Parys Wetland Park NPC

28/10/2026

A few FAQs regarding the Parys Wetland Park NPC 🌱

We often get questions about accessing and enjoying the Parys Wetland Park NPC, so here are a few answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.

🌱 Entrances

The Parys Wetland Park NPC covers approximately 40 hectares right in the heart of the area between Parys, Tumahole, Schonkenville and the industrial area, with multiple entrances from all sides.
Recommended entrances include:
1 — Corner of End Street & 4th Avenue
The trails in this area are well established and link up easily with the Rail Trail as well as the Arena area. Parking is available on the grass in front of the sign.
2 — Gibbon Street / Viva Filling Station
This entrance leads directly to the fountain area — or, more accurately, the direct source area of the Parys Wetland Park NPC.
This entrance is highly recommended for birders, with a large concentration of interesting bird species occurring in this vicinity.
And to Viva Filling Station: please forgive us for occasionally abusing your parking space! 🙃🌱
3 — Corner of Grens Street & Makgoe Street
Parking can be an issue in this high-traffic area, so please be considerate and vigilant.
For pedestrians, however, this is an excellent entrance if you want to experience the full Rail Trail. The trail continues until Brodie Avenue intersects with the bridge, where another exit/entrance provides access towards the beginning of 1st Avenue and Father Balink/Kruis Street.
4 — Corner of 1st Avenue & Father Balink (Kruis Street)
Parking is also limited here and it is a high-traffic area, but this provides a great access point to the Rail Trail from the train bridge.

🌱 Pets

Dogs are more than welcome, but we prefer that they are kept on a leash out of consideration for other wetland users and pedestrians, grazing cattle, wildlife, and the occasional stray dog or horse that wanders into the wetland.
A little responsibility from everyone helps keep the wetland enjoyable and safe for all. 🐕🌿

🌱 Safety

As with any public space, please remain vigilant. If you have concerns about safety, we recommend experiencing the wetland in pairs or groups.
Thankfully, fellow pedestrians and wetland users have thus far been nothing but kind and welcoming and you can spot any other park users from a distance, so you could choose to avoid contact if a potential encounter makes you nervous.

🌱 Maps

Maps are still under development.
As trail development progresses and the various routes become properly established, a final map will be produced. There are still several crossings, bridges and other sections that need to be addressed before we can consider the trail network complete.
So, for now, consider it part of the adventure — the wetland is still a work in progress! 🌱🥾
We hope this helps visitors navigate the Parys Wetland Park NPC and, most importantly, enjoy what this little piece of urban wilderness has to offer.

Come walk with us!
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27/10/2026

The transformation squad out in force🌱

27/10/2026

A buzz of activity throughout the wetland! 🌱

We’ve been stuck in a bit of tenacious thorn brush in the core wetland area for the past few days, but we’re now fanning out across multiple areas to get the pesky catbush and other invasive species back in line, while also giving some of the streams some much-needed TLC.

With these sustained efforts, signs are becoming increasingly apparent that some invasive species are disappearing completely from their former localities, while native vegetation is gradually reclaiming its space in the sun.

Slowly but surely, the wetland is fighting its way back. 🌱

16/10/2026

Cleanup Update

Today’s cleanup took place around the railway bridge and along the alley behind the Parys Primary School netball fields. An eyewatering 102 bags of rubbish were removed by Team Wetland today! 🌱

A huge thank you to Oom JB from Welkom Café, who generously sponsored us with their signature slap chips and cooldrinks to keep the team going! 🍟🥤

Another big effort by Team Wetland, and another little piece of Parys made cleaner!
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15/10/2026

A community that stands together🌱🌱🌱

𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿!

Ahead of tomorrow morning’s clean-up at Parys Wetland Park NPC, we would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the local businesses and organisations that have generously stepped forward to support the initiative.

A special thank you to Rotary Club of Parys, Plum Tree Parys, Die Koffiekan - Parys, The Artisan Sourdough Bread Co., O's Restaurant, Mayors Ranch Deli, Springbok Fish & Chips Supermarket and Welkom Kafee/Café for providing food for the clean-up teams.

We also appreciate Meat Valley Slaghuis and Cherry Bakery Parys for supplying boerewors and rolls at cost in support of the One Bag, One Boerie campaign.

Your willingness to contribute is a wonderful reminder of what can be achieved when local businesses and community members work together towards a shared goal.

Every contribution makes a difference, and together we can make a lasting impact on our local environment.

We look forward to seeing everyone in action tomorrow, starting at 7:30am! 🌅

15/10/2026

Native Trees of the Parys Wetland Park NPC 🌱

Enjoying the lovely shady parts of the Parys Wetland Park NPC? Here are 11 recorded native tree species you might encounter throughout the wetland.

It may have seemed over the past couple of months that we unleashed a chainsaw massacre across swathes of the wetland, but there was good reason behind it!

With various areas of the wetland having been disturbed, drained, altered and influenced by excess nutrients from pollution over the decades, the landscape has gradually shifted from what was predominantly grassland towards something more resembling our typical “bushveld”.

These conditions allowed Vachellia karroo (Sweet Thorn) — formerly Acacia karroo — to gain a rapid foothold, eventually engulfing vast tracts of the original native grassland.
The spread of Sweet Thorn, in turn, created the perfect habitat for Asparagus laricinus (Clusterleaf Asparagus/Catbush) to take hold. With birds now attracted to the increased tree cover, they began spreading Catbush seeds through their droppings, essentially creating a domino effect throughout the ecosystem — with some rather surprising consequences.

But there is another side to this story.
The newly established tree cover created new niche habitats where Sweet Thorn can actually act as a nurse tree for some of our native species, including Buffalo Thorn (Ziziphus mucronata), Crossberry (Grewia occidentalis), and even our famous African Wild Olive (Olea europaea subsp. africana).
By providing shelter and protection, Sweet Thorn can give young saplings of other species a chance to establish themselves out of harm’s way from fire and herbivores. Sweet Thorn also tends to have a shorter lifespan than many of the trees it shelters. When the nurse tree eventually dies, the species it helped establish can take its place, creating a more diverse woodland rather than a monoculture dominated by a single species.

Catbush, however, can seriously disrupt this natural succession. Where dense stands develop, it can outcompete and smother just about everything beneath and around it, preventing many native species from establishing themselves.
Throughout the wetland, this process of succession is already playing out. Our work is, in many areas, simply hastening a natural process by giving these native species the space and opportunity to thrive, grow and mature without being smothered by Catbush and other invasive species.

At the same time, keeping Sweet Thorn from spreading unchecked helps protect the remaining native grassland and wetland ecosystems. This is particularly important here because the wetland is a fascinating meeting point of different habitats and biomes, each contributing to the area's remarkable biodiversity.
The goal isn't simply to remove trees.
It is about finding a balance — allowing native woodland to develop where it naturally wants to, while protecting the grasslands, wetlands and other habitats that make the Parys Wetland so unique.

By managing invasive species and preventing any one species from taking over, we can help keep this mosaic of habitats diverse, resilient and capable of withstanding both environmental and human pressures.
🌱🌱🌱

15/10/2026

Walking Together: Tumahole Community Learning Centre Visits the Parys Wetland Park

Early in September, the Parys Wetland Park welcomed a group of students from the Tumahole Community Learning Centre as part of a special wellness programme held during Su***de Awareness Month.

The students took to the railway line and surrounding wetland area for a walk aimed at promoting mental well-being, connection and healthy ways of coping with life's challenges. Away from the classroom and surrounded by the open landscape, the walk provided an opportunity to slow down, talk, reflect and simply enjoy being outdoors together.

For the Parys Wetland Park, it was wonderful to see the railway line and developing trails being used not only for recreation and environmental appreciation, but also as a space where the community can come together and support one another.

Tumahole Community Learning Centre is an educational centre focused on youth and young adults. Situated in Tumahole, it is the first school visible when entering the area from Grens Street — the distinctive yellow building that serves as a place of learning and opportunity for many in the community.

The centre offers both formal and non-formal skills programmes, providing opportunities for out-of-school youth as well as those wanting to complete or improve their matric qualifications.
Initiatives such as this wellness walk are an important reminder that education is about more than textbooks and examinations. It is also about building confidence, creating supportive communities and giving young people the opportunity to develop in an environment where their well-being matters.

The Parys Wetland Park is proud to play a small part in creating spaces where people can walk, talk, breathe, reconnect and experience the natural landscape around them.

Sometimes, taking the next step really does begin with simply taking a walk together.
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14/10/2026

A little more building rubble takes its leave from the Parys Wetland Park NPC, thanks to Ngwathe Local Municipality lending a hand and putting the new vehicles into action!

I’m incredibly happy to report that instances of building-rubble dumping in the wetland have taken a proper nose dive across most of the area. It’s encouraging to see the difference that a little enforcement, effort and community awareness can make.

The old train station area, however, remains a headache, with a few people who seem to have forgotten the meaning of self-respect and common decency continuing to dump there.
To the lady with the white bakkie who was photographed dumping there: we have your number plate, and we have the photographs of you caught in the act. We hope to see you at this Friday’s cleanup at the Train Bridge, where you can come and pick up your rubbish. 😉🌱

Let’s keep working together to make sure the wetland becomes a place where rubbish belongs in the bin — not in the veld.
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14/10/2026

Ushering in the evening symphonies of amphibians and insects over Parys Wetland Park NPC, accompanied by a glorious sunset. 🌅🐸🦗🌿

14/10/2026

A breathtaking bird’s-eye view of the Parys Wetland NPC, showcasing the beauty, tranquillity, and wild spirit of this incredible landscape.

A special thank you to Johan Smit and Lodewyk Swart for the beautiful music that brings this moment to life.
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