FAQs

Alexandrina Council, with the support of State and Federal Government funding, is investing in the Goolwa Wharf Precinct to make it a place that is vibrant, active and showcases its many unique features, cementing this distinct destination as a great place to visit and spend time, for locals and tourists alike.

This investment in the Goolwa Wharf Precinct reflects Council’s strategic vision “To Thrive” and will establish the ‘canvas’ for innovative and diverse activities ranging from new business opportunities, outdoor dining, ‘pop ups’, festivals and community events.

The Goolwa Wharf Precinct Master Plan seeks to create an enhanced and functional layout that will transform the Precinct into a vibrant place of cultural and environmental significance; activated with events, arts and places that provide a launching pad for entrepreneurs to invest in, and one which encourages locals and tourists to stay and explore the region further. 

The natural boundary created by the existing train line provides an intuitive separation between cars and pedestrians, which creates a distinct waterfront area that is people-focused. 

New landscaping, shared use paths, signage and lighting will provide a new level of amenity for the area, creating places and spaces that are accessible, connected, inviting and attractive; and encourage the use and exploration of the waterfront area and wharf through to the Goolwa main street and township.

Other elements of the Plan include: consolidation of parking to improve safety, legibility and accessibility; upgrades to the Historic Wharf Shed to provide enhanced tenancy space and opportunities (such as a wine bar, restaurant or café, providore or local gallery); and relocation of the PS Oscar W boat to the south end of the wharf and the creation of a new dedicated building for its volunteers and boat operations.

The draft Master Plan also details improvements to the Signal Point building including a new fore-court area and canopy to the entrance, internal changes to improve the flow and use of the area, improvements to internal heating and cooling,  installation of a solar panel system, and internal fit-out for a story telling experience.

A Master Plan provides a vision and framework for how an area may grow and develop over the long-term.  It provides the ‘touchstone’ for decision making to ensure that as new projects or initiatives are proposed within the Precinct they are thought about within the context of the broader vision for an area.   

The draft Master Plan aims to create a sense of arrival to this waterfront Precinct and enable better connection and views to the water which is a key feature and attractor.

Improvements to the pedestrian and cycle linkages to and throughout the Precinct will connect key places and attractions at the Goolwa Wharf, as well as creating linkage to the Goolwa main street and township.

Movement will be streamlined within the Precinct to one way for vehicles, with roads wide enough to allow for larger vehicles such as coaches and RVs. 

The creation of a ‘shared zone’ within the waterfront area (please refer to Master Plan maps) will prioritise pedestrians, and allow cyclists and some essential vehicles to co-exist in the area, with speed limits reduced for the safety of all people using the space.

The scattered parking that currently exists within the area will be consolidated and relocated to a new location, making the heart of the waterfront Precinct a place for people.

Yes, coach access is important to enable groups of visitors to experience and enjoy the revitalised space. The roads throughout the Precinct will be wide enough to accommodate coaches, with space allowed for drop-off and pick-up of passengers. There will also be improved parking, with a dedicated area inclusive of parking spaces for large vehicles.

New toilet facilities will be provided in the proposed PS Oscar W Centre and the Wharf Shed. These will complement existing toilet facilities on the Steam Ranger Platform and in the Signal Point building. These improved facilities will provide access for people of all abilities. The existing toilets at the rear of the Wharf Shed will be removed.

The Vision for the Project is “a place to experience a vibrant riverfront township enriched with culture and history”.   Preserving and enhancing the heritage of the area is paramount to the draft Master Plan.

The Precinct’s well-preserved buildings and cottages of the river trade era, provide the perfect canvas for reactivation through adaptive reuse and celebration of the Precinct’s rich, living steam powered history through the PS Oscar W boat and the Steam Ranger heritage train.

A special ‘meeting of the waters’ place for the Ngarrindjeri people, the Precinct provides a strong platform for the acknowledgement of place and connection to culture.

The draft Master Plan seeks to showcase the many unique features of the Precinct and cement this distinct destination as a great place to visit and spend time, for locals and tourists alike.  

The Steam Ranger heritage train (and historic Cockle Train) contributes to the visitor experience, bringing tourists into the Precinct.

The Steam Ranger will continue to operate through the Precinct, and the visitor experience will be enhanced through the creation of a new entrance plaza and improved pedestrian connections to and from the carpark, along the station platform, and into the waterfront precinct area.

The Paddle Steamer (PS) Oscar W is widely recognised for the historical and tourism value it provides.

The PS Oscar W will remain an iconic tourism feature at the Goolwa Wharf, with a proposed new mooring location at the southern end of the Wharf. A new dedicated building with facilities including a new workshop, meeting area, ticketing booth and public amenities will be included to support the ongoing maintenance and operation of the PS Oscar W.

This new location within the waterfront creates a unique destination which will provide a better visitor experience and appreciation of the historic boat, and greater visibility and access to the waterfront.

The Goolwa Wharf area is a special ‘meeting of the waters’ place for the Ngarrindjeri people.  The Precinct therefore provides a strong platform for the acknowledgement of place and connection to culture. Discussions are underway about how to best reflect Ngarrindjeri connection, culture and storytelling throughout the Precinct.  

Council were also successful in Building Better Regions Fund Round 3 towards the complementary Ngoppen Ngarrindjeri Ruwe (Walking Ngarrindjeri Land) Project to develop a Ngarrindjeri-led Cultural Tourism Plan for the Goolwa Wharf Precinct. The Plan will be used to seek further funding sources for initiatives that will increase Ngarrindjeri cultural presence at the Precinct into the future.

Recommendations are to relocate the Dart from its current location near Amelia Park, as part of the future Wooden Boat Strategy which will be presented to Council at the 18 October Council Meeting.

The Dart cannot be restored due to its level of deterioration, but subject to funding, could be made into an interpretive piece that reflects the Precinct’s maritime heritage.  

The Wharf Shed is a heritage building in the Precinct and will be refurbished to restore its heritage values and will provide additional business opportunities through applying best practice adaptive reuse principles.

There are no proposed improvements to the Goods Shed (currently tenanted by the Fleurieu Distillery).

New and enhanced green and open spaces, with paved areas, and trees and landscaping, will add to and complement the amenity and character of the area making it an inviting place to visit and stay. The draft Master Plan increases open space by around 25% contributing to Council’s A2040 sustainability and climate objectives.

While not part of the Goolwa Wharf Precinct project, space for a rail turntable is still available south of the project area for future establishment.

A section of Jaralde Park will be converted to a new car parking area, making the Precinct focus a place that caters for people. New green and open spaces will be incorporated into the Precinct, in and around the waterfront, recognising that this is the key feature and attractor to the area.

The green space in Jaralde Park that is to be converted to car parking will not be lost, rather it will be transferred to the waterfront area and importantly ensure no net loss of current green space. This is essentially a relocation of green space within the Precinct to consolidate vehicle movement and parking options to the one area, achieving a 25% increase in open public space. 

150 car parks will be provided within the Precinct which matches what is currently available. The new designated car parking area (now located within Jaralde Park) will be more accessible and centralised to enable better connection to attractions within the Precinct, provide additional car parking for Cadell Street, and will free up space for people to enjoy the waterfront.

The waterfront area will include loading zones to facilitate business operations, along with dedicated accessible parks.

Amelia Park will continue to be a key feature of the Precinct, with its, maintaining the existing grassed areas for family picnicking, playground and new paths which better connect it to the Goolwa Wharf Precinct and the recently renovated historic Chart Room building. The existing car parking nearby will be formalised.  

The markets will continue to operate on open spaces within the heart of the Precinct, and mixed amongst the existing buildings and businesses along the waterfront. This will provide a premium visitor experience and encourage exploration of the whole Precinct.

With the creation of large, shared public spaces and overall revitalisation of the Precinct, existing events have even greater opportunity to attract higher rates of visitation.

The draft Master Plan establishes the ‘canvas’ for innovative and diverse activities ranging from new business opportunities, outdoor dining, pop- ups, markets, festivals and community events.

The Signal Point building will be renewed as part of the project with some internal and external improvements, including enhanced accessibility to the building to ensure inclusivity. In addition to this, a new canopy will be installed over the entrance area to improve all weather use combined with landscaping to improve the visible connection and integration with the whole Precinct.

Works to the building will also be undertaken to replace the deteriorated roof sheeting, with the addition of a new solar panel system and improvements to internal heating and cooling.

In May 2021 Council secured funds from the Murray Darling Basin Economic Development Grant Program to develop an immersive story telling initiative in the Signal Point building. This initiative will bring to life the rich history of the area by telling old stories in new ways.   

Yes.  The Goolwa Wharf will have the existing wooden deck and support structure replaced to address deterioration, as well as improving safety and access for all.  

Following the closure of the consultation period, feedback will be analysed to inform continuing development of the Master Plan for Council approval.

Following this meeting and Council endorsement of the Master Plan, a detailed timeline will be provided inclusive of project implementation and completion dates.

Regular updates regarding the finalised Master Plan for the Goolwa Wharf Precinct and next steps will be provided on Council’s website at www.alexandrina.sa.gov.au/GoolwaWharf

This is a multi-staged Master Plan, however there are aspects of the plan that will be completed in 2022. These exciting and major elements will be completed under the requirements of the grant funding.

Federal and State Government funding combined with Council’s funding commitment will provide $8.5 million investment towards the Master Plan and see work commence this year. Significant stages of the greater Master Plan will be completed in December 2022 to meet the current grant funding requirements.

Signal Point building has an anticipated completion date of late-May to mid-2022 with the $980,000 grant funding received from the Federal Government‘s Murray Darling Basin Economic Development Grant funding program (Round 3) to create a state-of-the-art Experience Centre. Works including internal fit-out of the building; design work and content creation with key stakeholders is already underway.  

Alexandrina Council has secured funding commitments of $8.5 million towards the Goolwa Wharf Precinct project, which includes:

• $3.75 million from the Australian Government’s Building Better Regions Fund, Round 4
• $1.25 million from the State Government’s Regional Development Growth Fund
• $2.5 million Alexandrina Council’s funding commitment
• $980,000 from the Federal Government‘s Murray Darling Basin Economic Development Grant funding program (Round 3).

View the draft Master Plan online here draft Master Plan or in person at:

• Council Chambers, 11 Cadell Street, Goolwa.