Alexandrina Council has awarded a contract to deliver the Langhorne Creek Discovery Trail to Fleurieu Peninsula-based construction firm, 35 South Building Co.
The Council said the company was selected from a strong line-up of submissions to design and build the long-awaited visitor and community attraction in the premier wine region by April 2027.
Mayor, Keith Parkes said Council and its community partners looked forward to working with 35 South Building Co.
“The Langhorne Creek Discovery Trail has been a long-term ambition for the Langhorne Creek community and Council, and we’re excited to work with a firm that shares our vision to create a standout visitor attraction for Langhorne Creek,” Mayor Parkes said.
“35 South Building Co stood out for its thoughtful and creative approach, demonstrating a clear understanding of Langhorne Creek and the site for the Discovery Trail, a commitment to working respectfully with First Nations perspectives, and an appreciation of the Trail’s potential to support future tourism activity.
“Now that we have 35 South Building Co on board, the construction design phase will begin. The local community will have the opportunity to view the final design before work starts on the ground in the second half of this year.”
Director, Ben Kernahan said his company was extremely proud to be awarded the contract to construct the Langhorne Creek Discovery Trail.
“It reflects years of effort from local community groups and individuals, and we’re pleased to help bring their vision to life,” Mr Kernahan said.
“At 35 South, we’re all about making the Fleurieu better, one project at a time – and the Langhorne Creek Discovery Trail will be a big part of that story.”
Late last year, Council received a $7.06 million grant from the Australian Government through the ‘regional Precincts and Partnerships Program (rPPP)’ to deliver the Langhorne Creek Discovery Trail. The rPPP grant will fund the construction of a 1.8m-wide, 2.8km shared-use pathway with recreational spaces, wayfinding and tourism signage, landscaping, pathway furniture, safety infrastructure and intersection upgrades.
The project activation is now being led by the Project Partnership Group, which comprises the Langhorne Creek Grape and Wine Association, Langhorne Creek Hub, the Ngarrindjeri Aboriginal Corporation, and Alexandrina Council.
Council’s endorsed concept design for the Trail starts the multi-purpose pathway at the intersection of Kent Town Road and Langhorne Creek Road near Bremerton Wines, before winding through the township, Memorial Park and Frank Potts Reserve, and ending at Bleasdale Winery.
“Langhorne Creek is a long-established, high-quality wine-producing region located in a beautiful part of Alexandrina, but it’s a bit of a hidden gem in the suite of tourism wine regions in South Australia,” Mayor Parkes said.
“We believe building a walking and cycling trail as a ‘hero attraction’ will help boost the profile of Langhorne Creek as a destination and will unlock new opportunities for local businesses to innovate, diversify, and grow through increased tourism activity.”
