Leigh Creek Transformation
Dear Leigh Creek Stakeholder
Welcome
This webpage is the South Australian Government’s dedicated webpage for information on the Leigh Creek Future Town Plan. This webpage will be regularly updated with a range of information. Should there be any further detail you wish to see, your feedback will be valued by emailing leighcreektransformation@sa.gov.au.
Community Meetings
The next Community Meeting is Thursday 23 May 2024 from 5.30pm - 7.30pm in the Leigh Creek Community Centre.
The OCA, in discussion with the Leigh Creek Community Progress Association and other nearby communities has scheduled regular community engagement meetings for Leigh Creek Task Force representatives to update progress on the transformation and understand community issues. The OCA aims to ensure that there is a good feedback loop that flows information between the community and Task Force Implementation Committee.
Bi-monthly meetings will be held on Thursdays from 5.30pm - 7.30pm in the Leigh Creek Community Church, all welcome.
The Community Meeting Schedule for 2024 can be found here.
Leigh Creek Future Town Plan
The state government is committed to Leigh Creek becoming a sustainable and open town and a thriving regional tourist hub, and service centre for surrounding northern Flinders Ranges communities.
The Future Township Plan provides the greatest certainty to those who call Leigh Creek home.
The 2020-21 State Budget provided an additional $30.6 million to transform Leigh Creek from a former government owned and company-controlled town to an open public town, bringing the total budget to $43.6 million over four years.
This process will include:
- a new town management model with wider representation from the northern Flinders Ranges communities to be explored and determined during the transformation period,
- the demolition of houses and commercial structures and decommissioning of infrastructure in line with the new Town Plan,
- a process for the sale of residential and commercial properties prioritising current lease holders and residents. In the event that residents do not or cannot purchase the houses, options for rental stock will be provided,
- a new purpose-built health and ambulance facility for the region, and
- upgrade of the critical aerodrome, including resurfacing of runways, new fencing and upgraded navigation system.
It is vital that the town is sized and structured to ensure it can sustain itself and thrive in the short, medium and long term. Leaving the unused and dilapidated structures to deteriorate further will detract from Leigh Creek making it an uninviting and unwelcoming place to live and visit.
The significant transformation program planned will also provide important economic stimulus for Leigh Creek and surrounding communities while the works are undertaken and beyond.
More detailed information is provided in a frequently asked questions (FAQ) document that can be accessed on this webpage.
The South Australian Government’s Leigh Creek Task Force in partnership with the Outback Communities Authority (OCA) will deliver the transformation. Additional OCA staff will be based at Leigh Creek to support the community via regular consultation, updates and communication throughout the transformation.
The Leigh Creek Task Force will continue to provide updated information at Leigh Creek about the transformation process as the new Town Plan is delivered and Leigh Creek re-emerges as a strong and vital town.
The Leigh Creek Task Force and responsible agencies
The Department for Energy and Mining (DEM) leads the multi-agency Leigh Creek Task Force which provides the oversight and governance required to oversee the effective and coordinated delivery of the Future Town Plan.
The Task Force is independently chaired by Paul Case, former public service chief executive and comprises senior representatives from a wide range of agencies involved directly or indirectly with services to Leigh Creek. The Task Force provides a continuous oversight of the program’s management including the schedule, budget, agency coordination, issues management, reporting, communication and engagement and also provides advice on key issues to you as lead minister.
The Task Force’s sub-group Implementation Committee meets weekly to coordinate the implementation projects by the various responsible agencies, to address matters arising in a timely manner and provides advice to the Task Force.
The Department for Infrastructure (DIT) is responsible for the project management and budget management of the demolition and the new clinic construction works through its Building Projects unit, and for the disposal of the township’s infrastructure by sale or transfer through its Property Directorate unit. Recently, the Transport Delivery unit has taken over the responsibility for delivering the aerodrome upgrade project.
The Outback Communities Authority (OCA) will retain responsibility for town management until at least 2024 whilst a new town management model is determined and proposes to implement a Community Contribution Scheme Levy by January 2023 to contribute to ongoing maintenance of the town.
SA Water has responsibility for the decommissioning the water and sewerage networks in line with the demolition.
Information about the Transformation Progress
- Leigh Creek Transformation Map
- Delta Group: Leigh Creek Township Transformation - November 2022 Schedule of Works
- Delta Group: Leigh Creek Township Transformation - October 2022 Schedule of Works
- Delta Group: Leigh Creek Township Transformation - September 2022 Schedule of Works
- Delta Group: Leigh Creek Township Transformation - August 2022 Schedule of Works
- High Level Implementation Schedule until June 2022
- Delta Group: Demolition Program Plans - Construction Environmental Management Plan
- Delta Group: Demolition Program Plans - Asbestos Management Plan
- Demolition Phase 1 Work Packages
- Leigh Creek Demolition Areas - Salvage Items and Sale Process
- Transformation Program Opportunities
- DIT Project Works
Property Sales Information
- Open Market Sales Process - Available property will be marketed for sale from Tuesday 8 March 2022 posted online on the McGees Property website www.adl.mcgees.com.au and in the Advertiser newspaper. Simon Lambert, McGees Property, expects to conduct open inspections for property going to market 18 & 19 March 2022. More details will be provided on 8 March 2022.
- Advice on new Residential Tenancy Applications
- Land Agent Property Sales and Rental Properties Q&A
- Effective Body Corporate 101
Leigh Creek Transformation Future Governance and Town Services
As the Leigh Creek Future Town Plan progresses, and the community continues its transformation, it is important that a representative incorporated body is at the helm to express the views of community members. Moving forward it is envisaged that a Community Contribution Scheme will be implemented in Leigh Creek. A Community Contribution Scheme (CCS) is a fixed unit charge payable by all landowners based on the levels of service determined by the community.
The OCA supports the creation of a ‘Ratepayers Association’ or similar, for Leigh Creek, comprised of property and business owners, as well as long term rental tenants. Below is a preliminary draft constitution for such an association for discussion, complete with membership requirements that would ensure it represents the whole community. If you have any feedback or would like to share your opinion on the proposed Ratepayers Association model, please contact the OCA at OCA@sa.gov.au or on 1800 640 542.
Leigh Creek Community Affiars Resourcing and Management (CARM) Agreement 2023/2024 - DRAFT
Residents and Ratepayer Association Member ship Registration Form
Residents and Ratepayer Association Final Constitution
Leigh Creek's Transitioning Waste Management Model
The Outback Communities Authority (OCA) has been actively working on a sustainable waste management model for Leigh Creek and the surrounding northern Flinders Ranges community that will ensure waste management needs are met moving forward, whilst also working towards the implementation of Australia's 'National Waste Policy' along with a need to comply with the obligations under its EPA licence for the Leigh Creek Landfill.
The National Waste Policy has been designed to respond to the challenges facing waste management and resource recovery in Australia and help Australia move towards a circular economy. It aims to eliminate excess waste from going into landfill by re-using resources via recycling, remanufacturing, repairing and the sale of second-hand goods.
The Leigh Creek landfill is transitioning to receiving exclusively putrescible (domestic) waste and a purpose-built Resource Recovery Centre is being constructed closer to Leigh Creek that will accept locally generated hard waste (wood, metal etc) and locally generated solvents, paints, oils, and batteries that will be sent away for recycling.
To encourage the community to join the circular economy and to keep fees to a minimum, the OCA will be setting up a Reuse / Recycle shop where you will be able to donate and buy second-hand goods as well as having the opportunity to volunteer. This model has been highly successful in communities throughout Australia, not just for encouraging recycling, but also for reducing reusable items going into landfill.
As part of the new waste management model, user-pay charges will be implemented in January 2023 to manage kerbside collection and disposal operations. The OCA is evaluating plans to introduce a recycling system to further reduce items going into landfill by 1 January 2023.
The OCA highly encourages the local community to look at waste management as a shared responsibility. The choices we make in what we buy, how we use products and how we dispose of them are central to improving the way we manage waste in our region. The OCA will also be looking at providing education on recycling and waste management as this new model comes into effect.
For more information on the National Waste Policy, visit: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/protection/waste/how-we-manage-waste/national-waste-policy.
OCA: Future of Leigh Creek: Stakeholder and Community Engagement
From February – May 2022, Innovative Influences on behalf of the OCA began a comprehensive engagement process with the Leigh Creek and northern Flinders Ranges Community on what a future Leigh Creek will look like, how it is governed or managed and the desired levels of service required to support the Leigh Creek community. Included within the deliverables was a conversation on how these services will be paid for through the introduction of a Community Contribution Scheme (CCS).
OCA: Future of Leigh Creek: Stakeholder and Community Engagement is a summary report providing a compilation of feedback received over the engagement period, both online and in person. The community engagement on the future of Leigh Creek report is available here and addresses the following:
- What a future Leigh Creek will look like
- What services and levels of service are a priority
- The desired future community assets
- How Leigh Creek is governed or managed in the future
This summary will be used to create a model for the implementation of a Community Contribution Scheme in Leigh Creek as well as to establish a future governance model.
In October 2023, Innovation Influences on behalf of the OCA returned to Leigh Creek to facilitate an engagement process with the community. This second round of engagement included two community workshops (face-to-face), a Town Walk activity and Community BBQ.
The sessions focused on bringing people together, sharing of information and creating genuine opportunities for stakeholder input on:
- A vision for the newly created public recreational space
- Town signage
- The desired future use of community assets
- How Leigh Creek community groups could be structured to improve collaboration and impact
The community engagement report and what we heard summary are available on the links.
Industry Briefings
Leigh Creek 25 March 2021: This event was open to local businesses and people interested in working on the project from Leigh Creek and the surrounding regions who have the capability and capacity to work with the successful head contractor and associated supply chain in the delivery of this project for the region.
Port Augusta 3 August 2021
This event provided more information about the Leigh Creek Township Transformation project works and provided the opportunity to meet with the head contractors that may tender for the work.
Bringing together representatives from the project team and potential tenderers provided an opportunity for businesses to understand the project specifics, workforce and supply chain opportunities.
Click here for a copy of the Demolition industry briefing presentation 3 August 2021
Community Meeting Presentations
Presentations from previous community engagement meetings can be accessed below:
Leigh Creek News
Frequently Asked Questions
The Leigh Creek FAQs will be regularly updated as information becomes available
Contacts
Government Agency | Contact | Phone | |
OCA: | Tracy Neldner | 08 8675 2126 | oca@sa.gov.au |
DIT Property: | Peter Thomas | 08 8343 2605 | |
Leigh Creek Task Force: | Vicki Beard, Project Manager | 0438 850 059 |