ABOUT US

The Friends of Belair National Park Incorporated (the Friends) is a group of community volunteers with a shared interest and passion for contributing to the preservation of the significant biodiversity and heritage of Belair National Park (the Park) and is a non-political organisation. The Friends formed in 1985 and now have around 250 members.

The objectives of the Friends are:
1. To provide voluntary assistance in the conservation and management of the Park in close cooperation and liaison with the staff of the Department for Environment and Water (DEW) or its successors.
2. To provide cultural and social activities for the enjoyment of members and the public.
3. To provide support for the protection and preservation of the natural and historic values of the Park.
4. To raise funds for special projects to benefit the Park and for administration and social activities of the Friends.

The group seeks to further the basic philosophy of the Park that it should be regarded primarily as a place preserving the natural environment in which users can see and experience that environment.

The Friends have recently developed a Strategic Action Plan 2023-2028  which sets out the priorities for action over the next 5 years.

Strategic Action Plan 2023-2028 Prioritised Actions

Strategic Action Plan 2023-2028 Prioritised Actions

The Friends welcomes new members of all ages, backgrounds and experience. 

The Friends are part of a ‘Friends’ network that extends from the Simpson Desert in the far north to Dingly Dell at the southern tip of the state.

South Australia leads the nation with its Friends of Parks network. At the instigation of the State Government and the Nature Conservation Society, volunteer Friends groups were encouraged from the early 1980s to allow community members to assist in the management of the State’s parks and
reserves, and to encourage enjoyment of the State’s natural and cultural heritage. When an average hourly rate of pay is placed on the work that the Friends carry out each year, an estimated $5-6 million worth of work is performed on behalf of the Parks system each year. This includes all hands-on work in the field and anything that is carried out in support of this activity.