Councils consider UNESCO World Heritage Site bid for Mt Lofty Ranges

Mt Barker mayor Ann Ferguson with the city's new sculpture. Spatial Tension is one of a series to appear across the Mt Lofty Ranges.

Picture: Matt Turner Source: adelaidenow

FOUR councils are about to decide whether to proceed with a bid for UNESCO World Heritage Site listing of the Mt Lofty Ranges agricultural landscape.

The proposal goes before the District Council of Mount Barker tonight, the Adelaide Hills Council and Barossa Council tomorrow, and the City of Onkaparinga next month.

Consultant Stephanie Johnston worked with University of Adelaide professor Randy Stringer and the Mount Lofty Ranges work.

"The world heritage bid is all about going for global branding, so the value of the land and produce lifts, and the tourism aspect is given a boost," she said.

Mt Barker Mayor Ann Ferguson said she would love to see her council support the proposal.

At the unveiling of Luke Zwolsman's bluestone sculpture Spatial Tension, Ms Ferguson said it made her think of the community tension over the loss of farming land to housing.

"It's a portal," she said. "As you look through it or around it, you see the open fields, the heritage we want to keep, and the opposite to that; houses built on fertile land. As you look through it you see that contrast."

Each council will be asked to contribute $10,000 for the current financial year, and possibly $10,000 a year for the next two years, towards preparing the bid.