Wittunga Masterplan

Exciting new changes are taking place at Wittunga Botanic Garden in South Australia's Mitcham Hills.

Wittunga Botanic Garden reviewed its Masterplan in April 2019, with the public invited to make comments and suggestions on the recommendations.

You can view the updated Wittunga Botanic Garden Masterplan here.

The plans are designed to enhance the Garden experience for visitors, as well as boost biodiversity conservation and science opportunities, and encourage a nature immersion experience for families.

Director of the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium, Dr Lucy Sutherland, says the suggested upgrades will be a draw-card to visitors and help connect even more people to nature and this special Garden.

“We are thrilled to be sharing these plans, which will help bring even more vitality to this beautiful botanic garden,” Dr Sutherland said.

“We will also aim to bring science back to the Garden in collaboration with researchers to conserve threatened species and help the community plan gardens with our changing climate,” she said.

The opportunities include:

• A built nature play space and additional natural areas for nature discovery
• Relocation of State Flora Nursery retail outlet to Wittunga - pending a cost benefit analysis
• Renewal of living collections and enhanced displays of South Australian flora
• Boardwalks, lake beach upgrade and viewing platforms
• Grassed community events and performance spaces
• Interpretation of the garden collections through storytelling and education
• Improved paths and greater access to and information on important plant collections
• Safer entrance to the site and additional onsite car parking
• New public and toilet amenities

The initial funding to realise some of the opportunities came following an investment of $750,000 for a nature play space and garden upgrades from the Adelaide City Deal (a State Government, Commonwealth Government and City of Adelaide initiative).

A donation of $43,000 from the Copland Foundation and $10,000 from the Friends of Adelaide Botanic Garden will also result in enhancements over the next two years.

The opportunity to offer feedback closed on 15 November 2019 and the updates to the Masterplan were finalised in June 2020.