e-Gazette No. 70 - 15 January 2021 If this email is not displaying properly (e.g. if it's truncated or there are no pictures) then click here to view this email in your web browser |
NEWEST PLAYGROUND OPENED - SEE PICS |
1. NEW INCLUSIVE PLAYSPACE IN RYMILL PARK |
After months of construction, the new Quentin Kenihan Inclusive Playspace in Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka (Park 14) has now been opened. |
Photos: Roxy Walsh KIds In Adelaide http://www.kidsinadelaide.com.au/ The playground honours disability advocate Quentin Kenihan, who died in 2018. The Playground's features were designed in consultation with Quentin's family and friends, the CIty Council's Access and Inclusion Panel, and members of Adelaide's disability community. |
The playground includes: - a wheelchair trampoline
- a sound and sensory garden
- waterplay
- swings and a carousel
- paths, four barbecues, shade shelters and seats.
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A disability toilet is still under construction. |
2. MANAGING THE TORRENS TO PREVENT BLUE-GREEN ALGAE |
Over summer, Adelaide is fortunate to have the River Torrens / Karrawirra Pari (including the Torrens lake) as the cool heart of the city. However, the summer months present a substantial challenge for the various bodies who have shared responsibilty for the River and central Torrens Lake. |
Each year over summer, water stops flowing into the Torrens and so the lake heats up, becoming susceptible to blue-green algae blooms which can form scum, and produce unpleasant odours. At a high intensity they can also release toxins that can harm humans and wildlife. |
There is no single fix for this problem. However, since the last outbreak in 2013 when the River was closed (see 2013 photo above) a combined range of initiatives has proved successful. These initiatives have included: - releasing water from Kangaroo Creek dam at strategic times, to flush out the river
- managing upstream catchment water and land to minimise river pollution from weeds, carp, and stock animals
- constant monitoring of water quality in the lake
- pollutant traps to prevent rubbish getting into the river
- water treatment with hydrogen peroxide
- reducing nutrient levels in the lake, by adding more aquatic plants
- installing aerators to add oxygen to the water
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| The most effective single action is releasing water from the Kangaroo Creek dam, but that would be a controversial action if Adelaide were to be in drought. The river is less likely to need flushing out this way if there has been sufficient summer rain. |
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The "Green Adelaide" Board is co-ordinating activities by the Adelaide City Council, the Department for Environment and Water, the Environment Protection Authority and SA Water. Find out more at this link: https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/topics/green-adelaide/our-priorities/water-resources-wetlands/River_Torrens_Water_Quality_Improvement_Project |
3. DOUBLING DOWN ON FOSSIL FUEL POLLUTION |
State Opposition leader Peter Malinauskas seems to be ignoring the climate emergency and has doubled down on his threats to re-introduce fossil fuel motor sport polliution to the Adelaide Park Lands. The Opposition leader appears to be pandering to a dwindling number of voters who want to maintain the dominance of fossil fuel motor vehicles, even within the world-unique Adelaide Park Lands. There is overwhelming evidence that an unsustainable level of carbon emissions is risking all our futures. |
In other countries, especially in Europe, electric vehicles are rapidly spreading in popularity, with fossil fuelled engines being phased out over the next decade or two. |
However last year, Mr Malinauskas promised (threatened?) that if the Labor Party won government in 2022, he would bring back fossil fuelled supercar racing to Victoria Park. |
More recently, he's gone further, by committing a future Labor State Government to a second fossil fuel motor sport "festival" based in Victoria Park / Pakapakanthi (Park 16). https://autoaction.com.au/2020/12/30/plans-to-revive-adelaide-motorsport-festival |
You can send a message to the Opposition leader by signing this petition:
https://www.change.org/p/peter-malinauskas-don-t-bring-fossil-fuel-racing-cars-back-to-a-clean-park Don't forget to share the petition with your friends after you've signed it. |
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How fortunate we are to have nature on our doorstep - to be able to leave behind our screens and city chatter and stretch our legs in the open, accessible quietness of the Adelaide Park Lands. To walk among towering river red gums, home to two possum species, five species of bats, magpies, parrots of various kinds, honey-eaters, owls, galahs and cockatoos. |
To follow the re-wilded banks of the Torrens through the heart of the City, perhaps spotting frogs, waterbirds, the occasional snake and the native Water-rat. |
To connect with First Nations grassland in Carriageway Park / Tuthangga (Park 17), with its twelve species of native grasses, grasses that have always been there amongst the introduced sporting turf, just needing mowing to stop, and some help—to let the bush push out— from dedicated volunteers at Bush for Life. |
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Perhaps to mourn those mammals once seen but now gone from the Park Lands; the Burrowing and Brush-tailed Bettongs, the Eastern Quoll, the Southern Brown Bandicoot, the Tammar Wallaby, the Bilby, the Platypus, the Brush-tailed Phascogale, the Yellow-bellied Sheathtail Bat and the Short-beaked Echidna. And hope that they might return. |
Having a connection with nature is both beneficial to the well-being of humans and the natural world, which we humans have a responsibility to protect for its own sake, but also because we too are part of nature. Even if we forget that. |
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5. GUIDED WALKS SCHEDULING RAMPS UP |
This year, you will have more opportunities than ever before to explore the Adelaide Park Lands with us. Our schedule of Guided Walks is ramping up in 2021. We are committed to 20 different walks throughoout the year.
Our first Guided Walk of the year had to be postponed from Sunday 17 January to Sunday 31 January, because infrastructure works in Rundle Park were slightly delayed. (See the story below.)
Our first 10 Guided Walks of the year (from January through to June) have all been listed on EventBrite so you can get ticket for any of these, below: |
Our team of Park Ambassadors has expanded - with two new ones (Heather Nimmo, Park 17; and Nicole Lionnet, Parks 18/19) joining us for their first Guided Walks in March and June respectively. |
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We charge a small fee for participation in these Guided Walks, but APPA members are entitled to a 100% discount by quoting a membership code when booking. Our aim is to help as many people as possible explore the Park Lands and share the experience with friends and family. For more details, and/or to book for any of our Guided Walks go to our listings on EventBrite. |
6. VIDEO OF THE MONTH - BROUGHAM GARDENS |
With the release of this month's video of Brougham Gardens / Tantutitingga (Park 29) we now have a video guide to every one of the Parks within the world-unique, National Heritage-listed Adelaide Park Lands. |
We will soon start work on videos for each of the six Squares. Catch up on videos for other parts of the Park Lands on our YouTube channel |
Loine Sweeney is a former broadcast journalist and public servant. She visits the Park lands most days with her husband Stewart, friends and/or family. |
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“We especially love three parks that almost form a triangle. We try to walk the 2.2km running track known as the University Loop most days in Park 10. The loop stretches through glorious shaded avenues of towering gums featuring extensive bird life. “It’s such a peaceful stretch of nature, giving us almost a cross-country experience, that it’s hard to believe we are so close to the city centre. We often extend the journey by venturing across the intersection in front of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital into Brougham Gardens. Walking uphill provides us with an aerobically useful climb and venturing around its triangular form provides wonderful vistas towards the hills as well as historic landmarks. “Returning downhill we cross into Park 12, Karrawirra or Red Gum Park, a splendid park bisected by the river. “It is such a gift to be able to enjoy all of these parks for free as if they are our own gardens. And they are. They are open, green and public and are ours (and yours) to share, explore and protect.” Pleased to meet you, Loine!
P.S. Loine will be interviewing other Park Lands visitors to continue 'Pleased to Meet You' as a regular newsletter feature. |
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8. TWO-WEEK WINDOW FOR ACCESS TO RUNDLE PARK |
You might have noticed fencing erected around Rundle Park / Kadlitpina (Park 13) for the past several months. The fencing has kept you out of the Park while the City Council's contractors have undertaken major infrastructure works (mostly underground) in the Park. The project has been upgrading power, recycled water, and sewer to better support events in the Park (including the Fringe venue The Garden of Unearthly Delights). The work is intended to reduce the need for mobile generators and other infrastructure to be brought into the Park, for future events. It has also boosted the capacity of pipes that bring recycled waste water into the Park to service temporary toilets and other non-drinking supplies. The work will be finished within the next week (by 22 January if not earlier). |
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Of course the Park will be fenced off again in early February, because it will be transformed into the "Garden of Unearthly Delights" for the Festival Fringe from 19 February to 21 March. There will be only about two weeks after the construction finishes and before the Fringe people move in, when the Park will actually be clear of construction equipment and available for you to walk through. We have had to re-scheduled our Guided Walk through Rundle Park (see the 'What's On' segment below) to fit into this two-week window. |
9. PROTECTING RARE BUTTERFLY HABITAT |
The central grassed area of Victoria Park / Pakapakanthi (Park 16) is one of the few locations on the Adelaide Plains that is home to the scarce chequered copper butterfly. As we reported in our December newsletter, the southern portion of Victoria Park is also being transformed into an urban wetland, in the largest Park Lands earthmoving operation so far this century. The City Council and its contractors are taking care that the earthmoving operation does not disturb the signposted and fenced butterfly habitat. |
In late 2020, APPA Committee member Ted Jennings went along as an observer, while butterfly conservation volunteers conducted a butterfly audit. This very delicate operation included using GPS co-ordinates to geotag each spot where the butterflies were identified. |
If you live near Victoria Park you can help provide more butterfly habitat by planting food for its caterpillars i.e. native sorrel (Oxalis perennans), and encourage ants into the area by leaving some open spaces around these plants. Further reading: https://butterflyconservationsa.net.au/butterfly/chequered-copper/
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10. WHAT'S ON IN THE PARK LANDS |
There are always events scheduled in the Park Lands, many of them free, and there are always opportunities to explore the Park Lands on your own, or with friends or family. Browse our Explore Parks pages for hints about interesting spots to visit. Here are just some of the opportunities in coming weeks: |
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| Fri 22 Jan 5.30 to 8.30pm. Bookings essential. Click the pic for details |
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| Rymill Park, Saturdays Jan 16th & 23rd 1pm to 6pm. Tickets $53. Click the pic for details |
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| Guided Walk through Rundle Park (Park 13) |
Sun 31 Jan, 9.30 to 11.00am. Click the pic for details and/or to book |
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| A live orchestra in the Zoo gardens, Park 11
Sun 31 Jan - 7 to 8.30pm. Click the pic for details |
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| Each Wednesday, 9am. Keith Conlon leads a social ride through Park Lands & beyond. Click the pic for details |
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| Summer Cross - Cyclocross racing |
Mary Lee Park (Park 27B) Sat Jan 23, 5pm Click the pic for details. |
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| Sun 24 Jan 2.30 to 7.45pm. Victoria Park Paracycling, women's and men's. Click the pic for details |
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| Nightly (except Mon) until 14 Feb in Botanic Park (Park 11). Click the pic for details |
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| Guided Walk through Karrawirra (Park 12) |
Sat 13 Feb, 9.30 to 11.00am. Click the pic for details and/or to book |
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11. BRIEFLY, IN OTHER PARK LANDS NEWS |
Art Prize exhibition - dates locked in We are delaying an official announcement until after artists are notified, but the long-delayed 2020 Park Lands Art Prize public exhibition is finally on track for a grand opening at the Festival Centre in mid to late March. |
Clockwise from top left: - Yvonne Boag - Adelaide in Summer
- Christine Fenech - Botanic Park Study
- Christopher Meadows - Between the Flags
- Jinjin Guo - The Cat of the Enchanted Forest
These works and more than 70 others will be on display at the Festival Centre for six weeks after the judging of winners and exhibition opening in mid to late March. |
Massive new building coming to Park 11 Architecture firm Woods Bagot has been commissioned to undertake preliminary design work on a proposed new Aboriginal Art and Cultures Centre on the so-called "Lot Fourteen" (the Government propaganda name for the former Royal Adelaide Hospital site on Park 11). |
A site that could have been restored to Open Green Public space as part of a world-unique green garland, will be locked away under concrete and bricks for generations. The architects getting the local work are, of course, enthused by the project. See: https://indaily.com.au/news/2021/01/11/adelaide-contemporary-architects-to-design-aboriginal-cultures-centre/ |
Sharing photos Do you ever go looking for a photo of the Park Lands to show friends or colleagues interstate or overseas? We have an enormous library of photos (more than 2,400) featuring every #picoftheday for the past seven years. Our Flickr collection is sorted into albums that correspond to each of Adelaide's 32 Parks and six Squares. Most of the photos are by APPA but we also regularly share photos from other photographers. |
If you'd like to share or re-post any of these photos, please acknowledge the source (including the photographer where that is indicated on the photo description). https://www.flickr.com/.../adel_park_lands.../albums If you'd like to add any of your own photos to this collection, please post them on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #adelaideparklands |
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In need of a major overhaul A consultants' report has recommended replacing the entire roof structure of the Adelaide Tripical Conservatory in the Botanic Garden, in Park 11 at a cost of about $13 million. |
The report suggested that the roof's toughened glass panels pose a “safety risk” and would fall on people below if overloaded or if they cracked, which would be a possibilty in severe weather. See the full story in The Advertiser ($$ subscriber-only link) |
Hire Victoria Park field for your sporting group? The City Council is seeking registrations of interest from sporting organisations and schools to use the sporting fields in Victoria Park / Pakapakanthi (Park 16) starting in April, either for a winter season, for the next summer season, and/or for a full 12 months. |
Join us! You can be a proud Park Lands supporter, with membership starting at only $7.50 (for concession and student membership) expiring 30 June 2021. Longer-term memberships are also available. We are now offering the opportunity to join with a subscription. You can choose if you wish to have your membership contribution billed to your credit or debt card on a six-monthly schedule, to maintain unbroken membership.
We rely heavily on membership fees to continue our Park Lands advocacy, so if you haven't already, please consider putting your money where your mouth is and backing APPA to keep up the Park Lands fight.
As a financial member of APPA, you receive: |
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| 12. PHOTO OF THE DAY - RECENT HIGHLIGHTS |
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From the top: - Early morning archery practice in Bullrush Park / Warnpagga (Park 10)
- Lanterns in a Moreton Bay fig tree in Hurtle Square / Tangkaira
- Resting in the shade off West Tce in G.S. Kingston Park / Wirrarninthi (Park 23)
- Dog on a log" - Schnauzer in Blue Gum Park / Kurangga (Park 20). Pic: @cooleyschnauzer
- Popeye riverboat near the Albert (Frome Rd) bridge in Mistletoe Park / Tainmuntilla (Park 11). Pic: Fiona Caulfield @lovetravel_australia
- Last month's Guided Walk on a walking track near Kingston Tce in Lefevre Park / Nantu Wama (Park 6)
The Park Lands "photo of the day" series has been running since May 2014, and the collection of Park Lands photos gathered over more than six years now numbers over 2,400. We maintain (and gradually grow) more than 40 separate albums: one for each numbered Park and Square, along with several albums for "Alienations". Contributions are very welcome! Simply post your pic on social media with the tag #adelaideparklands. To find out more about any of these featured Parks, click the link to the Park number. To see the #AdelaideParklands #picoftheday as it's released each morning, just follow us on Facebook, Instagram &/or Twitter. |
Despite being a National Heritage-listed place, the Adelaide Park Lands are not well protected by Federal environmental laws.
That's why we've joined the Place You Love Alliance, to campaign along with 56 other organisations for better environmental protection laws. |
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NEWSLETTER TEAM
Editor: Shane Sody
Contributors: Heather Nimmo, Loine Sweeney, Ted Jennings
Proofreaders: Trish Russell, Kate Treloar
Send content enquiries/submissions to secretary@adelaide-parklands.asn.au
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Here at APPA, we hate marketing (spam) emails. That's why we deliver news about the Park Lands, in this email format, only once per month. If you're after more regular information, please follow us on Facebook where we are posting every day. Unlike marketing emails, we're not trying to sell you anything, so we hope you'll forgive this intrusion to your InBox. Nevertheless, if you'd rather not hear from us in future, you can unsubscribe here. |
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