Jack Watkins Reserve is a park in the Australian state of
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
situated adjacent to the
Islington Railway Workshops
The Islington Railway Workshops are railway workshops in the northern suburbs of Adelaide, South Australia. They were the chief railway workshops of the South Australian Railways, and are still in operation today.Kilburn within the local government area of
City of Port Adelaide Enfield
The City of Port Adelaide Enfield, located across inner north and north-western suburbs of Adelaide, is one of the largest metropolitan councils within South Australia. It was established on 26 March 1996 by the amalgamation of the City of Port ...
. The park was named after ''Jack Watkins'', a
union organiser
A union organizer (or union organiser in Commonwealth spelling) is a specific type of trade union member (often elected) or an appointed union official. A majority of unions appoint rather than elect their organizers.
In some unions, the orga ...
and former president of The Asbestos Diseases Society of South Australia who successfully lobbied to remove asbestos and other toxic contaminants from the railway site and adjacent properties. The park was opened in late August 2003 as a tribute to the large number of former railway workers who succumbed to
asbestos-related diseases
Asbestos-related diseases are disorders of the lung and pleura caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibres. Asbestos-related diseases include non-malignant disorders such as asbestosis (pulmonary fibrosis due to asbestos), diffuse pleural thicken ...
while working at the yard.
The park contains a memorial walkway leading to a central memorial featuring four pillars, inscribed ''Tough Times'', ''Strength'', ''mates'' and ''ratbags''. The park also contains a playground, public murals, barbecue facilities and a dog park. A memorial service is held each year in the park on 24 November to honour the victims of asbestos related disease.
On 25 November 2016, the day after Asbestos Victims Memorial Day, the park was shut indefinitely due to eight pieces of asbestos being found, risking a health hazard to members of the public. Mayor Gary Johanson stated that "''someone deliberately went and seeded the reserve with asbestos particles".'' The park has since been decontaminated and reopened while a full investigation is underway
See also
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List of Adelaide parks and gardens
List of Adelaide parks and gardens refers to parks and gardens within the metropolitan area in South Australia known as Adelaide.
Northern Adelaide
The South Australian government region known as Northern Adelaide and which occupies the north ...