Nicolle Flint (Boothby, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Supporting hardworking volunteers in my community is one of the most important things I do in my role as the member for Boothby. I'm delighted that a number of projects in the Belair area have recently been completed to help many wonderful community members to care for our built and natural environments and to continue their work for our community.

In August I, along with the state Minister for Environment and Water, David Speirs, and the state member for Waite, Sam Duluk, visited the Long Gully Volunteer Centre in Belair National Park to open their new kitchen facilities. The kitchen facilities have had a full makeover and the centre is now well equipped to support the Friends of Belair National Park and other volunteer groups who use the centre. The new kitchen will make it much easier for the friends to cater for visitors to the Belair National Park, which is Australia's second-oldest national park and just a short drive from the Adelaide CBD. I wish to sincerely thank the Friends of Belair National Park, including President Mark Pedlar; Treasurer Carol Parrot and her husband, Malcolm, who stretched the budget as far as possible and even did the tiling in the kitchen; and long-serving Secretary Tina Gallasch, for their ongoing work.

Nearby, in the heart of Belair National Park, is the historic Old Government House, which served as the summer residence for South Australia's early governors. It is a stand-out example of our state's early built heritage and is carefully cared for by the wonderful Friends of Old Government House. In the coming weeks the old coach house and garden will be reopened after kitchen renovation works and landscaping in the garden, including new trees. These works will make it much easier for the friends to continue to care for this incredible historic building and surrounding grounds and to more easily cater for local visitors and tourists alike. I know that the Friends of Old Government House, led by their new president, Wayne Gallasch, are really looking forward to taking me and the state Minister for Environment and Water, David Speirs, to see their wonderful work and the new upgrades.

It was wonderful to join the Belair Girl Guides for afternoon tea in September to celebrate their brand-new kitchen. The girl guides finally have a safe and modern kitchen to support their activities. Belair Girl Guides leader Jan Childs showed me around their fabulous new facilities. Jan is a tireless community volunteer and she had been desperately trying for many years to secure funding to upgrade the 1950s kitchen. I was so pleased to be able to support Jan, her wonderful girl guides leaders and all the girl guides to finally have a safe and modern kitchen facility to use. It was lovely to speak with girls of all ages on the day about the activities they have been doing, the skills they have been learning at girl guides and the work they are doing in and around our local community. Congratulations to them all, especially Jan Childs, who has worked tirelessly for the kitchen upgrade over many years.