Making South Australia’s national parks more inclusive for Autistic people

What is a social script?

A social script is a sim­ple, step‑by‑step guide that explains what might hap­pen dur­ing a vis­it. It uses clear lan­guage and pic­tures to show:

• what the place looks like
• what you might see, hear or smell
• what peo­ple usu­al­ly do there
• what is expect­ed, like stay­ing on paths or wait­ing your turn
• what you can do if things feel overwhelming.

For Autis­tic peo­ple, new places can some­times feel unpre­dictable or stress­ful. Social scripts help reduce uncer­tain­ty by show­ing what to expect before arriv­ing. This can make vis­its calmer, safer and more enjoy­able for everyone.

Social scripts can also be help­ful for:

• chil­dren and adults who like routine
• peo­ple with anxiety
• fam­i­lies plan­ning their first visit
• teach­ers or sup­port work­ers prepar­ing a group visit.

Social scripts now avail­able in South Australia’s parks

Social scripts have been cre­at­ed for a range of park loca­tions and activ­i­ties across South Australia.

Belair Nation­al Park

Belair Nation­al Park is one of South Australia’s most loved parks, offer­ing wide open spaces, walk­ing trails, pic­nic areas and adven­ture play.

Social scripts are avail­able for:

• Vis­it­ing Belair Nation­al Park
• Adven­ture Play­ground, Belair Nation­al Park
• Her­itage Tree Walk, Belair Nation­al Park

Cob­bler Creek Recre­ation Park

Cob­bler Creek offers scenic views, walk­ing tracks and a nature‑based playground.

Social scripts are avail­able for:

• Gen­er­al vis­it­ing at Cob­bler Creek Recre­ation Park
• Cob­bler Creek Play­ground 

Mori­al­ta Con­ser­va­tion Park

Mori­al­ta is well known for its water­falls, walk­ing tracks and nature play space.

Social scripts are avail­able for:

• Vis­it­ing Mori­al­ta Con­ser­va­tion Park
• Mori­al­ta Nature Play Space
• First Falls Walk, Mori­al­ta Con­ser­va­tion Park

Para Wirra Con­ser­va­tion Park

Para Wirra offers oppor­tu­ni­ties for walk­ing, wildlife spot­ting and camping.

Social scripts are avail­able for:

• Vis­it­ing Para Wirra Con­ser­va­tion Park
• Walk­ing at Para Wirra Con­ser­va­tion Park
• Camp­ing at Para Wirra Con­ser­va­tion Park

Nara­coorte Caves Nation­al Park

Nara­coorte Caves is a World Heritage‑listed attrac­tion. Vis­i­tors can expe­ri­ence its impor­tant fos­sils and spec­tac­u­lar sta­lag­mites and sta­lac­tites. Guid­ed under­ground tours and above‑ground expe­ri­ences are offered.

Social scripts are avail­able for:

• Vis­it­ing Nara­coorte Caves
• Rooftop Walk
• Won­am­bi Fos­sil Centre
• Bat Cave and Blanche Cave tours
• Stick Toma­to Cave

Com­mu­ni­ca­tion board at Belair Nation­al Park

Belair Nation­al Park also has a com­mu­ni­ca­tion board, locat­ed near the Adven­ture Play­ground. Com­mu­ni­ca­tion boards use pic­tures and sim­ple words to help peo­ple express their needs, feel­ings or choic­es with­out hav­ing to speak.

The board includes com­mon words and images relat­ed to the park expe­ri­ence, such as:

• food and drink
• play equip­ment
• toi­lets
• emo­tions
• ask­ing for help or a break.

You can also find each park’s social scripts on their cor­re­spond­ing park pages, under ​‘Acces­si­bil­i­ty’. 

Improv­ing acces­si­bil­i­ty isn’t just about phys­i­cal access. It’s also about mak­ing infor­ma­tion clear­er, com­mu­ni­ca­tion eas­i­er and expe­ri­ences more predictable. 

Social scripts and com­mu­ni­ca­tion tools are just some of the ways we’re help­ing make South Australia’s parks more wel­com­ing and inclu­sive, because our parks are for everyone. 

Stay in the know: Sign up to get updates from Nation­al Parks and Wildlife Ser­vice straight to your inbox!