Tag: Port River

  • Responding to HAB: how to support and make more resilient the Port River & Barker Inlet Estuary

    Responding to HAB: how to support and make more resilient the Port River & Barker Inlet Estuary

    The Friends of Port River has made a submission to the Joint Committee on Harmful Algal Blooms in South Australia advocating greater protection, conservation and restoration of the natural environment of the Port River and Barker Inlet Estuary, in response to the HAB. This blog outlines the impacts of HAB on the Estuary to the…

  • Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) impacts Port River

    Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) impacts Port River

    The first official report of the Harmful Algal Bloom in the Port River came from the Department of Environment and Water on 8th July 2025, advising that Testing undertaken last week has confirmed elevated levels of the Karenia species along the metropolitan coastline, and very high levels at the Garden Island and Outer Harbor boat…

  • Port River Pool: proposal stranded

    Port River Pool: proposal stranded

    No positive progress for the pool was made at the City of Port Adelaide Enfield’s August 12th meeting, when Council considered the Stage 2 Feasibility Study for the proposed Port River Swimming Facility. It was disappointing to FPR that Council decided against lending in-principle support, instead deferring any further consideration to some unknown future time…

  • Environmentalists seek protection for Gillman wetlands and vegetation in face of increased threat

    Environmentalists seek protection for Gillman wetlands and vegetation in face of increased threat

    Update (6.8.25): Minister Champion approved the Lot 502 development, making it more urgent that the remaining Threatened Ecological community (TEC) Subtropical and Temperate Coastal Saltmarsh and wetlands are protected. Local environmentalists are opposing State Government plans to almost triple its T2D spoil reuse facility at Gillman and argue that the SA Planning Minister should rectify…

  • Sub Yard expansion poses Environmental Risks

    Sub Yard expansion poses Environmental Risks

    As the Commonwealth and State Governments develop plans for expanding the Osborne shipyard, several major environmental reports were released for public comment: Both were open for public comment from Monday 3rd February until Monday 17th March, 2025. The Friends of Port River responded to the EIS and SIAR with written submissions: Response to draft EIS_Friends…

  • Port River Swimming Facility
    Swimming in natural environments occurs around Australia – the Port River is an ideal place

    Port River Swimming Facility

    About the proposal Imagine a swimming facility in the Port River where you could undertake morning exercise, a place to cool off during warm days and evenings, a venue for your next catch up with family and friends, and another enjoyable reason to visit the Port Adelaide region. Friends of Port River, with financial assistance…

  • Study of Oyster Recruitment & Biodiversity in Port River

    Study of Oyster Recruitment & Biodiversity in Port River

    Oyster Recruitment and Biodiversity was part of Ishtar Kenny’s PhD studies, at the University of Adelaide. Ishtar investigated Oyster Recruitment and Biodiversity in 3 Robust Oyster Baskets (ROBs) and some mini oyster baskets, and on settlement plates, at two sites in the Port River. The study was seeking to understand how many baby Native oysters…

  • Seagrass monitoring update

    Seagrass monitoring update

    Now low tides during daytime have returned, Friends of Port River (FPR) have gone back to Torrens Island to check on our 3 seagrass monitoring sites at Lipsons. FPR is continuing seagrass monitoring that began with Estuary Care Foundation in 2017. Following heatwaves in Feb 2023 and March 2024, FPR went to Lipsons on March…

  • Yitpi Yartapuultiku’s Living Shoreline

    Yitpi Yartapuultiku’s Living Shoreline

    In 2024 major changes were made to the shoreline fronting Yitpi Yartapuultiku. The old bank was removed and the River given space to show its tidal flows, that vary from approx. 0.2m to 2.7m. The space created allows for rising sea level rise and demonstrates an eco-engineering response to climate change. Two headlands were built…

  • Can potato starch structures assist seagrass recovery?

    Can potato starch structures assist seagrass recovery?

    Field work began this week on Torrens Island deploying potato starch structures (BESE) as a potential aid to seagrass recovery. Dr Alice Jones, The Future Coast Lab, University of Adelaide with local and interstate colleagues, and some volunteers from FPR and Flinders Ports, has been laying out BESE (Biodegradable EcoSystem restoration Elements), as shown below,…

  • Climate Resilient Infrastructure Program

    Climate Resilient Infrastructure Program

    July 2025 amendment: To date this project has not proceeded as outlined below. It’s understood the Coast Protection Board funds remain with City of Port Adelaide Enfield for the proposed governance project. An update was presented to Council’s July 2024 meeting on what Council has termed the Climate Resilient Infrastructure Program (CRIP): “The Climate Resilient…

  • Inadequate draft ADS Management Plan 2024

    Inadequate draft ADS Management Plan 2024

    Friends of the Port River were disappointed with the draft Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary (ADS) Management Plan 2024, which was recently out for public consultation. This is the first update of the ADS Management Plan since the original plan was adopted in 2008 and is proposed as a seven year Plan. It’s hoped that significant improvements…

  • Launch of ECF’s Future Vision

    Launch of ECF’s Future Vision

    On World Environment Day, June 5th, Friends of Port River (FPR) launched online the Estuary Care Foundation’s (ECF) Future Vision for the Port River and Barker Inlet Estuary. The Board of ECF decided to develop a Future Vision in 2022 in anticipation of ECF closing. Catherine McMahon and Alena Gerlek developed the content and Tom…

  • Swimming Facility in Port River – further studies in 2024/25

    Swimming Facility in Port River – further studies in 2024/25

    Since 2020 Estuary Care Foundation has partnered with North Haven Surf Life Saving Club seeking a Tidal Swimming Facility in the Port River. The Coastal Engineering Scoping Study for a Tidal Swimming Facility: Port River, Adelaide was released in November 2023, following City Port Adelaide Enfield consideration of the Study. Council was advised at its…

  • Monitoring Marine Hitchhikers

    Monitoring Marine Hitchhikers

    In January 2024 the Port Environment Centre hosted training for the Marine Hitchhikers of the Green Adelaide Region project, with lead researcher Janine Baker. Catherine McMahon, Friends of Port River attended the training and volunteered to assist the project. The Port River and Barker Inlet Estuary host many ‘marine hitchhikers’, the most prolific of which…