Stirling Park was
developed by the Halliday family as a market garden in the 1840's. It
was used for summer vegetable growing until the early 1970’s, when it
was compulsorily acquired from the Bonython family by the State Government.
The State Government
initially earmarked the land for school development but abandoned this
idea and sold the area to Stirling District Council in the mid 1980’s.
Council initially intended to develop the area for a sports park but
abandoned these plans. Local opposition to the subdivision of Stirling
Park has preserved the park as a community resource.
Stirling Park forms
an important part of the catchment of Aldgate Creek. Plans were developed
and work undertaken to re-establish a series of ponds in the wetland
area, which has improved the quality of water in the creek and reduced
the threat of flooding which occurs occasionally in Aldgate.
Extensive planting
by volunteers is gradually restoring the park to a natural bush setting.
Major plantings occurred in 1990, 1992 and 1998, and most years since.
Trees, bushland and wetland plants have been successfully established
and maintained with the help of many community working bees.
The earlier tree
plantings were designed to provide a food source for koalas because
grant funding was obtained from 'Koala Green'. Koalas are not indigenous
to the Adelaide Hills, but have become established in Cleland Reserve
and the Mt Lofty summit area. They are spreading out throughout the
Adelaide Hills and are often sighted in Stirling Park.
Stirling Park is
a very good site for bird watching. It is relatively open, but has close
proximity to the lake and bushland of Woorabinda.
There are dense reed beds and thickets along the lower creek line. It
also has a number of well established gardens along two sides. The variety
of birds to be seen is very diverse. Check out the Bird
list.
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