by Shane Sody

A “renewal” of Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka (Park 14 of your Adelaide Park Lands) which has been under way for more than two years, is nearing completion.

The most significant part of the works, renewal of the ornamental lake, has been completed.

The renewal, including establishment of an innovative “rain garden” won a 2025 environmental award from “Stormwater SA” for “excellence in integrated design”. Read more here:

“Keeping the lake clean” (29 April 2025)

Rain garden - looking west

Rain garden - soaked

Rain garden - looking NW across the lake

Rain garden, looking west to the tank

Early in September 2025, fences were removed from most of the Park, after upgrades to the paving around the lake and on the island.

The City of Adelaide has also improved the lighting around the lake. A City spokesperson says this “will improve safety and accessibility.”

Other works, though, are continuing. Trenches have been dug to lay new irrigation pipes (bringing recycled water from the Glenelg-Adelaide pipeline) and replacement turf has been laid in several areas around the lake.

Irrigation and turf renewal works nearing completion, 13 September 2025

And the bed of Botanic Creek (just south of Rundle Road) has been newly widened and planted out with reeds to improve biodiversity.

However one major component of the Park upgrade still is some weeks from completion.

Works compound around the kiosk, 13 September 2025

The Rymill Park kiosk has been vacant since April 2022. Two years ago, new lessees won City Council approval for a major renovation. The lessees, "Creative Place Hospitality Group", had to wait more than a year for the lake renewal to be completed, but now have now begun the new fitout, along with a planned extension.

“21-year lease for rebuilt kiosk” (27 February 2024)

*Artist’s impression of the renovations proposed for the kiosk. Source: Kadaltilla /Park Lands Authority agenda, 22 February 2024.*

*Proposed structural changes to the building.* *Source: Kadaltilla /Park Lands Authority agenda, 22 February 2024.*

The lessees intend to bring back paddle boats for the Rymill Park lake. The Group runs three other venues:

Peter Rabbit Garden Cafe, in Hindley Street
Bloom Cafe, on the riverbank at Thebarton; and
Lockwood General, at Burnside.

In the meantime, dozens of saplings have been planted next to the fenced-off Rymill Park kiosk.

The author of this article, Shane Sody, is a former President of the Adelaide Park Lands Association (from 2017 to 2025) and remains the editor of the semi-monthly newsletter, "Open Green Public".

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