More than 1,000 protesters have gathered on the steps of South Australia’s parliament to condemn the cutting down of hundreds of trees at the North Adelaide Golf Course.
A chant of “stop the chop” has rung out in Adelaide’s CBD, with protesters holding signs criticising the state government’s decision to redevelop the site.
SA Police officers are in attendance.
Work began this week to remove about 600 trees from the course, which is located in the Adelaide Park Lands, to make way for a $45 million redevelopment of the course initially intended to host LIV Golf.
Protester Sonia Blackwell said by axing trees at the site known as “Possum Park”, the government was putting the needs of “a few golfers” ahead of the city.
“We’re here today because we disagree with the Malinauskas government cutting down nearly 600 trees in our heritage park lands for a golf course,” she said.
“It’s sheer lunacy. Something has to be done to stop it.
“Hardly anyone’s sleeping, we care so much and we feel so helpless. It’s devastating.”
A protester on the steps of parliament. (ABC News: Briana Fiore)
Sue Westover from Bat Rescue SA said she was distressed by the impact on animals.
“The bats are being really affected … along with the possums and the birds,” she said.
“It’s absolutely devastating to lose our trees — but also lose part of our ecosystem.”
Primary Industries Minister Clare Scriven today defended the government’s position, and reiterated that every felled tree would be replaced by three others.
“What we need to remember though is that this is going to be a world-class public golf course. It will attract visitors to South Australia and to Adelaide and be available to residents of South Australia,” she said.
“It’s a relatively small amount of trees, notwithstanding we never want to see trees removed unless it’s essential, so we’re not expecting significant impacts on wildlife in that area.
“There’s over 9,000 trees on the [North] Adelaide Golf Course and this represents around about 6 per cent removal of trees. We’re of course then replanting at a ratio of about three to one.”
Yesterday, Environment Minister Emily Bourke said the removal of trees had been conducted in a way that minimised impact on local wildlife.
“We’ve got four fauna experts on the ground every day through this process — we are taking it seriously,” she said.
“We want this to be an incredible golf course experience, but we also want the environment to be protected along the way.”
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