by Carla Caruso

Christopher Hunter is one interesting cat.

The 45-year-old from Kensington designs wildlife and pop-art fashion accessories, is an avid bird-watcher and art guru, and loves a stroll in your Park Lands.

We recently chatted to Christopher to find out more about his passions.

Hi, Christoper. Please tell us about how your Bush Bling label was born.

I launched my fashion accessory label in 2016. I had returned from living in Alice Springs and wanted to create souvenirs which resonated with visitors to Australia. The main theme of my work is Australian wildlife.

My accessories are stocked in many locations across Australia, including in the Park Lands! The old Adelaide Gaol stocks my wares as does the SA Museum and Mount Lofty Summit gift shop.

You design all the pieces. Do you also make them?

Yes, I design all my fashion accessories. I draw each design and then have the designs translated into product proofs by a factory.

My jewellery is made overseas to a very high standard of quality. My printed wares, including tote bags, cards and children’s books, are made in Sydney and Adelaide.

Previously, you sold art in Adelaide and Sydney and then established an art gallery in Alice Springs. But volunteering for a wildlife rescue organisation really inspired you. Can you tell us more about this?

I ran an art gallery in Alice Springs called Ghost Gum Gallery. I was an art dealer for many years and come from a family background in the antiques industry. 

The wildlife organisation I volunteered for was WIRES. It’s a NSW-based organisation and is the largest wildlife rescue group in Australia.

I was a member of the inner-west branch in Sydney and held the position of fundraising officer. I joined the group to learn about wildlife rescue and to help wildlife.

I learned a lot about wildlife care within the group, especially from the older members. As a member, there are lots of ways you can contribute. I really enjoyed fundraising, collecting foliage, and doing rescues.

The longest rescue took four days and involved the rescue of an ibis, which had its legs shackled with human hair. We pursued it through Sydney’s Botanic Garden and finally rescued it in Hyde Park [in the city].

Ibis have become to be known as ‘bin chickens’ and are loved by Sydneysiders, but they sometimes get those long beaks and legs caught in tricky situations.

It’s the best feeling to rescue and release a healthy animal back into its environment. I see the most pressing issue for wildlife in urban areas as habitat loss and pollution.

What wildlife do you most like spotting in the Adelaide Park Lands? And do you have a favourite park? 

There is sooo much wildlife in the Adelaide Park Lands. The birdlife is amazing and you can see different birds in different parks at different times of the day or year.

The plovers and ibis can be seen on the grassed playing fields. Other birds, such as rosellas, are a joy to see and can be seen feeding on the ground, flying between trees, or nesting in their hollows.

Some of my more interesting sightings have included a straw-necked ibis, which joined a flock of white ibis in Victoria Park / Pakapakanthi (Park 16) for a few years; a fox near Victoria Park; and a rakali [water rat] in the Torrens. 

I went to Rose Park Primary School, so my favourite park has to be Pakapakanthi / Victoria Park!

I have grown up enjoying this park and have seen it change for the better over the years. I remember it being a horse track. I love its trees, the grassland reserve where rosellas can be seen feeding, and the old grandstand is lovely.

The addition of the wetlands is a huge win for the park’s biodiversity and for birdwatchers like me. My 95-year-young great-uncle is also a birdwatcher and enjoys the park daily as did my grandmother.

Your best memories from time spent in the Park Lands? 

In my younger years, I played countless rounds of golf around the North Adelaide golf links, and in more recent years, have run in a couple of Adelaide marathons.

As a runner, I have got to know the Parks well.

Finally, what do you consider the most pressing issue for the Adelaide Park Lands? 

For Victoria Park, I see the [Adelaide 500] motor race as a concern. It causes damage to the park and long restrictions to public access and use of the park. It doesn’t fit with the direction that the park is going.

I also think informative signs are of great value and these need to be maintained. They help locals and tourists understand the rich history and importance of the Park Lands.

I recently learned from a sign that the Kaurna name of Park 1 (the golf links) is ‘Pirltawardli’, which means ‘possum place’. I believe that First Nations-naming of Park Land places and history is a great thing.