Belair National Park, previously called the National Park and Belair Recreation Park, is a protected area in Belair, South Australia, located 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) southeast of Adelaide's city center. It covers an area of 835 hectares (2,060 acres). The park was established in 1891 and was the first national park in South Australia, the second in Australia (after Sydney's Royal National Park, which was created in 1879), and the tenth in the world. It is located within the Adelaide Hills and Mitcham council area and is part of a group of protected areas along the Adelaide Hills Face Zone. The park is managed by the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources.

Naming

For most of its history, the park was called the "National Park." From 1972 to 1991, it was named the "Belair Recreation Park." In 1991, the Belair Recreation Park was closed, and the land it covered was made into a national park called "Belair National Park."

History

Belair was first home to the Kaurna Aboriginal people. The area was named Pradli, which means "baldness," because it looked "bald like the moon" when viewed from the Adelaide Plains. The first Europeans to arrive were crew members from the ship Coromandel in 1837. The first European to settle there was E. Nicholas Foott, a squatter who dug a well and built a stone cottage in 1839. He spent £500 on the project even though he did not own the land. In 1840, Governor George Gawler set aside the land for a government farm, forcing Foott to leave. He was paid £300 for his work on the land and later became a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly.

In May 1841, Governor Grey arrived with the task of reducing government spending and increasing revenue. He announced plans to sell the land at auction in the Gazette of July 15, but the sale never happened. During the economic downturn of 1841–1842, a small group of unemployed men and their families were allowed to live there temporarily. In June 1844, four sections of land (874, 875, 878, and 882) totaling about 400 acres were sold. In 1848, a cottage was built near a creek as a home for the farm manager and for the governor’s use. In 1858, a house with a swimming pool was built as a summer home for Governor Sir Richard MacDonnell and later used by other governors until a larger building at Marble Hill was completed in 1880. This building is now called Old Government House and is listed as a historical site.

From 1874 to 1884, the Government Farm was managed by William Cook, father of Edith Agnes Cook. His daughter Katherine wrote about the farm’s history for the South Australian Archives. Before Cook, the farm was managed by Ebenezer Jarvis, who later became a manager at Government House in Adelaide. Two major bushfires occurred during their time: in 1866–1867 and 1877, when many trees were destroyed. In 1881, plans to sell parts of the land were opposed by Walter Gooch, James Page, and the Australian Natives Association. This led to a law in 1883 that banned the sale of the land. In 1888, further efforts by Gooch, Arthur Falconer Robin, and Samuel Dixon of the Royal Society of South Australia resulted in a decision to make the Government Farm a public park. After delays, the National Park Act was approved by the governor in January 1892. William Henry Selway of the Field Naturalists’ Section of the Royal Society also contributed to this effort.

In 1934, a nine-hole golf course was built in the southwest corner of the park to raise money for its maintenance during the Great Depression. It was expanded to 18 holes in 1941, redeveloped in the 1970s, and sold to a private company in 1982. The Belair Park Country Club operated the course until it went into financial trouble in 2018. The state government later proposed turning part of the golf course into a soccer field for the Sturt Lions Football Club, but the plan was opposed by over 8,000 people during public consultations. Environment Minister David Speirs announced the plan would not proceed, and in 2021, the government banned high-impact development on the former golf course. Parts of the land will be restored to the park through re-vegetation.

In 1985, the Belair National Park was declared a state heritage area under the South Australian Heritage Act. In 1987, the nearby National Park railway station was closed.

The first Europeans arrived in the Belair area in 1837. In 1840, Governor Gawler created a government farm to keep sick horses and cattle from government departments. In 1881, plans were made for small farms and the park was officially dedicated, becoming South Australia’s first national park. Many non-native plants were introduced to the area and are now considered weeds. Native plants like the Cootamundra wattle have become environmental weeds after being planted outside their natural habitat.

The Belair National Park has faced damage to its natural ecosystems due to non-native plants that grew accidentally or were planted intentionally. Despite this, some rare native plants that are only found in the Mt Lofty Ranges can still be seen in the park, especially along walking trails in less visited areas. Flowers like Donkey Orchids and Spider Orchids often bloom in late winter.

A group called Friends of Belair National Park was formed in 1985 to help control invasive weeds. The group regularly removes weeds by hand or with chemicals and hosts events like nature walks to involve the community in land management.

Playford Lake

Belair has Playford Lake, a small manmade lake. This easy-to-reach area includes improved accessible restrooms, free barbecues, walking trails, and many types of animals, such as ducks, kangaroos, and turtles. Swimming and fishing are not allowed in Playford Lake.

Geography

Belair National Park is located 13 kilometers southeast of the center of Adelaide city in South Australia, within the suburb of Belair. It is one of the few areas in the Adelaide Hills where natural plants and trees have remained largely undisturbed.

A short walk around Playford Lake.
A 3-kilometer circuit walk from the main car park to the Adventure Playground.
A 3-kilometer circuit walk to Long Gully.
A 4-kilometer circuit starting near Playford Lake.
A 6.5-kilometer circuit that includes the park's waterfalls and travels to higher areas away from recreational zones.

The first 5 kilometers of the Yurrebilla Trail is within the national park. It begins at Belair railway station and continues toward Lower Waterfall before leaving the park at the Sheoak Road boundary.

Belair National Park shows South Australia's effort to preserve natural areas for conservation and recreation.