Port Germein CWA reserve, 1007sqm, may be sold by council

Gardner said no decision has been made on a sale. In his words, “Whether council wants to sell it or not sell it is yet to be determined.” He said the council needs community input, and that if residents value the reserve and the council decides to keep it, that would be the outcome.

Gardner also said that if residents value the reserve, they should start using such assets and take an interest in them.

The numbers

• Land area: 1007sqm, at 29 High St, Port Germein.
• Gifted to the council: in the 1970s, per Gardner.
• Submissions close: 20 November.
• Price point: realcommercial reports that property listings show a similarly sized land block currently on the market for $250,000. That is a listing for a different block, not a valuation of the reserve.

What’s next

If feedback shows the community no longer wants to keep the parcel as public space, Gardner said sale proceeds would fund the council’s community grants program and upkeep of other Port Germein reserves, among them the nearby Soldiers Memorial.

Future use of the land would depend on its rezoning, he said. He considered residential development unlikely, even though the council region has a housing shortage, because the block is surrounded by commercial businesses.

The report says community sentiment has been mixed. Some locals questioned on social media how the council could sell something that was gifted to the community. Others described the reserve as unused and overgrown and hoped any sale proceeds would go towards reducing council rates.

Gardner said some residents have carried out native plantings on the reserve, but there are no significant trees or indigenous plant species on the land.

He said the council has previously consulted on other council reserves and assets. The report says that process saw some towns take more ownership of their local land, with the council helping out through mowing and supplying plants.

Residents who want to comment can lodge a submission with Mount Remarkable Council before the 20 November close. The council has not made a decision, and no sale has been agreed.

Source: realcommercial, 12 November 2026. Related: Regional SA’s $115 billion pipeline hinges on water, RDSA says.