Seppeltsfield Road iconic avenue of palms – urgent state government action needed
The Seppeltsfield Road avenue of palms are an important historic and cultural part of the Barossa’s landscape and identity. This iconic landscape is used by to promote the Barossa internationally and within Australia.
Issue: 56 palms in Marananga are growing into the overhead 33kv powerlines and South Australian Power Networks is requesting a solution. Last August, many community members wrote to Light Regional Council elected members asking them to underground the powerlines in Marananga, in order to preserve the iconic avenue of palms.
This issue drew media attention, and the Premier made a very public commitment to preserve the palms at the Country Cabinet in Kapunda, and also on ABC radio.
Where are we now? Light Regional Council has been liaising with South Australian Power Networks to determine the exact total cost for the undergrounding. An approach has also been made to the state government to contribute to this cost.
However, at this point in time, the state government has not responded with a commitment to underwrite part of the project cost.
What can we do?
Please write a brief email to the Premier to ask him to act on his commitment to preserve the Seppeltsfield Road avenue of palms.
Email: premier@sa.gov.au Attention: The Honourable Premier Malinauskas
Please ask the Premier to provide Light Council with the necessary funding to enable this vital undergrounding project to proceed.
Some key reasons for the entire avenue of palms to be preserved include:
The palms are an important historic and cultural part of the Barossa landscape and identity.
The palms contribute significantly to the visual and cultural value of the region’s renowned Seppeltsfield Road tourism route.
This iconic landscape is used by National, State and local tourism organisations to promote the Barossa internationally and locally.
Tourism is an important economic driver for this precinct, and all efforts to support this sector are vitally important.
Our region is facing significant economic challenges, including the grape-growing, winemaking and tourism sectors, and support from state government to protect an important tourism asset will help support our economy.