Ideas sought to boost park visitors to South Australian national parks

All options are on the table to increase the number of people visiting Adelaide's national parks, according to South Australian Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Ian Hunter.

Meeting with representatives in northern Adelaide from State and Local Government, local schools and sporting groups, conservation organisations and community groups this week, Minister Hunter said $10.4 million had been allocated over four years to encourage people to use and enjoy natural spaces in metropolitan Adelaide.

Minister Hunter explained “(our) commitment includes $6.5 million for parks in the north, $2.4 million for parks in the south, and $1.5 million to look at how we can make the Adelaide Hills an international mountain biking destination.

"We are also inviting people from all over the metropolitan area to complete an online survey to share their ideas.

"That could mean facilities like new trails, toilets, picnic areas, lookouts, play spaces - or something completely different."

Minister Hunter Minister said there were 300 parks in South Australia, covering nearly a fifth of the State, but not many people realised that 29 of those were in metropolitan Adelaide.

He added "centrally-located parks like Belair, Cleland and Morialta are already popular, but fewer people are familiar with northern parks like Para Wirra and Anstey Hill and all they offer."

The community engagement process will be complete by the end of this financial year, with agreed projects to be designed in 2015/16, and constructed in 2016/17.

Community consultation can be made until Monday 15th June 2015.

More information, including submission forms can be found on the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) website at www.environment.sa.gov.au/parks/Home

Image shows the Morialta Conservation Park.

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