Boost for Loopers

by Kate Treloar

A popular Adelaide walking event has been given a boost, with funding from the City of Adelaide, and in-kind donations from three local businesses.

The Park Lands Loop Collective is a biannual event. Each year, on the first Sunday in April, and again on the first Sunday in October, a group of walkers (along with some runners and cyclists) enjoy a brisk Park Lands loop around the CBD,

The tradition started humbly, in October 2021, with just 30 participants. However, it’s grown since then.

The very first group of “Loopers” about to head off from Himeji Japanese garden, Park 18, in October 2021

Since its inception in October 2021, hundreds of people have joined the Park Lands Loop Collective and completed a full loop of the Adelaide CBD either walking, running or cycling.

The first seven Park Lands Loop Collectives were entirely volunteer-run with zero funding. It has been a grass-roots event in every sense of the word!

This year however we’ve received a small “Community Impact Grant” from the City of Adelaide. These grants assist initiatives that contribute to our city being vibrant, connected and inclusive.

With this support, we have been able to step things up behind-the-scenes to let more people know about the event with a poster and flier campaign, and we will have a photographer on-site on the day.

New Poster campaign

The Adelaide Park Lands Association has supported the event right from the start. But now a number of other local organisations have got on board to help spread the word about this fantastic Loop experience. A shout out to:

The support from these people has enabled us to create some eye-catching Loop posters and fliers.

Are you able to display one or more A3 posters? Or do you have a spot for a small stack of fliers? We’d love to hear from you!

Email secretary@adelaide-parklands.asn.au and we will arrange to get some to you.

The clockwise route; starting and finishing at Himeji Japanese garden. Booking for the event will get you a higher-resolution PDF map, and a link to a GPS route map that you can load onto a compatible device if you want.

Join the next Park Lands Loop Collective: the eighth such one – on Sunday, April 6th.

The roughly 14km circuit through Adelaide's beautiful Park Lands is a perfect activity for nature lovers, fitness enthusiasts, urban explorers, and families looking for a fun day out.

It’s a fantastic and active way to spend a morning, exercising while exploring your amazing Park Lands.

Almost every attendee at the past seven Loop Collectives has commented that they had “no idea” about all the different parts of the Park Lands they discovered. We’d love you to join the club!

Participants in the previous Park Loop Collective event, in October 2024. Pics: Christina Tilston

What can you expect?

  • A scenic 14km loop through Adelaide's Park Lands in a supportive environment.

  • Plus the opportunity to meet fellow Park Lands-loving participants in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.

The Loop experience is highly accessible and versatile - anybody can participate at a level that suits them.

The route is accessible at all points, there are regular toilets, water fountains and cafes, and public transport options abound if you realise you can’t make the distance.

It's an amazing asset to have Park Lands encircling a city centre – we have the benefits of both worlds combined!

When is it held?

The date of each Loop event is easy to remember. They are held twice each year, at the start and at the end of Daylight Saving time: (i.e. Sunday morning, on the first weekend in October and April respectively).

So change your clocks and do a Park Lands Loop. It’s the perfect way to help reset your body clock!

An iconic Walk

As the Loop Collective creator and coordinator I have always loved iconic walks.

The ones that when you mention them, others chime in that they’ve already done it, or would love to do it.

In SA, we have many, from the epic Heysen Trail through to climbing Mount Lofty. But I’m stunned the Adelaide Park Lands Loop isn’t really on this list… yet!

I’m working to change this! The Loop is accessible, plenty of facilities (toilets and cafes), beautiful, safe, and easily adaptable to suit the needs of participants.

APA’s Kate Treloar (centre) with fellow Loopers, in the Adelaide Botanic Garden on Sunday 6 October. Pic: Christina Tilston.

EVENT DETAILS

  • Date: Sunday, April 6th 2025

  • Time: 9am - 1pm

  • Meeting Point: Himeji Gardens, off South Terrace in Peppermint Park / Wita Wirra (Park 18)

  • Distance: 14km loop around the CBD (not North Adelaide)

  • Direction: CLOCKWISE

  • Participation options: Join the 9am hosted walking group OR complete the loop at your own time/pace

  • Possible optional variations: add in a North Adelaide leg (i.e. around the northern Park Lands), cycle several laps, jog with a pram, or just do half a lap and catch the tram back to the start… or pick your own variation!

Register here:

https://events.humanitix.com/parklands-loop-collective-8-14km-walk-ride-or-run-around-adelaide (free!) to join the event. All registered participants receive a suggested online route map

Kate Treloar is an independent book retailer, a former member of APA’s managing Committee, and the driving force behind the Park Lands Loop Collective.