Harbour master plans for Cape Jervis and Penneshaw launched
Cape Jervis and Penneshaw Harbours link the community of Kangaroo Island with the mainland and provide visitor access to South Australia’s premier tourist destination. With new Sealink ferries being introduced soon, master planning for the harbour precincts was commissioned to cater for future growth, and to improve user experience, safety and amenity.
Our team has been working with the Department of Infrastructure and Transport since 2022 to prepare precinct master plans describing both long-term directions and short-term improvement opportunities. Both plans have recently been completed and were developed with extensive stakeholder and community engagement.
The Cape Jervis Master Plan includes a new link road concept between the harbour and Main South Road - to provide more efficient and safer access for freight and passenger vehicles in the future. More long-term car and truck parking, a larger boat ramp for recreational and commercial boating, public realm improvements, new cultural spaces, paths and trails, and a pedestrian arrival plaza near the ferry terminal are other highlights of the master plan.
One of the most rewarding parts of the master planning was the way that ‘Designing with Country’ principles were integrated into the master planning. Opportunities to develop the master plan with the Ngarrindjeri Aboriginal Corporation were included from early in the project, for example by:
- Referencing the Kungun Ngarrindjeri Yunnan (Ngarrindjeri Vision for Country)
- Putting forward Ngarrindjeri Planning Principles for the plan
- Mapping Cape Jervis through Ngarrindjeri eyes
- Identifying culturally relevant projects in the master plan.
At Penneshaw the Master Plan proposes a larger heavy vehicle marshalling area to support agricultural exports, car park upgrades, redesigned coach pick-up areas, improved pedestrian access to the terminal and jetty, safety improvements, landscaping upgrades and an ‘infinity walking loop’ around the town centre.
Land use and development opportunities at both townships are also highlighted for private sector investment supporting tourism and local economic development.
Jensen PLUS’ Director Michael worked on both projects:
“Planning for constrained harbour precincts is not easy - especially when one of them is on an island, both are critical transport hubs, and at the same time they shape the first impressions for thousands of visitors. But that’s what makes these projects so rewarding.
Cape Jervis and Penneshaw are not just places to arrive and leave from – they are the front doors to some of South Australia’s most iconic landscapes, and it’s a privilege to plan for making them safer, more functional, and more memorable.”
Read more about the plans here: Master planning for harbour precincts.
