SOUTH AUSTRALIA NATIONAL PARKS

 

Located at the end of the Yorke Peninsula, about 40 miles from Yorketown, is the stunning Innes National Park. The park spreads across a huge diversity of landscapes including salt lakes, mallee scrub, sandy beaches and steep craggy cliffs.

 

The Kangaroo and emus at Innes National Park have become used to the presence of humans and carry on obliviously making it easy to observe them in their natural habitat. 

 

Some beaches at Innes National Park are unsafe for water sports, however there is good fishing, surfing and swimming at Browns Beach, Pondalowie Bay, Chinamans Creek and Salmon Hole.

 

Coffin Bay National Park

Coffin Bay National Park, on the Coffin Bay Peninsula, is 50 km to the west of Port Lincoln and 2 km to the west of the town of Coffin Bay.

 

Coffin Bay National Park has quite varied coastal scenery. Tall, weather beaten cliffs, huge sand dunes, and wild surfing beaches of the Southern Ocean, are in contrast with the more sheltered coves and bays.

 

Coffin Bay National Park is an isolated area, best accessed by 4WD vehicles, boats or bushwalkers. This South Australia park is a haven for birds such as Oystercatchers, dotterels and many other species that visit the beaches. Osprey are resident here,  and you may be lucky enough to see one diving for fish!

 

Deep Creek Conservation Park lies at the southern tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia and covers an area of a little more than 4500 hectares.  Some of the State's most impressive semi-wilderness regions and coastal landscapes with unequalled views across the Southern Ocean.

There is great bushwalking and visitors can enjoy unparalleled coastal views. The Heysen Trail leaves Cape Jervis on its way to the Flinders Ranges and passes through the most spectacular scenic parts of  Deep Creek Conservation Park.  The Deep Creek Waterfall, after which the park was named, can be accessed from one of several of the park's well marked walking paths.

 

There are approximately 120 types of kangaroos, black cockatoos, eagles and birds in Deep Creek Conservation Park.

Flora within the park is abundant with over 400 different species, some of which are protected and conserved.  Ferns and Orchids are abundant and grow near creeks where the ground is damp.

 

Look out for Western Grey Kangaroos as they graze casually on the grass in the park and the 12 difference species of birds including the wedge tailed eagle and blue wren.
commonly found in the area.

Deep Creek Conservation Park covers in excess of 4500 hectares and offers a wide range of activities including wildlife viewing, bird watching, hand gliding, swimming, snorkelling, surfing and  bushwalking.

 
Gawler Ranges National Park

Formerly known as Paney Station.the Gawler Ranges National Park is 550 km to the north-west of Adelaide. The Gawler Ranges National Park, in South Australia, is one of the newer parks which lies in the stunning southern Gawler Ranges and is a popular attraction for tourists who visit the Eyre Peninsula or travel to the city of  Perth. The area comprises large hills and gullies with rocky outcrops and waterfalls which run in the wet season. Beautiful dramatic landscapes of natural beauty found in a park which is home to diverse flora and fauna.

With diverse wildlife and widespread wetlands, Innamincka Regional Reserve Park offers the tourist exclusive and thrilling experiences in the Australian Outback. It is bordered by extensive expanses of dry desert flatlands, which are in contrast to other areas where the visitor can either paddle a boat along gun shaded creeks or swim or fish in a waterhole.

 

The Innamincka Regional Reserve's 13,800 square kilometres includes Innamincka township, which was at one time, a very important trading post but now serves the tourist trade. Definitely go and see the original graves of ill-fated colonial explorers. Amongst places of interest are Burke and Wills, Coongie Lakes, Cullyamurra Waterhole, King's Site and the Dig Tree historic site.

 

Kelly Hill Conservation Park, is situated next to the Cape Bouguer Wilderness Protection Area in the southern area of Kangaroo Island.  It has a unique and far-reaching cave system set in lovely surroundings. The wonderful natural beauty of the subterranean caves can only be appreciated fully during a guided tour. These adventure caving tours are available for visitors who wish to explore deeper into this miraculous underground world.

 

Lake Eyre National Park covers a total vast area of 1,349,251 ha. of stark wilderness
which attracts many water birds such as Australian Pelicans, Silver Gulls, Red-necked Avocets, Banded Stilts and Gull-billed Terns. When the lake floods, waterbirds, especially those that seem to be tolerant to the salty lake water, migrate in their thousands to Lake Eyre and it becomes a breeding ground.

Lincoln National Park is a rocky neck of land with stunning ocean views, sandy beaches and protected camping sites. Lincoln National Park is covered in granite outcrops, extensive sand dunes and vast expanses of coastal mallee. 

Boston Bay has sheltered beaches which are very different to the exposed southern shores where steep limestone cliffs form an impressive barrier to the Southern Ocean.

Lincoln National Park lies on the Eyre Peninsula where it protects the coastal vegetation and provides a safe haven for rare fauna. Birds such as stints, stilts,and sand pipers fly in from as far away as Siberia and the Arctic Circle to spend their summer here as part of their circular migration.

 

Morialta Conservation Park

Morialta Conservation Park is situated 10 km to the northeast of the Adelaide GPO in South Australia. The area of Morialta Conservation Park covers an area of 533 ha and is attached to Black Hill Conservation Park to the north by Fifth Creek and Montacute Road.

The community of Rostrevor is next to the western border of Morialta Conservation Park and along the eastern boundary agriculture and quarrying takes place. The southern border is distinctive because of the ridge which carries the Norton Summit Road.

Morialta Conservation Park in South Australia, has stunning rocky ridges, gullies, wonderful scenery and three waterfalls. The Morialta Gorge has been a reserve since 1915 and still offers great scenery and bushwalking and all this is no more than ten minutes from the nearest town.

 

The Fourth Creek waterfalls are possibly the best known characteristic of the park.

The rocks and pools of  Morialta Conservation Park are a natural habitat for many small reptiles, frogs and birds. There are also abundant woodlands covering the hills with their green and where honeyeaters, thornbills and lots of other bird species make their home, while spindly sheoaks and yaccas grip the steepest inclines.

Morialta Conservation Park, South Australia forms the best part of The Greater Mount Lofty Parklands - Yurrebilla.

Located in the southern Flinders Ranges, and around 2 hours from Southern Australia’s state capital Adelaide, Mount Remarkable National Park is at the crossroads of the dry north and the wetter southern areas of the State.  It can be accessed from the Princes Highway via Mambray Creek.

 

In Mount Remarkable National Park you will find a diverse assortment of spectacular scenery and wildlife and recreational experiences to accommodate everyone, particularly those who enjoy bushwalking.

 

Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park is about 750 km  north of Adelaide and some 110 km from Leigh Creek. The Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park is an  arid wilderness with rocky and stunning scenery, fascinating wildlife and a wealth of  Aboriginal culture alongside European heritage. The Gammons also offer challenging bushwalking experiences.

 

A mere 300 kilometres to the west of Ceduna on the Nullarbor Plain, is The Great Australian Bight Marine Park which is probably one of the best places on the planet to observe the Southern Right Whales during  their yearly breeding migration. Each year, from June to September, up to 100 whales and calves can be seen, in the sea below Bunda Cliffs. There is a visitor centre and viewing platforms to make the experience even more pleasurable.

 

Belair National Park is a reserve situated 13 km from Adelaide City centre.

An important cultural, historical, recreational and natural reserve, Belair National Park was the birthplace of  National Parks in South Australia.

Belair National Park is host to about 250,000 visitors each year.

 

Kangaroo Island was separated from mainland Australia around 9-10,000 years ago and is a mere ten miles off the Fleurieu Peninsula. Kangaroo Island is the third largest island in Australia.  Kangaroo Island is 96 miles long and 34 miles wide and was officially the place where South Australia was first colonised.  Over one-third Kangaroo  Island is made up of  Conservation or National Park and there are five important Wilderness Protection Areas.
Reeves Point was the first settlement, established in 1836 the settlement did not last for long as by 1840 it had all but been abandoned.  During the remainder of the 19th century the island was settled a little at a time as links with the mainland improved.

 

Visitors to Kangaroo Island must either go on a guided tour or drive themselves as there is no public transport system. Many of the roads on Kangaroo Island are still rough and therefore care must be taken.

 

There is only sparse human population on Kangaroo island and, because of its geographically isolated position, there are few non indigenous predators on Kangaroo Island, so it is a haven for a great diversity of birds and animals.  There are some 19 conservation or national parks on the island.

The four main parks are:

The UK Sunday Telegraph said of  Kangaroo Island 'it is one of earth's last unspoilt refuges'.

The island is seven times the size of Singapore, and abundant with wildlife. There are  koalas, seals, echidnas, platypus, goannas, wallabies and kangaroos all living happily in their natural environment. A lot of the bush land on Kangaroo Island is exactly as it was when British navigator Matthew Flinders gave this natural wilderness its name in 1802.
Spend a day at the races in Kingscote, sample the local food and wine or perhaps try the cheese or oyster and lobsters.

Warrawong Sanctuary is just 80 acres of reserve and lies 13 miles from Adelaide.  This little piece of paradise is privately owned and is surrounded by a vermin proof fence to protect some 15 rare or endangered mammal species. Warrawong has Australia’s only successful platypus breeding programme.

Other species include bettongs, potoroos and quolls.

At it's peak, Mount Lofty stands 2,385 feet, and forms the backdrop to Adelaide.  There is a lookout point on the summit giving great views of the city. Spread all over the hills are summer residences who’s owners us them as a retreat during the long hot summer days.

 

Sitting just below the summit of Mount Lofty, Cleland Wildlife Park is a great to place to get close up contact with kangaroos, emus and koalas.

 

The small town of Oodnadatta lies 125 miles to the north of Coober Pedy and is a good stopping station to check conditions ahead, before heading north to Witjira National Park. 

Witjira is located in the far north of South Australia and has an unusual diversity of landscapes with coolabah woods, dunes, boulder plains and saltpans. However, Witjira's best and most famous secret is it's hot artesian springs, with more than 60 of them located at Dalhousie Springs. 

Warm water rises from the Great Artesian Basin providing essential supplies for the local inhabitants and wildlife.

 

Located in the far north of South Australia and bordering Queensland and Northern Territory, Simpson Desert Conservation Park is a vast array of sand dunes and lakes, grass and woodlands. 

 

Lake Eyre is Australia’s largest salt lake and is said to have a salt crust weighing in at 400million tones. It sits 49 feet below sea level and has low lying vegetation samphire, saltbush and blue bush. When, on occasion the lake floods, the area becomes a breeding ground for birds, including pelicans and gulls.