A fire at a temporary building on the North Adelaide Golf Course is being treated as suspicious, with police investigations underway. The blaze broke out at 2am on War Memorial Drive near the North Adelaide Railway Station and was extinguished by Metropolitan Fire Service crews. The temporary structure, used by the golf club during a $45 million redevelopment, was gutted by the fire.
Police have not linked the fire to ongoing protests over the redevelopment, which involves felling hundreds of trees in the parklands. Premier Peter Malinauskas condemned the incident, stating that while the community has a right to protest, burning down buildings is unacceptable. He noted that authorities believe suspicious circumstances may have contributed to the fire.
In a separate incident on Thursday, work was halted after protesters breached a perimeter fence. Four people walked through the site, prompting tree loppers to stop. One person sat on a tree stump holding a sign criticizing the premier. Later, two people—a 51-year-old woman and a 16-year-old girl, both from Rosewater—were arrested for alleged trespassing.
The Adelaide Park Lands Association condemned any violent actions but expressed concern over suggestions linking the fire to peaceful protests. President Mat Monti said the group does not believe anyone connected with their movement was responsible, adding that they were unaware of the structure's existence.
The redevelopment has sparked significant protests, with over 2,000 people gathering at parliament to condemn the tree removals. Premier Malinauskas stated that the removal of more than 500 trees would be completed by the end of the week, and criticized disinformation surrounding the project.
