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Kings Park — inner-city jewel preserved by friends
In the heart of our city lies a unique natural treasure, the world’s largest inner-city park. Giant trees frame the 404 hectares of Kings Park which borders Perth’s CBD, spreading their grand arms to welcome millions of people into their majestic sanctuary.
Home to over 320 local native plants, a variety of snakes, lizards and small mammals, and over 70 bird species, Kings Park also offers breathtaking views of the city and Swan River allowing visitors to appreciate the sharp contrast between the natural and urban environment.
Friends of Kings Park
A popular destination for tourists and locals, the park offers a variety of visitor experiences including tours, bushwalks, concerts, theatre, movies, functions, and playground and picnic facilities. Providing much needed support of our City’s great backyard is the Friends of Kings Park volunteer group. With around 900 members and an energetic volunteer base, the Friends of Kings Park takes enormous pride in caring for and promoting the park.
The Friends of Kings Park are deeply committed to bushland preservation. Not only do they grow native plants, they also fundraise to improve infrastructure and park projects, assist with plant research and support special events.
The Friends of Kings Park have received support through grants from Lotterywest which total over $7 million for various park initiatives including the Lotterywest Family Area, the Water Garden, the Lotterywest Federation Walkway, the annual Kings Park Festival and most recently, the environmental education and discovery learning project aimed at better connecting children with nature.
Bob Bunney, President of the Friends of Kings Park, says, “It is partnerships like the one we have with Lotterywest that allow the Friends of Kings Park to ensure the experience of visitors is a lasting and enjoyable one. As one of the world’s leading parks it has the greatest diversity of natural flora of any park on the globe and is a recognised leader in plant conservation.”
Naturescape - connecting children with nature
Lotterywest is proud to be a part of a new and exciting children's environmental discovery and learning facility launched recently in Kings Park. The Rio Tinto Naturescape in Kings Park will be the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere, addressing some of today's concerns over the diminishing physical boundaries of children, providing real tangible solutions through awareness, education and action.
President of the Friends of Kings Park, Bob Bunney stated that the new facility will encourage children to interact and connect with the natural environment at an early age. “We believe this is the best way to ensure children develop a heart for the natural environment. Through this project we will provide hands-on experiences, exciting and stimulating natural places of adventure and learning that will hopefully encourage the children today to be the conservationists of tomorrow.” said Mr Bunney.
Supported by Rio Tinto, Lotterywest and the Water Corporation the Naturescape will be constructed and built by the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority with the assistance of the Friends of Kings Park.
Family friendly play
The Lotterywest Family Area is a popular playground for thousands of visitors per year. Developed in 1996 with a Lotterywest grant, the play area was upgraded in 2006 with further Lotterywest support. In developing the play area the Friends of Kings Park undertook extensive consultation and liaised with peak bodies in childhood development including the Playgroup Association, the Resource Unit for Children with Special Needs as well as other leading edge play equipment suppliers for advice on improving the design, safety and functionality of the play area.
The expanded and upgraded Lotterywest Family Area now features colourful play equipment such as the ‘Space Net’, which is strategically positioned to entice the 6 to 12 years age group away from the main playground allowing toddlers to enjoy the freedom to explore the central play area.
Tiptoe through the tree tops
One of the most iconic projects Lotterywest has supported is the Lotterywest Federation Walkway. A grant of almost $1 million from Lotterywest was provided to the Friends of Kings Park for the construction of this 620 metre elevated walkway which has now become one of Perth’s major tourist attractions.
The walkway is a narrated journey through the park’s history in relation to Indigenous and European culture. Artwork and construction materials augment the natural surrounds enabling visitors to appreciate the importance of conserving biodiversity, our cultural and natural heritage and the geographic features of the landscape. Maintained by donations to the Friends of Kings Park the walkway has become an increasingly popular destination point with millions of visitors having experienced it to date.
The Water Garden
The third major project supported by Lotterywest is the Water Garden. A place past President of the Friends of Kings Park, Mr Tom Alford, describes as, “…where many West Australians go when seeking peace and tranquillity.”
The water garden commemorated the Centenary of Women’s Suffrage in 1999 and the Friends of Kings Park secured a grant of half a million dollars from Lotterywest to enhance the water garden, improving the Pioneer Women’s Memorial, the Minmarra Gun Gun Women’s memorial, and the Women’s Suffrage Memorial gazebo. The landscape, memorials, artwork and gardens were upgraded in a project totalling $1.4 million and reopened to the public in 2000.
The Friends of Kings Park work tirelessly, offering their support through hands-on horticulture, often devoting entire weekends to the park, whilst others make donations and purchases. Their vision is ‘the celebration of Perth’s history and the preservation of wildlife for the benefit of all of the community’. The Friends of Kings Park President, Bob Bunney is intent on maintaining the relationship with Lotterywest stating, “The Friends of Kings Park will continue to work together with Lotterywest to ensure Kings Park will continue to celebrate Western Australia’s uniqueness as a place to promote our natural heritage while making a visit a lasting experience.”
Kings Park Festival
In recent years Lotterywest has provided grants towards the development and growth of a new format for the 44 year old Wildflower Festival. The restructure of the former fenced, fee for entry event, into a month-long, free, Kings Park Festival is part of a five year strategy to provide greater community access and involvement in the park. whilst of the overall event. Lotterywest’s support has been instrumental in reducing the infrastructure requirements and environmental impact of the event and enabled over 1,000,000 visitors to participate in the month-long Festival over the past two years.