Creating a positive food environment on the Lefevre Peninsula
The City of Port Adelaide Enfield (PAE) is actively addressing food insecurity by creating more positive, inclusive and health-promoting food environments.
The council focused on the Lefevre Peninsula, an area widely recognised as a food desert.
To achieve this, PAE delivered three interconnected projects via the Wellbeing Precinct at Osborne. The council is working to increase the availability, accessibility, and utilisation of nutritious food.
About the program
The PAE positive food environments program is called 'Addressing Barriers to Availability, Accessibility & Utilisation of Nutritious Food'. The program has three focus areas:
1. Healthy food environments in community spaces
The Lefevre Community & Sports Stadium kiosk is being transformed to offer more nutritious choices.
PAE is working closely with families from the local playgroup and stadium volunteers. They’re working to introduce a traffic light labelling system and offer healthier food options.
To support families, the council also developed a Healthy Lunchbox Guide based on the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. The guide has adaptations that reflect the affordability and accessibility challenges unique to the Lefevre Peninsula.
2. Community food education workshops – Open Kitchen
The Open Kitchen program provides practical, community-led workshops that build food literacy and reduce food waste.
Sessions are delivered by volunteers, local facilitators, and agencies like KESAB and include:
- preserving, pickling, and bread-making
- creative cooking with leftovers
- making pasta from scratch
- kitchen gardening
- DIY cleaning products and low-cost living strategies.
The workshops are designed to be fun, cost-saving and culturally relevant. They help participants build skills and confidence in cooking and sharing fresh food.
3. Understanding the food desert impact
PAE recognised that the Lefevre Peninsula lacks sufficient access to fresh food retailers. So they’ve partnered with a University of Adelaide Public Health Master’s student to explore the local impact of living in a food desert.
This research includes:
- community engagement to identify challenges in food access
- mapping gaps in current programming at the Wellbeing Precinct
- exploring broader systemic barriers (e.g. transport).
The findings will inform future council initiatives and make sure efforts to improve food access are tailored to the real needs of residents.
Funding and partnerships
This initiative is supported by the City of PAE and delivered in partnership with:
- local volunteers and community champions
- KESAB environmental solutions
- University of Adelaide (Public Health program)
- local families and community groups engaged through the Wellbeing Precinct.
These partnerships support both the delivery and sustainability of the program. They make sure initiatives are community-led and evidence-informed.
Promotion and reach
Workshops are held fortnightly and promoted through the council’s community centres and local networks. The Healthy Lunchbox Guide has been widely distributed across the city’s family and community programs.
Community champions play a key role in engagement. They host workshops, conduct cooking demos during Playgroup sessions, and encourage resident participation through their trusted relationships.
Key achievements
- Threefold increase in Open Kitchen attendance, with many sessions at capacity and waitlisted.
- Healthy Lunchbox Guide developed and distributed citywide, supporting families to make healthier, more affordable food choices.
- Cross-sector partnerships with education, health, and environmental agencies to deliver diverse skill-sharing opportunities.
- Evidence-building research on the impacts of living in a food desert to inform future policy and programming.
Positive impact on the community
Open Kitchen participants consistently report positive experiences:
“I enjoyed the facilitator, he was entertaining, tolerant and very happy to answer questions. His history gave him credibility which enabled trust and quick rapport. He managed the group well enabling all of us to interact and write down information. He demonstrated well and I had a nice couple of hours learning. The sourdough he pre-prepared was Yummy too!”
These workshops create opportunities for social connection, cultural sharing, and skill development – making healthy food more enjoyable and accessible for everyone.
Challenges and learnings
- Trusted community champions are vital in supporting delivery, building engagement and capturing community feedback.
- Food access is multi-dimensional – addressing physical access, affordability and food literacy must go hand-in-hand.
- Adaptability is key – integrating cultural relevance, community voice, and creativity helps programs remain responsive and sustainable.
Outcome
The City of Port Adelaide Enfield’s work on the Lefevre Peninsula shows how councils can lead innovative, community-based approaches to creating supportive, healthy food environments.
By combining education, access, and advocacy, PAE is creating food environments that support health, equity and resilience for all.
Find out more
Vanessa Gaston Gardner
Health and Wellbeing Coordinator
Email: vanessa.gastongardner@cityofpae.sa.gov.au