How a shared irrigation team is helping three councils deliver better value, stronger open spaces and lasting community benefit.

Great community spaces do not happen by accident. Behind every green oval, playable fairway and welcoming park is the essential infrastructure that keeps those places thriving.

For the Cities of Charles Sturt, Marion and Port Adelaide Enfield, maintaining that infrastructure had become increasingly challenging. Ageing irrigation systems, rising construction costs, contractor market pressures and growing community expectations were all placing pressure on how councils delivered high-quality public open spaces.

Rather than working through the challenge separately, the three councils chose collaboration.

The result was the Cross-Council Irrigation Construction, an innovative shared service model that has been recognised with the Excellence in Cross Council Collaboration Award at the 2026 LG Professionals SA 25th Annual Leadership Excellence Awards.

A shared solution to a shared challenge

Established in 2019, the team was created after the councils reviewed their irrigation functions and identified a clear opportunity: by pooling specialist employees, equipment, systems and knowledge, they could deliver irrigation renewal projects more efficiently and with greater control.

It was a bold shift away from traditional outsourcing. Instead of each council procuring and managing irrigation works independently, they built a shared in-house construction team able to work across council boundaries.

The model was grounded in evidence. Early benchmarking found that two councils could improve irrigation maintenance productivity by more than 40 per cent by adopting proven practices already working successfully in the third council, without reducing service levels.

That insight helped turn a practical idea into a sustainable, long-term partnership.

Better infrastructure for better public spaces

Reliable irrigation plays a major role in the quality and availability of parks, sporting grounds and recreation facilities. As housing density increases, shared open spaces are becoming even more important for community health, connection and wellbeing.

The team’s largest and most complex project to date was the $1.2 million irrigation renewal at Seacliff Golf Course.

Delivered over eight months while the course remained operational, the project involved installing a modern irrigation system across nine fairways and greens. It was completed within the planned timeframe and budget, with zero defects recorded at handover.

For the community, the benefits are clear: improved turf health, better course playability, more efficient water use and a stronger long-term future for a valued recreational asset.

Collaboration that delivers

Since its establishment, the Cross-Council Irrigation Construction Team has delivered more than $8.5 million in irrigation projects across the three council areas, generated estimated savings of approximately $2.07 million, and delivered an average of around 15 irrigation renewal projects each year.

The team has also grown from four to six members, including irrigation apprentices, strengthening workforce capability and creating training pathways within local government.

Importantly, the partnership has now secured a further five-year commitment from the participating councils, proving the model is no longer an experiment. It is a trusted way of delivering specialist infrastructure.

The people behind the project

This work has been made possible by leaders, staff and frontline team members across all three councils.

Key contributors include Adrian Ralph, Jamie Dunnicliff, Richard Hughes, Sam Higgins and Josh Hill from the City of Charles Sturt; Ben Keen, Mathew Allen, Amy Liddicoat and Renee Pitcher from the City of Marion; and Fiona Harvey and Simon Trill from the City of Port Adelaide Enfield.

The frontline delivery team also deserves particular recognition: Andrew Brumfitt, Bill Newbound, Nick Hewer, Shane Irlam, Wayne Oliver and Nicholas Lindsay.

Their skill, flexibility and willingness to work across organisational boundaries are what turn the partnership into results on the ground.

A model for the sector

For the three councils, winning this award recognises both the outcomes achieved and the culture behind them.

It shows that council boundaries do not need to limit service delivery. When councils face similar challenges, shared capability can reduce costs, improve quality, strengthen workforce resilience and deliver better value for communities.

The next phase is already underway, with the partnership bringing irrigation design in-house through an experienced designer and a trainee irrigation designer. This will improve coordination across the full project lifecycle while building the next generation of specialist expertise.

For other councils considering nominating for the Leadership Excellence Awards, the team’s advice is simple: do not underestimate the value of your work. Some of local government’s best ideas begin quietly, as practical solutions to shared problems.

And in this case, that practical solution is helping communities enjoy greener, stronger and more sustainable spaces for years to come.

Thank you to our partner AM Consulting for sponsoring the Excellence in Cross Council Collaboration Award.

GIF: Features a variety of images from the Cross-Council Irrigation Construction project and those representing the project at the 2026 LG Professionals SA Leadership Excellence Awards Gala Dinner.