Mount Barker Town Square

Project Overview

The City Centre will be our community’s new heart at the site bounded by Hutchinson Street, Morphett Street, Stephen Street and Druids Avenue.

Council currently owns about 55% of the site, with Burke Urban Investments purchasing the balance of the land and obligated to buy another portion of the Council acquired land within a five-year period.

This partnership approach ensures that Council has direct control over a land parcel option for the location of a future Town Square, something that the community has expressed a strong desire for. There is great benefit delivering the Town Square and City Centre in partnership with a developer, as it increases the quality and vibrancy of the Town Square, with retail and hospitality uses developed around its outer edge and complimentary land uses brining much needed activity to the site.

The proposed Town Square is being designed as a place for small to medium events and day-to-day use.

It aims to provide a catalyst for the surrounding retail, commercial, civic, and accommodation precinct and provide a valuable place where Mount Barker’s diverse community can gather, recreate, and spend time.

Community Engagement

In November 2021 Council undertook community consultation on a concept plan for a Town Square on the portion of land owned and controlled by Council. At the same time Burke Urban Investments released their masterplan for the remainder of the City Centre site.

There was strong participation from the community on the concept plan through a range of engagement activities including around 200 attendees at a community open day at Newenham in Mount Barker. Whilst the consultation was targeted for the Town Square, Council also received significant feedback for the City Centre masterplan overall.

Council understands that not all feedback received for the Town Square was positive and further work needs to be done to ensure the project closely reflects community aspirations. Further consultation on the Town Square will be undertaken to refine the feedback already received to ensure nothing was missed and give the community another opportunity to provide their feedback on the project elements that are not fixed.

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