Friends of Parks

Friends of Parks Incorporated is an umbrella organisation for 113 individual volunteer community groups[2] and over 5,000 individual volunteers[2] in South Australia, who are each affiliated with a specific national park or historic site. The objectives of "Friends" groups are: to provide opportunities for public participation in the management of national parks and historic sites; to raise funds to support national parks, historic sites and the social functions of the Friends group; to publicise national parks and historic sites as well as the objectives of the Friends; and to provide cultural and social events for the benefit of members, staff and the general public.[2]

Friends of Parks

Formation	1993
Type	Umbrella organisation
Headquarters	Adelaide, South Australia
Membership	5,000 (2016)
President (2015–)	Duncan MacKenzie[1]
Website	Friends of Parks

Each Friends group is financially self-supporting, through a combination of members fees and fundraising. In addition, the Department of Environment and Water (DEW) provide "Friends Grants" for which individual groups apply on a project basis.

The first Friends group started at Fort Glanville Conservation Park in 1980, where there had been an existing historical society. The second group was formed at Ferguson Conservation Park in Stonyfell. In 1983, the National Parks and Wildlife Service set up the Friends of Old Government House in Belair National Park. The success of the Friends model had been demonstrated and in the following years many more groups were set up.[3] In 1993, the Friends of Parks umbrella group was incorporated.

A central Volunteer Support Programs Unit based in Adelaide coordinates the network of groups. Each group is answerable to a Liaison Ranger in order to ensure co-ordination with the goals and policies of DEW and park management. In 2015–16, members of Friends groups contributed the equivalent of 11,161 days of volunteer work to the state's protected areas.[4]

List of places with Friends groups

Parks

Aldinga Scrub Conservation Park Althorpe Islands Conservation Park Angove Conservation Park Anstey Hill Recreation Park Beachport Conservation Park Belair National Park Black Hill Conservation Park Blackwood Forest Recreation Park Blue Lake Brookfield Conservation Park Brown Hill Creek Burra Parks Butchers Gap Conservation Park Canunda National Park Cape Gantheaume Conservation Park Cleland Conservation Park Clements Gap Conservation Park Cobbler Creek Recreation Park Coffin Bay National Park Coorong National Park Cox Scrub Conservation Park Deep Creek Conservation Park Dingley Dell Conservation Park Ferguson Conservation Park Flinders Ranges National Park Gammon Ranges National Park Gawler Ranges National Park Granite Island Recreation Park

Great Victoria Desert Parks Hallett Cove Conservation Park Harding Springs Park The Innamincka Reserves Innes National Park Kaiserstuhl Conservation Park Kangaroo Island Parks Kenneth Stirling Conservation Park Kimba, South Australia District Parks Kyeema Conservation Park Lake Newland and Waldegrave Islands Lake Ormerod Little Dip Conservation Park Lobethal Bushland Park Lower Field River Marino Conservation Park Mark Oliphant Conservation Park Moana Sands Conservation Park Monarto Safari Park Morialta Conservation Park Mound Springs Mount Billy Conservation Park Mount Gambier Area Parks Mount George Conservation Park Mount Monster Conservation Park Mount Osmond Conservation Park Mount Remarkable National Park

Murray River (Friends of the River Inc) Mutton Cove Mylor Conservation Park Naracoorte Caves Nene Valley Conservation Park Newland Head Conservation Park O'Halloran Hill Recreation Park Onkaparinga Park Para Wirra Conservation Park Riverland Parks Sandy Creek Conservation Park Sceale Bay Scott Conservation Park Scott Creek Conservation Park Sellicks Beach Shepherds Hill Recreation Park Simpson Desert Parks Southern Eyre Peninsula Parks Southern Mallee Parks Spring Gully Conservation Park St Peter and St Francis Island Parks Stirling Linear Park Streaky Bay District Parks Sturt Gorge Recreation Park Telowie Gorge Conservation Park The Dutchmans Stern Conservation Park Totness Recreation Park Troubridge Island Conservation Park Whyalla Conservation Park[5]

Buildings

• Adelaide Gaol
• Fort Glanville
• Marble Hill
• Martindale Hall
• Mt Lofty Fire Tower
• Old Government House

Other

• Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary
• Gamble Garden
• Gulf St Vincent
• Heysen Walking Trails and other Walking Trails
• Society for Underwater Historical Research (2002 to 2012)
• Sporting Shooters Association of Australia, Hunting and Conservation Branch SA
• State Herbarium of South Australia

See also

• Protected areas of South Australia

References

1. ‘Friendly’ visit to Kangaroo Island by Friends of Parks Board The Islander, 25 June 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
2. Friends of Parks Inc. > About us. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
3. Dene Cordes awarded OAM for service to conservation and environment The Islander, 11 June 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
4. DEWNR Annual Report 2015-16 p. 46. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
5. "Who Are We?". Friends of the Whyalla Conservation Park. Retrieved 30 August 2015.

External links

• Friends of Parks homepage