Mount Barker is set to get a new preschool and primary school – and that’s just one of the exciting changes coming to this booming Hills community in the near future.
Educating Mount Barker’s kids
Mount Barker’s booming population of little learners is about to get a big boost! The state government is investing $62.7 million in a brand-new preschool and primary school to accommodate the growing community. The new primary and preschool, slated to open in 2028, will add 100 preschool places and 350 primary school places, ensuring that every child has a spot to learn and grow.
It’s part of $256.3 million for education initiatives in this year’s State Budget, and shows just how fast Mount Barker is growing as a destination for young people to settle down and start a family.
The announcement follows in the wake of much-needed extra bus services this year for Mount Barker. A new aquatic centre, hospital development and exciting housing strategy are also in the works for the community.
Background
Once considered part of regional SA, Mount Barker – which you’ll find 35 kilometres from Adelaide’s CBD in the southern Mount Lofty Ranges – is now well and truly part of Greater Adelaide. Recent projections for the Adelaide Hills region (encompassing Mount Barker and Adelaide Hills councils) expect its current population of 80,501 (2021) to grow to 108,291 in 2041, making the Mount Barker District the fastest growing LGA in South Australia.
While the population aged over 80 years is projected to triple by 2041, population growth is expected across all age groups, meaning there’ll be greater demand for services like transport, health, education and recreation. On that note, here’s a deep dive into what else is happening – as well as the new preschool and primary school – to support the growth of Mount Barker.
The wheels on the bus go round and round
This year, an extra 36 bus services began operating between Mount Barker and the city during the weekday interpeak. An additional 26 services were also added on Sundays, to provide the same frequency as Saturdays.
It’s part of a $19 million commitment by the state government to better meet demand for public transport as these communities continue to grow. Fifteen new hybrid-diesel buses are expected to join the fleet this year, too, offering a quieter, more comfortable and accessible ride.
This might not sound like big news for those outside of the Adelaide Hills region, but it’s been game-changing for local commuters who’ve benefited from a whopping 42 per cent more services.
For more information, the Adelaide Metro website has you covered.
Hospital development
The South Australian Government has committed $320.8 million to the new Mount Barker Hospital Development project, which will see a major redevelopment to the existing site. To ensure the expanding population of the Mount Barker and Adelaide Hills region can receive the health services they need closer to home, the development project will:
- Triple inpatient capacity from 34 to 102 beds,
- Expand capacity across maternity, paediatrics, rehabilitation, surgery and palliative care,
- Deliver new operation theatres and post-surgery recovery beds,
- Expand chemotherapy and renal dialysis services,
- Provide new outpatient, community and allied health facilities, including consulting suites, plus a health gymnasium and telehealth services,
- Allow for onsite dispensing pharmacies and pathology laboratories,
- Establish a new 12-bed mental health unit.
In June 2023, the hospital opened a new $15.45 million Emergency Department, thanks to funding from our state and federal governments. The new ED has two resuscitation bays, two paediatric treatment bays and 13 general patient treatment bays (which is 12 more than the old one). There’s also a new negative pressure treatment bay, and other clinical rooms.
For more information check out the New Mount Barker Hospital Development Engagement Framework.
Housing strategy and affordability
As part of an identified strategy for achieving SA’s projected growth target, Mount Barker was identified by the State Government as a potential growth area about a decade ago. This led to the rezoning of approximately 1,300 hectares of land to accommodate future expansion and, to date, approximately 5.3 per cent of this growth area has been developed.
Currently, the supply of new housing across the District is around 500 additional homes per year, which is an increase of approximately four per cent in the total housing stock per year. This rate is second only to Adelaide City, where there is an increase of approximately five per cent in the total housing stock per year.
On average, house prices across the Mount Barker District are typically 5-6 times annual household incomes. Compared with seven times across Greater Adelaide (and eight times in Melbourne and nine times in Sydney), this makes Mount Barker an attractive place to buy up.
New aquatic and leisure centre
Partly funded by the Government of South Australia’s Local Government Infrastructure Partnership Program, Mount Barker is set to be home to one of Australia’s leading recreational facilities.
Work on the new $51.8m Regional Indoor Aquatic and Leisure Centre is underway, and is on track to be completed by mid to late 2025. The centre is being built at the Summit Precinct, which is home to Summit Sports and Recreation Park – which hosted an AFL match during the inaugural Gather Round, and will be hosting two matches in April 2024.
The facility will feature four pools, a warm water therapy pool, and a 25 metre, 10-lane competition capable lap pool as well as gym and fitness rooms, wet and dry cafe, and community meeting rooms. It’s expected to create 15 new employment positions.
New path for broken Boulevard
Part of Mount Barker’s fractured Heysen Boulevard is (finally) on its way to being bridged as construction of a $5m level crossing gets underway. The state government-funded project (in partnership with the Mount Barker District Council) will fix a significant stumbling block in the connection of the broader thoroughfare.
Completion of the rail level crossing and construction of the road across the Steam Ranger Heritage railway line will provide an immediate benefit for the local community, opening up a critical part of the route and providing a kickstart for further construction. Access to public transport and impacts on emergency service response times will also be addressed.
What Mount Barker local Emily, 25, has to say
Emily Pitta grew up in Strathalbyn and has recently built a home in Mount Barker. For her and partner Lachie, buying and building in the Adelaide Hills suburb was a “no brainer,” she says.
“There is lots of land available, it’s more affordable, and we’re close to all the things we need.
“It’s a great location for a starter home or an investment property. It’s perfect for us at the moment.”
Emily and Lachie were eligible for a First Home Owner Grant, which is available to those buying or building a new home in South Australia, as well as the HomeBuilder Grant – a $25,000 building stimulus package that helped the couple’s dreams come true.
While Emily works locally as an Environmental Health Officer for the Mount Barker Council (“literally a two-minute drive away”), commuting into Adelaide for work wouldn’t be a major issue, she says: “If you get a good time of the day, you can be in the city in half an hour.” Plus there’s the recently added bus services.
“Everything is so close by, although if we do go into the city it’s to go ‘out out’, or if we want something really nice to eat, like frozen yoghurt.”
Mount Barker’s frozen yoghurt offering might not (yet) be on par with Adelaide’s, but its health services are, Emily says: “I recently had a trip to the hospital and it was super easy. There’s a great clinic that specialises in gynaecology, and it’s only around the corner which is really nice.”
“My chiropractor is great, she’s here. I’ve got Specsavers in the mall. My partner has had X-Rays done locally – usually we don’t have to go outside of Mount Barker at all.
“It’s really great, especially at this time of my life where I’m starting to think about having children; I feel quite confident in what I’ve heard about the hospital and midwives here, there have been amazing reviews.”
To find out more about what’s happening in Mount Barker and the surrounding Adelaide Hills region, head to the Mount Barker District Council website.
