Windback Wednesday - Waterfall Gully

Did you know that Waterfall Gully was South Australia’s first National Pleasure Resort?

When the foothills around Waterfall Gully were subdivided in 1856, the State Government retained one section, which included the falls, as a reserve. In 1884 it was gazetted as “a place for the amusement and recreation of the public”. Waterfall Gully was a popular spot for picnickers – so popular that by the early 1900s foot traffic through the area had significantly diminished the natural landscape.

In 1915, Waterfall Gully was declared the state’s first National Pleasure Resort – the State Government’s response to the need for designated and suitably equipped public recreation areas. The National Board of Pleasure Resorts entered into the work of restoring the natural beauty of the area, with revegetation efforts as well as facilities to accommodate visitors.

Central to the vision for the National Pleasure Resort was the construction of the kiosk in 1912. The kiosk is one of the first examples of a refreshment room in a National Park setting. This significance is reflected in its State Heritage listing.

Waterfall Gully became part of the Cleland Conservation Park in 1972.