Onkaparinga’s top 10 stories of 2022
Published on 20 December 2022
This year saw a reawakening of sorts, with the thawing of COVID-19 restrictions and the return of events such as council’s Christmas Pageant after a pandemic-fuelled hiatus.
It was also a year of change in other ways, with three elections, and dozens of huge projects and developments either completed or underway across the City of Onkaparinga.
The resulting list of Onkaparinga Now’s most popular stories in 2022—as clicked by you—covers an eclectic assortment of topics, offering a glimpse into the passions and diversity of Onkaparinga’s strong vibrant communities.
You’re an inquisitive and engaged bunch, and we’re thrilled and grateful you’ve joined us in 2022 to read about the things that make this such a special place to call home! Without further ado, here’s the top 10.
Onkaparinga residents are an active, nature-loving and intrepid populace, with three stories on new trails featuring in the top 10, including the number one spot. The Willunga Basin Trail is the longest trail by far, with the calf-burning 130-kilometre trail opening in April.
The three-year project was completed by volunteer-based Willunga Basin Trail Inc, an incorporated body that partnered with City of Onkaparinga (and received a major state government grant) to create a sustainable and world-class walking trail over varied terrain that showcases the Willunga Basin. If you haven’t managed to hit the trail this year, put it on your to-do list for 2023.
South Australians backed the Adelaide Fringe in 2022 in a big way, with the number of tickets sold increasing by 15 per cent compared to last year.
Onkaparinga residents similarly lapped up the Fringe, with thousands of readers flocking to our guide to the Fringe down south, headlined by the festival’s spectacular McLaren Vale drone artwork centrepiece, SKY SONG, narrated by the late Archie Roach.
When it comes to inspiring stories in 2022, there was no bigger than that Season’s, with her story of resilience and achievement generating thousands of clicks (and probably a few tears) and making it to the front page of the Sunday Mail.
Season had been living in isolation in her home for 20 years after a medical diagnosis as a teenager, but everything changed in 2017 when she was forced to re-emerge into the world, aided by council’s environmental health officers. If you haven’t read it yet, put on the kettle and buckle up for a gripping and hopeful read.
As the opening approached for the new safe and scenic trial connecting the iconic townships of McLaren Flat and McLaren Vale, our readers inhaled the news and began dusting off bikes and walking shoes.
The trail also made for a striking cover shot of our magazine, which hit letterboxes and distribution sites around the city in autumn.
Any fears of 2022 election fatigue were quashed when Onkaparinga Now’s story about the new Council landed, with thousands of residents clicking through to meet their new (and some previous) elected members.
Officially sworn in on Tuesday 22 November, the Council features 10 new elected members, with three re-elected from the immediate past-Council. Stay tuned to Onkaparinga Now in early 2023 as we begin publishing get-to-know-you interviews with the new elected members each month.
You clicked when the trail’s opening drew near, and you clicked again when it opened in June! [Note to self: write more trail stories in 2023].
The opening of any new school is big news, but when it’s a “super school”, it’s… well, super news. Aldinga Payinthi [pronounced bay-in-di] College opened for its inaugural 600-ish students and Aldinga’s growing population in January, with the event garnering headlines across SA, including in Onkaparinga Now alongside smiling Principal Alison Colbeck and year eight student, Ruby.
Before November’s council elections, there it was the state and federal shows, which not only saw a change in both governments, but they also resulted in a massive number of projects headed Onkaparinga’s way.
The newly elected state government committed more than $23 million in funding towards 33 projects (after the City of Onkaparinga advocated for most of them through its Advocacy Plan), adding to millions headed to Onkaparinga that was committed in the lead-up to the federal government election.
Stories about proposed developments always get lots of attention at Onkaparinga Now, and 2022 was no different, with this piece on proposed housing at Hackham and Woodcroft sneaking into the top 10.
Community engagement on both proposals—which could see part of Hackham renamed and land in Woodcroft rezoned—took place in August, with council sharing these private-proponent-led engagements on its Your Say page. We’ll bring you more news on these proposals as they come to hand.
2022 kicked off with the fantastic news that Aldinga Washpool was officially proclaimed as a conservation park, protecting one of Adelaide’s last remaining coastal freshwater and estuarine lagoon systems.
Respondents to City of Onkaparinga’s 2021 Community Survey named “Environment and coastal management” as the top area for council to focus on, so it’s no surprise the Washpool story attracted thousands of readers, sneaking this story into tenth spot.