Adelaide’s new $35m First Nations Centre with no connection to sewerage system
Caterers are being forced to take dishes off site at a new Aboriginal Cultural Centre opened last year in Port Adelaide with claims its systems are inadequate.
Yitpi Yartapuultiku, Port Adelaide’s new $35.2 million Aboriginal Cultural Centre, is seeing concerns raised over its sewerage system not adequately addressing health, safety and costs, with a petition calling for immediate action drawing hundreds of signatures.
When the Old Port Road centre opened in June 2025, it was not connected to mains sewerage and instead relies on a septic holding tank system – with Port Adelaide Enfield Council advised the alternative would be costly and time consuming.
Port Adelaide Enfield local advocate Shane Hryhorec said the system was causing major health and safety concerns as caterers were being forced to take dishes off site due to limitations with the current septic tank system.
“I was like this can’t be true, so I called one of the caterers and they told me if they’re going to do an event that they’re going to have to take the dishes offsite,” Hryhorec said.
“They’re having to take dishes back to their cars which risks getting food contamination and there’s the actual physical work risk.
“Why on earth are we building $35 million brand new buildings and not connecting them to sewerage and having to pay tens if not hundreds of thousands a year to pump out the waste.”
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The septic tank waste disposal currently costs PAE ratepayers $60,000 per year, but Hryhorec feared these costs could skyrocket in the future.
Council documents showed that Yitpi Yartapuultiku has operated at a deficit of $1.2 million since opening from June 2025 to February 2026.
“The reason why these numbers are important is that if the building is running at only 20 per cent, the annual pumping cost will multiply,” Hryhorec said.
“It could cost ratepayers hundreds of thousands a year. The pumping cost for one year could potentially cover the cost to get the sewerage connected.”
A petition, which now has almost 400 signatures, has been established calling on the state government to fund the connection to the main sewers.
“This cultural centre benefits First Nations People and the broader community in all of SA,” Hryhorec said.
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“It’s disappointing to see the state government throw money at all these events like LIV Golf but doesn’t care enough about the Cultural Centre to contribute any money towards it.”
A state government spokesperson said SA Water was approached by a PAE Council consultant regarding water, sewer and fire service connection to the new centre in 2022.
“As the centre was located in an area that was not connected to SA Water’s sewer network it meant SA Water would have needed to extend an existing sewer main with around 325 metres of new pipe to connect the centre to existing infrastructure,” the spokesperson said.
“In October 2022, council informed SA Water that they would not proceed with a sewer connection after all.
“The question as to why there is no wastewater connection needs to be answered by Port Adelaide Enfield Council.”
A PAE Council spokesperson denied that caterers were being asked to take dishes off site.
“There is no requirement for caterers to take dishes offsite to be washed and there are dish washing facilities that are fully functional, and currently used by caterers.”
They also said at this stage the council had not made any decision to “alter the current sewage arrangements”.
“The existing system is compliant with legislative and environmental requirements, and it continues to operate effectively.
“SA Water advised that the potential cost to establish a sewer connection could be in the order of $800,000, with associated works likely to introduce delays of up to two years. These factors informed council’s decision to proceed with an on‑site system,” the spokesperson said.
The catering company, that did not wish to be named, declined to comment.
