Labor promises $4.85 million for Sturt Reserve play space if elected

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A multi-million-dollar play space will be built on Murray Bridge’s riverfront if Labor wins next month’s federal election.

Assistant Regional Development Minister Anthony Chisholm, Senator Marielle Smith and local Labor candidate James Rothe announced a $4.85 million commitment to the project at Sturt Reserve on Wednesday morning.

The Murray Bridge council would chip in at least another $1.4 million.

What the community would get for that money is a play space on par with the best in South Australia, complete with:

• sand and water play areas
• trampolines, a carousel, a flying fox and a parkour area
• a circle of swings
• hammocks, shade structures and barbecues
• an outdoor classroom
• refurbished public toilets

The play space’s crowning feature would be a climbable, sensory “play sculpture” in the shape of Pondi, the giant cod who carved out the course of the River Murray according to a Ngarrindjeri legend.

In fact, the whole playground was designed in partnership with the Murraylands’ traditional owners, with various elements representing aspects of the legend: a flying fox for the hunter Ngurunderi’s spear, a shade structure shaped like his canoe, and even a mulyewongk – or bunyip – soundscape.

The current Sturt Reserve playground, damaged in the 2022-23 flood, would be demolished to make way for the new space.

Senator Smith described the project as a bold vision for the future of Murray Bridge.

“This is about making sure that all children in Murray Bridge have a fantastic place to learn, to grow, for their families to connect,” she said.

“And it’s a way to celebrate local stories (and) local culture … so the whole community can be proud of its history.

“This place will not only be a beautiful … playground for Murray Bridge families to enjoy, but it will also put this reserve on the map (from) a tourism perspective.”

The promised funding will come through if Labor wins the election and remains in government nationally, regardless of whether Mr Rothe wins in Barker.

Murray Bridge Mayor Wayne Thorley welcomed the announcement.

Having a new playground would be great, he suggested; having it represent an iconic dreamtime story would be “extra special”.

He hoped the project could continue the journey towards reconciliation between Murray Bridge’s Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.

Ngarrindjeri Ruwe Empowered Communities’ Janice Walker expressed the same hope.

She suspected this was the first time an Indigenous people had been so central to the design of a play space for the whole community.

“I’m absolutely honoured, and I think the rest of the Ngarrindjeri people will be honoured,” she said.

“I think everybody needs to be educated about everybody’s culture.”

Ratepayers will not need to pay anything extra towards the council’s $1.4 million contribution – the amount was already included in its budget for 2024-25.

However, the council will budget a bit extra to employ staff to manage the project if it goes ahead.

The council had flagged its plan to build a new play space at Sturt Reserve way back in 2017, when it approved a four-stage master plan for the city's riverfront.

Since then, the community has gained a new skate park, war memorial, rowing centre, Murray Cods memorial and two shelters, and a wharf upgrade is close to being finished.

The play precinct was always meant to be next, but has been on hold since 2023, when the council was unsuccessful in an application for $13.5 million worth of federal funding.

In time, the Sturt Reserve master plan calls for the construction of a riverfront swimming pool, dirt BMX track and more.

Meanwhile, Labor’s promise was the second one made by a political candidate at Sturt Reserve this week.

On Monday, Liberal MP Tony Pasin promised the Murray Bridge council $500,000 for more lighting and security cameras.