Borthwick Park

Borthwick Park is a changed place for me. It's always been special, and it's played a big part in my life over the last decade and a half, serving as a meeting place, a place for backyard adventuring, a play-ground, a dog-walking spot. There are people I've met because of Borthwick Park that I call dear friends. Which is amazing, considering it's "just" a few plants and some grass.

For 13 years a group of volunteers, with assistance from the local council, have been planting trees, shrubs, grasses, and bushes (and probably other things, too) with the aim to improve the biodiversity of the park. It was pretty monocultural before we started, with nearly only lawn and a few big trees. The biodiversity, with the thousands of plants we've put in the ground, has improved hugely. Birdlife has returned. Native orchids have started to spontaneously appear.

It's a wonderful place, and last Sunday it was made wonderfuller.

The Kensington Residents' Association managed to secure a grant to pay for a Kaurna ceremoney to be held in the park. Jack Kanya Buckskin and Steven Warrior came and cleansed the park, and visitors, with smoke. I didn't expect to find it as moving as I did, listening to Jack talk and sing.

Borthwick Park is a changed place thanks to this ceremony. I feel a deeper attachment to it now.