Jack Watkins Reserve

I tend to visit parks on my own more often than I do with a crowd. This isn’t because I hate visiting parks with my friends or anything, it just means I go to the park really, really often on my own.
It’s how I get my reading done. There aren’t too many distractions at a park. No Facebook or television or family or whatever. But this park distracted me. The history written all over the walls put me off my primary task for quite a while. That’s the defining aspect of this park. The histories are dedicated to victims of asbestos. And very sentimental, and worth the read.
Aside from that, the park is the same as your regular park. There’s training equipment, a playground, a barbecue and a basketball hoop.
Definitely worth finding, if you can.

Having lived in Adelaide all of my life, it is rare for me to come across a spot that I quite literally had no idea existed. Last year I has one such experience, and I struck GOLD!
The Jack Watckins Reserve on Churchill Road is really easy to miss. It’s entrance is nestled between the railway yard (used mainly for storing the pylons for wind-​farm windmills) and some light industry, but once you enter the car park you see rolling hills (Julie Andrews starts singing), a picturesque gum tree lined path, play equipment, circuit training equipment and even a bbq area! The area is perfect for a family picnic, with plenty to keep the junior kiddiwinkles entertained plus a basketball half court for the older sporties and plenty of room for a dob of the pigskin should the testosterone levels reach an appropriate level!
Although the park has many fun options for all, it also has a serious side being dedicated to those who lost their lives due to Asbestos diseases as a result of working on the old Islington Railway line. There are many stories and writings located in the park and along the pathway that are definately worth the time to read.
Even if you don’t take the clan for a bbq day there, it is worth the time to swing by and see some of what Adelaide has hidden if you look hard enough.
P. S. The Park is open until 8:00pm during daylight savings.