There is a continued portrayal in the media—both social and traditional—that Mt Barker is a failure. The booming Adelaide Hills destination, which has experienced rapid population growth following the rezoning of agricultural land for residential suburbia-style housing since 2010, has seen significant strain on the district’s infrastructure, despite cries from the local council and residents that this move would have adverse effects. No surprises that last year (2023), SA Premier Peter Malinauskas admitted that Mt Barker is, in fact, a “prime example “of town planning failure and that “both sides of government” dropped the ball on our town.

Broken roads, a lack of public amenities, continued traffic congestion, and overcrowding at the district’s public schools are daily challenges for local residents. However, despite these issues, Mt Barker is not a failure but rather an example of failing investment from the State Government. Developers have created stunning estates with beautiful parks and excellent community amenities, such as barbecue spaces and playgrounds. The wide streets and footpaths, convenient and spread-out shops, as well as a range of private education facilities, daycares, and gym options, contribute to a high quality of life in our town. Initiatives led by developers have transformed streetscapes by reintroducing native plants at their own expense. So, the failure of Mt Barker is not the fault of the developers but rather the State Government’s failing to support it.

Overcrowding at the town’s only public high school, hospitals running at ‘code white’ nearly all the time, and State-managed streets riddled with potholes are ongoing issues. However, as a resident, navigating residential estates and privately planned and developed areas within the town is anything but a failure. Developers like Lanser, Metro Homes SA, Burke Urban, Peet, and others have significantly contributed to making the growing Hills community incredibly livable, partly due to being guided by the Mt Barker Deed and zoning rules established by the former Labor State Government and Mt Barker Council.

I believe that the private companies benefiting from the town’s growth have largely honored their commitment to developing it properly, planning for its expansion, and ensuring the regional town is sustainable. They should be praised for their efforts to ensure their estates are well planned and livable. Yes, developers are often slow to complete public amenities that do not directly profit them, but unlike previous State governments, they are genuinely committed to planning and developing these amenities. While there are various issues regarding their operations (such as construction litter and small block sizes), they deserve recognition for their planning efforts at the very least.

For more than a decade, the Mt Barker District Council has been pleading for help with the projected growth of the town following its forced rezoning. In 2010, the then-Labor State Government promised support but failed to deliver on it. That promise never materialized, contributing to the region’s reputation as a failure today. However, due to ongoing pressure from our independent political representatives, Dan Cregan (State) and Rebekha Sharkie (Federal), we are finally seeing investment from the current State and Federal governments—though it is a decade too late and less than originally promised in 2010.

We now have a new “state-of-the-art” hospital under construction, a new ambulance station, a new primary school and kindergarten, an investigation into a new or expanded high school, a significant investment in a new aquatics center (led by the Council), a multi-million-dollar intersection/freeway upgrade, and a serious investigation into passenger rail to and from the Hills. Mt Barker isn’t a failure; it was failed by previous governments. Instead of reporting on any future residential development with the banner of “it won’t be another Mt Barker,” let’s turn to our politicians and hold them accountable for how they failed our town in the past, ensuring they do not fail another.

I’m glad we’re finally seeing the State and Federal governments invest in Mt Barker, as it deserves it. Mt Barker isn’t a failure; it was failed by politics so let’s make sure they don’t fail Murray Bridge the same way.

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