Normanville Surf Life Saving Club Project Wins ‘Great Place’ Award

The District Council of Yankalilla is proud to announce that we have been honoured with the prestigious ‘Great Place’ Award at the 2024 Planning Institute of Australia (SA) Awards for the delivery of the Normanville Surf Life Saving Club & Café/ Kiosk project and the transformation of the surrounding precinct.

The judges praised the Council’s approach, which carefully balanced urban design excellence, activation and respect for Normanville’s distinctive coastal character.

Key features that were noted by the judges include:

• Integration with the existing dune system, with a cantilevered design that blends harmoniously with the landscape.
• A stepped building form that enhances connections between the plaza, beach and dunes while ensuring inclusivity and accessibility for all.
• Use of resilient, sustainable materials designed to endure coastal conditions, with shading, high-performance glass and passive design elements prioritising environmental responsibility.
• Thoughtful relocation of the building footprint behind the projected coastal erosion line, enabling dune rehabilitation and ensuring long-term environmental sustainability.

This award also celebrates the incredible collaboration behind the project. We take this opportunity to extend our thanks to Surf Life Saving SA, the Normanville Surf Life Saving Club, Architects Ink, Oxigen and Partek and the community at large for working with us to bring this vision to life.

The judges recognised this project as a shining example of integrated planning, urban design, architecture, place-making and environmental management—creating a truly great place for both our community today and future generations to enjoy.  When accepting the award, CEO Nathan Cunningham thanked the many key stakeholders who had played a role from the original inception of the project through to its delivery and encouraged all attendees to visit this iconic beachside destination which is truly worthy of the ‘Great Place’ status.

Photo Credit: Normanville Surf Life Saving Club & Café/Kiosk – Sam Noonan