June 2024 News Update
Department for Environment and Water, McLaren Vale Water Security Strategy, Workshop 3
DEW is working in partnership with the McLaren Vale Grape, Wine & Tourism Association, City of Onkaparinga, Willunga Basin Water Company, the Hills and Fleurieu Landscape Board, SA Water, Primary Industries and Regions SA and the McLaren Vale regional community to develop a long-term water security strategy.
The strategy will consider new water supplies, expansion of existing supplies and changing demand profiles in the context of a changing climate. The strategy seeks to ensure that infrastructure projects and water management policies complement each other to support the region.
Building on from the workshops 1 & 2, community members are invited to the third and final workshop to identify the actions needed to ensure long-term water security for the McLaren Vale regional area.
Workshop 3 will be held on: Thursday 20 June 2024, 12:00pm to 4:30pm, McLaren Vale & Fleurieu Coast Visitor Information Centre, 796 Main Road, McLaren Vale.
RSVP: by COB Monday 17 June 2024 via email to simon.jacobs2@sa.gov.au
For more information: McLaren Vale Water Security Strategy Workshop 3
Conservation SA, Create Positive Change Fellowship Program
If you or someone you know is passionate about climate action, nature protection or climate justice and want to develop practical skills and confidence to make a difference, then check out this opportunity.
This intense 8-week program will involve weekly in-person training sessions led by experienced changemakers and guest speakers. There will be opportunities to connect with different kinds of groups working on creating change in SA (and beyond), and to develop your networks to build your capacity for effecting change. Each week we will also introduce you to key aspects of changemaking and use a variety of thinking tools to help you build your skills and knowledge.
The training will take place at the Joinery, 111 Franklin Street, City, on Thursday nights, 5.45-8.30pm, from the 4th July to the 22th August 2024.
This fellowship is offered at a nominal cost of $120 for waged and $60 for unwaged/concession.
To apply, fill out a short Expression of Interest form and register your interest by Monday 17 June 2024.
For more information: Conservation SA Creating Positive Change Fellowship
Protection of Trees in SA
We welcome the recent action of the SA Government to better protect Adelaide’s urban tree canopy and safeguard large, mature trees from destruction.
New planning regulations have been introduced to protect a greater number of trees, delivering on the government’s commitment to implement Australia’s best practice tree protections.
Changes include:
reducing the distance from a house or a swimming pool that a tree can be removed from 10m to 3m,
the reduction of the trunk size of a regulated tree from 2m to 1metre and of a significant tree from 3m to 2m, and
the raising of costs of removal to $3000 for a regulated tree and $4000 for a significant tree.
For Further Information:
https://plan.sa.gov.au/our_planning_system/programs_and_initiatives/significant_and_regulated_trees
Recent FOWB Fundraisers
The audience was treated to a wonderful afternoon at the Gabriella Smart and Jesse Budel Concert in the centre of the Willunga Basin. Gabriella Smart performed solo piano works by Phillip Glass and Eve Belgarian and Jessie Budel presented his "Sound Map of Karrawirraparri", a work for octophonic speakers.
We would like to thank Gabriella and Jesse for their wonderful performances, Geoff and Tess for providing the beautiful setting, the committee for all the work that goes into organising such an event and for all of those who attended helping us raise more than $2,000.
Thanks to the Cinemallunga Committee and everyone who attended the screening of Zoolander for the donation of the Cinemallunga raffle takings, amounting to $360.
Friends of Willunga Basin Membership 2024-2025
Thank you to everyone who has already signed up for membership of the Friends of Willunga Basin for 2024-2025.
This is a reminder to those who haven’t yet got around to renewing their membership that members are:
kept up to date with current issues being addressed by FOWB,
eligible to stand for election to the FOWB committee at the AGM (September),
welcome to attend regular FOWB committee meetings (3rd Tuesday of each month),
encouraged to raise issues of concern related to ecology and planning,
invited to join the discussions and campaigns about specific issues.