Media Releases

The Bulldogs will make their first appearance at The Parade, while the Giants, Lions and Saints will play at the ground for the second time.

Norwood Payneham & St Peter’s Mayor Robert Bria said he Council was “very excited” to be hosting Gather Round matches at Norwood for the third year running.

“Gather Round is an amazing time for The Parade and our city more generally, bringing tourists from around the country to South Australia’s premier Mainstreet.”

“The Council thanks the AFL and State Government for keeping faith with Norwood and what we have been able to deliver over the past two Gather Rounds.”

“We understand and embrace the challenge that comes with the meeting the high expectations to contribute to an amazing sporting event,” he said. 

“We also understand the enormous opportunities Gather Round provides to showcase our city and promote the local hospitality scene, especially with the Norwood Food and Wine Festival.”

Mayor Bria said the City-wide spend in the Dining and Hospitality category during the 2024 AFL Gather Round was $6.6 million, compared to $4.45 million in 2023.

“Of the $6.6 million spent, $5.7 million was visitor spend, which is people from outside of the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters,” he said.

Dining and Hospitality spending in the suburb of Norwood reached $3.7 million compared to $2.2 million in 2023. Of this figure, 88% was spent by visitors outside of the suburb.

Almost one quarter ($890,000) of $3.7m spend in Norwood came from Victorian visitors.

Mayor Bria said the announcement for 2025 AFL Gather Round caps off a great year for Norwood.

Last month, ‘Timeout’ an online magazine with a global reach of more than 7 million people, listed Norwood as one of the 38 coolest neighbourhoods in the world, the only place in South Australian to make the list. 

CreditorWatch’s August 2024 Business Risk Index (BRI) revealed the  City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters had the lowest risk region for business failure in Australia, ahead of the City of Unley which came in second.

Public consultation is being undertaken from Thursday 24 October 2024 until Friday 20 December 2024.

This change is proposed through an amendment to the Planning & Design Code, which is the State-wide Planning Policy document. The Code Amendment proposes to list 20 new Local Heritage Places and introduce a new Historic Area which includes 32 dwellings, together with some minor zoning changes to surrounding properties.

The proposed change to policies seeks to protect the eligible buildings from adverse development outcomes, such as demolition or significant modifications to original parts of the building.

The protection of Inter-war buildings is identified as an initiative in the Council’s 2022-2027 Built Heritage Strategy.

The Council is encouraged by the support that it has received from the State Government to make changes to the Code to facilitate and improve heritage and historic area protection, including a matched funding grant towards the development and progression of various heritage Code Amendments.

“It is important for our community to understand the nature of these policy changes and to provide the Council with feedback to help shape the City’s planning for heritage and historic areas”, said Mayor Bria.

ENDS

Media enquiries: Lisa Mara, General Manager Governance & Civic Affairs on 08 8366 4549.

The Award Jury’s comment about the project was as follows:

“Streetscapes act as the connective tissue of our neighbourhoods and provide an opportunity to define an area through a sense of uniqueness and place yet are an often-underappreciated component of landscape design.”

“The redevelopment of St Peters Street is a prime example of how even ancillary and forgotten spaces can be beneficial for Country and place and enhance the user experience through thoughtful design. The design has a strong focus on social and environmental sustainability, and the result is a symbiotic space for nature, pedestrians and cars.”

“The intelligent use of both built and natural systems here has allowed plant life and natural water systems to thrive, providing habitat for endemic wildlife while giving the area a unique and natural feel. Overall, this project is a highly commendable representation of how landscape design can benefit – and entirely rejuvenate – an area,” the Jury continued.

The Awards Jury also described the upgrade as an “unapologetically wild space that nurtures both people and wildlife.”

As part of the project, 97 large trees were retained and another 200 new trees were planted, converting hardscapes to softscapes and improving the water cycle.

The Council congratulates the team at Landskap, Dryside Engineering and Plot Works, who were great partners in this project. 

The Council’s Manager, City Projects, Jared Barnes, was on hand to accept the award on Council’s behalf.

“The design for St Peters Street was inspired by residents’ desires for native landscaping and the former Second Creek, which is now hidden under the street. It’s an honour for the Council and its partners to be nationally recognised for this project, but it’s even more pleasing that the community loves and appreciates the built outcome and enjoys using the street more for walking and cycling.”

At the South Australian Institute of Landscape Architects Awards earlier this year, the St Peters Street Project took out awards in the following categories:

• Infrastructure Award of Excellence
• Water for Life Award
• Healthy Parks, Healthy People Award, and the
• Inaugural Minister for Planning Award.

The funding will be used to upgrade the following footpaths:

• Devitt Avenue (between Aveland Avenue and Gage Street), Payneham South.
• Battams Road (between Payneham Road and Ninth Avenue), Royston Park.
• Marion Road (Avenue Road and Glynburn Road), Firle.

Norwood Payneham & St Peters Mayor Robert Bria said the Council welcomes the funding. 

“Spending this money on new footpaths continues to demonstrate the Council’s commitment to providing high quality infrastructure for our community”.

“As a Council, we have always placed a high priority on investing in basic infrastructure, so it was an easy decision to construct new footpaths in these streets”.

“This funding reflects our ongoing commitment to see all streets across the City have a paved footpath and this grant funding helps us realise that vision,” said Mayor Bria.

The previous three (3) phases of the LRCI funding which has been received by the Council, were spent on the following projects:

• (Phase 1) $440,000 for the upgrade of Langman Grove, Felixstow (from Briar Road to Pembury Grove);
• (Phase 2) $1.27m for the St Peters Street Upgrade Project, St Peters; and
• (Phase 3) $889,000 for the new Club room facility and toilets at Cruikshank Reserve, Maylands.

“Combined, the Council has received almost $3million in LRCI grant funding to improve infrastructure and facilities in our City and acknowledges the Federal Government for its ongoing support of these projects,” said Mayor Bria.

According to Time Out Australia’s Travel and News Editor, Melissa Woodley,

“Norwood is where heritage meets hip. You could easily spend a whole day strolling down its leafy main drag, The Parade”. 

“Start your morning with the locals at Norwood institution Argo, where a cup of Joe pairs handsomely with zeppole – those twisty, sugary Italian doughnuts. Pop into the suburb’s many op shops for designer steals and add an artistic flair to your itinerary by visiting Art Images Gallery”. 

“Cap off your day with dinner at Arkhé, Adelaide’s first open-flame restaurant. And if you fancy a tipple, Norwood has its very own Wine and Ale Trail, where you can sip your way through the neighbourhood’s top boutique cellar doors, gin distilleries and micro-breweries.”

Norwood Payneham & St Peters Mayor Robert Bria said the listing was a “feather in the cap” not only for the suburb but also the City.

“Norwood has long enjoyed having a good reputation because of The Parade as well as being great place to live, so it's good to see it finally getting the international recognition it deserves,” said Mayor Bria.

“Being an established suburb with quality old homes hasn’t stopped Norwood from balancing this with contemporary and medium-density housing stock, as well as great places to eat and drink and enjoy a great lifestyle.

“A key part of Norwood’s success and popularity as a neighbourhood is that is has evolved organically over time, which means change hasn’t compromised its charm.

“To be the only South Australian neighbourhood in the list is a great compliment and something locals and the Council can be very proud of,” said Mayor Bria.

Media enquiries: Lisa Mara, General Manager Governance & Civic Affairs on 08 8366 4549