Save Mirnu Wirra's biodiversity
by Shane Sody
The State Government’s proposed attack on your Golden Wattle Park / Mirnu Wirra (Park 21W) for a new police barracks compound has sparked a groundswell of community activism to save the Park’s treasure of biodiversity.
Facing the destruction of more than 15 years revegetation work, Trees for Life volunteers and others are not only writing letters to politicians. They’ve also been busy within the Park identifying some of the treasured species that the Government seems intent on destroying.
A rare “chocolate lily” growing in Park 21 West where the State Government wants to put an eight-hectare fenced police compound.
We’ve put together a video so you can see what’s at stake:
Some commentators have described Golden Wattle Park / Mirnu Wirra (Park 21 West) as ‘unused’. But that’s very misleading. These people were photographed going through the bushland during a 20-minute period on a single morning in April 2023.
However, this Park is important not just for humans: it’s one of very few places on the Adelaide plain where the vegetation that existed before European settlement has been successfully re-created.
These satellite images tell only a small part of the story. They reveal only the re-established trees, not the hundreds of native grasses and other understorey plants that have been successfully re-established here.
The ongoing 15-year revegetation project has been done so well by Bush for Life Volunteers that the rare chequered copper butterfly {Lucia limbaria) has become re-established here. The first pictures of this butterfly in Park 21 West were snapped by ‘brandonsa” in October 2022. Then, Greg Coote took these pics on Easter Monday 2023. Their observations are now on the citizen science world database on iNaturalist.
Many conservation, nature and heritage groups have come together, each of them pleading with the State Government to save your Golden Wattle Park / Mirnu Wirra (Park 21W).
What can you do? See our suggestions here: https://www.adelaide-parklands.asn.au/blog/2023/4/5/premier-needs-more-encouragement/#what-can-you-do
Despite the community’s wishes, the State Government has shown no signs of looking for any other site, to locate its proposed new Police Barracks.
SA Police Assistant Commissioner Noel Bamford wrote to Trees for Life on 4 April with the devastating news that no other site was being considered.
Assistant Commissioner Bamford’s letter claims that SAPOL wants only a “small portion” of the Park. Here’s what eight hectares would cover of your Golden Wattle Park / Mirnu Wirra (Park 21W)
Nevertheless, the decision is to be made by State Cabinet, not by the SA Police. You can make your views known to any State Labor MP or Minister.
You can find suggestions for action here: https://www.adelaide-parklands.asn.au/blog/2023/4/5/premier-needs-more-encouragement/#what-can-you-do