Central forest
Located only ten kilometres south of the city,
Tonsley Innovation District is the premier high-value manufacturing location in South Australia. Its thriving innovation community consists of research and education institutions as well as businesses and government partnering together to connect and collaborate. Since its commencement in 2012, four sectors have called the district home and they continue to reflect our state's economic strengths and opportunities.
Retail outlets
Table tennis tables
The 61-hectare site is not just a workplace but also a place for play, and you are welcome to visit at any time. It has been developed as a mixed-use precinct complete with a central forest, exercise equipment, table tennis tables, squash courts and retail outlets within its Main Assembly Building (MAB). You can enjoy a cup of coffee while the children have a game of table tennis, or choose to relax and read a book amongst the greenery.
Squash courts
Central forest
I recently had a walk around the five-hectare MAB and was very impressed with its latest offerings. Much has changed since the last time I was here two years ago. Free WiFi is available throughout the building and more retail development is still to come above the carpark on the western side. The
autonomous bus will also be back in the near future to give anyone who is brave enough a ride around the site.
The autonomous bus will be back
Future location of hydrogen production and distribution facility
Having a STEM background, I am truly in awe of the automation work by SAGE and the mobile x-ray imaging equipment by Micro-X at the district. I am also delighted that Australia's first hydrogen production and distribution facility will be established here in time to come.
MAB
Now, you might be wondering why the central hub is named MAB. Well, before the district became what it is today, MAB was where vehicles such as the Charger, Valiant, Sigma and Colt were actually assembled by Chrysler and Mitsubishi during the automotive era. When production ceased in 2008, an employment and land development opportunity emerged and something innovative was needed as a transformative response. This sense of renewal led to the establishment of the currently known
Tonsley Innovation District.
