2 Christmas present ideas for nature-lovers

Still looking for Christmas gifts? Don’t battle for a carpark at the local shopping centre – pour yourself a long cold drink, put your feet up and do your shopping fast online.

Here are two ideas for the nature-lovers on your Christmas list:

1. Cleland Wildlife Park experiences

Cleland Wildlife Park in the Adelaide Hills is one of South Australia’s most iconic tourist attractions, renowned for its wide open spaces where you can get closer to animals including koalas, kangaroos, wallabies and potoroos.

A range of Cleland Wildlife Park gift vouchers are available just in time for Christmas. From one-off day passes to yearly memberships, there is something for everyone.

How about a close encounter with the resident echidnas, spending time inside their enclosure and helping with feeding time (watch out for those long sticky tongues!)? Or your loved one can even have breakfast with the birds.

The best bit? Knowing that your purchase is contributing to the many programs and conservation efforts undertaken at the park.

Top tip: Gift cards are convenient and easy to purchase online.

2. Annual parks pass

A multiple entry parks pass gives the gift of experiences at the best of South Australia’s national parks year-round, at sites like the white sand beaches of Lincoln and Coffin Bay national parks, the rugged coastline of Deep Creek National Park and the ancient mountain landscapes of Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park.

An annual parks pass covers vehicle entry fees for parks where fees apply, such as Belair National Park, Coffin Bay National Park, Deep Creek National Park, Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park, Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park, Lincoln National Park, Mount Remarkable National Park and Para Wirra Conservation Park.

A 12-month multiple entry parks pass costs $112 ($90 for concession holders) and can be bought online. And there’s another feel-good alert – proceeds from the pass contribute to the maintenance of SA’s huge national parks estate, which covers more than 21% of the state.

With the shopping list sorted, maybe it’s time to think about how you’re going to decorate. Ditch the exotic plants this Christmas and deck the halls with these native species instead.

Main image: Father Christmas fishing for Australian salmon in Lincoln National Park (courtesy of @robertlangphotogrpahy Instagram)

This story was originally posted in December 2019.