturday 11th November, between 12 pm and 2 pm at Shannon Avenue (opposite Moten Avenue intersection), to discuss the plans and provide your input to guide the garden bed design.

• How will the plantings be maintained with a neat and tidy appearance?

• A tidy appearance will be maintained through a number of strategies:

  • scheduled monthly maintenance will ensure weeds are removed and suppressed through continued mulching, spraying and hand pulling,
  • clean lines between mowed turf and the naturalised vegetation will be maintained through spraying of the turf edging,
  • involvement of the Friends of Sturt River Landcare volunteers.
• Why is mulch used in urban settings?

• Mulch is essential to the success of the plantings. It serves several functions:

  • Reduces evaporation from the soil
  • Acts as a temperature buffer from heat and cold
  • Reduces weeds to prevent root competition
  • Prevents soil compaction
  • Contributes to a healthy soil system, supporting a complex network of microbes, which in turn help support healthy, luscious vegetation above.