Northern Lefevre Open Space

Lady Ruthven Reserve, formerly referred to as “North Haven”, located on Lady Ruthven Drive adjacent to the overseas passenger terminal and South Australia One Drive.

Kardi Yarta. formerly referred to as “Lefevre Cultural Park”, located on the eastern corner of Victoria Road and Pelican Point Road Osborne.

Falie Reserve, formerly referred to as “The Link”, located on Mersey Road North in Osborne, north of the Techport Australia supplier precinct.

Biodiversity Park, located on the western corner of Victoria Road and Pelican Point Road Osborne.

Mutton Cove Buffers, located north, west and south of Mutton Cove Conservation Reserve.

Care and control of this project was transferred to Renewal SA in 2012. Construction of all improvement works was completed in 2013.

The Lady Ruthven Reserve is in a prominent location on the northern Lefevre Peninsula where direct connections with the ocean can be made.

The site embodies a sense of escape from everyday life through recreation activities such as relaxation, fishing, walking and bicycling. These elements have been strengthened by additional facilities and by defining the recreational uses within the site.

The site forms the most westerly point within the open space network and is a key location for sunset and twilight activities. The sense of wonder associated with such activities is strengthened through the integration of viewing platforms for the coastline and gulf waters.

Improvements for the site include:

► shared bicycle & pedestrian paths linking to adjacent path networks
► an upgraded viewing / fishing platform
► additional viewing platforms from breakwater to waters edge
► installation of picnic tables, seats, bins, a BBQ and bike racks
► installation of signage
► play equipment, including rubber eggs, a swing, rockers and comet
► grassed and landscaped areas (including trees, shrubs and ground-covers)
► additional landscaped car parking areas.

This site is primarily for the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity, including fauna and flora species and sustained habitats, with walking and bicycling limited to defined path networks.

The concept for the site is closely associated with the idea of ‘walkabout’ for the local Kaurna people.

Areas of high and medium biodiversity are protected and supplementary plantings and pest plant management enhance the biodiversity and habitat values.

Improvements for the site include:

► infill biodiversity planting (including trees, shrubs and groundcovers)
► shared paths along the southern edge of the site
► links across Victoria Road into the existing cycle and pedestrian network
► limited and well defined pedestrian access through the site
► a shared path along the eastern fence line
► installation of signage
► installation of seats and an ‘emu’ shelter.

Essential to this site is the management and detention of stormwater runoff from future adjacent industrial areas. A series of interconnected basins will manage these flows and provide potential for establishing extensive biodiversity and habitat networks.

The design of the stormwater management areas, through a series of mounds and swales, are reflective of the dune system that once occurred through this area. The basins and swales will be dry the majority of the time and will generally only contain water in large storm events.

The hub of the site is a play area bordered by the shared path network and gathering space, seating, shelters and BBQs.

Children from North Haven Primary School helped design the play node. An artist team was engaged to design interactive features that bring elements of Aboriginal dreaming stories relevant to the local area to life.

Improvements for the site include:

► sharedbicycle & pedestrian paths linking to adjacent path networks
► picnic tables, seats, bins, a BBQ and bike racks
► entry and interpretative signage
► play equipment
► rock lined swale with interactive water tap play element
► an amphitheatre – suitable for community events
► toilets
► seated rest points with “emu” and other shelters
► grassed and landscaped areas, including trees, shrubs and groundcovers and direct seeding to stormwater management areas
► car parking areas adjacent to Pelican Point Road
► shared connections across Pelican Point into the Biodiversity Park cycle and pedestrian network.

Located on Mersey Road North in Osborne, the site is opposite the Mutton Cove Conservation Reserve.

Failie Reserve reflects the landscape and functions of the nearby sites, and links to path networks and stormwater managements systems. Landscape treatments reference styles and patterns used in adjacent areas.

Improvements include:

► shared bicycle & pedestrian paths linking with adjacent path networks
► shared links across Mersey Road to Mutton Cove Conservation Reserve into the adjacent industrial areas
► a small grassed area for passive recreation
► seating and a sheltered rest area.
extensive biodiversity focused planting (including trees, shrubs and groundcovers)
formal planting to local endemic species along road edges

Mutton Cove is a very significant conservation area, under the care and control of the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR), with an established management plan.

The Mutton Cove buffers provide protection to Mutton Cove through profiling, mounding and landscape treatments that contribute to the control of dust, noise and stormwater.

There's a strong recreational fishing culture within the area and points within the site which have direct waterfront access accentuate the relationship with the river.

The buffers are provided in three areas – north, west and south of Mutton Cove conservation area.

The northern buffer is particularly important for the stormwater management approach providing a swale along the northern edge of the buffer connecting Mersey Road North to the Port Adelaide River. The northern buffer provides an access point to the Port Adelaide River.

Improvements include:

► a shared path crossing point and pedestrian refuge on Mersey Road North
► secondary walking paths to connect Mutton Cove to the river and surrounding areas
► raised and landscaped earthwork mounds along Mersey Road North providing screening, stormwater management, dust control and noise control from adjacent industrial areas
► rest points adjacent to the Port Adelaide River
formal planting of local endemic species along Mersey Road North
► plantings of local species inside the mound along Mersey Road North near the Mutton Cove boundary fence
► new main pedestrian entry point into Mutton Cove including signage
► a car park for Mutton Cove off Mersey Road North
► additional parking along the southern buffer to cater for recreational fishers and visitors.