35 South Building Co Director Ben Kernahan, Alexandrina Mayor Keith Parkes, Alexandrina Council Chief Executive Officer Andrew MacDonald, and Langhorne Creek Grape and Wine Executive Officer Lian Jaensch.
Langhorne Creek Discovery Trail Reaches Major Milestone with Builder Announced
Fleurieu Peninsula-based firm 35 South Building Co has been awarded the contract to construct the Langhorne Creek Discovery Trail, marking a major step forward for one of the region’s most significant placemaking and economic development projects.
The company was selected from a strong line-up of submissions to design and build the long-awaited visitor and community attraction in the premier wine region by April 2027.
Council’s Economic Development and Projects teams have been working closely with the community-embedded Project Partnership Group (PPG) to bring the project to this point. The PPG model, bringing together the Langhorne Creek Grape and Wine Association, the Langhorne Creek Hub, the Ngarrindjeri Aboriginal Corporation, and Council, has been central to the Trail from the very beginning, ensuring the project is shaped collaboratively and grounded in local knowledge.
Alexandrina Mayor Keith Parkes said Council and its community partners were excited to announce this milestone step in the Trail project and were looking forward to working with 35 South Building Co.
“The Langhorne Creek Discovery Trail has been a long-term ambition for the Langhorne Creek community and Council, and we’re excited to work with a firm that shares our vision to create a standout visitor attraction for Langhorne Creek,” Mayor Parkes said.
“35 South Building Co stood out for its thoughtful and creative approach, demonstrating a clear understanding of Langhorne Creek and the site for the Discovery Trail, a commitment to working respectfully with First Nations perspectives, and an appreciation of the Trail’s potential to support future tourism activity.
“Now that we have 35 South Building Co on board, the construction design phase will begin. The local community will have the opportunity to view the final design before work starts on the ground in the second half of this year.”
35 South Building Co Director Ben Kernahan said his company was extremely proud to be awarded the contract to construct the Langhorne Creek Discovery Trail.
“It reflects years of effort from local community groups and individuals, and we’re pleased to help bring their vision to life,” Mr Kernahan said.
“At 35 South, we’re all about making the Fleurieu better, one project at a time – and the Langhorne Creek Discovery Trail will be a big part of that story.”
Late last year, Council received a $7.06 million grant from the Australian Government through the ‘regional Precincts and Partnerships Program (rPPP)’ to deliver the Langhorne Creek Discovery Trail.
The rPPP grant will fund the construction of a 1.8mwide, 2.8km shared-use pathway with recreational spaces, wayfinding and tourism signage, landscaping and pathway furniture, safety infrastructure and intersection upgrades.
Council’s endorsed concept design for the Trail starts the multipurpose pathway at the intersection of Kent Town Road and Langhorne Creek Road near Bremerton Wines, before winding through the township, Memorial Park and Frank Potts Reserve, and ending at Bleasdale Winery.
“Langhorne Creek is a long-established, high-quality wine-producing region located in a beautiful part of Alexandrina, but it’s a bit of a hidden gem in the suite of tourism wine regions in South Australia,” Mayor Parkes said.
“We believe building a walking and cycling trail as a ‘hero attraction’ will help boost the profile of Langhorne Creek as a destination and will unlock new opportunities for local businesses to innovate, diversify, and grow through increased tourism activity.”