Enjoying Adelaide’s National Parks · 2015. 11. 7. · Parks are places of adventure and challenge, exercise, peace and quiet, recreation, ... more people to visit and enjoy parks.

Enjoying Adelaide’s National ParksCo-designing our future park improvements

The South Australian Government has committed $8.9 million to help people access, enjoy and benefit from the magnificent network of national parks on Adelaide’s doorstep.

Parks are places of adventure and challenge, exercise, peace and quiet, recreation, congregation and relaxation. In them we find a sense of enjoyment, strong community spirit and wonder in nature.

Many people already enjoy the health and wellbeing benefits of walking, sightseeing, cycling and socialising in these parks but we want more people to use these wonderful assets.

Communities across greater Adelaide have identified 46 projects in 7 parks within a few hours’ drive of Adelaide to help entice more people to visit and enjoy parks.

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Nature is good for usWithin 50 kilometres of the Adelaide CBD, there are 50 national parks and reserves covering more than 13,000 hectares of land.

Our national parks not only help to protect the environment, they can also have amazing health benefits for those who visit. Personal connections with the natural world are powerful. These connections are critical to our health and social well-being. Research has found that spending time in parks can help with health issues such as obesity, high blood pressure, depression and anxiety.

For children in particular, the opportunity to explore and play in nature is vital to their physical, mental and emotional development. The worldwide Nature Play movement aims to get children outside—playing and enjoying activities like climbing trees, building cubby houses, riding bikes, exploring, playing chasey, making mudpies and dipping for tadpoles.

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Co-designTo consider the huge volume of suggestions and options for upgrades in each park, two co-design teams were assembled from the northern and southern communities. The teams were drawn from a variety of sectors including conservation, education, local government, recreational groups, commercial tour operators and the migrant community.

Over four months, the co-design teams familiarised themselves with their local parks and ultimately made a series of recommendations for projects that would most benefit their local communities.

What you told usWe asked the community, “What would make you visit metropolitan national parks more often?”

More than 11,000 people provided feedback via round tables, stakeholder workshops, an online survey, and park discovery days.

In addition, nearly 40 school groups entered a competition called ‘Craft your perfect national park’. This competition, coming up with an incredible array of designs that were sustainable, environmentally friendly and able to be created in the real world.

Many of the entries shared common themes, with treehouses, climbable lookout towers and mazes all proving popular. Walking and riding trails, toilets, campgrounds, cafes and education centres featured strongly, showing the entrants had given careful consideration not only to what they would like to do in parks but what practical features were necessary for a complete experience.

Via the consultation process, people emphasised the need for better basic access and amenities to make the time spent in parks more enjoyable. People of all ages told us that their top needs for parks were more public toilets and walking trails, closely followed by mountain bike trails for all skill levels from beginner to advanced, barbecue and picnic areas, campgrounds, and improved signage and information. Children wanted more opportunities to explore and play, though not necessarily through traditional playgrounds.

The feedback also pointed out the value of face-to-face interactions with park staff. The community has said they would like to participate in more park open days, holiday programs and events where they can interact with rangers and people with knowledge of parks and nature.

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New rangersFive new rangers will be employed to run open days, holiday programs, nature education and events in parks. They will work with schools, community groups,

commercial tour operators, local businesses, and councils to encourage more people to explore parks.

Encouraging visitors to parks

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Onkaparinga River Recreation Park and National Park Onkaparinga River is 35 kilometres south of Adelaide. The national park covers 1544 hectares of bushland and features bushwalks ranging from easy to challenging, spectacular gorge scenery and unique native species. Taking in 284 hectares between Old Noarlunga and the beach, the recreation park is a haven for water sports, fishing, cycling and walking.

Improvements to the two parks will include:

• A new lookout over the Punchbowl in the national park, with picnic facilities, car parking and new access trails.

• An upgrade to the current facilities at Perry’s Bend in the recreation park, with improved car parking, trail linkages, information and kayak/canoe launching facilities.

• Campgrounds for families and larger groups

• Park entrance and information improvements.

• Trail network upgrades for both walking and cycling.

• General car parking upgrades.

• Toilet upgrades and drinking water facilities.

• Improved links to off-park services and facilities.

Total: $1.7 million

Anstey Hill Recreation Park Anstey Hill covers 383 hectares in Adelaide’s north-east and is rich in Aboriginal culture, European history and geological interest. An ideal place for spotting birds and animals, it is home to 145 species of native birds, 35 species of reptiles and amphibians and other animals such as echidnas, grey kangaroos and bats.

Improvements for the park include:

• New picnic and shelter facilities.



• Car parking upgrades.

• New toilets and drinking water availability.

• A campground for families and larger groups.


Total: $700,000

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Morialta and Black Hill Conservation ParksWith beautiful waterfalls, rugged rock walls and abundant wildlife just 10 kilometres from the city centre, it is hardly surprising that Morialta Conservation Park is one of Adelaide’s favourite places to play. With the adjoining Black Hill Conservation Park, it offers bushwalking, rock climbing, abseiling, bird watching and lovely spots for a picnic or barbecue with the family.

Works to be carried out across the two parks, include:

• Natural play spaces with an emphasis on natural and cultural education.

• Improved picnic and shelter facilities.






Total: $700,000

Cobbler Creek Recreation Park Set on former farm land between Golden Grove and Salisbury East, Cobbler Creek Recreation Park has 19 kilometres of walking and cycling trails. With trails suitable for every skill level, it is already popular with Adelaide’s mountain biking community.

The projects to be funded include:

• Trail network upgrades for both walking and cycling including pump and jump tracks suitable for a range of abilities.

• Natural play space with an emphasis on natural and cultural education.






Total: $500,000

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O’Halloran Hill Recreation ParkO’Halloran Hill Recreation Park in the southern suburbs is already popular with horse riders, cyclists, hikers and dog walkers alike. A 7 kilometres sealed bikeway runs through the park and it also features trails for mountain bikers.

Improvements will include:

• Mountain bike-specific facilities

• Trail network upgrades for both walking and cycling

• Improved picnic and shelter facilities

• Park entrance and information improvements

• Car parking upgrades

Total: $500,000

Hallett Cove Conservation ParkHallett Cove Conservation Park is a geological gem hidden in the southern suburbs. It features evidence of a 240 million-year-old glacier, towering cliffs and colourful sedimentary rock formations.

The project will create a new park entrance, upgrade general visitor facilities and improve park information.

Total: $140,000

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Para Wirra Recreation ParkLocated 40 kilometres north-east of Adelaide at One Tree Hill, Para Wirra is just 20 minutes from Elizabeth and Golden Grove. Covering just over 1500 hectares of bushland, it has abundant wildlife and offers a number of interesting walking trails and scenic drives.

The projects to be funded include:

• Natural play spaces with an emphasis on natural and cultural educational themes.


• An education and information hub.

• Campgrounds for families and larger groups.





• Scenic lookouts.


Total: $2.2 million

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Next stepsPlanning is now under way to bring these projects to life, with on-ground works to take place during 2016-17. Some reserve management plans will be amended to accommodate the proposed investment in these parks. Keep up to date with the progress of this initiative at parks.sa.gov.au

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Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia License www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au Copyright Owner: Crown in right of the State of South Australia 2015

FIS 93807

Disclaimer

While every reasonable effort has been made to verify the information in this fact sheet use of the information contained is at your sole risk. The Department recommends that you independently verify the information before taking any action.

parks.sa.gov.au

Enjoying Adelaide’s National Parks · 2015. 11. 7. · Parks are places of adventure and challenge, exercise, peace and quiet, recreation, ... more people to visit and enjoy parks.

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