Happy in the country

NICE HERE: Paul Koch (centre) with children Imogen and Rory at home in Gawler.

PAUL Koch and his family moved to Gawler East 10 years ago in search of country living close to the city.

Moving from the Northern Territory with wife Margaret Crohn and children Imogen, 14, and Rory, 12, Mr Koch said Gawler was "a nice secure, safe community for our children to grow up in". TI.

"We like some facilities for the kids but also we like it to be rural," he said.

Mr Koch fears the proposed expansion of Adelaide urban growth boundary, to include another 820ha of land at Gawler East and Concordia, will take away from Gawler's character.

He said large scale residential development 1.0 would also lead to more traffic in the town and put pressure on local services.

Mr Koch, who catches the train to the city for work, said the State Government should particularly focus on improving public transport in the area.

"I get on in Gawler, but if you get on later on, you have trouble getting a seat."