Gawler Ranges National Park
Gawler Ranges National Park South Australia |
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IUCN category VI (protected area with sustainable use of natural resources)
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The Conical Hill Track
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Nearest town or city | Wudinna |
Coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
Established | 15 January 2002[1] |
Area | 1,628.75 km2 (628.9 sq mi)[1] |
Managing authorities | Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources |
Website | Gawler Ranges National Park |
See also | Protected areas of South Australia |
Gawler Ranges National Park is a 1633 km2 protected area lying 350 km north-west of Adelaide in the northern Eyre Peninsula of South Australia. It is known for its spectacular rock formations.[citation needed]
History
The national park originated as the 1200 km2 Paney Station pastoral lease, which was acquired in 2000 by the South Australian Government with assistance from the Australian Government. In 2001 some 420 km2 of the adjacent Scrubby Peak Station was purchased and added to the national park.[2]
Access
The national park is 40 km north of Wudinna, 40 km north-east of Minnipa and is accessible using high ground clearance two wheel drive vehicles via the gravel roads from Kimba, Wudinna or Minnipa.[3][4][5]
Camping is permissible and encouraged at several campgrounds. Although some have toilets, there are minimal other facilities and visitors are encouraged to take adequate food, water, fuel and firewood with them.[3]
Features
Historic sites in the national park include the Old Paney Homestead, the Policemans Point precinct, Stone Dam, and Pondanna Outstation, where agriculture was attempted in the early 20th century. Notable landmarks are Paney Bluff, Mount Allalone, Mount Sturt, Conical Hill and Scrubby Peak. Other scenic sites are Kolay Mirica Falls, the Organ Pipes and Yandinga Gorge.
Environment
Some 21 rare and endangered animal and plant species including the yellow-footed rock-wallaby can be found in the national park.[6] Another larger mammal is the southern hairy-nosed wombat.[7] Some 140 species of birds have been recorded in the national park. The area covered by the national park has been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area (IBA) because it supports populations of the vulnerable malleefowl, the Gawler Ranges subspecies of the short-tailed grasswren, rufous treecreeper, blue-breasted fairy-wren, purple-gaped honeyeater and western yellow robin.[6]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Wudinna District Council - Gawler Ranges Tourism
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ South Australia - Gawler Ranges
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Gawler Ranges National Park (official website)
External links
- Gawler Ranges National Park official webpage Accessed 17 April 2012.
- Gawler Ranges National Park webpage on protected planet
- Use Australian English from September 2014
- All Wikipedia articles written in Australian English
- Use dmy dates from July 2013
- IUCN Category VI
- Articles with unsourced statements from October 2015
- National parks of South Australia
- Eyre Peninsula
- Protected areas established in 2002
- 2002 establishments in Australia
- Far North (South Australia)