Memory Cove Wilderness Protection Area is a

protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...

in the Australian state 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 ...

located on the south east tip of

Jussieu Peninsula __NOTOC__ Jussieu Peninsula is a peninsula located at the south east end of Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. It is bounded by Proper Bay and Spalding Cove within the natural harbour known as Port Lincoln to the north, Spencer Gulf to the e ...

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 on a number of nearby islands about south-south east of

Port Lincoln Port Lincoln is a town on the Lower Eyre Peninsula in the Australian state of South Australia. It is situated on the shore of Boston Bay, which opens eastward into Spencer Gulf. It is the largest city in the West Coast region, and is located a ...

. It was established in 2004 on land previously part of the

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 ...

. The protection area contains significant sites of natural, indigenous and early European heritage.

Extent

The wilderness protection area occupies the south east tip of Jussieu Peninsula on Eyre Peninsula and the following islands -

Hopkins Hopkins is an English, Welsh and Irish patronymic surname. The English name means "son of Hob". ''Hob'' was a diminutive of ''Robert'', itself deriving from the Germanic warrior name ''Hrod-berht'', translated as "renowned-fame". The Robert spell ...

Little Little is a synonym for small size and may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Little'' (album), 1990 debut album of Vic Chesnutt * ''Little'' (film), 2019 American comedy film *The Littles, a series of children's novels by American author John P ...

Lewis Lewis may refer to: Names * Lewis (given name), including a list of people with the given name * Lewis (surname), including a list of people with the surname Music * Lewis (musician), Canadian singer * "Lewis (Mistreated)", a song by Radiohead ...

and

Smith Smith may refer to: People * Metalsmith, or simply smith, a craftsman fashioning tools or works of art out of various metals * Smith (given name) * Smith (surname), a family name originating in England, Scotland and Ireland ** List of people wi ...

Spencer Gulf The Spencer Gulf is the westernmost and larger of two large inlets (the other being Gulf St Vincent) on the southern coast of Australia, in the state of South Australia, facing the Great Australian Bight. It spans from the Cape Catastrophe and ...

and Williams in the

Great Australian Bight The Great Australian Bight is a large oceanic bight, or open bay, off the central and western portions of the southern coastline of mainland Australia. Extent Two definitions of the extent are in use – one used by the International Hydrog ...

down to Mean Low Water Mark. Its extent on Jussieu Peninsula is bounded by the peninsula's coastline as follows: its eastern boundary extends from near Taylor's Landing (a small cove located opposite to

Taylor Island Taylor Island, also known as Taylor's Island, is the largest in a group of seven islands located between the Eyre Peninsula mainland and Thistle Island in the mouth of Spencer Gulf, South Australia. It was named by British explorer Matthew Fli ...

) in a southerly direction to

Cape Catastrophe Cape Catastrophe is a headland in the Australian state of South Australia located at the southeast tip of Jussieu Peninsula on Eyre Peninsula. It is one of the natural features named by the British navigator Matthew Flinders in memory of the ei ...

, its southern boundary extends from Cape Catastrophe in a westerly direction to West Point and its western boundary consists of the coastline of the east side of Jussieu Bay from West Point in a northerly direction to a point on the coastline approximately west of

Memory Cove Memory Cove is a bay located on the East coast of Jussieu Peninsula on Eyre Peninsula in South Australia approximately South-East of Port Lincoln. It is one of the natural features named by Matthew Flinders in memory of the eight crew who were ...

. The west and north sides of the wilderness protection area adjoin the Lincoln National Park.

Origins and history

Previously the land was part of the Lincoln National Park and its predecessors since 1941. During the 1980s, the land around Memory Cove was 'identified as having some of the highest quality wilderness values in the state'. In 1992, a locked gate was installed on the road to Memory Cove in order to restrict access in order to minimise disturbance. In 1999, it was proposed to proclaim the area and the following islands - Hopkins, Lewis, Little, Smith and Williams, as a wilderness protection area under the ''Wilderness Protection Act 1992''. On the basis of significant support for the proposal, the area was excised from the park and formally proclaimed as the Memory Cove Wilderness Protection Area on 30 September 2004. Prior to being part of a protected area, the land supported the Aboriginal tribes of Barngala and Nauo as well as a small amount of agricultural activity by European settlers. The

Memory Cove Tablet Site Memory is the faculty of the mind by which data or information is encoded, stored, and retrieved when needed. It is the retention of information over time for the purpose of influencing future action. If past events could not be remembered, ...

, which marks one of the few places that

Matthew Flinders Captain Matthew Flinders (16 March 1774 – 19 July 1814) was a British navigator and cartographer who led the first inshore circumnavigation of mainland Australia, then called New Holland. He is also credited as being the first person to u ...

came ashore in

, lies within the area and is listed on the

South Australian Heritage Register The South Australian Heritage Register, also known as the SA Heritage Register, is a statutory register of historic places in South Australia. It extends legal protection regarding demolition and development under the ''Heritage Places Act 1993'' ...

Wilderness qualities

The following qualities have been identified by the government agency managing the wilderness protection area. Firstly, 180 species of native flora have been recorded within the wilderness protection area including seven species considered to be of conservation significance. Secondly, the area is considered to have significant cultural history in respect to the Barngarla and the Nauo people, who occupied the area prior to European arrival. Thirdly, the event concerning the loss of eight crew from HM Sloop ''Investigator'' under the command of

during February 1802 in the waters adjoining the wilderness protection area is considered to be of historical significance.

Visitor services

Access is regulated by a locked gate within the adjoining Lincoln National Park. A maximum of 15 vehicles per day is permitted to enter. A camping ground exists at Memory Cove. Yachts and boats can anchor in the sheltered waters available at Memory Cove and Williams Island. Recreational fishing and associated water-based activities take place in the waters adjoining the wilderness protection area.

References

External links

Memory Cove Wilderness Protection Area Official web pageMemory Cove Wilderness Protection Area web page on protected planet
{{DEFAULTSORT:Memory Cove Wilderness Protection Area Wilderness areas of South Australia Protected areas established in 2004 2004 establishments in Australia Eyre Peninsula Spencer Gulf Eyre Yorke Block