Adelaide MotoGP tree felling begins amid protests

Tree felling for the new Adelaide MotoGP street circuit began on Friday, with police present to manage dozens of protesters. Extensive modifications to the existing track require the removal of 377 trees from the parkland area, 42 of which are classed as significant. A further 88 trees are earmarked for transplantation nearby.

The South Australian Government has pledged to replace the lost trees at a ratio of 10 to 1, meaning over 3,000 new trees would be planted. Friday's initial felling reportedly involved just four trees. The A$96 million project is due to host its first MotoGP event from 12 to 14 November 2027.

A celebrity-backed 'Lungs of the City' campaign was launched earlier in the week with an open letter calling on the government to halt the removal of the trees. At the time of writing, the letter had received 6,500 signatures, while a petition signed by 80,000 people calls for the Park Lands to be protected.