• South Australia impresses at national urban development awards
• Large rare earth deposit drive growth
• Easter spending down but chocolate bilbies remain a hit
• Wolf Blass donate $1.4m to Morphettville Racecourse redevelopment

South Australia impresses at national urban development awards

South Australian projects have taken out three of the Urban Development Institute of Australia’s National Awards for Excellence.

Building company Palumbo won the UDIA National Award for Design for the five-star hotel Sofitel Adelaide.

“The point of difference is the artwork and the architecture and interior design and we definitely pride ourselves on that element, so being recognised nationally when there is a lot of other competition not just within Adelaide itself is pretty important to the hotel,” a spokesperson for Sofitel said.

SA Water was presented with the Social and Community Infrastructure Award, recognising their project “Activating reservoir reserves for healthy communities”. The project aims to open up large areas of land and water to become recreational community spaces.

Boutique developer Otello Projects’ Daly Street development in Kurralta Park won the National Affordable Housing Award.

UDIA SA Chief Executive Pat Gerace said that these awards are recognition of South Australia’s national level excellence in urban development.

“The innovation, the forward thinking and the resilience shown by all throughout uncertain and rapidly changing times is exceptional and I’m thrilled to see so many South Australians be showcased at the 2023 UDIA National Awards.”

– Shannon Pearce

Large rare earths deposit drive growth

Australian Rare Earths is looking to apply for a mining lease after announcing to the ASX yesterday that its resource in the south east of South Australia has been upgraded by 25 per cent.

The latest results establish the company’s Koppamurra project as a globally significant critical rare earths deposit that could service global demand for the resource vital to the production of electric vehicles and wind turbines.

Its report said the project is now over 100 million tonnes of clay hosted resources of which total contained rare earth oxide is 80,000 tonnes.

AR3’s Koppamurra project includes exploration tenure of 4,000 square kilometres in SA and Victoria. The company has been granted five exploration leases and so far, a program of 4,300 drill holes has been undertaken, at an average depth of 10 metres.

Company managing director Rick Pobjoy said new studies and community consultation is now underway in a bid to establish a new industry for SA that could deliver more jobs and economic growth.

“We want to put Australia on the map as championing world-leading innovation and standards in the mining of rare earths which are critical to the energy transition,” Pobjoy said.

– Belinda Willis

Easter spending down but chocolate bilbies remain a hit

A survey by financial comparison sites Savvy has found that 80 per cent of respondents will spend less than $500 this Easter compared with 58 per cent in 2022, and 31 per cent plan to spend between $51 and $150.

The survey found that not only are Australians spending less, but with the rising cost of living Easter treats are also costing more.

“This is the first Easter in memory when a deluxe chocolate egg can cost upwards of twenty dollars or more. Buying three or four of those for kids and cousins really does add up,” a spokesperson for Savvy said.

However, Thomas Steffensen from Haigh’s Chocolate’s in Adelaide Arcade said the company expects it will sell out of the 100,000 Easter Bilbies it has made to mark 30 years of supporting Rabbit-Free Australia, no matter the economic trend.

“People are always curious about the bilby,” he said, adding that they have introduced commemorative Bilby sets and products to mark the occasion.

Each year, part proceeds of sales of the Easter Bilbies are donated to Rabbit-Free Australia.

The Savvy survey found that it is not just Easter chocolates where Australians are pulling in spending.

Despite the four-day weekend, 64 per cent of respondents indicated they will stay home over the Easter break, up from 45 per cent in 2022. Both intrastate and interstate travel is down from 2022 by 12 per cent and 4 per cent respectively.

– Shannon Pearce

Wolf Blass Donates $1.4m to Morphettville Racecourse redevelopment

Australian winemaker and businessman Wolf Blass AM is investing $1.4 million into the South Australian Jockey Club’s (SAJC) redevelopment of Adelaide’s Morphettville Racecourse.

Blass is donating $1 million towards the construction of the $20 million Morphettville Event Centre with an additional $400,000 sponsorship as part of a 15-year partnership to secure the naming rights to what is set to become the Wolf Blass ‘The Man’ Event Centre already under construction.

The partnership will secure funds to be reinvested into the new facility.

“I have full confidence in [the SAJC board’s] management to position the SAJC and Morphettville as a competitive and driving force to elevate racing in South Australia in the context of the rest of the country,” he said.

Blass’ investment follows the SAJC’s announcement of a $350 million housing and lifestyle development at Morphettville Racecourse in February.

The 7.5-hectare development is a joint venture between Villawood Properties and Australian Superannuation provider Hostplus alongside the SAJC.

The development will include a community plaza between the Glenelg tram line and Anzac Highway, mixed use apartment buildings, retail spaces, and 250 townhouses and low-rise apartments with work set to begin mid-2024.

SAJC Chairman Bob Holton says Blass’ donation shows support for the long-term plans for Morphettville.

“The building will be a valuable asset not just for racing and our members but for the wider community of Adelaide’s southwestern suburbs,” he said.

– Shannon Pearce

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