Climate & Sustainability

The Town of Gawler Climate Emergency Action Plan (CEAP) has been prepared in response to the scientific alarms being sounded all over the world, warning us that our failure to act will result in irreparable damage and an unsustainable pathway for emerging and future generations.

At the Council meeting held on the 22 January 2019, Town of Gawler joined a growing number of Councils in Australia and worldwide in declaring that we are facing a ‘Climate Emergency’ and that urgent action is required by all levels of government. The resolution acknowledges that the Gawler Council Area is likely to be adversely affected by climate impacts, such as heat waves, bushfires, drought and floods according to local data provided by numerous reports and agencies.

The Town of Gawler recognises the importance of leading by example and has developed an action plan to further enhance resilience and reduce climate impacts.

Our Mission

Rapidly decarbonise Council operations by 2030, lead and enable climate action across our community and businesses towards achieving net zero emissions and to adapt to climate impacts.

Key Projects

To achieve our goal of net zero emissions by 2030 and to adapt to climate impacts the Town of Gawler are working on, or have recently undertaken the following projects:

Gawler Repair Cafe

Skilled volunteers can assist with a variety of repairs including mending (clothing & textiles), electrical (small appliances), costume jewellery, general (mechanical/woodwork) and simple bike repairs. No booking required just pop in with your item (one item per person per session, we may get to another one if we aren't busy).

Services are provided free of charge, but customers can choose to make a small donation to support the service if they wish. Most attendees get to see a repairer straight away but coffee, tea and cake are provided to keep you occupied if you do need to wait.

Location: Gawler Elderly Centre, 37 Fourteenth St, Gawler South

Further info: www.gawlerenvironmentcentre.org.au/event-gawler-repair-cafe

Public Lighting Upgrade Project

The Town of Gawler Public Lighting Project was undertaken in late 2022 and early 2023. The objectives of the project include reducing electricity consumption and costs, improving the quality of public lighting, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reducing the cost of maintaining the lights by switching to new tariff arrangements.

The Project was identified in the Town of Gawler Climate Emergency Action Plan and has already demonstrated significant reductions in electricity consumption by 34% for its public lighting, which has helped offset some of the recent price rises of electricity.

The Gawler Public Lighting Upgrade Project has been successfully completed with the following key project outcomes being realised:

The project has resulted in the following outcomes:

1,677 lights have been upgraded to LED technology, reducing electricity consumption and costs.
117 Pendant and Post Top lights were confirmed as fitted with LED lamps and did not require an upgrade.
808 Pendant and Post Top lights could not be changed without replacing the whole lamp-head at significant cost. Council will continue to explore a solution to modify and upgrade these lights at a lower cost.
Significant cost savings (direct electricity and asset management) have been achieved, estimated at $135,000 for the 2034/24 financial year.
The project has improved the quality of public street lighting.
Significant reductions in electricity consumption and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions have been achieved.

The reduction in electricity consumption and associated emissions can be clearly observed in Councils tracking using the Trellis online monitoring application. The below image compares 2022/23 monthly consumption with twelve months earlier:

Electric Vehicles

The Town of Gawler Climate Emergency Action Plan aims to transition to the purchasing of new light vehicles as electric only by 2025 and new heavy vehicles as electric only by 2030. This is an ambitious aspiration considering that to date, our vehicle fleet is made up of petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles.

In 2022 the Town of Gawler ordered two electric pool cars which are expected to arrive soon. This will enable all employees the opportunity to experience electric vehicle use and become familiar with recharging. We continue to run life cycle cost comparisons and expect that as Council buys new replacement vehicles the transition will increase in pace.

Council provides two charging stations for charging for public electric vehicles, located at the Gawler Visitor Information Centre, 2 Lyndoch Road Gawler and the Gawler Administration Centre, 43 High Street Gawler East.

Resources

Whilst there is further work to do in South Australia towards recycling and remanufacturing electric vehicle batteries, this facility in the USA shows exactly how it will work, even for full size electric vehicle batteries.

Watch Now: https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=706367034685145

In Australia we already have EV battery recycling through companies like ECO0Batt (see https://www.ecobatt.net/) in Melbourne. A national approach has been called for to provide the services required in states and territories.

Solar Panels on Public Buildings

In 2019, the Town of Gawler installed solar systems on the Gawler Administration Centre and Gawler Sport & Community Centre. Solar electricity systems have since been installed and are operational on the Gawler Civic Centre and the Evanston Gardens Library, with new systems at the Gawler Visitor Information centre and Gawler Elderly Centre having been installed in June 2023.

These add our existing on site generation capacity of to above 200 kW. which provides approximately 15% of Council’s total electricity use coming from on-site renewable electricity.

Advocacy for renewable electricity and carbon offsets

The Town of Gawler Climate Emergency Action Plan sets ambitious aspirational goals for Council towards net zero emissions but also seeks to enable our community to participate in taking urgent action on climate change. Key areas where we believe that households and small business could take faster action include:

Greening of Gawler
Support for greater energy efficiency
Transitioning to renewable electricity
Transitioning to electric vehicles powered by renewable electricity
Transitioning away from gas to electric appliances and processes, powered by renewable electricity

Areas 3, 4 and 5 all relate to renewable electricity and in that context, the Town of Gawler is a strong advocate for reforms so that renewable electricity is available to consumers with greater clarity and fairer pricing that reflects the falling cost of renewable electricity generation.

National Climate Risk Assessment and National Climate Adaptation Plan Released

On 15 September 2025 the Federal Government released two landmark climate change documents.

These are:

Australia’s first National Climate Risk Assessment – a comprehensive overview of the future nationally significant climate risks and impacts.
Australia’s National Adaptation Plan – a policy framework to respond to these risks.

Together, these documents provide the key foundations for understanding and responding to climate impacts.

The National Climate Risk Assessment is a new evidence base of best-available information to inform adaptation planning and action. It finds the impacts on Australia are extensive, but the worst-case scenario is not our inevitable future.

The National Adaptation Plan describes the actions required to adapt towards reducing the social, environmental and economic impacts identified in the risk assessment. The National Adaptation Plan provides a vision for a well-adapted Australia.

Both documents can be accessed via the following link:

https://www.dcceew.gov.au/about/news/adapting-to-climate-risk-in-australia-pathway-forward

Climate and Energy Related Submissions

The Town of Gawler has made the following submissions which are aimed at fair pricing with establishing clear and consistent rules for renewable electricity and carbon offsets for Council and all consumers.

ACCC Consultation on Environment and Sustainability Claims

Town of Gawler Submission to the ACCC on the Environmental and Sustainable Claims – Draft Guidance for Business, July 2023

2024 Proposed Amendments to South Australia’s Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Act 2007

Town of Gawler Submission on the South Australian Climate Change Act – 2024 Draft Amendment Bill

National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) Determination

Town of Gawler submission – Feedback on the 2024 National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Determination proposed amendments

Greenhouse Gas Protocol Review - 2023

Australian Carbon Credit Units Review - 2022

Town of Gawler Submission – Review of Australian Carbon Credit Units 2022

GreenPower Review - 2022

Town of Gawler Submission on the GreenPower Review 2022

Climate Active – 2020-2022

Corporate Emissions Reduction Transparency Scheme – 2021-2022

South Australia’s second Industry Climate Change Conference

Resources kit for industry and business

As an outcome of the 2025 Industry Climate Change Conference, the South Australian Government has released a Resources Kit for businesses to manage climate risks and provide tools to reduce emissions and build climate resilience. The Resources Kit is available the following link and will assist in accessing further information HERE

Current Grants and Rebates Available

Household Energy Upgrades Fund

Under the $1 billion Household Energy Upgrades Fund, the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) will work with lenders to provide discounted finance products to help households upgrade their homes with battery-ready solar PV, modern appliances and other improvements.

To see if you are able to apply through a participating lender, read more about the scheme here:

https://www.energy.gov.au/rebates/household-energy-upgrades-fund

Economic Recovery Fund

Small businesses can now apply for grants of up to $50,000 to help reduce their energy bills, under Round 2 of the Malinauskas Government’s $154 million Economic Recovery Fund (ERF).

The grants will range from $2,500 to a maximum of $50,000, subject to a matching contribution by the applicant, and will help up to 8000 small businesses invest to reduce their energy costs.

The grants can be used for investments including:

Purchasing and installing power supply and generation equipment (such as batteries and solar panels)
Purchasing and installing more energy efficient appliances (above 4-star rating air conditioners, refrigerators, freezers & dishwashers)
Purchasing/adopting automation technologies that result in greater energy efficiency
Building improvements to ensure more efficient heating and/or cooling

Businesses can register their interest for round two of the ERF through the Office for Small and Family Business website at business.sa.gov.au

Click here to view the Town of Gawler’s Environmental Management Framework 2026-2028, which outlined our initials strategies and to address climate change.

Click here to sign up to Regional Development Australia – Yorke and Mid North RDAYMN Monthly Business E-Newsletter for updates on grants which often includes climate and resilience grant opportunities.

Click HERE to view the Town of Gawler Environmental Management Framework 2026–2028.

Click HERE to sign up to Regional Development Australia – Yorke and Mid North RDAYMN Monthly Business E-Newsletter for updates on grants which often includes climate and resilience grant opportunities.

Climate & Sustainability

Our Mission

Key Projects

Current Grants and Rebates Available

Climate Emergency Action Plan Working Group

2022 Agendas

2021 Agendas

2020 Agendas

2019 Agendas

2022 Minutes

2021 Minutes

2020 Minutes

2019 Minutes