Felixstow to become cooler and greener thanks to $25,000 grant

The City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters is pleased to share that it has successfully secured a $25,000 grant through Green Adelaide’s Cooler, Greener, Wilder Grants program.

“This funding goes a long way to support the Greening Felixstow project, an initiative driven by the Council’s Tree Strategy and designed to revitalise the local environment and combat rising urban temperatures,” says Mayor Robert Bria.

The funded project focuses on Shirley Avenue, between Langman Grove and Fraser Avenue in Felixstow — an area that has been identified as having low canopy cover (less than 25%) and is an identified Urban Heat Island within Felixstow, making it a priority for greening.

Innovative water solutions

A key feature of the project is the installation of 15 TreeNet inlets along Shirley Avenue to support the growth of young existing and new tree plantings.

These innovative devices capture stormwater runoff that is typically redirected away from trees and channels it into the surrounding soil to water street trees.

A single inlet can capture 1,000 litres of water and associated pollutants, retaining the valuable water resource within the road verge for use by street trees

By providing this consistent water source, the Council ensures the long-term health of our tree canopy, which is vital for providing shade and lowering local temperatures.

Enhancing local biodiversity

Beyond supporting street trees to flourish, the project seeks to encourage residents to participate in creating a biodiversity corridor linking Felixstow Reserve with the Felixstow Detention Basin.

To support residents to improve biodiversity and urban greening, the Council will:

• Provide residents with local native seedlings and foster community connection through its Green Connections program.
• Develop educational factsheets to improve understanding of how to attract local fauna to verges and gardens.
• Host a community event in 2027 to celebrate local nature and share knowledge on biodiversity-sensitive urban design.

Building a liveable community

With a total project value of $50,000—including a $25,000 contribution from the Council—this continues the Council’s commitment to enhancing the liveability and climate resilience of our suburbs for years to come.

Installation is scheduled to begin in April 2026 with other initiatives delivered throughout the 2026–2027 financial year.