Yitpi Yartapuultiku opens its doors this Sunday, offering a new meeting place for culture, community, and country. Situated along the Port River, this $35 million centre—translated from Kaurna as “Soul of Port Adelaide”—is the largest project ever delivered by the City of PAE. It arrives not as a monument to the past but as a living, breathing space grounded in collaboration and truth telling.
The centre is the result of years of planning and design in partnership with Kaurna Custodians, the Yitpi Yartapuultiku Aboriginal Working Group, and local architects and designers. Its timing during National Reconciliation Week adds weight to its opening, inviting South Australians to come together, not just in celebration, but in shared purpose.
Mayor Claire Boan said, “Yitpi Yartapuultiku is a place for everyone to come together to share life with one another.” The centre includes walking paths, event spaces, art installations, fishing spots, and places for dolphin watching. There are also educational facilities, meeting areas, and a commercial kitchen—transforming it into a true community hub.
The scale of the centre is matched by its ambition: to foster learning, connection, and growth. Visitors can take guided cultural tours, attend art exhibitions, or enjoy family-friendly nature play. Every element has been shaped with Aboriginal voices at the centre.
Aboriginal Elders Uncle Lewis and Aunty Pat Waria-Read, key contributors to the project, said the opening marked a powerful step forward. “This is more than just a building – it is a living space where Kaurna knowledge, language and stories can be shared, respected and passed on to future generations. It stands as a place of truth telling, healing and pride,” they said.
They encouraged all South Australians to walk with them. “We welcome everyone to learn from this land and its First Peoples, and to help carry our culture forward with strength and unity.”
Yitpi Yartapuultiku is also expected to drive economic benefits by attracting visitors to the area and creating new jobs. The centre’s facilities are designed to host events, cultural programmes, and business gatherings—inviting diverse participation from across the region.
Lead architect Ashley Halliday spoke of the deep community involvement in the project. “This Project stands on the shoulders of those Elders and senior people who fought for recognition, truth and justice on and around Yertabulti. Walking together, PAE and the Aboriginal community have demonstrated great vision, leadership, courage, patience, and generosity in realising Yitpi Yartapuultiku.”
Warwick Keates of WAX Design, who led the landscape design, said the centre was shaped by Indigenous cultural input at every stage. “The knowledge that was generously shared by First Nations cultural advisors was critical in creating a culturally safe place to gather, practice and connect to Country and culture.”
Visitors to the centre can expect to experience a place where nature, heritage, and community weave together. But more importantly, they’ll step into a space that feels open—one where sitting, listening, and learning are encouraged.
By Monday, Port Adelaide won’t just have a new facility—it will have a new centre of gravity, drawing people into conversation with the land, its people, and each other.
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