The Sleep’s Hill Tunnels at Panorama and Eden Hills are at the centre of a neighbourhood dispute because the owner wants to let caravans and campervans stay on nearby land he also owns, to help protect the sites from damage and graffiti.

Described as “one of the greatest achievements of the young colony”, the Sleep’s Hill tunnels and viaduct formed part of the Adelaide to Nairne railway and ultimately became part of the network between Adelaide and Melbourne.

If current landowner David Munro’s plans are approved following a community consultation period that ends on January 8, land around the tunnels site 11km south of the CBD will take on yet another role.

In 1914, the tunnels were used for secret communications transport between the states during World War I, but were later abandoned when a new tunnel opened and the viaduct was dismantled.

The Sleep’s Hill viaduct in the 1880s. Photo via State Library of South Australia.

From 1932, mushrooms were cultivated in the tunnels before a fungal disease put that business out of operation. In World War Two, the tunnels were used as a vault to safeguard state government documents, ammunition, and treasures from the museum, art gallery and Government House.

Mushroom cultivation returned from 1965-1992 before moving to Woodcroft and in 1993, the Sleep’s Hill tunnels were state heritage listed.

In 2002, Munro leased the tunnels and the accompanying land for a wine storage business called The Tunnels Wine Storage which he operates to date. Munro told InDaily that about six years later he acquired the land and tunnels from TransAdelaide.

A map from the information report accompanying the development application showing the three existing entrances into the valley.

In November last year, Munro applied to the State Planning Commission to put a caravan and tourist park on the land. His plans involve three sites for campervans to park on, with vehicles to enter via existing access points at Gamma Crescent, Railway Terrace or Grandview Drive.

Munro told InDaily that he hoped an established presence on the land would deter trespassing and damage.

“We’ve been here for 20 years and I’ve been trying to protect that tunnel for 20 years,” he said.

“It’s been broken into more than a dozen times; there’s extensive graffiti, we’ve had $100,000 in copper theft, we’ve had cars torched and fires lit.

“We ran a trial of having someone in a caravan down there for about four months and it worked quite well. There were no break-ins, no graffiti and no incidents over that period. All we’re trying to do is put a presence here.”

Munro’s application to the Planning Commission says that three sites within an area encompassing roughly 5000sqm of level and developed land could host up to four caravans offering short-term and temporary accommodation, with a two-night minimum stay to “minimise traffic movements”. They’ll park on concrete slabs left over from the site’s former life as a mushroom farm.

“The accommodation will consist exclusively of fully self-contained caravans owned by the visitors,” the application said.

“Visitors are required to manage their water supply and waste disposal independently, utilising approved facilities for waste disposal.

“Camping in vehicles, swags, tents, or similar structures will not be permitted.”

Munro told InDaily he expected grey nomads would take up the opportunity to stay in the valley steeped in South Australian history: “They’re not the sort that are going to party, but we’ll put a curfew in place anyway,” he said.

“If there are noise complaints, they’ll be asked to move on.

“20 years I’ve been trying to protect this tunnel. It’s going to fall into disrepute. This isn’t a money-making scheme – this is purely for preservation.”

One of the three sites Munro hopes to host campers on. To the right is a concrete slab that the businessman proposed would be able to host campervans. Photo: David Simmons/InDaily.

Elder MP Nadia Clancy told InDaily that the plans prompted numerous phone calls to her office from residents between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve.

She said residents were concerned about road safety and bushfire risks associated with caravan and campervan use at the site, along with waste and rubbish disposal.

Clancy hosted a Zoom meeting with residents this week and said more than 30 people joined the call, with the majority against the development.

“There were two people who were in favour of the application because they believe that having more people on site would reduce the vandalism at the tunnels,” the MP told InDaily.

“Everyone else who spoke was strongly opposed.

“The main points that came up included concern about how the roads are very narrow up there – there are some dead ends which even though they are signed, people often miss the signs.”

A sign on a walking trail heading into the Sleep’s Hill valley. Photo: David Simmons/InDaily.

Clancy said locals were concerned about fire danger.

“They’re also worried about having the extra people with caravans trying to get out on those narrow roads if there was an evacuation,” she said.

“Wll they be having campfires and who will be monitoring that and making sure it’s done in a safe way?

“Noise was a concern as well in terms of generators. The other big one was around waste management – they want to know who will actually be ensuring that people don’t just dump rubbish there because previously there have been challenges with members of the public dumping rubbish.

“Overwhelmingly, the community oppose. A number of people have already made representations and sent those through. I think a few more will after [Tuesday] night’s meeting.”

Residents have until Monday to submit feedback to the Planning Commission on the proposal, and Clancy said she would make a representation to air community concerns.

Munro told InDaily he was working with the CFS on how to make improve the site’s fire safety, with options including a 22,500-litre tank and firefighting equipment. The CFS is also reviewing Munro’s proposal.

The entrance to Munro’s Tunnels Wine Storage business. Photo: David Simmons/InDaily.

Munro’s document attached to the development application said the site “necessitates no additional physical development or infrastructure, due to the property’s pre-existing amenities (electricity supply, concrete slabs, and driveways)”.

“The sites are strategically planned to provide ample space for caravan parking and manoeuvring,” the document reads.

“It is crucial to emphasise that the objective of this development is not to maximise occupancy at the expense of the area. Instead, the primary goal is to establish a protective presence in a location susceptible to various risks, which is why planning consent is being sought for only three sites.

“The intentions are to repurpose an existing space with established amenities in a non-intrusive manner that complements the surroundings, while maintaining a continuous presence to minimise any significant impact on local traffic and residents.”

A landowner says caravans near the now closed and heritage-listed Sleep’s Hill tunnels will deter vandalism. Photo via State Library of South Australia.

Further, Munro’s plan anticipates no new infrastructure or buildings to be constructed.

“The remoteness of the sites, the presence of native vegetation, and the specific characteristics of the target clientele (grey nomads) will emanate minimal noise, unlikely to disturb neighbouring residents.”

As for his message to dissenting residents, Munro said he’d happily show them around the site to give them a better idea of his vision for the historic parcel of land.

“There’s an open invitation to anyone who wants to come up and have a look at the damage and have a look at what we’re trying to achieve to get the facts straight,” he said.