A $10 million dollar project announced in June 2021 will create a purpose-built village for Aboriginal Elders living in Adelaide, South Australia.
The project is a partnership between the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC), the Kaurna Yerta Aboriginal Corporation, the national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander not for profit housing provider Aboriginal Community Housing Limited (ACHL) and the South Australian State Government.
The Aboriginal Independent Living Village project will be built on part of a 5.8-hectare property purchased by the ILSC on behalf of the native title holders of the Adelaide plains area, the Kaurna Yerta Aboriginal Corporation.
The proposed development will include 40 individual homes to be built on 1.3 hectares of the ILSC owned property that is located 13km south of the CBD close to ‘Warriparinga’, a culturally significant site near the Sturt River in Bedford Park.
Kaurna Nation Pangkarra Property Trust Chair Garth Agius said the Aboriginal Independent Living Village is a welcome opportunity for both the Pangkarra Trust and the Kaurna Nation.
“Adelaide has been our home for thousands of years,” Mr Agius said. “This is still our traditional lands, our Yarta, our country Pangkarra, but as the Traditional Owners we still do not own our own homes,” Mr Agius said.
ILSC’s Group CEO Joe Morrison said the organisation was proud to play a pivotal role in providing a culturally appropriate independent living solution for Aboriginal people in South Australia.
“The ILSC believes the joint approach between native title holders, Indigenous community organisations, the State Government and a federal government entity is the key to successfully delivering a project which will provide long term social and cultural benefits for Aboriginal elders on Kaurna country,” said Mr Morrison.
The ILSC will continue to work closely with the Kaurna Yerta Aboriginal Corporation (KYAC) to hand the property back to its subsidiary, Kaurna Pangkarra Property Trust.
ACHL will oversee the construction of the village that is due to commence in 2022.