Revitalising Heritage Buildings in the Port

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Thu 21 Aug 2014

Historic Port Adelaide and its surrounding suburbs have a huge number of architecturally important heritage buildings. Over the years many have not been well maintained, and much of the Port area has fallen into a gloomy economic state.

A great deal of the blame for this can be laid at the feet of successive governments who have largely ignored the area. When they did act, demolition of a large swathe of the Port only produced community outrage and a failed redevelopment.

Despite this, plenty of tourists are still attracted to Port Adelaide. Wander the back streets and you will often see tourists posing for photographs in front of quirky or grand old buildings. But while many heritage buildings are still intact, they are often in a poor state because they are untenanted. Renew Adelaide has done good work negotiating with landlords to give young artisans and businesses a rent break, and that is now helping to change the flavour of the Port.



The similarly named (but completely different) Renewal SA have also been working in partnership with the local Council to develop the area. This time there has been extensive community consultation, and the results are more successful.

The new Wild at Hart Market is now booming - even in the middle of winter! Despite not being under cover, this trendy new market in the shadow of Hart's Mill is attracting large crowds.

Working in tandem with the re-developed Hart's Mill precinct is the new Inner Harbour Loop Path walking trail, an easy way to navigate the harbour sites with your kids. Ride your bike, let the kids take their scooter or skate board, or just push a pram around the walking trail. Whichever way you go you will see some of the rich maritime history of historic Port Adelaide. When you've finished you may be thirsty enough to take the heritage pub trail too.

Another initiative which supports the Wild at Hart Market is the newly landscaped playground next to Hart's Mill and the Adelaide Milling Co Mill. It has got some of the newest play equipment in Adelaide, and kids love it.

While we have come some way to get the Port revitalised in the last year, there's still a long way to go. Many more buildings should be re-purposed and given a second life, and community organisations such as the Port of Adelaide National Trust are working to do just that.



Their latest initiative is a public forum on Thursday August 21 entitled . Distinguished architect Professor Robert Morris-Nunn will join with a panel of experts to discuss new ways to approach conserving our heritage buildings and recycling old buildings to suit new demands.

Everyone is welcome to come along and share their views - entry is by a gold coin donation, or free for National Trust members. If you care about the history of Port Adelaide and would like to see its heritage preserved, then please come along to this important event and have your say. For catering purposes an RSVP is requested.

For more information see here or check the Facebook page . Who knows, there may even be some ideas how to preserve Fort Largs and save it from demolition .

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!date 21/08/2014 -- 21/08/2014
%wnadelaide