Walkers learn of Bonython Park's woes
by Carla Caruso
About 20 Park lovers joined APA’s guided walk at Bonython Park on September 26.
President Shane Sody led the walk through Park 27, which is also known as Tulya Wardli (meaning “police home” in Kaurna). The site comprises smaller parks, named Kate Cocks Park and Helen Mayo Park, too.
Shane told the gathering: “Although, it was marked as Park Lands in Colonel Light’s map of 1837, it took more than 100 years before the people of Adelaide started treating it as a park.”
Adelaide Gaol is one of the state’s oldest remaining colonial public buildings and the site of some of our most grisly history.
“From 1837 up until the late 1950s, this area was used and abused for lots of things [including a slaughterhouse, where the kiosk now sits], and it didn’t look anything like a park,” Shane continued.
“Although, this area now looks like a real park, you’ll learn today that Park 27 is still suffering from abuse from alienations, and apathy.”
Shane added that the park has “a split personality”. “It’s partly a park, but its other five uses are: biomedical precinct [including the new Royal Adelaide Hospital], railways, police barracks, historical gaol, and car park.”
SA Police’s greys are doing damage to this olive plantation, established in 1862.
Among the sights, walkers were taken to a historic olive grove, which is now home to SA Police’s Mounted Operations horses – and the spot of some controversy.
“If nothing is done about the overstocking of the horses, many of these trees will die within the next 10 years,” Shane said, quoting two arborists who recently provided their advice to the Adelaide Park Lands Authority.
“Some trees are already dying. The council’s arborist says this paddock should have no more than two horses. The police want to maintain a force of 24.
“They also want to build much higher, black fencing to keep out the public because there have been several incidents of people harassing the horses. It’s a live, very controversial issue, not yet resolved.”
This garden - marked for the new WCH site - is also used for stormwater detention, taking runoff from the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
Walkers were also taken to the proposed site for the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital. “The state government has decided to put a new Women’s and Children’s Hospital here, where we are standing now, on this three-hectare garden,” Shane said.
“It is the last scrap of Park Lands anywhere on the north side of North Terrace … All of [the government’s earlier] assurances have been abandoned with current plans to build over this area and also build a three-storey car park in Kate Cocks Park.
Shane told walkers: “In between the river and North Terrace, there are multiple new biomedical buildings, all on land that has been taken over the past decade from Park 27 – the SAHMRI building and one new skyscraper each for UniSA and the University of Adelaide.”
“At the far end of Park 27, near the Morphett Street Bridge, is an area recently renamed Helen Mayo Park. This is the site earmarked by the state government for a new stadium, aka Riverbank Arena. We are holding a rally there next month – Sunday, October 17.”
Register your spot at the rally here to help save it. The event will feature prominent guest speakers, live music, and catering.
The walk also took in sites such as the Adelaide Gaol, where many hanged murderers are gruesomely buried within its walls, and the location of APA’s pilot re-greening project at the car park’s southern end.
For APA’s next guided walk, check out our list here.