Connect - 26 March 2021

It’s a wrap

The Adelaide Festival was a huge success this year, reaching its sales target even before a curtain opened. The Writers’ Festival and Womadelaide went beyond expectations and the Fringe was yet another triumph. With 613,000 tickets sold at a value of $16.4 million, the Fringe rounded out a festival season that was an undeniable success, even under the cloud of COVID-19.

So let’s acknowledge the key role played by Adelaide Metro’s public transport planners and service providers who moved thousands of people to and from venues safely, conveniently and, being an alternative to driving, able to fully enjoy the performances and festivities of what is a highlight month in beautiful Adelaide. Well done and thank you!

Rhino-strength fencing

I’m proud to see that we are taking every opportunity to recycle materials for the benefit of our community. Marine Services has really come to the party on this, by donating around 12km of used ferry cables to the Monarto Zoo Safari Park, instead of just sending them to scrap.

Monarto has two major projects under way: a new visitor centre and a new Wild Africa Project on 550ha adjacent to the existing 1000ha property. One of the features of the Wild Africa Project is the housing of more than 30 critically endangered white rhinos.

The heavy ferry cable will be used for a raceway between sleeping and other specialised enclosures. It will also be used for internal stock fencing as impact protection.

Monarto volunteer Tim Kleeman with some of the donated cables and, inset, one of the rhinos.

Walking with the community

Last weekend was big for the R2P Alliance’s community engagement team as they invited community members to see first-hand the great work that’s being delivered.

Members of the public were given the chance to join walking tours of the overpass, as well as being treated to a sausage sizzle while they chatted with team members and council representatives at the nearby Polonia Reserve. Smaller groups, meeting COVID-19 requirements, were shuttled to the overpass for an inspection.

Community engagement is key to our projects from start to finish, so it’s good to see strong relationships being built.

One of the tour groups heads out on the overpass.

Friday Flashback

Today’s Friday Flashback shows what tram travel was like around 1950. This 'F' class drop-centre tram was captured heading south outside Government House with the Bank of NSW (later Westpac) building behind it.

SLSA B 69724