WAIKERIE’S animal park – popular with both locals and visitors – is receiving its long-awaited upgrade following delays earlier this year.
The District Council of Loxton Waikerie (DCLW) signed a memorandum of understanding last year with fauna park representatives to keep the park open, upgrade the enclosure and care for the remaining animals.
Fauna park project spokesperson Sonia Fowler said a new team of 20 volunteers will feed the animals on a rotating roster.
“The community members keen to help out have been inducted as volunteers by council and we’ve started taking them through the process of feeding the animals,” she said.
“The park beautification will start soon, and the first stage will be the enclosure fence replacement and extension. This is a project the Cadell Training Centre will undertake once out of lockdown.
“We’re about to start the installation of a water feature, which will comprise of three ponds, a low waterfall, and shrubbery, which will be covered by mesh to stop the animals eating it.”
A number of local businesses and individuals have donated or provided discounted rates for supplies and time in assisting the fauna park volunteers, representatives and council to upgrade the park.
“Total Eden has generously donated irrigation for the water feature project, while Turf Supplies is supplying us with Kikuyu Couch (grass) – which will also be meshed over while it is being established,” Ms Fowler said.
“The Waikerie Men’s Shed members have propagated 100 salt bushes, and we’re meeting with them soon to discuss where the bushes will be planted in the enclosure.
“The Waikerie Garden and Landscape Centre has designed the water feature at discounted prices including a kangaroo statue and an emu statue for display at the park, and gardener/landscape builder Lester Lawrie offered to help us install the irrigation.
“Plus, the Lions Club of Waikerie are providing a bench seats and a table to be situated at the corner of Peake Terrace and Leonard Norman Drive of the enclosure, and the Rotary Club of Waikerie – who were part of establishing the fauna park 35 years ago – will assist with an entrance on the Leonard Norman Drive side of the fauna park.”
The Waikerie Fauna Park animals have been fed and cared for by DCLW worker Andrew Zimmerman for 25 years, who took over from Graham Lange after 10 years.
Mr Zimmerman said the park was unofficially implemented by his father, Arthur Zimmerman, who rescued and cared for kangaroos on his Strangman Road property.
“My dad rescued and brought up young kangaroos, looking after them on his property, but when he sold the block in 1984, he needed somewhere to keep the animals,” he said.
“He spoke to council, which decided on a piece of land on the corner of Peake Terrace and Leonard Norman Drive – where the park is today.
“The council, the Rotary Club of Waikerie, and the Waikerie Progress Association were all co-founders of that park.
“Good luck to the volunteers and park representatives who are upgrading the park and caring for the animals from here on out.”