Why a nature festival?

In a time of climate change, bushfires, and global pandemics, now more than ever we need to cultivate a deeper relationship with nature as a society.

That relationship is fundamental to our personal wellbeing, core to who we are as a state, and the foundation of all of the other work that we undertake to protect and steward nature.

Plus, being in nature feels good. We know it intuitively, Aboriginal culture values it explicitly, and modern science has more recently begun to quantify the wellbeing benefits of nature.

We think that's worth celebrating. We hope you'll join us.

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Sponsors and partners

This festival is truly collaborative effort and only possible due to the dozens upon dozens of organisations, artists, and community members who have signed up to host events. Out of our many stalwart supporters, we'd like to recognise a few that have been with us for the long haul and who are core to organising and making this festival possible.

Principal sponsor

Our principal sponsor is Green Adelaide, Adelaide’s first dedicated urban environmental specialist organisation. They work practically with partners and diverse communities to support a cooler, greener, wilder metropolitan city and suburbs.

Green Adelaide spearheaded the campaign that showcased Adelaide’s credentials and saw our city become Australia’s 1st, and the world’s 2nd National Park City on 10 Dec 2021.

Major sponsors

Designed for life, Adelaide is consistently ranked as one of the most liveable cities in the world.

Recently recognised as as the world's second National Park City, The City of Adelaide are a Major Sponsor and true partner in the ongoing success of the festival.

The South Australian Museum's purpose is to inspire in all people a wonder and curiosity about life on Earth.

SAM provide the venue for the Nature Festival Hub, the pop-up home of the festival that lives on the SAM front lawn.

The Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing (ORSR) recognise physical activity can fit seamlessly into the daily lives of South Australians, and nature is an important part of a healthy, active life.

As a major sponsor, ORSR support our Adventure program.

Hinterland is a human-centred design studio working in belonging, nature, and friendship. They specialise in ambitious projects that reimagine how we live, work, and relate.

Hinterland have been central in shaping the vision, strategy, intent, and collaborative structure of the festival.

Festival partners

Nature Play SA is a small team working hard to bring the essential elements of childhood back into our lives.

We're particularly appreciative of the spirit of collaboration of Nature Play SA and their decision to combine their existing Nature Play festival with ours and work together on this bigger shared vision.

Trees for Life is a not-for-profit community-based organisation working with everyday people to help restore our natural environment through revegetation and conservation.

As a core festival partner, Trees for Life were the third host organisation of the festival.

Nature Conservation Society of SA is a voluntary body with members drawn from all parts of the State and all walks of life.

NCSSA have been a strong supporter of the Nature Festival project since our inception and were the second host of the festival.

Conservation SA is the voice for South Australia's environment. They've been committed to protecting nature in SA for more than 50 years.

Conservation SA were the first hosting organisation for this collaborative effort and remain strong supporters.

Nature Foundation is an apolitical not-for-profit foundation that invests in conserving, restoring and protecting Australian landscapes, flora and fauna to ensure their survival.

We are pleased to have the Nature Foundation join us as a Festival Partner this year.

The Hills and Fleurieu Landscape Board is one of nine regional landscape boards established under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019.

The board supports communities and land managers to improve the management of the region's landscapes. It will put community at the heart of sustainably managing soil, water, pest plants and animals and biodiversity.

The Murrylands and Riverland Landscape Board is one of nine regional landscape boards established under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019.

The sustainable management of our precious landscapes – soil, water, pest plants and animals, and biodiversity – is the responsibility of all South Australians.

RAA has been around for 120 years, and we take pride in providing quality motor, home and travel services to our members in South Australia and Broken Hill.

We are pleased to have the RAA join us as a Festival Partner this year to support regional events.

The Office for Ageing Well supports South Australians to age well through the Seniors Card Program, Retirement Villages Unit, Aged Care Assessment Program, State Ageing Plan and community grants.

It includes the voices of older people as it works to safeguard their rights, create age friendly communities, challenge ageism and respect diversity

Set in a 100-acre estate in the Adelaide foothills, with spectacular views stretching to the ocean, Carrick Hill is Australia’s most intact period mansion, lovingly preserved for all to enjoy today.

Carrick Hill are hosting the 2023 Nature Festival opening event as well as a range of events every day of the festival.

The Botanic Gardens of South Australia comprises three beautiful public gardens – Adelaide Botanic Garden (and Botanic Park) in the city, Mount Lofty Botanic Garden in the Adelaide Hills and Wittunga Botanic Garden in suburban Blackwood.

These Gardens have provided visitors with a range of cultural, recreational, educational and scientific facilities for over 160 years.

The Environment Institute is leading environmental change throughout the world.

They connect leading water, climate scientists and researchers with international collaborators and external stakeholders to address complex environmental problems and export innovation to the world.

South Australian Tourism Commission are supporting our strategy, growth, and the first interstate marketing of the Nature Festival.

We are proud to have Arts SA support the featured Tea House work in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens.

ABC Radio Adelaide have joined us as a Media Partner this year and are running the world's first moss-based quiz night hosted by ABC Radio's Jules Schiller.

Media partners

ABC Radio Adelaide is the ABC Local Radio station for Adelaide. It is broadcast at 891 kHz on the AM band. It is also available on Digital TV in Adelaide

SALIFE is South Australia’s biggest-selling magazine, published on the first Thursday of each month. Now with 17 years in print, SALIFE continues to showcase the best of Adelaide and South Australia.

CityMag is a quarterly print and weekly digital magazine that sees Adelaide for what it is and what it is becoming. Through the daily habits of the hundred thousand+ people who visit the city each day, we reveal the best bits as well as the most important attributes of a city on the rise.

WeekendPlus is a lifestyle digital magazine for seniors, produced by the Seniors Card Unit, Office for Ageing Well, SA Government

South Australian Tourism Commission are supporting our strategy, growth, and the first interstate marketing of the Nature Festival.

We are proud to have Arts SA support the featured Tea House work in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens.

ABC Radio Adelaide have joined us as a Media Partner this year and are running the world's first moss-based quiz night hosted by ABC Radio's Jules Schiller.

Cultural ambassadors

Jack Buckskin

"As human beings in the environment, it is crucial for us to understand that we are a speck... we have our own place in this environment just like every other living creature. My connection and relationship to nature is that of the First Nations people of this land, but it’s also my responsibility to teach, educate and acknowledge the stories of the past and how it makes us who we are today."
Cultural ambassadors

Ngangki Warra

Ngangki Warra are a Kaurna female led cultural group that aims to amplify the voices of Kaurna women and magnify the existence of the matriarchy through language, culture and dance.
Small but mighty

Organising team

Support team

Get in touch

hello@naturefestival.org.au


You grow up knowing that these are all your family—you can never feel lonely in that situation, you know? You just can’t. How can you when all around you are family members from the ground up to all the trees around you to the clouds hanging up, the birds flying by, the animals and reptiles hidden in the shrub [...]

It’s a beautiful way of being. It doesn’t push anyone out but it brings everybody in. And the completeness of being who you are, where you are, is a really good feeling. It’s abeautiful feeling. I wouldn’t exchange it for anything.

- Uncle Bob Randall, The Land Owns Us

How did the we start?

Our history

The Nature Festival was a pilot project of Amongst It. Amongst It is a collaborative, cross-sector innovation project exploring our individual and societal relationships with nature. For the past several years, we have been exploring creative ways to build individual relationships to everyday nature and celebrate how important nature is to the identity of South Australia.

We believe a positive, creative approach to shifting our cultural narrative around nature is one of the most important conservation activities we can undertake. We aim to cut through politics and division by reminding people of the essence of what it means to be human in a more-than-human world.

In 2018 and 2019, Amongst It ran and funded a variety of projects scattered throughout the year. In 2020, the Nature Festival was a pilot of turning those diverse activities into a coherent program for South Australia.