What would make you visit Adelaide’s national parks more?

[beardless]

Looks like the SA Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources is seeking public input into how to spend $10.4 million to fund initiatives to help more people get into and enjoy the parks in our northern and southern suburbs of Adelaide.

You can have your say here:

http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/haveyoursay/amlr-connecting-residents-with-nature

I put in a short online submission suggesting a couple of campsites along the Yurrebilla Trail would be worthwhile. I also said I think eradication of invasive olive plants in many of the parks should be on the agenda.

Put in a submission if you have any ideas, and apparently you could win a year of free park access for your family, including camping.

The site says that community consultation closes Monday 15 June 2015

[Strider]

Move them to Victoria

[beardless]

Ha. Victorians can take our Grand Prix but they'll never take our parks.

[wander]

The Vics can have the GP, the V8 has worked out to be a better deal.

I do not visit the close to town Parks cos they are normally too busy for me.

[Hallu]

What's this article ? They say metropolitan Adelaide has 30 national parks whereas the whole of South Australia only got about 20... They confuse NPs with other protected areas... What would make me visit those parks is if they were connected and protected as a whole big National Park. Having 30 small conservation parks is a huge disadvantage, visitors get confused and don't know which to visit. But Adelaide isn't going to connect those parks and increase the protected area, like all cities it's expanding and in the long term will eat up those areas.

[Chezza]

I recently did the Cape Jervis to Vic Harbour section of the Hysen trail. Even on this rather scenic section of the Hysen trail we had to walk through a rather depressing amount of farmland. The Yurebilla track is similalry far from unspoilt. Mt Remarkable and Wipena Pound are beautful, and do offer some scope for multiday trips, but are rather busy in the winter months.

As Hallu said, the biggest problem (from someone who prefers remoteness and long trips) is how small and broken up the conservation areas (with some greenery and water) are. But that's also a refelction of the fact that SA is dry and arid. Lots of arid area bushwalking available for anyone who is game (which I'm not!).

This poll has a different objective. They talk about building trails through Aldinga Scrub and so on. Personally, I'd spend the $10 mil on setting up family-friendly campsites and trails (where possible, set far away enough from roads to give them a secluded bush feel) in an attempt to endear these little pockets of greenery to the local population. Hopefully that will make it just that little bit harder for developers to get their claws into them. With the state of the job market in Adelaide, camping is going to get more popular!

[beardless]

This poll has a different objective. They talk about building trails through Aldinga Scrub and so on. Personally, I'd spend the $10 mil on setting up family-friendly campsites and trails (where possible, set far away enough from roads to give them a secluded bush feel) in an attempt to endear these little pockets of greenery to the local population. Hopefully that will make it just that little bit harder for developers to get their claws into them.

I agree Chezza that family friendly improvements will likely get more people in the parks. Endearing little pockets to the local population is also probably one of the best strategies to keep them as parks in the long term which will meet the objective to "help more people get into and enjoy the parks in our northern and southern suburbs" well into the future.

What's this article ? They say metropolitan Adelaide has 30 national parks whereas the whole of South Australia only got about 20... They confuse NPs with other protected areas... What would make me visit those parks is if they were connected and protected as a whole big National Park.

I agree that the article confuses National Parks and conservation parks. I don't understand the essential features of a National Park to be honest. However, having different names for the all the parks is probably not really a problem for locals. It may even assist in endearing the local population to the park.

[Hallu]

The requirements for being a NP are all different from state to state in Australia. For example, Queensland at one point had 500 national parks, many with no clear known boundaries, even to rangers, this is ridiculous. Victoria and New South Wales have also too many national parks, some being wild and big, some being small and unfit to be called NPs. South Australia actually copied the american model and said "no we're only giving the title of NP to something outstanding, wild, and preferably big". They're not all perfect, but they have a sound policy.

What Aussies call NPs are actually state parks, only a couple are really under federal government care. The rules change so much that you can encounter mining, farmland or grazing in national parks depending on the state you're visiting. In all this mess, Tasmania is clearly above the pack. Better signed, variety with some wild parks (Walls of Jerusalem, SouthWest) and more touristy cash-cow parks (Cradle, Freycinet), a couple of hidden gems (Narrawntapu, Mt William), with good tracks, campground policy and information.

[walk2wineries]

Those in the Adelaide Hills areas really could do with some car parking. I like Amber's Gully at the end of the Yurebilla - avoid at weekends because I can't park. Waterfall gully is lovely and has more walks than the popular Mt Lofty walk, but again, no hope of legally parking during school holidays or weekends. Anstey? Wonderful network, lots of access gates but only a couple have parking. There are exceptions; Morialta has pleasant picnic grounds and thoughtful parking (sensibly charging for the park closest the falls) and it gets wilder the further one walks.

[GPSGuided]

Establish a multi day 'great walk' that's worthy of its name along with more day walk trail? Build the infrastructure and they will come. Don't forget the power of marketing.

[walk2wineries]

They Heysen has some lovely stretches. Incidetnally I would recommend Terry Lavender's "The Last Post" which describes why it has some of the boring bits when they were prevented from landowners from using easements etc. It does do some odd things though, to avoid small town which I think add interest - and lunch - to long walks.

[zorro]

Mt. Remarkable and Mambray Creek are great little spots in the southern Flinders but unfortunately Parks has allowed the place to be taken over by retirees in caravans, and overnighters on their way north who come in after dark. Wilpena is privately operated and charges accordingly. Again, lots of caravanners in white shoes and stripey shirts. Belair is a nice spot close to town, but again privately managed. I usually purchase a yearly parks pass but unfortunatley it is limited to which parks I can use. There is not a lot of overnight camping spots within a days drive but if you pick a time midweek out of school holiday times there are some little gems to be found.

[Johnnie Walker]

Mt. Remarkable and Mambray Creek are great little spots in the southern Flinders but unfortunately Parks has allowed the place to be taken over by retirees in caravans, and overnighters on their way north who come in after dark.

Is Mambray Creek still busy since they have the on-line reservation system in place? With the mandatory on-line booking you can't use it as a last minute stop-over anymore when heading north (or west).

I just hate it to pick a campsite from a website and having to plan beforehand if (and where) I'm going to stay for the night. Places like Deep Creek and Innes have limited mobile coverage so you can't even make a booking. Getting rid of this bureaucratic nonsense would make us to visit certain parks more.

[Zone-5]

I do the Chinaman's Track bush trails hike to Mount Lofty Summit every Sunday morning. No one else around until I join up with the Waterfall Gully track and then it's a bevy of fine young women in not much but lycra!



...helps to keep my heart rate up...

[zorro]

Don't really know about a online booking site, are you thinking of the group campsites which fill up with screaming, rock throwing school kids?
I know these need to be booked, but as far as I know you rock up, pay your fee [ hopefully] and pick a site. Advice on picking a site. Find one that is very hard for a caravan to get in any where near you, they usually think that because you are there, they will park next to you because they think you want to be friends with them. I will never understand this but it happens regularly. Do not go anytime before or after school holidays, as our precious private school kiddies don't go in school holiday time, it is always in school times so they don't get put out doing it in their own time. They always seem to have a teacher or supervisor with them that ignores park rules and starts a fire in bush camping spots. During school holidays you get the usual collection of morons, usually locals, who take all their kids, pushbikes, noise, dramas, crying, screaming, running around unsupervised while mum and dad clang the pots and pans. When it is time to pack up they always leave their rubbish. You name it, broken eskies, kids toys, tissues cigarette butts, Mcdonalds wrappers just to name a few. Unfortunatley my complaints have gone unheeded to the parks
department, as they only have one ranger now who zips in, collects the fees out of the box, does one lap of the camping ground and he's off to the next one. Even turns a blind eye to generators as well. I know some of this sounds negative, but I have been going to the Flinders regularly and have noticed a huge decline since they took the resident ranger away. I suggest anyone who visits this spot gives feed back to Parks. Maybe they might start to listen, if you can get past the girl on the desk who seems more concerned with her nails.

[zorro]

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[Zone-5]

Zone 5, Yeah, we see you people all the time, the forum limits what I can say, but I bet you can think it.

Keep looking matey...

[Johnnie Walker]

From: http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/parks/Home/Media_Centre/News_Events_Listing/140718-online-bookings/frequently-asked-questions

"Online bookings and payment are required for Beachport Conservation Park, Bool Lagoon Game Reserve, Canunda National Park, Coorong National Park, Innes National Park, Little Dip Conservation Park and Mount Remarkable National Park."

[zorro]

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[zorro]

Yes Johnnie Walker you are correct. Just got off the phone to parks who have confirmed the changes to the system. I for one will not adhere to this. It is probably the single biggest act of bureaucratic crap I have heard. I KNOW WHERE THE MONEY WILL BE GOING!!!! Certainly not to the parks, rangers, track maintenance, infrastructure or facilities. It will be going straight to the fat slugs who manage the dept. on long lunches. There is no way in hell I will book a campsite online, only to arrive and having to put up with god knows who you will get as a neighbour. Have spoken to parks at length about this and have been informed that is the way it is, even with a parks pass. Well they can forget about that, I will now be finding off track camping and I will not pay fees to support a system that is cashing in. For me I will be spending my money in Tas. QLD. Vic. and NT. Who would want to come to this dump of a state anyway. Full of narcissistic people with self importance issues and a government who have screwed up every single part of this state. Even tho I pay for a yearly parks pass,[ which is supposed to cover all parks] if I want to go to Naracoorte,Northern Flinders, Kangaroo Island, Belair, Wilpena and a lot of other parks, I have to purchase another pass. This whole system makes South Australians the butt of so many jokes. There is a lot of truth to the saying " If you find something beautiful, don't tell anyone. SAD SAD SAD. I do know of some awesome places that I camp in the Flinders, that parks cannot get their hands on, and my lips are sealed.

[Zone-5]

It must be tough getting a good photo zone 5...

Ref to ZG removed by Admin by request of artist

No not really my friend, the only girl in my photos is my lovely wife...

[zorro]

Which one is your wife ?

[Zone-5]

{removed by admin}

[beardless]

The requirements for being a NP are all different from state to state in Australia. For example, Queensland at one point had 500 national parks, many with no clear known boundaries, even to rangers, this is ridiculous. Victoria and New South Wales have also too many national parks, some being wild and big, some being small and unfit to be called NPs. South Australia actually copied the american model and said "no we're only giving the title of NP to something outstanding, wild, and preferably big". They're not all perfect, but they have a sound policy.

What Aussies call NPs are actually state parks, only a couple are really under federal government care. The rules change so much that you can encounter mining, farmland or grazing in national parks depending on the state you're visiting. In all this mess, Tasmania is clearly above the pack. Better signed, variety with some wild parks (Walls of Jerusalem, SouthWest) and more touristy cash-cow parks (Cradle, Freycinet), a couple of hidden gems (Narrawntapu, Mt William), with good tracks, campground policy and information.

Thanks for clearing that up Hallu.

The question should really be: What would make you visit Adelaide's protected parks more? or What would make you visit Adelaide's National Parks and other protected parks?

In any event the consultation is still open until 15 June 2015.

[paulgood]

"I put in a short online submission suggesting a couple of campsites along the Yurrebilla Trail would be worthwhile."

I second this. I have done the Yurrebilla a couple of times and freedom camped on the ridge in Horsnell Gully CP. Beautiful spot and certainly suitable to conscientious bush camping.