President’s letter GREETINGS TO ALL YOU WORTHY The Park Lands will not survive the WARRIORS FOR THE ADELAIDE PARK ravages of decades of spiritual neglect. LANDS FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK We can sense the fragility of the Park It is wonderful to be in a State in a Capital Lands: vulnerable to ad-hoc opportunism; City where we enjoy the wonderful threatened by misguided exploitation that blessing of our Park Lands. is unable to value open space for its own beautiful ethos but regards it as a vacuum No other city has got or can get anything that requires stuffing with structures and to compare with our Park Lands. Can you things, or amputation of precious portions imagine the expense required by any of for hard surfaces or buildings to cater the deprived cities of the world to buy to the fad of the day—all destined to be back an area of suburbs surrounding their seriously questioned and lamented fifty or city centre even one quarter the size of so years hence. our Park Lands? Let alone attempting to match ours hectare by hectare! More people enjoying the pristine charms of the Park Lands = more people Not only can we revel in the iconic protecting them = more people of all ages uniqueness but we can enjoy them VALE involved in APPA. personally. For fun, exercise, romance, C Warren Bonython AO meditation, visual delight, family picnics, Ian Gilfillan organised sport—the Park Lands are so generous that we can all indulge without 11 September 1916—2 April 2012 falling over each other. They are so The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee generous that you can even get to be on Renowned South Australian explorer, conservationist and author, Warren your own if you so desire, a rare option in Sincere good wishes to Her Majesty other cities of the world. Bonython, supported APPA’s campaign Queen Elizabeth II on celebrating over 60 to save Victoria Park from the State APPA will be inviting people young and years of devoted service in fulfilment of a Government’s permanent multi-storey old to enjoy various aspects of the Park solemn pledge: motor sport structure. Adding his name Lands in gently organised incentives and I declare before you all that my whole to APPA’s Eminent Persons’ Statement, functions. life whether it be long or short shall be Warren attested to the fact that the Park We need more people, as they enjoy the devoted to your service and the service Lands: Park Lands, to realise the need to ensure of our great imperial family to which we are a priceless asset, held in trust for they continue in the centuries ahead for all belong. the people of both the City and our our descendants for many generations, Princess Elizabeth (now The Queen) State. They must be protected—for the not just the spurious ‘next generation’! 21st birthday speech, 21 April 1947 citizens who enjoy them now, for the (Coronation Day speech, 2 June 1953, attention and praise they attract from From this awareness will come the urge also solemnly pledged service). around the world, and for generations for people to join APPA and help us fulfil to come. this obligation and destiny. The only previous Diamond Jubilee Parklands News, June 2007, p 9. celebrated by a British monarch took ISSUES ON THE TABLE place in 1897, when Queen Victoria The son of Sir John Lavington Bonython marked 60 years of her reign. (who also cherished William Light’s Adelaide High School expansion ambitions www.thediamondjubilee.org legacy of Park Lands), Warren was born Adelaide Oval demolition/expansion within cooee of the Park Lands and Alienated Park Lands subsequently enjoyed Victoria Park and Australian Heritage Strategy Queen’s Birthday 2012 Adelaide Hills Face views and vistas from Biodiversity survey Honours recognise St Corantyn, his parents’ home on East Britannia intersection land grab Terrace. Perhaps this played no small part Brownhill/Keswick Creek Stormwater Plan AGM Guest Speaker in nurturing Warren’s love of wide open Cirque du Soleil/Park 24 Event Venue Prof Graeme Hugo AO spaces and wilderness and, in 1984 when Dying elms and other trees; Adelaide Warren received the Royal Geographical Stadium missing yew and white cedar Congratulations to all recipients of Society’s John Lewis Gold Medal (for avenue Queen’s Birthday Honours, including Exploration), the citation was delivered by Land grabs at Adelaide High School site, APPA’s AGM Guest Speaker Professor Sir Walter Crocker (later Patron of APPA). railway yards, Adelaide Oval, Riverbank, Graeme Hugo who was recognised as an Bonython Park Officer of the Order of Australia: Warren made innumerable contributions ‘Purple water’ regime and damage to ensuring many generations’ enjoyment Riverbank ‘Project’ For distinguished service to of public open space, recreational and Royal Adelaide Show car parking population research, particularly conservation parks and walking trails, SACA, SANFL, AFL and Stadium the study of international migration, and our Association honours Warren’s Management Authority population geography and mobility, particular contribution to conserving the World Heritage listing and through leadership roles Adelaide Park Lands. We extend our with national and international Front and back cover photo: Ground heartfelt sympathy to his wife Bunty and organisations. zero at the River End of Adelaide ‘Oval’. family. Copyright K Henderson, 24 June 2012. For the full Queen’s Birthday 2012 Vale Warren, thank you for Inset (back cover): ‘What were parklands Honours List see http://www.gg.gov.au/ treasured memories and the inspiration of a life well-lived. Dad?’ The Advertiser, 10 November 1954, p 2. content.php/page/id/93. Park LANDS News August 2012—2 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2012 APPA’s 25th Annual General Board members, and providing reports The Association’s Honorary Auditor, David Meeting was held on Sunday (available on APPA’s website); Carver, Managing Partner of BK Partners, Chartered Accountants, was formally 15 April at the North Adelaide • thanks to Gunta and Philip Groves thanked for his services and re-appointed for initiating and producing the 25th Community Centre in Tynte Street, for 2012–13. North Adelaide. anniversary edition of the Newsletter, and to Kyle Penick for maintaining an The meeting adopted the outgoing President Kelly Henderson as Chairperson Association archive that facilitated the committee’s recommendation that 2012– welcomed approximately 40 members newsletter’s compilation; presentation 13 contribution rates for the membership and introduced guest speaker Professor to Philip Groves of the publication year commencing 1 July 2012 be Graeme Hugo. Public Dollars, Private Stadiums: The maintained at 2011–12 levels. Battle over Building Sports Stadiums Professor Hugo’s address, entitled in appreciation of Philip’s myriad The new committee includes Ian Gilfillan ‘South Australia’s Changing Population: contributions to the aims of the as President, Brian Mitchell as Secretary, Some Implications and Challenges’, was Association and the defence of the Kelly Henderson, Luciana Larkin,1 Kyle supported by a Powerpoint presentation. Park Lands on his retiring as Deputy Penick, Hamish Ramsay and Michael Graeme fielded numerous questions from President and Treasurer. Sando as committee members. A special members, and former APPA President thank you to Luciana for providing an and Honorary Life Member, the Hon Ian Treasurer Philip Groves tendered the excellent morning tea. Gilfillan, made a presentation to Graeme Treasurer’s Annual Report for the financial on behalf of those attending. year ended 31 March 2012 and reported a Brian Mitchell Apologies were received from 15 surplus of $2126.45 for the year. members and the 2011 AGM Minutes (Members who would like the Income and 1. Luciana Larkin was appointed as the were received and formally approved. In Expenditure Statement and Balance Sheet Association’s Honorary Treasurer at the her address, President Kelly Henderson may request a copy from the Secretary.) 2012–13 committee’s first meeting. reported on Business Arising and delivered the President’s Report: • progress on World Heritage nomination proposal, attendance at WH South Australia’s Changing Population: Nomination update seminar, Australian National University, Canberra, and Some Implications and Challenges World Monuments Fund Heritage@ Risk Watch nomination (earthquake- With over 30 years’ experience in his damaged Provincial Buildings, field and more than 300 publications, Christchurch, NZ, the sole Australasian Professor Graeme Hugo drew from his site listed); extensive knowledge of population issues • SA History Week online exhibition to provide a thought-provoking and ‘Trashed or Treasured?’ and tour enlightening discussion of key aspects ‘Victoria Park’s Surprising Survivors’, of population change in South Australia, with thanks to Michael Sando and emphasising we Kathleen Patitsas; must keep the Park Lands as open • public meeting at Box Factory on space, not just parts of it, but also proposed destruction of Victoria Park have a look at novel and new ways of remnant native vegetation; discovery of creating other forms of open space in rare Copper Butterfly, and subsequent the middle suburbs ... commencement of a private criminal Speaking on the importance of a national prosecution of Adelaide City Council debate that engages the community, not under the National Parks and Wildlife only experts and government, Graeme Act 1974, and Native Vegetation Act made the point that the State’s 30-year 1991; Plan is a plan for expanding the number • Vale C Warren Bonython AO; of young households whereas