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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-03-21 Daily Xml
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PARKS WEEK

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (15:07): My question is to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation. Will the minister provide an update to the chamber on Parks Week?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:07): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. Parks Week is an important event for my department (the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources) and for those in our community who take pleasure in our natural environment.

Parks Week is an annual celebration recognising the benefits of our parks and the role they play in our lives. Every year Parks Week has a different theme and this year's theme was 'Get healthy by nature'. This year from 2 to 8 March officers from my department, together with volunteers and supporters from across South Australia, coordinated all manner of events aimed at encouraging more people to take advantage of all the benefits that our parks can offer.

This year, in line with the theme 'Get healthy by nature', the events planned throughout the week were focused on ways that South Australians can improve their health and their wellbeing within our numerous parks. Some of the groups involved this year include: the Friends of Belair National Park; the Friends of Old Government House who, I might add, are celebrating their 30th anniversary; Bicycle SA; and the Australian Mountain Bike Association.

During Parks Week, guided bike rides for visitors took place in Cleland Wildlife Park and Belair National Park, and guided walks were also on offer at other locations I am advised. Barbeques with plenty of healthy food options were also on offer and working bees were conducted by staff and volunteer groups as well, providing opportunities for people to offer assistance and to support their favourite parks in a very practical way.

To encourage participation in Parks Week the entry fee at Cleland was temporarily altered to a gold coin donation on Saturday and Belair offered free entry on Sunday. I am pleased to advise that Cleland experienced one of its busiest days on record—1,600 visitors came through the gates and enjoyed the attractions. I am advised that this is almost three times the normal Sunday afternoon figures for Cleland Wildlife Park. Belair also recorded a 50 per cent increase in visitors, with community members flocking to the park to take advantage of the free entry.

My department is committed to developing new opportunities for South Australians to enjoy our natural environment. This work is, of course, not limited to the activities held during Parks Week; rather, it is a year-long endeavour for us. For example, earlier this year, a number of fire tracks around Cleland Conservation Park were opened to mountain bikers to ride and explore. I am told this is a very popular attraction, with hundreds of bike riders now using the 10-kilometre network every week.

Because of the popularity of these tracks and keeping in line with the Parks Week theme of getting healthy by nature, I am pleased to advise the chamber that officers from my department are working on opening a network of tracks in Belair National Park for the very same purpose. It is anticipated that these tracks will attract even more visitors to Belair, a mixture of people who would not typically venture into a national park, perhaps, and those who might have visited previously but who are looking for new ways to explore the beauty that is available in Belair National Park.

I understand that recent survey data reports that 59 per cent of South Australians have visited a park in the last year. This is an impressive number of people and reflects the work being undertaken by my department through the government's people and parks visitor strategy, but as always there is more that we can do to promote these great community assets and I would urge all members here to continue to promote the wonderful natural resource that is our system of parks.

The PRESIDENT: Supplementary question, the Hon. Ms Lensink.

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