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Parks & Reserves

There are quite a number of parks and reserves in and around Mt Barker.  Over the years, they have been cared for by a succession of gardeners employed by the District Council.  In the 1970's, my grandfather, the late Bert Hillman, was the town gardener.  Of more recent times, the job has been undertaken by Leon Shillabeer.

Mt Barker Show Grounds & Recreation Centre - Howard Lane, Mt Barker

Activities that can be enjoyed here include gymnastics, cricket, basketball, tennis, women's social netball, football, fully equipped gymnasium and fitness centre, kindergym, squash, night tennis, mixed netball and oval.  For many years, the gates of the oval held two large subterranean clover leaves, in honour of Mr. A.W. Howard, who developed the first strains of the plant in the Mt Barker area.

Dunn Park

Has been renamed Dunn & Bickle Park and is situated in Cameron Road just before the railway line.  The local Caravan Park is situated here as well.  John Dunn presented the property to the people of Mt Barker as a gift in 1892.

Keith Stevenson Park

Includes a man made lake, skate park, barbeque and adjoins the Wallis Cinema complex.  The area now encompasses land on which Keith Stephenson and his family lived for many years at the corner of Wellington, Adelaide, Alexandrina and Flaxley Roads.  In 1986 a group of young local people built a barbeque in the park in memory of their mates who were tragically killed in separate motor vehicle accidents.  The plaque on the barbeque reads:-

"May all those who use this site remember
What pain we went through that fateful December..."

 

Mountain Pool

In Cameron Road has been in operation for a number of years.  It was revamped in the 1970's and again more recently.  Vacation swimming classes have been held here for over 40 years.

 

Anembo Park

Built as essentially a sports park in the 1908's, the complex contains a large recreation area, softball pitches, tennis courts, soccer/hockey ovals, and playground.  The park is home to the Adelaide Hills Hockey Club, Hills Softball Association, Littlehampton Tennis Club, Mt Barker United Soccer Club, and Radio Racing Cars SA among others.

Weld Park

Situated between Weld Crescent, Skipper Street and Fletcher Road, the park contains an open, tree lined area and a children's playground.  The park is bordered by low income Housing Trust duplex houses around the Weld Crescent sections.  The park was named after Dr. Octavious Weld, one of the town's early medical practitioners.  In the 1960's there were a number of large pine trees planted equi-distant along the Skipper Street and Fletcher Road boundaries of the park.  These had been planted in honour of World War I veterans, but the plaques that had been placed beside each tree have long since disappeared.

Laratinga Wetlands

A fairly recent addition to the town, and situated on Bald Hills Road opposite the Golf course.

 

Linear Park (Bollen Road)

This is the area between Flaxley Road and the housing estate beyond Memorial Drive.  The area is prone to flooding, and I can remember seeing many of those houses underwater in my lifetime.  There is also a smaller park up along Bollen Road, which is bounded by Thiele Avenue and Fry Street.

 

These are the smaller reserves that are dotted in and around the town:

Jacobs Reserve Mount Barker

A small garden area near the old Jacobs Milk Factory was first planted with roses in the 1970's.

Jubilee Crescent Mount Barker

A natural tree studded area at the convergence of the division of Jubilee Crescent and Maldon Street.

Local Government Centre Mount Barker

This is the area between the Council office and the Ambulance Station, where the war memorial now stands.

Maldon Street Reserve Mount Barker

At the bottom of Maldon Street where it splits to join up with Wellington road, this small reserve is planted with beautiful red roses and houses the Collett Barker Memorial.

Martindale Estate - Burnbank entrance Mount Barker

Set up in memory of Martin Pope of Burnbank Farm, this reserve lies on property which was owned for many years by the Pope family.

Chapman Crescent Reserve Mount Barker

A small parked area adjacent to Chapman Crescent and behind the home of Mr & Mrs Chapman.

Dumas Street Reserve Mount Barker

A small area outside the old main gateway to Auchendarroch and where Dumas Street one met Adelaide Road.

Flaxley Reserve Mount Barker

Along Flaxley Road past the car park to Keith Stephenson Park is a small pull off area and a foot bridge over the creek.

Fred Ellis Walk Mount Barker

I didn't know this existed for many years despite playing there on my way home from school as a child.  It is the area immediately to the Main Street side of the Creek just beyond the Croquet Club and the play ground.

Fry Street Reserve Mount Barker

A parked area just off Bollen Road, bordered by Thiele Avenue, Fry Street and Bollen Road.

Manor Crescent Mount Barker

A treed area at the side of Manor Crescent giving the houses in the area a little privacy from the noise of the near-by Freeway.

Mount Barker BMX Track Reserve Mount Barker

In truth this is part of the Mt Barker Recreation Centre grounds.  It was built in the 1980's when BMX racing was in its hey day.

Mount Barker Bowling Club surrounds Mount Barker

The area from Wellington Road along Mann Street to the Council Office is considered as a local park/reserve area.  In encompasses the Bowling and Croquet Clubs and a children's playground.

Willow Close Reserve Mount Barker

A linear area up the centre and along both sides of Willow Close culminating at the Willow Close Kindergarten.

Kia-Ora Street Mount Barker

At the bottom end of Kia-Ora Street is an area which once belonged to the MacFarlane family.  In this area is a large tree under which it is said that the first church services in the area were held.

Memorial Drive Reserve Mount Barker

The area between Flaxley Road and Memorial Drive, along the banks of the creek and leading up to the former home of Vern Schuppan, of Le Mans racing fame.

Mount Barker Creek Mount Barker

The entire length of the banks of the Mt Barker Creek are considered to be reserve areas.

Springs Road Reserve Mount Barker

The small area near St Francis De Sales Convent school, where Dutton Road meets Springs Road, has for many years been a reserve, although most locals just thought of it as a wasted piece of real estate.

The Triangle

There isn't much left of The Triangle these days, but for many years it was considerably larger than it is today.  In its early days, it was a cemetery, and later it was used as a sale yard for stock.  Part of it was given over to the building of a Fire Station, which still stands in its original position there today.  For those who don't know where the Triangle is, it is the small piece of garden at the top end of Gawler Street that stretches down to the Fire Station and along Wellington Road to the first roundabout.  Innumerable couples have had their wedding photographs taken in the once beautiful gardens, but only one couple were ever actually married in the garden, but that marriage went the same way as the garden - I know, because I was the bride.

 

[ JKS - Home ]     last updated 6 May 2008  

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