by Rhia Daniel

It’s beautiful spectator weather in your Adelaide Park Lands, on the Saturday that I visit, in late August.

Winter appears to have ended a week early, with visitors shedding layers of clothing to soak up the 21°C sun.

I’ve arrived after lunch in Carriageway Park / Tuthangga (Park 17) and the scheduled sport matches of the day have presumably been and gone. But within the park, the grounds are alive with countless games.

Across the two football ovals closest to Greenhill Road, a father is teaching his two young daughters to play football. For now, the yellow football is nearly the size of the girls themselves, and is quite difficult for them to catch.

It appears these girls are being taught to take a chest mark, although the length of the ball extends from their neck to their legs.

But with the (still young) formation of the AFL women’s league and the recent success of the Matildas soccer team, the open fields of Carriageway Park / Tuthangga may play a pivotal part in the making of two future South Australian athletes.

In the back corner field of Carriageway Park / Tutthangga, a field of teenage boys practise a game of touch football.

It’s nearing the end of the season for the 2023 winter men’s touch football season, with the last game before finals being held on Monday evening. A whistle sounds and cheering can be heard across your Park Lands, but it’s not from this game. (More on that in a sec...)

Walking through the wetlands at Victoria Park / Pakapakanthi (Park 16), several visitors are making the most of the sunshine. Cyclists are out in force, several couples are walking and talking, and there are many dogs wagging their tails during their walk in the sun.

Many young families can be seen on the expansive fields, practising soccer, playing football, and cycling. The winter rainfall has been recent enough that the South Park Lands creek is lively, and the tranquil sounds of running water can be heard.

Walking to Victoria Park / Pakapankanthi, the source of the whistle and cheering sounds can be found. There is a mid-afternoon cricket game on, with two teams playing. The flags of India, Australia and Afghanistan are present and flying proudly.

There is no scoreboard, but there is a speaker system and a marquee set up, a photographer darting around the field, and a barbecue being cooked. There are no banners, flags or team logos, but this game appears to be a big occasion. 

Victoria Park / Pakapankanthi provides plenty of space for younger spectators to run around. Some of the children’s fathers have taken it upon themselves to entertain the little ones with a football, mirroring the scenes in Carriageway Park / Tuthangga.

Especially important in this new heat, sliced oranges are brought out to the players. Although the opposing teams are wearing different uniforms, there is no discernible difference between the spectators as to which team they’re supporting. All the spectators are seated in a huddle of identical white chairs, and the orange slices are being offered to all players.

Days like these capture the vitality and importance of your Park Lands: Open, Green, and Public. For the young girls learning to play football, the fields represent the vast array of skills they can learn, and the types of games they can pursue. In that very park, they could also learn to play soccer, tennis, field hockey or even croquet if they wanted to.

In the Victoria Park wetlands, the space functions as an easy cycling trail, a meditative space, a small nature retreat from the CBD, and more.

For those walking around this afternoon, the wetlands may hold memories of first dates, bonding with a pet, precious parent-child time or simply an hour for personal wellbeing.

In Victoria Park / Pakapankanthi, the space may represent not only an ideal location for playing cricket, but also a space for community gatherings. Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the inner-city, there is time to grab a chair, start up a barbecue, cut up some oranges, and watch some cricket as a group.

What better way to celebrate the first signs of spring?

Rhia Daniel has moved to Adelaide from Kapunda, and deeply values community and green spaces.