Gawler Ranges National Park is a
protected area lying north-west of
Adelaide
Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
in the northern
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 af ...
of
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 ...
. It is known for its spectacular rock formations.
History
The national park originated as the Paney Station
pastoral lease, which was acquired in 2000 by the South Australian Government with assistance from the Australian Government. In 2001 some of the adjacent Scrubby Peak Station was acquired and added to the national park.
Access
The national park is north of Wudinna, north-east of Minnipa and is accessible using high ground clearance two wheel drive vehicles via the gravel roads from
Kimba,
Wudinna
Wudinna is a town in South Australia. The area was first settled by Europeans in 1861 when Robert George Standley lodged a claim for of land surrounding Weedna Hill ('weedna' later became changed to Wudinna which may be an Aboriginal word meanin ...
or
Minnipa.
[Wudinna District Council - Gawler Ranges Tourism](_blank)
/ref>
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 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
The yellow-footed rock-wallaby (''Petrogale xanthopus''), formerly known as the ring-tailed rock-wallaby, is a member of the macropod family (the marsupial family that includes the kangaroos, wallabies, tree-kangaroos, and wallaroos).
Descript ...
can be found in the national park. Another larger mammal is 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 ...
. 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
BirdLife International is a global partnership of non-governmental organizations that strives to conserve birds and their habitats. BirdLife International's priorities include preventing extinction of bird species, identifying and safeguarding ...
as an Important Bird Area
An Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) is an area identified using an internationally agreed set of criteria as being globally important for the conservation of bird populations.
IBA was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife Int ...
(IBA) because it supports populations of the vulnerable malleefowl
The malleefowl (''Leipoa ocellata'') is a stocky ground-dwelling Australian bird about the size of a domestic chicken (to which it is distantly related). It is notable for the large nesting mounds constructed by the males and lack of parental ca ...
, the Gawler Ranges subspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...
of the short-tailed grasswren
The short-tailed grasswren (''Amytornis merrotsyi'') is a species of bird in the family Maluridae. It is endemic to Australia. Its natural habitats are temperate shrubland and rocky areas.
Subspecies
Two subspecies are recognized:IOC v.6.3
* ...
, rufous treecreeper
The rufous treecreeper (''Climacteris rufus'') is a species of bird in the family Climacteridae. It is endemic to Australia.
Its natural habitats are temperate forest
A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definiti ...
, blue-breasted fairy-wren, purple-gaped honeyeater
The purple-gaped honeyeater (''Lichenostomus cratitius'') is a species of bird in the family Meliphagidae. It is endemic to semi-arid southern Australia, where it inhabits Mallee, tall heath and associated low eucalypt woodland.Menkhorst, P., ...
and western yellow robin
The western yellow robin (''Eopsaltria griseogularis'') is a species of bird in the Australasian robin family, Petroicidae, native to Australia. Described by John Gould in 1838, the western yellow robin and its Australian relatives are not clos ...
.
See also
* Protected areas of South Australia
Protected areas of South Australia consists of protected areas located within South Australia and its immediate onshore waters and which are managed by South Australian Government agencies. As of March 2018, South Australia contains 359 sepa ...
*Gawler (disambiguation) Gawler is a town in South Australia on the Gawler River. Gawler may also refer to:
People
* Gawler (surname), people whose surname is Gawler
**George Gawler (1795–1869), second Governor of South Australia
Places South Australia
* Gawler bioreg ...
References
External links
Gawler Ranges National Park official webpage
Accessed 17 April 2012.
Friends of the Gawler Ranges National Park
Gawler Ranges National Park webpage on protected planet
{{authority control
National parks of South Australia
Eyre Peninsula
Protected areas established in 2002
2002 establishments in Australia
Far North (South Australia)
Great Victoria Desert
Gawler bioregion
Eyre Yorke Block