Gawler Ranges National Park
Encyclopedia
Gawler Ranges is a 1633 km2 national park
lying 350 km north-west of Adelaide
in the northern Eyre Peninsula
of South Australia
. It is known for its spectacular rock formations.
, 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 park.
, Wudinna
or Minnipa
.
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.
can be found in the park. Some 140 species of birds have been recorded in the Gawler Ranges, which 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
.
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
lying 350 km north-west of Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
in the northern Eyre Peninsula
Eyre Peninsula
Eyre Peninsula is a triangular peninsula in South Australia. It is bounded on the east by Spencer Gulf, the west by the Great Australian Bight, and the north by the Gawler Ranges. It is named after explorer Edward John Eyre who explored some of it in 1839-1841. The coastline was first explored by...
of South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. It is known for its spectacular rock formations.
History
The park originated as the 1200 km2 Paney Station pastoral leasePastoral lease
A pastoral lease is Crown land that government allows to be leased, generally for the purposes of farming.-Australia:Pastoral leases exist in both Australian commonwealth law and state jurisdictions....
, 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 park.
Access
The park is 40 km north of Wudinna, 40 km north-east of Minnipa and is accessible using two wheel drive vehicles via the gravel roads from KimbaKimba, South Australia
Kimba is a rural service town on the Eyre Highway at the top of Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. At the 2006 census, Kimba had a population of 636 and it has an annual rainfall of 339 mm. There is 7 metre tall statue of a big galah beside the highway marking halfway between the east and west...
, Wudinna
Wudinna, South Australia
Wudinna is a town in South Australia. The area was first settled in 1861 when Robert George Standley lodged a claim for 10 sq. miles of land surrounding Weedna Hill .. It was proclaimed a town in 1916...
or Minnipa
Minnipa, South Australia
Minnipa is a small town serving the local grain growing community located on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula. The area around the town was first settled in 1878 but it wasn't until the arrival of the railway line in 1913 that any kind of township developed. When the railway was opened to Minnipa...
.
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.
Features
Historic sites in the 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-wallabyYellow-footed Rock-wallaby
The Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby is a member of the macropod family ....
can be found in the park. Some 140 species of birds have been recorded in the Gawler Ranges, which has been identified by BirdLife International
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
as an Important Bird Area
Important Bird Area
An Important Bird Area is an area recognized as being globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. Currently there are about 10,000 IBAs worldwide. The program was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International...
(IBA) because it supports populations of the vulnerable
Vulnerable species
On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
Malleefowl
Malleefowl
The Malleefowl is a stocky ground-dwelling Australian bird about the size of a domestic chicken...
, the Gawler Ranges subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of the Short-tailed Grasswren
Short-tailed Grasswren
The Short-tailed Grasswren is a species of bird in the Maluridae family. It is endemic to Australia. Its natural habitats are temperate shrubland and rocky areas.-References:...
, Rufous Treecreeper
Rufous Treecreeper
The Rufous Treecreeper is a species of bird in the Climacteridae family.It is endemic to Australia.Its natural habitats are temperate forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...
, Blue-breasted Fairy-wren
Blue-breasted Fairy-wren
The Blue-breasted Fairywren is a species of bird in the Maluridae family.It is endemic to Australia.The range of the Blue-breasted Wren is inland south-western Western Australia and the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia...
, Purple-gaped Honeyeater
Purple-gaped Honeyeater
The Purple-gaped Honeyeater is a species of bird in the Meliphagidae family.It is endemic to Australia.Its natural habitat is Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation.-References:...
and Western Yellow Robin
Western Yellow Robin
The Western Yellow Robin is a species of bird in the Petroicidae family. It is endemic to Australia, and sometimes known overseas as the Grey-breasted Robin....
.