Acommunity group has suggested free condoms be made available at Lake McIntyre and two other sites at Millicent.

The Ridge Terrace skate park and the post-war Housing Trust subdivision have also been earmarked by Pangula Mannamurna for free dispensers known as “Condom Trees”.

In a letter to Wattle Range Council, sexual health project coordinator Jacqui Matthews said the Condom Tree Program was a regional initiative that seeks to minimise the prevalence of sexually transmissible infections (STIs) among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Ms Matthews said there was concern for the high rate of STIs among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in regional SA.

“The Condom Tree is one strategy that addresses this issue, to increase access to condoms by overcoming factors such as cost, availability and shame,” Ms Matthews said.

“They are made out of PVC pipes that are painted by local community members and condoms are placed inside the pipes and hung on tree branches located at popular gathering places for youth.”

She is seeking the support of Wattle Range Council for this project and her letter about Condom Trees will be considered when council holds its October monthly meeting in Millicent this afternoon (Tuesday).