Community-led Alliance delivers for Port Augusta and Davenport community

A growing number of initiatives are making a tangible difference across Port Augusta and the Davenport Community, designed to strengthen community safety and wellbeing as part of a previously announced $12 million commitment by State and Commonwealth governments.

Driving this work is the Port Augusta and Davenport Community Alliance (the Alliance), a partnership bringing together representatives from Traditional Owner groups, community leaders, young people, service providers, businesses and police. Since forming in late 2024, the Alliance has supported initiatives under the Port Augusta and Davenport Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan. The Plan was co-designed with community and is a long-term, community-led plan designed to strengthen community safety and wellbeing by addressing local challenges in culturally informed and practical ways.

Working in partnership with the Department of Human Services and the National Indigenous Australians Agency, the Alliance has already supported 13 community initiatives across the region.

“The Alliance is proud to have supported several new youth-focused initiatives and remains confident they will have a positive impact on our community,” said Rob Singleton, Alliance member and spokesperson.

Most of these initiatives are now up and running, with early signs of strong engagement and positive outcomes.

Supporting young people to reconnect

The Education and Wellbeing Hub, led by the Department for Education, is supporting young people aged 10 and above who are disengaged - or at risk of disengaging - from school. Co-designed with the community in 2025, the Hub works holistically with young people and families to provide culturally responsive and trauma-informed support. Since opening in 2026, the multi-disciplinary team has already begun helping young people reconnect with education with most referrals coming from outside the Department for Education.

Another major milestone was the launch of Mangrove Court, a specialised therapeutic court supporting Aboriginal young people in contact with the criminal justice system. Delivered by the Courts Administration Authority and developed with the local community, the court aims to address the underlying causes of youth offending, while strengthening cultural identity, family ties and community connections to help reduce future contact with the justice system. Young people are supported by Court Elders and Respected Persons, a youth coach and Aboriginal youth justice officers. The first hearings for Mangrove Court commenced in early May 2026. Mangrove Court is co-funded by the Attorney-General’s Department.

Culture, creativity and connection

Creative and cultural expression also plays a key role. Up to 30 young people worked alongside Aboriginal artist Scott Rathman (Rusted Tin) on a large-scale community mural project titled ‘This Place is Us - Our Voices, Our Story, Our Way’. The artwork celebrates culture, collaboration, relationships and community pride. The mural can be viewed on the Electrical Discounters’ Port Augusta building, at the east-side foreshore on Yuda Terrace.

Mid May 2026, Operation Flinders has taken its first group of young people aged 14 to 18 into the outback on Adnyamathanha Country this month. The program combines adventure therapy, mentoring, outdoor experiences and cultural engagement with a model tailored to the young people in the region. It has been specifically designed with local youth, Elders, schools, services and families to include local cultural context and pre and post exercise mentoring.

Practical support meeting community needs

The Alliance has also backed initiatives responding to more immediate community needs.

The Youth Bus, delivered by the Salvation Army, has already helped hundreds of young people to get home safely after hours, by providing access to safe transport. To ensure the safety of young people all year round, the Alliance has provided additional funding through to June 2027.

The Port Augusta Youth Centre, a well-established and trusted space for young people, has expanded its opening hours thanks to further funding through the Alliance. Now open Tuesday through Saturday, the centre offers access to safe, supervised cultural, recreational and development activities after hours and during school holidays.

The Return to Country Support Program is helping people visiting Port Augusta from remote communities to return home safely. As part of the service, the Salvation Army provides a safe space to wait for the bus, meals, transport to the pick-up point and follow-up of non-travellers. The program has received additional funding to continue until June 2027.

The Beatz Bus program, to be delivered by Umeewarra Aboriginal Media in late 2026, will be a mobile music and education program for young people providing culturally relevant activities, creative opportunities and mentoring.

A restorative approach

In addition, the Alliance has supported work to explore how explicit restorative practices can be implemented across the Port Augusta and Davenport Community to create a shared approach for building strong, healthy relationships and repairing harm when it occurs. A restorative practice practitioner will work alongside other funded initiatives to provide strategies and support when working with vulnerable families, as well as offering workshops and training to the broader community and organisations.

These initiatives build on earlier successful work, including the Davenport Summer Fest, active youth outreach and the Rec Room, which provides after-school youth engagement programs. All contribute to a broader effort to address the underlying causes of youth offending through culturally informed, trauma-aware approaches.

Building a stronger future together

“These initiatives are a real move forward in supporting issues facing our community. We believe it will take some time for the impact to be realised but each of the projects has a specific purpose that otherwise would not have gone ahead. The funding can’t fix all the social issues in Port Augusta, however, people in regional communities just tend to get on with things and we are chipping away to make it a better place”, said Jake Collins, Alliance member and spokesperson.

For those passionate about contributing to the future of Port Augusta and the Davenport Community, there is a rare opportunity for a community member to join the Alliance. Expressions of interest are currently open for a community member position, offering a local voice at the decision-making table. Applications can be submitted before 5pm on 10 June 2026 through the application page.

Visit the Port Augusta & Davenport Community Safety and Wellbeing plan page for more information on the work of the Alliance and the initiatives.