Echunga Main Street Upgrade - Draft Concept Design Consultation

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In acknowledging the important role that main streets play in supporting local economic development and fostering social inclusion and wellbeing, the Mount Barker District Council has endorsed a concept design for the upgrade of the Echunga main streets.

First identified as a key priority by the Echunga Community during the formulation of the Echunga Township Plan in 2019, Council allocated funding during the 2023/24 financial year to prepare a concept design for the upgrade of the main street.

Council staff and local design consultants, Clover Green Space, worked with a Community/Stakeholder reference group, to develop some initial concept options for the main street upgrade. Following this Council sought feedback from the broader Echunga community on the draft concept design to better understand the community's priorities for improvements to the street.

During the 4 week consultation period, 509 people viewed the consultation page for the draft design, 105 people completed the online survey, around 70 people attended the drop in session to provide feedback in person and 5 people emailed in more detailed responses.

Following the community engagement process, all of the feedback provided on the draft design was collated, summarized and responded to in a SCAPA which was presented back to Council's elected members. A copy of this SCPA table summarizing the community feedback can be found in the menu items to the right of this page.

The draft concept design for the main street upgrade was then amended to reflect the feedback provided by the community and the final version of the plan was presented to Council members and endorsed in December 2023.




The project aims to deliver improvements across a range of areas, including pedestrian safety, the function of key intersections, improved environmental sustainability, providing areas for social interaction and street activity, and support for local economic development.

The project also has a particular focus on environmental sustainability and includes the capture and reuse of storm water, a reduction in hard paved surfaces and a significant increase in tree canopy coverage. These outcomes are further supported by an intention to underground power lines which run the length of the street, currently restricting the options for tree planting.



A significant aspect of the planned upgrade are plans to underground power lines along the southern side of the street, allowing for increased tree canopy cover and the reduction in hard paved surfaces. Council has registered an interest with the Power Line Environment Committee (PLEC), a grant funding agency which provides up to 66% funding grants to successful applicants. The undergrounding of power lines along the street provides the option to plant significantly larger street tress on both sides of the street, creating areas of shade and interest.


A slotted kerb allows storm water to be diverted into a rain garden (a planted swale), running along parts of the southern side of the street. The storm water will infiltrate into the soil along the rain garden, watering new street trees and small planted shrubs during heavy rain events. The concept design also includes a storage tank to capture excess storm water from the street during winter months to be stored and reused for irrigating plants along the street during in summer, enabling the street to be resilient to the effects of climate change for years to come.


In acknowledging the important role that main streets play in supporting local economic development and fostering social inclusion and wellbeing, the Mount Barker District Council has endorsed a concept design for the upgrade of the Echunga main streets.

First identified as a key priority by the Echunga Community during the formulation of the Echunga Township Plan in 2019, Council allocated funding during the 2023/24 financial year to prepare a concept design for the upgrade of the main street.

Council staff and local design consultants, Clover Green Space, worked with a Community/Stakeholder reference group, to develop some initial concept options for the main street upgrade. Following this Council sought feedback from the broader Echunga community on the draft concept design to better understand the community's priorities for improvements to the street.

During the 4 week consultation period, 509 people viewed the consultation page for the draft design, 105 people completed the online survey, around 70 people attended the drop in session to provide feedback in person and 5 people emailed in more detailed responses.

Following the community engagement process, all of the feedback provided on the draft design was collated, summarized and responded to in a SCAPA which was presented back to Council's elected members. A copy of this SCPA table summarizing the community feedback can be found in the menu items to the right of this page.

The draft concept design for the main street upgrade was then amended to reflect the feedback provided by the community and the final version of the plan was presented to Council members and endorsed in December 2023.




The project aims to deliver improvements across a range of areas, including pedestrian safety, the function of key intersections, improved environmental sustainability, providing areas for social interaction and street activity, and support for local economic development.

The project also has a particular focus on environmental sustainability and includes the capture and reuse of storm water, a reduction in hard paved surfaces and a significant increase in tree canopy coverage. These outcomes are further supported by an intention to underground power lines which run the length of the street, currently restricting the options for tree planting.



A significant aspect of the planned upgrade are plans to underground power lines along the southern side of the street, allowing for increased tree canopy cover and the reduction in hard paved surfaces. Council has registered an interest with the Power Line Environment Committee (PLEC), a grant funding agency which provides up to 66% funding grants to successful applicants. The undergrounding of power lines along the street provides the option to plant significantly larger street tress on both sides of the street, creating areas of shade and interest.


A slotted kerb allows storm water to be diverted into a rain garden (a planted swale), running along parts of the southern side of the street. The storm water will infiltrate into the soil along the rain garden, watering new street trees and small planted shrubs during heavy rain events. The concept design also includes a storage tank to capture excess storm water from the street during winter months to be stored and reused for irrigating plants along the street during in summer, enabling the street to be resilient to the effects of climate change for years to come.


Page last updated: 11 Jun 2024, 12:53 PM