Willunga Mainstreet

Walking around Willunga, it is beautiful to watch people enjoying the Mainstreet Project, sitting and standing on the handcrafted slate walls and timber block seats. To watch people’s curiosity piqued by the artefacts contained within the street furniture and the brass interpretative signage. The shade of the tree planting and gardens provide new levels of amenity for the town.

The project represents over a decade of negotiations between the local community and the City of Onkaparinga. The project team including Mulloway Studio, engaged with the community to create an innovative urban design for the Main Road and High Street, which now delivers a new public realm while maintaining the unique character of the town.

New slate gutters and rain gardens were designed to reflect the creeklines of the Willunga escarpment. The slate paving and layout of the project used the measurements of the Gunter Chain, a historical survey device, which was instrumental in the enclosure and settlement of South Australia. Finally, new gardens were designed using a zig-zag crown-like shape, a whimsical nod to the King of the Mountain status that Willunga Hill has for cyclists around the world.

Although the project has at times been contentious, the transformation has been significant. The various design elements collectively create a richly layered public realm, embedded with history, influenced by the community, contextual and yet contemporary.

Similar projects: Victor Harbor Mainstreet Precinct,  Walker Place,  Victor Harbor Foreshore Amphitheatre, Virginia Mainstreet Concept,  Stirling Village Mainstreet Concept