These fences keeping you out of Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka won't be coming down until October 2022.

Contractors are undertaking four months of work, mostly underground, to improve water, sewerage, and electricity capacity within the Park. This will reduce the need to import toilets and generators for events such as the annual Festival Fringe.

The works are similar to those undertaken two years ago in Rundle Park / Kadlitpina (Park 13).

The difference this time is that the infrastructure works also coincide with the closure of Rundle Road through the Park Lands for the Illuminate Adelaide festival.

Rundle Road is about to host a temporary night-time visual spectacle.

This metal framework that's gone up in the middle of Rundle Road will be christened the "Illuminate Pavilion". It will host what's been described as a "world-renowned multisensory and immersive experience ‘Wisdom of AI Light’ – presented by Turkish-based company Ouchhh Studio.

Starting from 16 July, shows lasting 45 minutes each will run from 11am each day, Tuesday to Sunday. Read more about the show and book tickets here.

Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor says the show is expected to attract at least 130,000 people to the city’s East End "providing a welcome stimulus to our traders and economy" in the middle of winter.

Although vehicular traffic cannot use Rundle Road (except for some parking spaces) pedestrians and cyclists can still get through.

It is still possible to access the Quentin Kenihan Inclusive Playspace in Rymill Park, although you can get to the playground only from Dequettville Terrace. For the time being (until October) this lane next to the Adelaide Bowling Club is the only way into or out of the Playspace.

Meanwhile, the City Council's long-delayed Master Plan for Rymill Park /Murlawirrapurka (Park 14) is still awaiting finalisation.

Pending approval by the City Council, further works are likely to be undertaken to renew the concrete base and walls of the Rymill Park lake. The plan also envisages improving water quality in the lake by upgrading Botanic Creek through Parks 15 and 16 to the south, widening Botanic Creek and installing reed beds, incorporating “water sensitive urban design.” The timing and scope of these works is yet to be determined. A new version of the “Master Plan” for Rymill Park was on the agenda for Kadaltilla/Park Lands Authority on 30 June 2022, and is due to be considered by the Adelaide City Council on 12 July 2022.

The current work in Rymill Park /Murlawirrapurka (Park 14) has forced us to rearrange our Guided Walks schedule. Our Guided Walk in this Park has been postponed until 11 December 2022.