We are a group of volunteers dedicated to the conservation of Warriparinga, South Australia, as a unique environmental and community resource. Bulldozers moved in some thirty years ago and cleared a long stretch of vegetation alongside the Sturt River at Warriparinga in Adelaide's southern suburbs. This displaced birds and created concern about the stability of the river bank. The local community became actively involved in determining the future of this open space site, and Friends of Warriparinga, originally known as Friends of Laffer's Triangle, was born. We are an Incorporated Association.
Walking/bicycle path alongside the river
Warriparinga Wetlands was opened in 1998. We welcome the rehabilitation of the Wetlands by Marion Council to improve its
water-cleansing function and to improve that part of Warriparinga for
indigenous flora and fauna, Many people assume that this is the site
where we volunteer, but our particular focus has been on restoring the
western bank of the river and, more recently, the eastern bank behind Fairford House.
In the Australia Day Honours, 2020, our longstanding Chair Bruce Wilson was awarded the OAM for services to conservation and the environment.
This follows from Bruce winning Conservation SA's Unsung Hero Award in 2017 in recognition of his leadership and sustained contribution to the environment.
The high standard of conservation and restoration of the vegetation alongside the River Sturt at Warriparinga is due to the expertise and boundless energy of botanist Dr Nele Findlay (1933-2013). She advised and mentored our members for over twenty years, as well as personally putting in countless hours of work at the site. Her last major contribution to Warriparinga was the provision of local seed and seedlings for revegetation where major roadworks cross the river (duplication of the Southern Expressway). She is sorely missed.
