Parklands Albury-Wodonga ('parklands') is a cross border, community-based, not for profit organisation, undertaking recreation, conservation, cultural heritage and tourism projects for the benefit of our regional community. We provide opportunities for people to access and experience the extraordinary range of natural and developed 'bush parks' in and around Albury Wodonga.
As of November 2013, our regional parklands embrace in excess of 4000 ha. of land including
Huon Hill Parklands, Kiewa River Parklands (Killara to Kiewa Tangambalanga), Gateway Island Parklands, McFarlanes Hill, Baranduda Parklands, High Country Rail Trail and Murray River Parklands (under development from Lake Hume to Wodonga to Wahgunyah).
We are also involved with projects on Federation Hill, Mahers Hill, Klings Hill, Nail Can Hill, Red Light HIll (One Tree Hill), Oddies Creek, Bungambrawartha Creek, Padman-Mates Park, Mungabareena Reserve and more recently APEX Park near Lake Hume Village.
The primary focus of the board and staff is to facilitate the involvement of local community in each project. By so doing, we aim to ensure that the community accepts ownership and responsibility for the long term viability and enhancement of all its regional parklands.
Weekday and weekend volunteer ranger program runs all year around. Work alongside rangers for a few days, weeks on a regular weekly or monthly basis or just join us at tree planting community working bees over the winter months.
It can sometimes be difficult for people to understand exactly what we are trying to manage, develop and maintain. We are not about creating botanical gardens, nor do we manage urban parks like Sumsion Gardens and Noreuil Park. We are responsible for the management of 'bush parks' and reserves and for the restoration of significantly degraded environments on the hills, streams and flood-plains surrounding the cities.
In so doing, we attempt to provide optimal conditions for native flora and fauna thereby improving the quality of life for all species - including humans. In essence, parklands is about ensuring that the local community has areas of open space which have been set aside, in perpetuity, for recreation, preservation, and conservation.