SENIORS in Adelaide are being urged to get out and about with the launch of three revamped easy walking trails around the city.
The accessible trails feature smooth paths, plenty of seating and water fountains, shaded areas and are close to residential areas.
They are in Gladys Elphick Park/Narnungga (Park 25) in the west Park Lands - across Port Road from the new Royal Adelaide Hospital, Pelzer Park/Pityarilla (Park 19) on Glen Osmond Road in the south Park Lands and Bundey's Paddock/Tidlangga (Park 9) on Bundey's Road in North Adelaide.
The trials have also been placed near interesting sites, such as a dog park and horse paddocks and are near bus stops.
As well as putting in additional benches, work has also been done on providing more information about the history of the sites.
The Gladys Elphick Park/Narnungga trail includes a 600m loop around the football oval and a longer 1.5km loop around the park around several football and cricket fields.
Narnungga means 'native pine place in Kaurna, the traditional owners of the land. The park honours the life and work of 1984 SA Aboriginal of the Year Gladys Elphick (1904-1988). Aunty Gladys was a Kaurna Elder and founding president of the Council of Aboriginal Women of Australia and a strong advocate for Kaurna women. The park evolved from Colonel William Light's 1837 plan of a city surrounded by Park Lands.
The trails in Pelzer Park/Pityarilla offer easy walks ideal for sharing with grandkids or the pooch with paths leading to accessible play spaces for both. There is also the beautiful Ponder Avenue, picnic spots, toilets and barbecues. There is a small 200m loop and longer 800m loop.
Pityarilla is the Kaurna name for the park, which means 'marshmallow root place'. The marshmallow plant is known as ngunna and its roots, which are eaten, as pityarra.
The park is named after August Pelzer - one of the planners of the great Park Lands - the largest inner urban park system in Australia.
Bundey's Paddock/Tidlangga offers bushland trails, two barbecue and picnic table areas, a sand pit and climbing walls for the community to enjoy. There are two loops - a 350m one and a longer 500m walk. Both suit people of all mobility. There is free parking on Mackinnon Parade and Bundey's Road.
Tidlangga translates to 'tilda root place' in Kaurna language - a bulbous root. From the 1850s to 1870s the park was used for grazing cows as well as collecting fire wood. The park was created in 1871 when Bundey's Road was opened, one of several roads constructed through the Park Lands.
Historically this was known as Bundey's Paddock in the 1880s in reference to William Bundey who was the Mayor of Adelaide from 1883-1886.
For more information go to cityofadelaide.com.au/easywalks
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Geraldine Cardozo
Features Editor at The Senior.
Features Editor at The Senior.
