by Carla Caruso

A ‘third place’ is a term coined by US sociologist Ray Oldenburg, describing a place outside your home or work where you often relax and hang out. 

For 35-year-old speech pathologist Katrina Wilson, your Adelaide Park Lands are her ‘third place’.

You may recognise her face from her popular, informative Instagram and TikTok accounts, where she offers foodie and travel tips as ‘Katrina Jane’.

We spoke to the inspiring redhead to find out more about what makes her tick, and why she loves your Park Lands so much.

Hi, Katrina. How did you get started on social media? And why do you love capturing images of Adelaide, including the Park Lands?

I began using Instagram back in 2012. Initially, I was uploading random pictures, taken on my iPhone.

I still take all my pictures on my iPhone, but now I use the app to share my interest in travel, history, and general knowledge.

Whether I’m travelling abroad or wandering through Adelaide’s streets and Park Lands, I love to whip out my phone and photograph anything and everything.

I can easily spend hours researching the places and things I photograph and like to include some of this information in my captions.

In the last two years, I’ve also begun creating TikToks, where I share similar information to my Instagram posts but using voice and video instead of pictures and text.

I’m a proud South Aussie and will sing our State’s praises to anyone who’ll listen. Capturing images of Adelaide and the Park Lands, as well as sharing local foodie or travel tips, is a great creative outlet and a way for me to express my love and appreciation of where I live — and hopefully encourage others to appreciate or visit it too.

Through sharing my pictures and videos on social media, I’ve also connected with some wonderful people, both locally and abroad. Occasionally, I receive messages from strangers who’ve come across one of my Instagram or TikTok posts, informing me that I’ve inspired them to visit a place that I’ve mentioned.

The most meaningful was in May last year, when two separate women messaged to tell me that they participated in the annual Pioneer Women’s Walk after seeing my TikTok post.

Tell us about some of the interesting places you’ve featured online. Has documenting your travels encouraged you to explore further?

The two most interesting places for me are the Copper Coast (Yorke Peninsula) and Georgia (the country, aka Sakartvelo).

The Copper Coast features heavily on my Instagram and TikTok accounts. My grandmother was born and raised at Moonta Mines, and I still have family living in Moonta. So, I try to spend as much time as I can there.

Similar to Adelaide, Moonta is also bordered by Park Lands. Victoria Park is situated to the town’s south-west and is the site of an ancient sand dune. The park is also home to some endangered native orchids.

McCauley Park on the north side of Moonta is a wetland, which is lovely to explore after rain when the ponds are full. I also enjoy exploring the Moonta Mines, especially at sunset when everything has a red glow.  

This year, I visited the Flinders Ranges for the first time. In April, my dad and I went camping, and in September, I joined a hiking group to walk the northern sections of the Heysen Trail.

I was taken aback by the colour and beauty of the landscape. I was also fascinated to learn the Adnyamathanha Creation story of Yulu (The Kingfisher Man), which describes how the Flinders Ranges were formed.

Further afield is Georgia. I visited back in 2019 and fell in love with the country. I learned about it in high school when we studied the Russian Revolution and the Soviet Union (it’s the birthplace of Stalin) and thought it sounded like a fascinating place. I revisited the country again last year, and plan to return in the future.

Georgia is at the crossroads of Europe and Asia and is known as ‘the edge of empires’ and ‘the birthplace of wine’. As a result, it has a fascinating history, culture and cuisine.

The landscape varies from the pebbly Black Sea coast to sprawling vineyards, arid cave cities, and the dramatic Caucasus Mountains. You can also explore ancient fortresses, early Christian monasteries, decaying Russian Imperial resort towns, and Soviet brutalist architecture.

Posting on social media has encouraged me to see more of our State including the Park Lands. Instead of visiting the same park or hiking path, I’ve begun venturing out and exploring different places.

I really enjoy researching the history behind each place that I visit. I’m slowly working (walking) my way through the Park Land Trail Guides on the Adelaide Park Lands Association website and thoroughly enjoy learning about the Kaurna and European names and history of each park.

If I’m driving in the country, I can’t resist the temptation of stopping and having a quick wander if I pass through a small town. I love photographing old churches and cemeteries.

How often do you frequent your Adelaide Park Lands, and why?

I try to visit the Park Lands once a week, usually in the evening or on the weekend. I live close to the city, in a unit which doesn’t have a yard, so the Park Lands and Linear Park are my backyard.

Not only are the Park Lands a beautiful and peaceful place to spend time, they also provide a ‘third place’, which is one of the many reasons why I believe they should be protected and remain available to the general public.

There’s always something happening in the Park Lands, whether it be the Adelaide Fringe, sporting activities or just people and their dogs getting their daily walk in.

The Park Lands don’t seem that big when you look at them on a map. However, as I’m walking through, I’m always amazed at how much space there is and the different ways they are utilised.

Which park in the Adelaide Park Lands is your favourite?

I don’t think I can pick a single favourite. I love walking into the city, from the northeast, along Linear Park, and passing through Parks 10 (Bullrush Park / Warnpangga), 11 (Botanic Park / Tainmuntilla), and 12 (Red Gum Park / Karrawirra).

I love watching the horses and I usually see kookaburras when I visit Park 6 (Lefevre Park / Nantu Wama). The open, grassy field with the horses gives the feeling that you’re in the countryside. But then, you turn around and can see the city skyline. There’s also a great view of the Adelaide Hills and sections of native bushland.

Park 23 (G.S. Kingston Park / Wirrarninthi) – there’s so much to see in this park! I could spend hours wandering among the gravestones and looking at the sculptures. And there’s quandong trees!

I’m ashamed to admit that I haven’t explored many of the parks in the south-west of the city. Though my goal is to visit all the parks and explore the self-guided trails this year.

What keeps you busy when you’re not meandering the parks?

I try to spend as much time as possible at Moonta. In winter, I enjoy going along to the country football matches.

It’s usually an all-day event, because the cars are parked around the oval, and you need to get there early to secure a good spot. It’s also a good excuse to visit some of those small towns (and their bakeries) that I wouldn’t usually venture out to.

I have a beaglier named Chester. He’s 12½ years old now and is starting to show his age. He also loves going for walks, though thanks to his beagle nose, he spends more time sniffing than walking.

I also love to cook and bake, especially recreating dishes that I enjoyed while travelling. My favourite dish to make is a Georgian one called nigvziani badrijani (eggplant rolls stuffed with walnut paste).

Any favourite memories from time spent in the Adelaide Park Lands? 

Some of my earliest and happiest memories of the Park Lands are visiting the horses in Park 6 with my Pop. He’d take me to see a movie at The Piccadilly cinema, then on the way home, we’d stop and admire the horses.

In summer, I love visiting the Moonlight Cinema and the Garden of Unearthly Delights/Gluttony [during the Adelaide Fringe] with my friends.

As a child during the late ‘90s early 2000s, we would watch the Skyshow fireworks display in Bonython Park (Tulya Wardli / Park 27). I love the atmosphere of being in the Park Lands on a hot summer’s night.

During COVID, I visited the Park Lands with my friends. We’d either go for walks, have a picnic, or just sit on the grass and talk.

I’m grateful to have had access to the Park Lands during a time when we couldn’t meet at each other’s homes or in cafés.

The banner photo (top) is of The Garden of Unearthly Delights in Rundle Park / Kadlitpina (Park 13) during the Fringe festival, care of Katrina Wilson.