by Carla Caruso

The cost-of living crisis - or ‘cozzie livs’, as it’s been dubbed - is putting the squeeze on many.

With this in mind, we’ve put together a list of activities in your Park Lands that you can do absolutely FREE - whether during the school holidays, on a public holiday, or beyond.

Here are some ideas…

Get a workout

Break a sweat at a fitness station in your Park Lands.

Take your pick from those in Bullrush Park / Warnpangga (Park 10), Victoria Park / Pakapakanthi (Park 16), Ellis Park / Tampawardli (Park 24), and Denise Norton Park / Pardipardinyilla (Park 2).

Fluoro sweatbands aren’t compulsory!

*Getting fit in Park 24. Photo: City of Adelaide.*

See horses

Where else in the world can you find horse paddocks right next to the city?

North Adelaide’s Lefevre Park / Nantu Wama (Park 6) is currently home to 13 horses. Their owners live nearby, so there’s a good chance one or more of the horse owners might be there when you visit. If so, you can ask whether it’s OK to pat the owner’s horse.

Got kids in tow? You might also want to check out this Park’s Glover North ‘Helicopter’ Playspace, off LeFevre Terrace.

*Horses in Park 6. Photo: Andrejs Jaudzems.*

Marvel at sculptures

Peruse the River Torrens Sculpture Park alongside the River Torrens / Karrawirra Pari in Mistletoe Park / Tainmuntilla (Park 11). It was commissioned by Foundation SA (now Arts SA) in 1994 and contains five sculptures, said to “respond to their bushland setting and the linear nature of this part of the Park Lands”.

Birdwatch — and ‘butterfly watch’

The wetlands in Victoria Park / Pakapakanthi (Park 16) and in G.S. Kingston Park / Wirrarninthi (Park 23) are great spots to sit quietly and watch the local birdlife, binoculars optional.

Also in Park 16, the partly fenced area at the centre contains unusual remnant native grasses, which provide habitat for a rare species of butterfly: the chequered copper butterfly.

The species live in an unusual symbiosis with ants. There are interpretive signs that explain their relationship.

According to Butterfly Conservation SA, the butterfly’s months of flight are January to April and September to December.

*Ducks in Park 16. Photo: Tully Haines.*

Bat-watch too

Botanic Park (Park 11) is home to a famed bat colony – and you can watch the winged mammals fly out at dusk every night.

Bat Rescue SA chair Sue Westover told us: “Pretty much if you go half an hour before sunset, you can have a look at them in the colony and then watch them fly out.

“It is a magnificent sight. The best vantage point is on Plane Tree Drive.” Pull up a pew!

*Peachy Arts is behind this cute shot in Botanic Park (Park 11).*

Walk amid gravestones

History buff? Wander among the gravestones at West Terrace Cemetery – Australia’s oldest, still-operating metropolitan cemetery. It sprawls over almost half of GS Kingston Park / Wirrarninthi (Park 23).

It’s one of the most significant cemeteries in the State (if not, THE most) because it contains the remains of many citizens who helped shape the origins of South Australia.

Among the memorials is one for Carl Linger, who composed Song of Australia, sung in SA public schools for a century.

*The Carl Linger memorial at the West Terrace Cemetery in Park 23. Photo: James Elsby.*

Meander a ‘bunyip’ story trail

Head to the wild and woolly John E. Brown Park (Park 27A) and stroll along the Bunyip Trail, inspired by Jenny Wagner’s book, The Bunyip of Berkley’s Creek.

The 260m-long trail encourages hands-on participation, with walkers completing a series of activities, relating to the tale, at different points. You can download the activity booklet here before heading off.

Please note: the trail’s closed from May to August due to the risk of localised flooding.

*Kids enjoying the Bunyip Trail in Park 27A. Photo: James Elsby.*

Do the Park Lands Loop

Did you know that you can walk, scooter, run or ride a 15.5km loop around the city, completely through Park Lands? Indeed you can!

Try it solo or join one of the organised ‘loop walks’, held every April and October, coinciding with the end and start of daylight saving. Visit the Facebook page, Park Lands Loop Walkers, for more details.

*Map of the biannual Park Lands Loop walk, starting and finishing at the Himeji Japanese Garden in Park 18.*

Try a self-guided trail

APA hosts guided walks most weeks, but you can also do your own self-guided walk anytime, using our online trail guides.

Which park you choose to explore is up to you. Learn about the history, the artworks, the ongoing issues, and beyond. Each Trail takes you off the well-worn paths, and will take you about 90 minutes to two hours to complete.

Sweat it out at a parkrun event

A loyal group of people hit your Park Lands every weekend for parkrun – and it’s free to join them.

There are three different parkrun locations in your Adelaide Park Lands:

the first to be established, the Torrens parkrun, which for many years has been starting at the weir over the River Torrens / Karrawirra Pari, with participants following the river upstream and back;
the Pakapakanthi parkrun; and
the newest: Nantu Wama parkrun, which starts at the Glover North playground, off Lefevre Terrace, and uses only trail paths as it circles the entire Lefevre Park / Nantu Wama (Park 6).

All three are always held at the same time: 8am each Saturday.

Picnic in a manicured garden

From the Adelaide Botanic Garden (Park 11) to the Himeji Garden (in Park 18) and the rose-dotted V eale Gardens (in Park 21), there’s no shortages of places for you to set up a picnic.

For other ideas, view our video on recommended Park Lands picnic spots:

At the Botanic Garden, we also love visiting the historic Palm House, the Bicentennial Conservatory, the bamboo grove, lotus pond, and more.

*Botanic Garden picnic pic shared by Juliette Lockwood.*

Head to a playground

There are heaps of playgrounds to take your youngsters in your Park Lands, as per this list.

Our favourites include:

Walk your dog or befriend someone else’s

There are various off-leash and on-leash locations to take your pooch in the Park Lands, or to hang out with other people’s canines if you don’t have one of your own.

There are two dedicated dog off-leash parks, one each in: