The District Council of Yankalilla has secured funding for a $587 000 upgrade to improve the visitor experience at Ingalalla Falls and Second Valley Forest.

The funding will allow stage 2 of the Second Valley Forest ‘Shared Stewardship Sustainable Trails’ to go ahead.

This will see the creation of a new carpark to increase capacity, installation of accessible toilet facilities and upgrade of sections of the current trail to Ingalalla Falls to class two to make the walk suitable for wheelchair users and family groups.

Two loop walking trails will also be established at Ingalalla Falls (1.2km) and Barton Ruins (2.2km).

Stage 2 is being delivered in partnership with Council and Forestry SA and funded through multiple sources including;

• $250,000 from the South Australia Government’s Opening our Great Outdoors Fund
• $160,000 from the South Australia Government’s Nature-based Tourism Co-investment Fund
• $130,000 from the Australia Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program
• $47,000 from the District Council of Yankalilla (including a portion of in-kind contributions)

Construction of the new accessible toilet facilities is expected to commence in April 2022 and be completed in June 2022, with the rest of the project to be staged over the next year, to be completed in mid-2023.

Forestry SA and Council have already demonstrated their successful working relationship having completed stage 1 earlier this year with two new multi-use trails, the Wilampa Trail and Jones Journey opening in Second Valley Forest.

A further stage 3 of the project proposes new hike and bike ride trails, visitor infrastructure, signage and safety barriers.

District Council of Yankalilla Mayor Simon Rothwell says the site attracted over 48,720 visitors last year.

“I’d particularly like to thank the group of enthusiastic local youth who have now formed Fleurieu Trails, they wanted to see more trails and bike tracks in the forest, so they have been proactively working with us and assisted with advocacy by hosting Ministers out onsite, which has assisted to secure the funding,” Mayor Rothwell said.