by Carla Caruso

APA is hosting two events as part of the Nature Festival next month.

The festival, which runs from September 25 to October 4, 2021, is a collaborative, cross-sector innovation project, exploring our individual and societal relationships with nature. 

The festival is back for a second year, with 200-plus events for all ages and various ways to connect with nature and each other. As its website says: “More than 90 per cent of us get out into our parks and beaches each year, and the challenges of 2020 have only further highlighted how critical nature is for our health and wellbeing.”

The first 2021 event APA is hosting is a guided walk through Bonython Park/Tulya Wardli (Park 27) – “the home of circuses, river birds, railway lines, a memorial forest, and much more”.

The two-hour walk – at 2pm on September 26 - will take in the park’s history, hidden treasures, and its continuing role in Adelaide’s culture. Register here. Tickets are from $5. 

Our second event at the fest is a Park Lands Loop Collective. Attendees can walk, run, or ride a loop around the city, completely through Park Lands.  Tickets are free.

On Sunday, October 3, a group will depart at 9am from Himeji Gardens (in Park 18) and walk the 16km loop of the CBD (not North Adelaide) in an anticlockwise direction. The aim’s to finish back at Himeji Gardens several hours later. Cafe Bonython is an ideal stopping place about halfway around the loop, and at the end of the loop, Hutt Street cafes are nearby for refreshments, if desired.

Join the group OR do your own loop – the how and how far is up to you. Either way, wear some green, take pics on the way to post using #parklandsloop, and keep your eyes peeled for fellow loopers. Register here. It’s free to join in.

 Some other events celebrating your Park Lands at the festival include: 

 ·      Memorial for Forgotten Plants in the Adelaide Botanic Garden – a multimedia, participatory performance, reflecting on the loss of native plants from our suburban landscape; multiple dates and times.

·      The Figure of 8 art exhibition at Gallery Flaneur, celebrating Adelaide’s world-famous Park Lands on October 1.

·      Bird Rambles guided tour with Birds SA and the City of Adelaide, showcasing the amazing birds that live in G.S. Kingston Park/Wirrarninthi (Park 23); multiple dates and times. 

·      Self-guided tour of Karrawirra Pari/River Torrens from Pinky Flat, using an app to activate a digital immersive experience; anytime.

·      Southern Parklands ‘Nature by Night’ tour with Green Adelaide in Pelzer Park/Pityarilla (Park 19) on September 30 – bring a torch!