The Eyre Yorke Block, also known as the Eyre and Yorke mallee, is an interim Australian (IBRA) bioregion and a

World Wildlife Fund The World Wide Fund for Nature Inc. (WWF) is an international non-governmental organization founded in 1961 that works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment. It was formerly named the Wo ...

ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of l ...

covering part of the

Eyre Peninsula The Eyre Peninsula is a triangular peninsula in South Australia. It is bounded by the Spencer Gulf on the east, the Great Australian Bight on the west, and the Gawler Ranges to the north. Originally called Eyre’s Peninsula, it was named aft ...

and all of Yorke Peninsula as well as land to its immediate east in

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

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Location and description

These peninsulas consist of hilly country originally covered in

eucalyptus ''Eucalyptus'' () is a genus of over seven hundred species of flowering trees, shrubs or mallees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Along with several other genera in the tribe Eucalypteae, including '' Corymbia'', they are commonly known as euca ...

woodland. However this is good soil for farming and the woodland has mostly been cleared for agriculture now. This coast has a

temperate climate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...

with a wet winter (300mm to 600mm of rainfall per year).

Subregions

The IBRA identifies five subregions of the bioregion: *

Southern Yorke Southern may refer to: Businesses * China Southern Airlines, airline based in Guangzhou, China * Southern Airways, defunct US airline * Southern Air, air cargo transportation company based in Norwalk, Connecticut, US * Southern Airways Express, M ...

– * St Vincent – *

Eyre Hills Eyre may refer to: Name *Eyre (given name) *Eyre (surname) Places Australia National *Eyre Highway, a highway connecting South Australia and Western Australia South Australia * Eyre Peninsula (disambiguation) *Eyre, South Australia, a suburb * ...

– * Talia – *

Eyre Mallee Eyre may refer to: Name *Eyre (given name) *Eyre (surname) Places Australia National *Eyre Highway, a highway connecting South Australia and Western Australia South Australia * Eyre Peninsula (disambiguation) *Eyre, South Australia, a suburb * ...

–

Flora

The original vegetation of these low hills was woodland of short trees with a shrubby undergrowth. The original woodland consisted mainly of a tea tree ''

Melaleuca lanceolata ''Melaleuca lanceolata'' commonly known as black paperbark, moonah, Rottnest Island teatree and western black tea tree is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is native to Australia where it occurs in Western Australia, South Australia, ...

'' and

mallee box ''Eucalyptus porosa'', commonly known as mallee box, Quorn mallee or water mallee, is a species of mallee or a tree that is endemic to southern Australia. It has rough, fibrous or flaky bark on the trunk and larger branches, smooth greyish bark ...

''(Eucalyptus porosa)'', a mallee eucalyptus. The flora of the two peninsulas does differ, with the Eyre Peninsula flora having similarities with areas further west as well as number of endemic species, while the Yorke Peninsula has plants typical of areas to the east.

Fauna

Mammals of the region include the

western grey kangaroo The western grey kangaroo (''Macropus fuliginosus''), also referred to as a western grey giant kangaroo, black-faced kangaroo, mallee kangaroo, sooty kangaroo and (when referring to the Kangaroo Island subspecies) Kangaroo Island grey kangaroo, is ...

and the

southern hairy-nosed wombat The southern hairy-nosed wombat (''Lasiorhinus latifrons'') is one of three extant species of wombats. It is found in scattered areas of semiarid scrub and mallee from the eastern Nullarbor Plain to the New South Wales border area. It is the s ...

, although many more (such as the tammar wallaby have become extinct on the two peninsulas since they have been cleared for farmland. Birds include the

emu The emu () (''Dromaius novaehollandiae'') is the second-tallest living bird after its ratite relative the ostrich. It is endemic to Australia where it is the largest native bird and the only extant member of the genus ''Dromaius''. The emu' ...

Threats and preservation

Most of the area has been cleared for farmland resulting in reduced populations and local extinction of much wildlife, especially on Yorke Peninsula. However clearance has mostly ceased now and the northern areas of Eyre Peninsula in particular still have large areas of mallee woodland while the coastal dunes remain mostly unspoilt also. Weeds, fertiliser and herbicide runoff are still threatening habitats. Protected areas include Innes National Park on Yorke Peninsula.

Protected areas

15.24% of the ecoregion is in protected areas. They include: *

Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary National Park—Winaityinaityi Pangkara The Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary National Park—Winaityinaityi Pangkara is a protected area in South Australia established by the South Australian government on the northeast coast of Gulf St Vincent, between Parham in the north and ...

Buckleboo Conservation Reserve Conservation reserves of South Australia is a class of protected area used in the Australian state of South Australia where crown land under the control of the responsible minister has been dedicated for conservation purposes. This class of p ...

Coffin Bay National Park Coffin Bay National Park is a protected area in on the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia, Australia, which is located about 301 km west of Adelaide, Australia, Adelaide and about 46 km west of Port Lincoln, South Australia, Port Linco ...

Cortlinye Conservation Reserve Conservation reserves of South Australia is a class of protected area used in the Australian state of South Australia where crown land under the control of the responsible minister has been dedicated for conservation (ethic), conservation purp ...

* Cunyarie Conservation Reserve *

Gawler Ranges National Park Gawler Ranges National Park is a protected area lying north-west of Adelaide in the northern Eyre Peninsula of South Australia. It is known for its spectacular rock formations. History The national park originated as the Paney Station pas ...

Hambidge Wilderness Protection Area Hambidge Wilderness Protection Area is a protected area in the Australian state of South Australia located in the gazetted locality of Hambidge about north of Port Lincoln and north east of Lock. The wilderness protection area was proclaimed u ...

Hincks Wilderness Protection Area Hincks Wilderness Protection Area is a protected area in the Australian state of South Australia located in the gazetted locality of Hincks about north of Port Lincoln and south east of Lock on the Eyre Peninsula. The wilderness protection are ...

* Innes National Park *

Lacroma Conservation Reserve Conservation reserves of South Australia is a class of protected area used in the Australian state of South Australia where crown land under the control of the responsible minister has been dedicated for conservation (ethic), conservation purp ...

Lincoln National Park Lincoln National Park is a protected area in the Australian state of South Australia located about west of the state capital of Adelaide and about south of the municipal seat of Port Lincoln. It consists of a mainland area on the Jussieu Pe ...

* Memory Cove Wilderness Protection Area *

Moongi Conservation Reserve Conservation reserves of South Australia is a class of protected area used in the Australian state of South Australia where crown land under the control of the responsible minister has been dedicated for conservation purposes. This class of ...

Mootra Conservation Reserve Conservation reserves of South Australia is a class of protected area used in the Australian state of South Australia where crown land under the control of the responsible minister has been dedicated for conservation (ethic), conservation purp ...

Mount Remarkable National Park Mount Remarkable National Park is a protected area in the Australian state of South Australia located about north of the state capital of Adelaide and east of Port Augusta. It is also the name of the highest peak in the park, with a height of ...

Pinkawillinie Reservoir Conservation Reserve Conservation reserves of South Australia is a class of protected area used in the Australian state of South Australia where crown land under the control of the responsible minister has been dedicated for conservation purposes. This class of ...

Poolgarra Conservation Reserve Conservation reserves of South Australia is a class of protected area used in the Australian state of South Australia where crown land under the control of the responsible minister has been dedicated for conservation purposes. This class of p ...

Tola Conservation Reserve Conservation reserves of South Australia is a class of protected area used in the Australian state of South Australia where crown land under the control of the responsible minister has been dedicated for conservation purposes. This class of p ...

* Wardang Island Indigenous Protected Area *

Yalata Indigenous Protected Area The Yalata Indigenous Protected Area is an Indigenous Protected Area in South Australia. It has an area of 4643.97 km2.UNEP-WCMC (2022). Protected Area Profile for Yalata from the World Database of Protected Areas. Accessed 25 May 2022/ref> T ...