Kindy Kids Visit KGR Project
Almost 30 children from Kensington Gardens Preschool visited the Kensington Gardens Reserve Project site to learn about Kaurna culture and the cultural importance of the site. It was also an opportunity for the children to see the construction up close.
The mainly 4-year-old students have been following the progress of the project for some time. Director Catherine Honeychurch says the school has always been known as ‘The Kindy in the Park’ (Ngartuwirra Wirrangka).
“We are very excited about this group of children, they only started in January and we use the park as part of our Reconciliation Action Plan.” The children keep a journal of construction activities and work they see happening on the project.
Council is working closely with Kaurna Traditional Owners on the Kensington Gardens Reserve Project to recognise and respect the importance of this site to First Nations People.
Kaurna Elder Aunty Lynette Crocker welcomed the children as a representative of the Kaurna people. “I welcome you to our City. I greet you in the spirit of humanity,” she said. “For me and my ancestors before me this is a place of reflection. This is a very important area of Burnside in the history of South Australia, Adelaide and the Kaurna people. “
Aunty Lynette asked the children to look after and watch the area. “I want you to understand and acknowledge how you feel about the city, learn about nature and the living things in your neighbourhood,” she said.
Kaurna representative Trevor ‘Boodgie’ Wanganeen showed the children some artefacts made with materials similar to those recovered from the site and explained how his ancestors made their own weapons and utensils “long before white man came”.
Background:
The KGR Project will deliver significant environmental and recreational benefits to the reserve and the surrounding creek ecosystem.
The overall project will include an extensive revegetation program with more than 40 trees, 1,450 shrubs and 4,300 groundcovers to be planted in the area surrounding a new wetland. A dedicated ‘biozone’ area will feature 2,400m2 of plantings across three distinct areas that will complement the remnant SA Blue Gum ecosystem at the reserve.
Native species will be used exclusively for all new plantings, 4,800 new ‘biozone’ plantings will be locally sourced and indigenous to the reserve. The wetland will benefit existing trees by removing the existing lake walls and feature over 10,000 new plants that will improve the quality of stormwater that enters Stonyfell Creek
Council is working closely with Kaurna Traditional Owners to monitor the construction and to develop opportunities for Kaurna heritage recognition such as public art, cultural sites and signage.
More information about the project, and more photos of the visit, can be found at https://engage.burnside.sa.gov.au/kensington-gardens-reserve-project
Kaurna representative Trevor ‘Boodgie’ Wanganeen
Kaurna Elder Aunty Lynette Crocker
