Draft Revegetation Plan for Highbury Aqueduct Reserve

Have your say on the draft Revegetation Plan for Highbury Aqueduct Reserve.

What’s being decided?

We are seeking public feedback on the draft Revegetation Plan for Highbury Aqueduct Reserve and your ideas for improvements to the reserve.

All feedback will be collated and considered to develop the final revegetation plan and future project plans.

Background

Highbury Aqueduct Reserve is an open space reserve managed by the Department for Environment and Water. It provides an important biodiversity corridor between Highbury and Athelstone and includes trails connecting to River Torrens Linear Park.

Pine trees within the reserve were found to be infected with Giant pine scale (GPS), an invasive pest insect that damages and eventually kills pine trees. To stop the spread of GPS and protect other pine trees across Adelaide, infected and nearby susceptible pine trees have recently been removed from the reserve.

The removal of these trees has changed the landscape at Highbury Aqueduct Reserve. We are now working to restore canopy cover and improve the reserve through revegetation and new visitor infrastructure.

During community meetings held in January and February 2026, local residents expressed strong support for revegetation and interest in providing feedback on future plans. A draft Revegetation Plan for Highbury Aqueduct Reserve is now available to view.

We are also seeking feedback on proposed improvements to visitor access and amenity, including:

• a small off-street car park and picnic area
• a discovery trail with points of interest along the existing Aqueduct Trail.

We would like to hear from residents and visitors about these proposed improvements, as well as ideas for points of interest that celebrate the reserve’s natural, cultural and historical features. This could include:

• significant natural features or lookout points
• local history and stories
• wildlife such as Yellow-tailed black cockatoos
• habitat features like bee hotels
• opportunities to incorporate local or cultural artwork.

Get involved

Find out more:

• read the draft Revegetation Plan.
• take a look at Information Sheet.
• take a look at our information sheet on proposed reserve improvements including visitor area with off street carpark, picnic tables and Discovery Trail.

Have your say by:

• taking our survey.
• using our Guestbook to provide feedback on the draft Revegetation Plan and share your ideas on further improvements.

What are the next steps?

Once feedback has been reviewed, the draft Revegetation Plan will be finalised and ideas for future reserve improvements will be considered in future projects. The outcomes of this consultation and the final plan will be available here and on the Department for Environment and Water website.