Arbor Day

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton) (15:34): Thank you very much, Deputy Speaker, and happy winter solstice day to you. It is all up from here. On Sunday, I was pleased, along with minister Hunter and others, to attend an annual Arbor Day planting event held on the southern bank of the River Torrens in Lockleys. I am sure, Deputy Speaker, that you and many in this chamber would have, as youngsters, participated annually in a planting event recognised then as Arbor Day. I remember throughout my primary school days, along with the entire Henley Primary School student cohort, planting trees, shrubs and ground cover in and around the grounds of my school.

Arbor Day commenced in 1889 when a group of South Australians, with both foresight and concern, gathered in the south Parklands to plant trees. Their motive was to address and highlight that the rapid rate of vegetation loss in South Australia was threatening our state's agricultural sustainability. It was on this particular day that Arbor Day began in South Australia. What the large group did on Sunday, just as our forebears did 127 years ago, was to leave a legacy for future generations to discover the wonders of our natural working environment and to acquire the knowledge, skills and capacity to look after it.

This planting event was a terrific day, with some 4,500 plants and trees and many shrubs and ground covers planted, all native and indigenous to the area. As I mentioned, these 4,500 plants were planted along the stretch of the River Torrens in Lockleys on what is called Pierson Island. I can see you thinking, Deputy Speaker, that there is no island along the River Torrens, but this is an area that is isolated when a large flow occurs down the river. Water goes through the swale and it is called Pierson Island.

This part of Lockleys is not in my electorate. It is the member for West Torrens' area, but I am pleased to say that at this location you can look across the river to Kidman Park, an important part of the Colton electorate. I am pleased that my constituents and visitors to the grassed area opposite the plantings will be able to enjoy the enhanced view and amenity that will result from Sunday's event. I will be even more pleased if and when future plantings occur on the opposite banks in Kidman Park.

Deputy Speaker, you would be aware that some years ago Arbor Day itself was almost extinct except in memory. For the last 10 years, Greening Australia, a magnificent organisation, has held an annual Arbor Day planting event. There is no doubt that Greening Australia in South Australia has been the driving force behind revitalising the Arbor Day tradition, and it has done this through engaging communities and others. Greening Australia has been carrying out planting events along the River Torrens since 2008, and anyone who has visited—and for those who have not, please visit—sections of Breakout Creek you will see firsthand an important long-term project that is restoring habitat to a section of the Torrens which in turn is creating, through this extension, an important wildlife corridor for aquatic plants and animals. I am one who eagerly awaits this restoration program continuing along Breakout Creek to the outlet.

On Greening Australia, I want to thank and congratulate Stuart Collard, the staff and the many volunteers from the organisation for the outstanding work they are doing not only in this particular area but across South Australia and, indeed, from Greening Australia's perspective, throughout Australia. Greening Australia do this through broad community engagement and collaboration with others. For this recent Arbor Day event, this was by partnering with the City of West Torrens—and I thank Amy and the council staff for their help and coordination—and the Adelaide and Mount Lofty NRM. I thank Kim and Hugh and others for their work and foresight and their commitment to Arbor Day.

Other important partners include the Boeing corporation and its support for the Adelaide Green City project, of course the Rotary Club of West Torrens for providing a barbecue and finally, and importantly, the local community. Of course, Greening Australia in South Australia works closely with the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR). In further acknowledging the role of Greening Australia across the nation, it is important to note that, since its establishment in 1982, this organisation has conserved or restored in excess of 350,000 hectares of landscape, established nearly 40 million plants in various forms and engaged over 11,000 landholders.

The work they are doing, from a whole-of-landscape management perspective across Australia, is really quite remarkable. I congratulate Greening Australia on all they do, on the work they are doing and, importantly, on the work that is going to benefit future generations and our landscape. They work also with farmers and others to ensure that it is done properly through a whole-of-landscape perspective. It was a terrific day and long may Arbor Day continue.