Meet our new deputy

by Carla Caruso

Ben Ayris has stepped into the role of our Deputy President.

A financial adviser by day, he joined the committee last year before becoming deputy after the April AGM, replacing former Deputy President Dr Ingrid Wangel.

When Ben isn’t busy standing up for your Parks, you’ll likely find him enjoying the city’s many festivals and cafes. Read on to discover more about him…

Hi, Ben. Please tell us about your path to becoming the APA’s deputy president.

I joined the committee in November 2022 and have been a member since mid-2022. I joined as I had become very concerned about the amount and extent of attacks on the Park Lands by the Malinauskas government.

I felt I could not do anything watching from afar, so it was time to get involved. I feel very strongly about retaining the Park Lands as open, green, and public.

There are areas of the Park Lands that are misunderstood. Even I did not know about a lot of the conservation in certain parks - such as Park 21W [Golden Wattle Park / Mirnu Wirra], which is the area of the current attack for new, expanded police barracks and stables.

To most, these Park Lands might appear derelict, but once you hear and see the history and conservation, you understand the importance. 

Nice scene captured by Ben at the Adelaide Fringe.

What do you enjoy about being on the committee?

I love that I can give back to the Park Lands by standing up for their protection and actively be involved in their promotion and enhancement.

Anything you’re excited to get your teeth stuck into APA-wise in the year ahead?

Over the next 12 months I want to help spread the word and educate where I can about the importance and history of the unique, green ring around the CBD.

I want to see all levels of government come together to agree to no more attacks on the Park Lands and increase protection.

As the population of the CBD and surrounding suburbs grows, the need for open, green spaces will grow. Once they have been built on, the government won’t be demolishing a building to return it to Park Lands anytime soon.

Ben is our Park Ambassador for Ellis Park / Tampawardli (Park 24), taking people on a Guided Walk there once a year.

Do you have a favourite park in the Adelaide Park Lands?

I love walking along the [River] Torrens. It is such a peaceful space in the city.

I love that our Park Lands are host to unique events such as the various Fringe festival hubs, which help promote the importance of the Park Lands to both locals, and interstate and international tourists alike.

I am also an ambassador for Park 24 – Ellis Park / Tampawardli. I took my first [guided walk] in October last year, in wet weather, with a group of enthusiastic locals.

I enjoyed sharing the history of that particular Park and look forward to doing it again later this year.

What keeps you busy when you’re not fulfilling your committee duties?

By day, I am a financial adviser in a local business close to the south Park Lands, helping locals with their financial planning needs.

I live in the CBD with my rescue cat, Indie, who’s been with me for close to 10 years now.

I know it sounds cliche, but I do actually spend my free time walking around the city and trying out new cafes and revisiting my favourites.