Birdlife sets peaceful pace on Hindmarsh Island

It is deepest winter on Hindmarsh Island, but the prolific water
birds, are unconcerned this chilly August morning. The swans are
preening themselves, a lone pelican floats along the river, a heron
silently observes and a flock of pristine white Ibis feed among the
reeds.
I have strolled from Arcadia Avenue where my friends have built a new
holiday house, onto the boardwalk which edges the marina, past moored
cruisers, yachts and even the odd houseboat. On my left are rows of
multi-coloured townhomes nudging an expanse of green lawn. We five
walkers veer left and reach the reserve which overlooks the River
Murray and we peer across the water to Goolwa on the other side of
this stretch of water.

Everything about the development of Hindmarsh Island has engendered
community debate and fired heated emotion. The Hindmarsh Island
bridge, for instance, which I drove over last night in about a
minute, split not only the local community, but South Australians and
it rent asunder the Ngarrindjeri Aboriginal women themselves. The
first feisty group of Aboriginal women stalled not only the bridge
construction but plans for the whole Hindmarsh Island Marina for years
before the matter ended up in the Supreme Court. Yet, the environment
where we now walk this icy Sunday morning is simply beautiful as the
River Murray meanders snake-like through the upmarket housing estate,
filling rapidly with cheek-by-jowel apartment blocks and McMansions
each with their own jetties. The controversy was caused not only by a
stoush between the developers, the Chapman family and Aboriginal women
who claimed the region was “secret women’s business”, but by another
group of Aboriginal women who said they knew of no such thing.
When the whole issue was resolved, the bridge was built and the marina
and housin g estate developed quickly.

Recently, there was a small ceremony by the bridge as reconciliation
between the government and the Ngarrindjeri women, with the government
admitting there was substance to their claims of “secret women’s
business” surrounding the land where I now walk.

By the time we returned to Arcadia Avenue for breakfast, I know that I
am going to enjoy my sea-change, because Monsieur and I are going to
live on Hindmarsh Island. We will be moving to our waterfront rental
accommodation with its jetty at the bottom of the garden in September
and life is expected to become as leisurely as the water birds I have
watched so intently this morning.

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