Lot Fourteen’s new public park opens

Yesterday, the Premier of South Australia, the Hon Peter Malinauskas MP, officially unveiled Kuri Kurru the Place of Turning Seasons, returning 3000sqm of open space at Lot Fourteen to community use.

The park is the next important phase of unlocking Lot Fourteen for local workers, visitors and city residents to enjoy, adding to the district’s already enviable amenities as a globally pre-certified WELL Community.

Kuri Kurru will provide workers and visitors alike open space to enjoy healthy and balanced living through recreation, relaxation and access to nature and green spaces.

The new park now open to the public, is a meeting place that features technology, a water play zone, open-air stage, gathering circle and lawn area, with a bookable outdoor meeting pod for Lot Fourteen businesses.

With strong significance to the Kainka Wirra (Forest Gum Place) Country on which the park sits, Kuri Kurru tells the cultural, spiritual and ecological stories of the Kaurna Meyunna people through design, materials and native planting.

At the heart of the park is Kumangka Kuri, a central meeting place centred on the spirit dreaming song of Tarndanyangga – the Dreaming Place of the Red Kangaroo. The kangaroo graphic is set into the circular paving, with seating surrounding the space.

Spiralling out from the meeting place is a tear-drop shaped lawn and native plants and trees which include Kurrajong. Wodliparri (the Milky Way) is incorporated into glass graphic patterning and the tables are shaped like kurru (Aboriginal carrying vessels), while tree gratings and local stone feature etchings of land, water movement and possum markings.

The new park can be accessed via Frome Road and North Terrace and offers a place where communities and businesses can intertwine, relax and reenergise, while integrating with Adelaide Botanic Garden, the East End and the city centre.

Kuri Kurru was co-designed by senior man Karl Winda Telfer of the Mullawirra meyunna – Dry Forest people of the Kaurna Nation and artists Jakirah Telfer, Tikana Telfer and landscape architects, Oxigen, with consultant services by KBR and construction delivered by CATCON.

When development at Lot Fourteen is fully completed 70 percent of the 7-hectare former hospital site will have been returned to public space.

Lot Fourteen will host events and activities at Kuri Kurru throughout the year.

Quotes attributable to Premier of South Australia, Peter Malinauskas

Kuri Kurru isn’t just a park. It represents the cultural significance of First Nations people and their connection to land through the stories of Kaurna Meyunna people.

From the stunning water feature which represents the natural movement of water over the land to the use of native vegetation and local red granite, this space is just one way we are moving forward to honour and respect Australia’s First Nations voices.

Quotes attributable to Diane Dixon, Lot Fourteen State Project Lead, Department of the Premier and Cabinet

We’re excited to unveil our new park, as we continue to transform the former Royal Adelaide Hospital site into a vibrant and exciting place for the community, workers, students and visitors through activation, arts, culture and placemaking.

We hope our innovative organisations here will make the most of the space with break-out meeting areas, a bookable meeting pod and events spaces for collaboration.

Lot Fourteen continues to preserve heritage and improve tree canopy and open spaces in the heart of Adelaide for all to enjoy.

Quotes attributable to Burka Senior man, Karl Winda Telfer of the Mullawirra Meyunna – the Dry Forest people of the Kaurna Meyunna (people)

Kuri Kurru is where we will provide cultural education. Our stories are as ancient as the rock itself.

We are placing the tracks and traces back on the ground, so we can tell the old stories from the past today.