By Mij Tanith

I walk into Dorothy’s house, and I’m struck by its bright, bold colours, a reflection, as I soon learn, of her bright, bold personality. Strong. Uncompromising. The green and red earth colours in her courtyard tell the same story. She offers me tea and biscuits, we settle at her kitchen table and begin to talk.

I ask her how she became involved in the Adelaide Park Lands Association.

“I grew up on a sheep farm that backed onto crown land,” she says. “So I came to know and love all the native flora in that land. When I moved to Adelaide, I worked with Trees for Life, did some guerilla planting, and then became active in the Park Lands through my friend Aaron Grey. Then, at one AGM, I felt sorry for Shane Sody, and so took on the role of Membership Officer. These days, though, I describe myself as an expert at procrastinating. I am slowing down, and I’m looking for someone younger to take over.”

Her favourite park?

“Two areas in particular. I love Wirrarninthi (Park 23) for its solitude, for its lagoon, for its planted river red gums. I remember first coming across this area and seeing a kookaburra. Ever since, I have felt a special connection to it. My other favourite place is Tuthangga (Carriage Way Park), near the wetlands. I was lucky enough one year to witness the indigenous burning of those beautiful, waist-high native grasses. A fire small enough that all the tiny animals that lived there were able to escape and survive. I felt it a privilege to be part of this ancient culture.”
“In general, I am very happy to be living in Adelaide. We have a small population, and we are surrounded by Park Lands where I can find the peace and quiet that nature provides. We all need this. The more high-rise buildings there are in the city, the more people need the public spaces of the Park Lands.”
“It makes you cry to think some bastard is going to rip the heart out of some of these areas. To think this government is taking no notice of the 50,000 signatures on the E-petition, or all those who have signed the paper version. Talk about the erosion of democracy. I’d like to see a Citizen’s Assembly take on the government over its refusal to listen to the people.”

*Dorothy Dunne with her cat Biggles, by Pauline Bradford*

I ask what Dorothy would like the general public to know about the Park Lands.

“They are free,” she says. “You can walk, run, cycle, play with your dog. They are a place of refuge from the busyness of the city. But charities need to stop giving out tents and sleeping bags to rough sleepers who do the wrong thing by trashing the areas they are camped in.”

What is the funniest thing you have seen in the Park Lands?

“I’m really quite dour,” she says. “I’m not known for my sense of humour.”

Sense of humour or not, Dorothy is a strong and passionate activist. She may be pushing 80, but she is one of our essential Park Land Warriors.

Call for Volunteers: Membership of the Adelaide Park Lands Association is growing. We need your help. If you would like to volunteer as a membership officer and allow Dorothy to ‘retire’ please contact the Executive Officer David Winderlich exec@adelaide-parklands.asn.au or submit the online form