Sustainability

The Patawalonga Creek was once connected to the Torrens River and Port River through the reed bed system bounded on the west by a wall of sand dunes and to the east of wetlands. Over time there have been many structural modifications resulting in a greatly altered ecosystem and landscape prone to flooding and pollution problems.

The Patawalonga Catchment covers 235 square km and takes in parts of the City of Adelaide, the eastern, western and southern suburbs and a portion of the southern Adelaide Hills. There are six sub catchments or surface drainage systems, the two in Unley and Brown Hill Creek and Keswick Creek.

 

Brown Hill Creek drains an area approximately 36 square km. The creek rises near Stirling in steep country which, although not urbanised, has been largely cleared. The rural catchment contains Brown Hill Creek Recreation Park. Within the urban area, the catchment is defined by council drainage systems. In Unley, Brown Hill Creek has retained a natural flow path and has a number of linear parks along its banks and for significant lengths is in private property.

Keswick Creek drains approximately 31 square km and has two main tributaries, Glen Osmond and Parklands Creeks, both of which contain some rural catchment. The catchment of Glen Osmond Creek includes a significant part of the Southern Eastern Freeway while the Parklands Creek drains part of the southern section of the City of Adelaide.

In Unley, Glen Osmond and Parklands Creek are both highly engineered and in many reaches have been confined to concrete culverts for flood mitigation purposes.

Locally, Indigenous plants are easy to establish as they have already adapted to the local soil, rainfall and temperature. They are also easy to maintain as they require little pruning or fertilising. Importantly, local Indigenous plants require very little watering once established.

'Kertaweeta' - The Black Forest

The area known by Kaurna as Kertaweeta (scrub with reeds) extended from the eastern foothill suburbs of Burnside, Erindale, Beaumont, Glen Osmond, south-west through to Urrbrae, Malvern, Mitcham, Unley, Goodwood, Wayville, South Adelaide, Black Forest, Hyde Park, Clarence Park, Plympton, Edwardstown, St Marys and the River Sturt near Marion.

The name 'Black Forest' is reputed to have been given as a result of the dark coloured tree bark and thick dark green foliage.

The Urban Forest Biodiversity Program reports that grazing, agriculture, horticulture, residential development and industry have progressively all but replaced the unique flora and fauna of the Adelaide Plains. Less than 2% of the original habitat is left intact and remaining native plants and animals are finding it increasingly difficult to survive.

Individual trees from the original Black Forest still exist within the City of Unley but only one remaining strand of grey-box woodland can be found in Heywood Park at Northgate Street, Unley Park.

Information for this article has been sourced from a book by local Millswood resident, Darrell Kraehenbuehl 'Pre-European Vegetation of Adelaide: A Survey from the Gawler River to Hallett Cove' (1996).

Adelaide Gardens Planting Guide

Although not a replica of the original Black Forest, the Clarence Park Biodiversity Garden features local native plants that would have been found in the original Black Forest.

As only 2% of original vegetation remains on the Adelaide Plains, this garden is of significant importance and acts as a genetic material repository for local Indigenous plants.

The garden is not intended to be a miniature replication of the original Black Forest but rather a demonstration garden that uses local native Indigenous plants, which can be appreciated by the community. A variety of 30-40 plants of different size, colour and movement have been chosen that can be planted in most home gardens. Visit our Biodiversity page for further information on Unley's Native Plants.

The garden's other environmental features include a rainwater tank and photovoltaic cells.

The 900L rainwater tank captures water from the roof and its overflow goes into the garden and the aquifer system. The tank's water is used to flush to toilets which are gravity fed. The use of tanks has the potential to save approximately 28% (22kL) of mains water used per year.

Water saving devices at the Clarence Park Community Centre include a AAA tap aerator which has reduced tap flow to 9L per minute, Aqualoc tap washers which has reduced tap flow to 6L a minute and a timing device for the kitchen water heater so it only heats when there is a demand for the water.

The Clarence Park Community Centre also has three solar (photovoltaic) cells.
 

Photovoltaic Cells

• The 1440 watt grid connected system provides enough electricity to power the house next door with 2500 kWh per year, an estimated saving of $300 per year and two tonnes per year of carbon dioxide.
• Over the Christmas break when the centre is not open, the electricity meter turns anticlockwise or backwards where electricity is put back into the national electricity grid system

Three solar cells were installed and funded by the City of Unley and the Australian Greenhouse Office.

Many of the plants and trees have been grown from collected seed and cuttings, which has enabled them to be replaced in areas where they would naturally have been found.

Of the estimated 725 species of plants originally found in the City of Unley, 140 are now extinct and 393 are rare or threatened. The Windsor Street Linear Reserve is an opportunity to assist in addressing the loss of these plants.

Visit our Native Plants page for a list of Unley's Native Plants.

Plants at the Windsor Street Linear Reserve include:

• Austral Trefoil (Lotus australis)
• Button Everlasting (Helichrysum scopiodes)
• Common Vanilla-lily (Arthropodium strictum)
• Elegant Spear Grass (Austrostipa elegantissima)
• Finger Rush (Juncus subsecundus)
• Goodenia (Goodenia amplexans)
• Grey Box (Eucalyptus microcarpa)
• Hop-bush Wattle (Acacia dodonaifolia)
• Knobby Club Rush (Isolepsis nodosa)
• Native Buttercup (Ranunculus lappaceus)
• Native Lilac (Hardenbergia violacea)
• Pale Rush (Juncus pallidus)
• Round leafed wattle (Acacia acinacae)
• Running Postman (Kennedia prostrata)
• Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis)
• Tall Blue Bell (Wahlenbergia stricta)

Improving and maintaining Unley’s Urban Forest

The City of Unley is an urban environment noted for its tree-lined streets, parks and private gardens. The protection of Unley’s trees and street trees is particularly important to mitigating the impacts of climate, the urban heat island effect and a range of other benefits. This work is guided in detail by the City of Unley Tree Strategy.
 
There is also an excellent opportunity for more verges to be planted. Most are currently dolomite which is not water permeable. If these are replaced with loam and low plantings or with lawn maintained by residents, it will help improve soil moisture, reflected heat and add to the cool, green feel of the City. 

Ongoing work in parks, reserves, residential gardens and the encouragement of local food production is still underway.

Key initiatives that fall under this theme include:

• Trees
• Habitat boxes
• Verge gardening by residents
• Biodiversity native plantings
• Maintenance of parks and open space
• Encouragement of private plantings
• Food security including encouraging local food production
• Community gardens at Fern Avenue, the Goody Patch and Morrie Harrell Reserve.

Efficient, effective and sustainable water management

 

The City of Unley is committed to have water sensitive urban design as a feature and reducing its dependency on River Murray water, while also maintaining its parks, reserves and street trees. Rain gardens and other Water Sensitive Urban Design measures are important to both conserve water and improve water quality by reducing stormwater pollution.

There has been excellent progress in recent years to waterproof the City, by providing recycled water options to most of its parks and reserves through the Glenelg to Adelaide Parklands Recycled Water Project (GAP) and Managed Aquifer Recharge schemes (MAR).

There are a range of Waterwise actions you can take such as installing rainwater tanks, selecting water wise plants, mulch and wicking beds, and taking shorter showers.

Key initiatives that fall under this theme include:

• Water Sensitive Urban Design (for example, diversions for watering street trees, rain gardens and permeable paving)
• Continue expansion of MAR and GAP networks and the use of their recycled water
• Reducing water use, planting water wise plants, capture and reuse of water
• Waterproofing parks and gardens

Increasing resilience to changes in climate

The City of Unley has partnered with the other Eastern Region Alliance (ERA) Councils and Adelaide City Council to develop a Climate Change Adaptation Plan for the eastern region called Resilient East.

The plan outlines key vulnerabilities to climate change across the eastern region and a range of adaptation decision making and planning options at a regional and individual Council level.

For The City of Unley key vulnerabilities are anticipated from increased heatwave frequency and duration and more intense periods of rainfall. Resilient East provides a number of preferred options for the eastern region to increase our resilience to climate change.

Key initiatives that fall under this theme include:

• Implement Resilient East
• Innovate/new ideas
• Heatwave management
• Mitigating the urban heat island effect
• Green infrastructure - see Strategic Directions and Case Studies
• Flood management - Brown Hill Keswick Creek Stormwater Project
• Building strategies 

Excellence in waste management, through diversion, avoidance and re-use

The City of Unley is committed to reducing waste, from both its own operations and the community, and to the management of waste in a sustainable manner. Council offers several options for recycling and waste disposal including kerbside collections, hard rubbish collections and a range of other services and education programs to support our community.

This work is guided by the Waste Management Strategy 2013-2017 which includes activities to provide innovative and responsive waste management practices that promote recycling and reduce waste. It incorporates best management practices to manage the waste collected by Council.

Key initiatives that fall under this theme include:

• Domestic Waste – education, re-use, organics, hard rubbish
• Commercial Waste – organics, recycle construction
• Council leader in waste management – alternate recycling, operations, our usage

Increasing the energy efficiency of the City

Our modern Australian lifestyle is very energy intensive. We have become high electricity users. Our homes, which are now larger, commonly contain air-conditioning and many electrical appliances which rely heavily on fossil fuels that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Electricity prices have increased over the last few years, resulting in increased operation expenses.

By combining reduction of energy usage with uptake of renewable sources, we can make a big difference in reducing electricity consumption, reduce carbon footprint, contribute to climate change mitigation and reduce risk against future electricity price rises.

Key initiatives that fall under this theme include:

• Renewable energy (solar, wind, battery storage)
• LED lighting
• Improving energy efficiency of buildings (eg insulation, management systems, heating/cooling upgrades)

For lots of ways to reduce your energy bills at home or in your small business, visit the Energy Smart Saver website.

• Resilient East - Regional Climate Change Adaptation Plan
• Natural Resources - Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges - Natural Resources Management Plan
• Natural Resources - Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges - Green Infrastructure
• Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Water Sensitive Cities
• City of Unley Green Infrastructure Strategic Directions
• City of Unley Green Infrastructure Case Studies
   

 

• Read our Verges Planting Guide for ideas and suggestions on planting your verge.
• If you currently have dolomite that needs to be removed and replaced with soil, decide if you plan to complete this work yourself, engage a landscape contractor or have City of Unley complete the work for a fee subject to a quote.
• Prior to starting any works, fill in an Alter a Public Road Application Form and tick the create nature strip box.

Please note, even though verges are classified as part of a public road under the Local Government Act 1999, and as such are owned by Council, your property can benefit directly from improved kerb appeal in your street. 

Our display verges at Edmund Avenue showcase a variety of plants and treatments that you could use to transform your verge into an attractive garden feature.

Take a stroll down Edmund Avenue, Unley and be inspired by contemporary, cottage, natural and formal layout examples, including different path ideas. All meet the guidelines of safe plant choices and low plant heights to ensure good sight lines for road users.

The Unley Verges Planting Guide provides planning advice, landscaping rules, garden design ideas and plant suggestions for greening your nature strip.

Please read this guide carefully to make sure your project will not inadvertently harm street trees or other users of the area.

Unley Verge Planting Guide

Planting Guidelines Summary

1. Plantings are to be kept lower than 600mm in height to ensure adequate vision for vehicles entering and leaving driveways.
2. Inform Council if you are planning on installing irrigation to the verge. The pipework will need to go under the footpath and Council will need to be aware in advance
3. Locate underground services like pipes and cables before undertaking any type of works involving digging in the ground. Contact Dial before You Dig on 1100 before you start.
4. During landscaping works, special consideration should be given to preserving the vital root system of any trees within the verge.
5. Keep tools and other items off the road and footpath to prevent passers-by from tripping on them. The area must be kept safe at all times.
6. To prevent stormwater pollution, materials such as soil or mulch must be swept up from hard surfaces such as the footpath and gutter.
7. After planting it will be your responsibility to care for your new verge garden. Keep them watered, free from weeds and pruned if they start spreading too high or onto the footpath.

The Greening Your Verge Incentive Project is run by the City of Unley and is open to residents and organisations within the City of Unley.

1. Applications will be assessed on a ‘first qualified in, first served basis’
2. Submissions will be accepted between Wednesday 19 September and Monday 15 October 2018
3. The program is not a guaranteed opportunity and is subject to criteria, including but not limited to the eligibility criteria listed below.

Successful recipients will receive the following services for free:

• Excavation of verge to 100mm depth
• Removal of excavated material
• Spreading/backfilling of loam (soil)
• Installation of 50mm pvc pipe conduit under footpath (optional)
• Small extension of paving to allow for bin pad adjacent to driveway (optional)
• Small extension of paving to allow path between kerb and gate (optional).

If the program reaches capacity prior to the closing date, Council reserves the right to close the program early. Council will contact all applicants regarding their status.

Eligibility Criteria

• Verges minimum 400mm in width (measured from footpath edge to back of kerb)
• Verges minimum 3m² in total area
• Scheduled streetscape works by Council may impact on an applicant being selected
• Applicants agree to source and pay costs associated with plants and planting the verge
• Applicants to ensure plantings do not cause interference to road and footpath users in accordance with the guidelines and Nature Strip Policy
• Low plantings of waterwise plants are encouraged, but living lawn is also acceptable 
• Applicants accept full responsibility for the maintenance of their gardened verge.
   

Conduit
Please indicate in your application if you require conduit. Council can install a pvc pipe conduit underneath the footpath. This is useful if you plan to install your own irrigation (optional) to the verge. Successful applicants who select this option will be sent a notification form to provide a simple sketch of preferred conduit placement.

Bin Pads
Please indicate in your application if you would like a bin pad. If successful, while completing the dolomite conversion, Council can install a small amount of footpath pavers adjacent to your driveway that will accommodate two bins for bin collection day.

Paved Path
Please indicate in your application if you would like a paved path. If you have a gate facing the footpath and are successful, while completing the dolomite conversion, the verge area will be paved with a small path to allow access to and from the property across the nature strip to properties with a gate facing the footpath. 
 

An attractive herbaceous plant that has delicate pink to purple flowers and an edible tuber. They grow to 1m high and prefer full sun and provide fields of colour in spring.

A hardy plant that was once widespread across the Adelaide Plains. All Austrodanthonias are small to medium tussock plants with some flower stems reaching 1m high. The flower heads are green and white and as they mature they turn golden brown and fluffy. Wallaby grass readily reproduces by seed.

A delicate ornamental grass for any feature location in your garden. Growing to approximately 1m high, this grass prefers a full sun position but will grow in light shade.

A delicate ornamental grass for any feature location in your garden. Growing to approximately 1m high this grass prefers a full sun position but will grow in light shade.

A non-aggressive climbing plant with blue to white flowers in spring. Growing to approximately 60cm high without support this evergreen plant will grow in light shade or full sun.

An attractive plant that grows to half a metre high This herbaceous plant requires full sun where it will produce distinctive yellow flowers in spring. The seeds are dispersed by small birds, insects and ants.

An attractive herbaceous plant with yellow star shaped flowers growing to approximately 30cm tall. Preferring either full sun or light dappled shade the Bulbine-lily is a very ornamental plant for your garden.
 

A medium size conifer like evergreen tree growing to approximately 5-12m high. The Southern Cypress Pine is conical in shape and grows to approximately 3-4m. It is ideal for use as an ornamental specimen tree and its timber was valued for its straight trunk and termite resistant wood. Several species of parrot seek the maturing fruits.

An evergreen plant standing approximately half a metre tall. The small yellow flowers are supported by attractive soft silvery foliage. The Common Everlasting prefers full sun. Seeds of this plant are dispersed by ants and other insects.

A small herb to 60cm high with fine soft grey blue leaves. Preferring a full sun position the Clustered Everlasting is a spectacular foliage plant bearing cluster of enduring yellow flowers. Larvae of the Painted lady butterfly use this plant as food.
 

Found growing from the coast to the Adelaide Hills. Preferring full sun this plant grows to 1.5m high is a food source for the larvae of several native butterflies such as the Chequered Swallow Tail. The Tall Scurf-pea responds well to pruning which enhances the display of brilliant purple flowers.
 

A highly attractive clumping plant to half a metre high. The delicate flowers are light blue and yellow. This evergreen plant prefers a sunny location but will grow in light shade.

A highly attractive clumping plant to 50cm high. This evergreen plant prefers a sunny location but will grow in light shade. The delicate flowers are light blue and yellow.

A dense ground cover plant with succulent fleshy foliage. Preferring a full sun position this plant bears large highly ornamental pink flowers in spring and summer and spreads to approximately 1m

A small grass growing to approximately 50cm high. This ornamental grass produces masses of black heads in spring.
 

A small shrub growing to less than 1m high. Preferring full sun this plant bears masses of attractive bright clear yellow pea flowers in winter and spring. Once widespread across the Adelaide Plains the remaining plants are a food source for the larvae of the Common Grass Blue and Fringed Heath Blue butterflies.
 

A perennial low growing spreading plant bearing white flowers for most of the year. It is an ideal ground cover plant for a sunny to part shade position in your garden.

An evergreen shrub growing to approximately 1m high. The Clasping Goodenia prefers full sun and bears highly attractive yellow flowers in spring.

A small plant to half a metre high. Preferring full sun this herbaceous plant bears masses of yellow 'button' flowers in spring that can be cut for a dried floral arrangement.

An evergreen small ground cover plant growing to 30cm high and 1m wide. The Silky Guinea-flower bears bright yellow flowers and prefers full sun but will grow in light dappled shade.

An evergreen clumping plant that grows to approximately 1.5-2m high. Pale Rush prefers a moist site with full sun. Stems are limey green and flower spikes are borne at the tip of the stems. This easy to grow plant can be used to help restore creek lines, screening or can be used as a focal point in the garden.

An evergreen attractive sedge with blue green stems and leaves. Growing to approximately 1m in height Finger Rush is an ideal plant for growing in wet or boggy sites and forms a dense mass when planted in groups. Alternatively, this plant can be grown in dry conditions where it still performs equally well.

A hardy evergreen ground cover plant that spreads to approximately 2m. Preferring full sun to part shade masses of red flowers are borne in spring and intermittently at other times of the year. Nodules on the roots of
these plants convert atmospheric nitrogen into nitrogenous compounds.

An erect plant with small blue flowers supported by slender stems to approximately 50cm high. Flowering in spring these perennial plants prefer full sun.

An evergreen medium shrub to 1m high. Preferring a location with full sun this plant provides masses of highly ornamental white to pink flowers in spring. The Austral Trefoil is an important plant for biological diversity as it supports a wide range of insects and birds.

An evergreen shrub that grows to 1.5m high. The Twiggy Bush-pea bears masses of yellow pea shaped flowers in late winter to early spring. Preferring a position with full sun and well drained soil this plant is a food source for larvae of the Fringed Blue butterfly. Seeds are dispersed by ants.

A highly attractive herbaceous plant that grows to approximately 50cm tall. Preferring full sun to shade these plant bear yellow shiny flowers in spring and easily reproduce to make an attractive feature in the garden.

An evergreen non aggressive scrambling plant. Similar to blackberry but not as aggressive, the Native Rasberry has small bright pink flowers and red fruits. This plant responds well to pruning which encourages increased flowering.

A showy perennial ground cover plant bearing white flowers October to January and intermittently at other times. Spreading to 1m in width this plant prefers full sun to light shade.
 

An erect perennial plant to approximately 1m high. In summer small yellow flowers are borne in clusters on the end of straggling stems. Pale Groundsel can be grown in full sun or in light shade. This plant can be pruned to promote denser growth and a greater flush of flowers.

An ornamental grass that is sought after by grazing native animals. Growing to 1.5m high they prefer full sun and are often found growing on mass providing a striking contrast to other plants.

A small plant growing to approximately 20cm high. This herbaceous plant prefers an open full sun position and bears attractive yellow flowers in spring and summer.

A small short lived herb growing to less then 40cm high. Preferring full sun the New Holland Daisy bears daisy like flowers that are approximately 1cm across and purple blue in colour. The Native Brachycome is a similar species, which is very rare in Adelaide.

A semi herbaceous plant that bears striking blue flowers in Spring. Standing approximately 30cm tall, the plants grow in groups and provide a brilliant floral display.