Nantu Wama: a rural landscape in the centre of the City
Lefevre Park / Nantu Wama (Park 6)
Did you know this Park is the last remaining area used for grazing in the City of Adelaide?
The Kaurna people are the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the Adelaide Plains. Nantu Wama is a word from the Kaurna language, meaning “horse plain”. The language was last spoken on a daily basis in the 1860s, although in recent times the language has been revived.
This Park is unique in the City in having grazing horses, a bridal (riding) path around the Park and a rural landscape character. The Park Lands were commonly used for grazing sheep, cattle and horses. Until around 1960, those parts of the Park Lands where animals were not grazing were burnt annually rather than being mown.
This Park is the last remaining area used for grazing. You can still see some of the few remaining old gates and fence posts throughout the Park.
The Adelaide Park Lands were first laid out in Colonel William Light’s 1837 plan for Adelaide. In recognition of its significance, the layout of the City and Park Lands is now on the National Heritage List. Adelaide is the only City in the world completely surrounded by Park Lands. The Park Lands as designed by Light remain largely intact.
Light’s model of a city surrounded by Park Lands has been used widely by other towns in Australia and overseas. It is recognised as a major influence on the Garden City movement, one of the most important western urban planning initiatives in history.
This Park is a great place to appreciate the way Light’s plan responded to the topography of the Adelaide Plains. There are views to the Adelaide Hills in the distance and the terraces surrounding the Park Lands are lined with mansions which take advantage of the setting.