Winding along the picturesque southern coastline, the new $6.7 million Witton Bluff Base Trail boardwalk has opened to the public.

The 1.1km trail - equally funded by the State Government and the City of Onkaparinga - features a 3m wide, shared-use boardwalk from Port Noarlunga to the tip of the bluff.

Work is now underway to repair the sea wall to the north of the new boardwalk. Once this is complete, work will start on upgrading the Christies Beach path, with the full Witton Bluff Base Trail expected to open to the public by mid-2025.

City of Onkaparinga Mayor Moira Were said residents, community groups and businesses had for years been calling for an accessible shared-use path linking the Port Noarlunga and Christies Beach.

"This boardwalk will be a jewel in South Australia’s Coast Park trail, attracting locals and visitors alike, but equally important are the project’s focuses on minimising cultural heritage impacts, and future-proofing the bluff from climate change impacts," Ms Were said.

The State Government has provided a further $250,000 for First Nations public art, ensuring the trail recognises the cultural significance of the Onkaparinga coast to the Kaurna people and the Tjilbruke songline.

Onkaparinga’s 31km coastline forms almost half of the 70km Coast Park initiative, aimed at improving community access and enjoyment of Adelaide beaches by creating a continuous 70km-shared path along the coast, from North Haven to Sellicks Beach.

The State Government has worked closely with the council since 2003 to make this vision a reality, and to date more than half (17.8km) of Onkaparinga’s Coast Park has been completed.

The Witton Bluff Base Trail’s construction marked the culmination of a long and rigorous approval process to ensure any potential impacts from the trail on Aboriginal heritage and the environment were minimised.