by Carla Caruso

In 1990, Madonna’s Vogue and, poignantly, Sinéad O’Connor’s Nothing Compares 2 U were top of the pops.

Also the fad of the summer was ‘grip ball’, where two competitors would play a game of catch, using a tennis ball and neon-coloured Velcro mitts.

*Grip ball set. Photo: My Diffability Australia.*

It’s this game I remember playing at Bonython Park / Tulya Warldi (Park 27) as an 11-year-old. Every New Year’s Day, I’d gather with my big Italian family for a picnic at the park. (My dad’s one of 10 children, so when I say ‘big’, the gathering really was, taking into consideration all the offspring. Many continue the tradition to this day.)

Other vivid memories from then include getting rainbow Paddle Pops from the kiosk, the ice cream running down my elbows; watching model boats being whizzed around the iconic pond – and having a spin of my own in a Jamie’s Jolly Jalopy.

One such jalopy is pictured below in a photo from New Year’s Day 1990. I’m riding on it with my two sisters and cousin. (I’m in the shadows, in the back to the right.)

*Writer Carla and relatives on a ‘jolly jalopy’ in Bonython Park / Tulya Warldi (Park 27) in 1990. Photo: Carmela Caruso.*

I’m certain ‘Jamie’s Jolly Jalopies’ was the company name, although it’s so long ago, nothing comes up about the pedal cars on Google. (The only thing I’ve found that’s close are ‘jolly jalopies’, which you can hire in Esperance in Western Australia.)

I recall you could hire bikes at Bonython Park back then too. Although, we never did. It was always the jalopies for us. This was even after our much-talked-about crash, when one male cousin rode too fast, and the jalopy tipped sideways on the bitumen path.

I was reminded of this bit of childhood nostalgia when SA media personality Andrew ‘Cosi’ Costello posted about jalopy hire during an Italian holiday this year on Instagram.

Cosi uploaded the below photos with the caption: “Cracking day with the kids yesterday in Rome. We need these electric bikes and rowboats down the [River] Torrens [Karrawirra Parri].”

*Family photos posted by Andrew ‘Cosi’ Costello during a Roman holiday earlier this year.*

Of course, the thing is we did once have such jalopies by the river, although they weren’t electric.

Possibly the rising cost of insurance – and other crashes, like that mentioned above – were what made the hire cars fall by the wayside.

Plus, back in the ‘90s, I never could’ve dreamed of other modes of transport becoming available in the Park Lands, like Segways, electric scooters, and BBQ Buoys.

Even so, my childhood wouldn’t have been the same without those jolly good, ol’ jalopies. They were a tonne more fun than grip ball.

For other trips down memory lane on our site, check out:

This article on a unique treasure trove of images of your Adelaide Park Lands as they looked 62 years ago, and
This photographer’s recreations of his great-grandfather’s photos of our city, including scenes of your Park Lands.