First trees felled for Adelaide MotoGP works as protesters call for a halt

Four trees were felled in Adelaide parklands on Friday, November 13, for preliminary water works linked to the planned MotoGP circuit. The South Australian government said the work was finished around 8am. Dozens of protesters gathered near the work sites, and two people were seen sitting in a tree. Police said no arrests were made.

The proposed 4.13-kilometre circuit for the 2027 event would pass through parklands around Victoria Park. The $96 million project envisages removing about 377 trees, including 42 classified as significant. That planned total is separate from the four trees already removed on Friday.

Campaigners and signatories to an open letter want removals halted, arguing mature trees and public green space cannot be replaced simply by planting new stock. The government says the event will benefit tourism and hospitality, and has promised more than 3,000 replacement trees and $15 million for planting. Those promises are not evidence that replacement planting is already complete.

State representative Emily Bourke urged people to protest peacefully and not abuse contractors. The dispute now concerns both the circuit plans and the future protection of the parklands. The photograph illustrates a tree-lined public park; it is not Adelaide or a photograph of the work site.