Northern Territory Sites
ALICE SPRINGS DESERT PARK
introduction / 1996 award / 1998 award
Extract from Landscape Australia 1/1997, p68
1996 MERIT AWARD FOR PLANNING IN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
awarded to: HASSELL
Project Name: Desert Wildlife Park & Botanic Gardens, Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Hassell, formerly Land Systems EBC, was commissioned by the Northern Territory Government to prepare a master plan for the Desert Wildlife Park and Botanic Gardens (the Park) in 1993.
The Park will interpret the plants and animals of the arid region of Australia through an integrated, ecologically based approach. The Park will be more than a zoo, a botanic garden or a museum. It will give an estimated 170,000 visitors per year from Australia and overseas an appreciation and understanding of the "outback" which comprises 70% of Australia and is well known but little understood.
The Master Plan received the special occasional award from the Royal Australian Planning Institute in 1995 National Awards. The Desert Wildlife Park is a major environmental/tourism development ($25m construction cost) led by landscape architects. The Park is expected to add an extra day to visitors' itinerary in Alice Springs and increase tourism expenditure.
The 1st stage of the Park is scheduled to open in March 1995. The Master Plan has served as a basis for the subsequent documentation and construction.
Role of the Landscape Architect in the Project Team
Hassell was principal consultant for the preparation of the master plan and was responsible for the overall planning and design of the Park and the co-ordination of over 30 separate sub-consultants who had input to the project.
The project team was based in Alice Springs until the draft master plan stage. The team included expertise in Aboriginal culture, exhibit design, eng ineering, zoology, botany, architecture, interpretation, ecology, natural sciences and arid landscape design. Many sub-consultants were from central Australia and possessed excellent knowledge of the site and region.
The Master Plan
The Park represents a major departure from traditional zoos and botanic gardens which present a wide range of species from Australia and overseas, often in taxonomic groupings. The Park will focus exclusively on arid Australia and interpret the ecosystems or habitats of this region. Habitats will be presented in a holistic manner which illustrates the interrelationships between plants, animals, humans, climate, geology and water.
The Park covers approximately 1100 hectares and straddles the MacDonnell Ranges on the outskirts of Alice Springs. The core site area of about 30 hectares comprises the visitor centre and intensive habitat displays. The greater site area, or land surrounding the core site, will serve as a conservation area and buffer to surrounding urban development. Interpretive, walking and cycle trails will be located here. The area will also be used for field studies.
The core site area includes the visitor centre, community recreation area (where arid landscape techniques will be demonstrated), the habitat displays and thematic displays.
Display and Interpretive Approach
The habitat displays form the major component of the Park and will provide visitors with an excellent introduction to the arid ecosystems. Here visitors will be immersed in the sights, sounds and smells characteristic of the various habitats including:
- riverine and coolibah
- sand dune and sand plains
- mulga
- woodland
- range and gorge
The habitats will be interpreted according to their location along a topographic and water based gradient to explain the role of water and nutrients in shaping these landscapes. Traditional custodians will act as guides, interpreting their relationship to and use of the plants and animals found in the various habitats. The in situ landforms are integrated into the design. The visitor centre will be built as a courtyard, utilising rammed earth construction.
A particular challenge was how to display and interpret many species which were small, subtle and mostly nocturnal. The extensive (outdoor) displays of the habitat included plant communities, aviaries, and larger animals in defined enclosures. The habitat interpretation station provided an indoor setting with reference views to the outside landscape. Here visitors were introduced to the habitat and shown naturalistic enclosures for reptiles, nocturnal species and insects, often using innovative techniques such as cut-away of a termite mound or video microscopes.
A series of thematic gardens will present specialised displays including land management, Aboriginal food and tool plants, ephemeral wildflower displays and arid demonstration gardens.
The Desert Wildlife Park and Botanic Gardens will set a new standard as an integrated environment resource centre.
introduction / 1996 award / 1998 award
