Onkaparinga River National Park

This article is about the national park in South Australia. For the adjoining recreation park, see Onkaparinga River Recreation Park.

Onkaparinga River National Park South Australia
IUCN category II (national park)
Sundews lookout
Onkaparinga River National Park
Nearest town or city	Adelaide city centre
Coordinates	35°09′38″S 138°33′14″E / 35.16056°S 138.55389°E / -35.16056; 138.55389Coordinates: 35°09′38″S 138°33′14″E / 35.16056°S 138.55389°E / -35.16056; 138.55389
Established	5 August 1993 (1993-08-05)^[1]
Area	15.42 km² (6.0 sq mi)^[1]
Managing authorities	Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources
Website	Onkaparinga River National Park
See also	Protected areas of South Australia

Onkaparinga River National Park is a protected area in the Australian state of South Australia located about 32 kilometres (20 mi) south of Adelaide city centre. It extends over the floodplain of the Onkaparinga River east of Main South Road.

History

Most of the land now dedicated to the national park was purchased in the period 1973 to 1977 by a former SA government agency, the State Planning Authority. The purpose of the land acquisition which included land along the full length of Onkaparinga River was threefold. Firstly, it was ‘to provide open space for recreational purposes’, secondly, ‘to preserve the natural character of the landscape, including the native flora and fauna’ and thirdly, ‘to function as a buffer between areas of urban and rural land.’ In 1982, the majority of the land was transferred to the then Department for Environment and Heritage which established the Onkaparinga River Recreation Park in 1985. In 1993, all of the land east of Main South Road (known as the gorge section’) was reclassified as the Onkaparinga River National Park. For managerial and administrative purposes, the recreation park and the national park are known collectively as the ‘Onkaparinga River Reserve’.^[2]

Prior use of land

The lower reaches of the Onkaparinga River were inhabited by the Kaurna Aboriginal people, and the name of the river is taken from the Kaurna name meaning chief. European settlement and farming in the district began about 1840 leading to the rapid displacement of the Aboriginal inhabitants. Kaurna people still have strong ties to the area through cultural practices and religious beliefs. The town of Noarlunga (renamed Old Noarlunga) was the service centre with farm produce being transported 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) down river to Port Noarlunga.

Flora and fauna

A kangaroo of Onkaparinga River National Park

The vegetation of the park has been greatly perturbed by human activity, but remnant patches remain. The most intact area is the Hardy's Scrub section of the reserve. 160 years of livestock grazing, timber harvesting and cropping has cleared most of the reserve of native understorey species and in many areas invasive grasses are the main vegetation type. Remnant eucalypts are the most noticeable native species in the reserve. Eucalyptus microcarpa (grey box), Eucalyptus fasciculosa (pink gum), Eucalyptus porosa (mallee box), Eucalyptus camaldulensis (red gum), and Eucalyptus leucoxylon (blue gum) all occur in the reserve. The European olive (Olea europaea) is a noxious weed in South Australia and has invaded the park, although generally individuals are not as large as in older parks in the Mount Lofty Ranges like Belair National Park but will continue to be a problem unless managed. Over the last twenty years accessible areas of the gorge have been revegetated by contractors working for National Parks SA. The oldest area of revegetation in the park was conducted with tubestock, predominantly of eucalypts. Recent efforts have focused on the direct seeding method where seed of native species is ploughed into a scraped trench. Insect activity includes butterflies (Lepidoptera) and dragonflies (Anisoptera). Kangaroos are common among the open hillsides with abundant grasses.

Trails

Hardys Scrub Hike

Old Quarry Track

2 hr loop, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) loop (Gate 11).

This patch of native vegetation is a very important conservation area, despite a history of timber cutting, quarrying and grazing.

Nature Hike

2 hr loop, 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) loop (Gate 6).

The Nature Hike includes good views of the gorge, while trails provide an opportunity to view many species of birds and the occasional lizard.

Echidna Hike

An echidna under an olive tree

2.5 hr loop, 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) loop (Gate 7).

The Echidna Trail winds its way amongst some of the best remnant vegetation and visits six heritage sites, including huts and houses built in the 1880s. The dominant overstorey species is peppermint box, with river red gum in the gullies and pink gum on the higher slopes. Other plant species include sheoak, golden wattle, a small stand of native pine and various herbaceous ground covers. Twenty-seven native orchid species have been recorded in the area.

Sundews Ridge Hike

Sundews Lookout

2 hr loop, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) loop (Gate 6).

A relatively short hike to view the rocky outcrops and meandering Onkaparinga River from the Sundews Lookout.

Gorge Track

4 hr return, 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) return (Gate 18).

This hard trail takes you to gorge vantage points before descending steeply to the river.

Sundews River Hike

Onkaparinga River at the end of Sundews River Hike

4 hr loop, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) loop (Gate 6).

This rocky trail descends steeply from the Sundews Lookout to the bottom of the gorge, and then follows the river downstream for a short distance before returning up the steep slopes of the gorge to the ridge and then the car park.

Rock climbing

Climbing is permitted on the designated cliff area near Gate 10. Specific skills and equipment are required. Climbers are required to contact the Belair District Office first.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Onkaparinga River National Park.

References

1 2 "CAPAD 2012 South Australia Summary (see 'DETAIL' tab)". CAPAD 2012. Australian Government - Department of the Environment. 6 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
↑ "Management Plan - Onkaparinga River Reserve" (PDF). Department of Environment and Heritage. 2004. p. 5. Retrieved 3 April 2014.

External links

Further information

Whitaker, Michael L (2013), Twelve more walks in the Onkaparinga River National and Recreation Parks, Friends of Onkaparinga Park, S.Aust.

Protected areas of South Australia

National parks	Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary Belair Canunda Coffin Bay Coorong Flinders Chase Ikara-Flinders Ranges Gawler Ranges Great Australian Bight Marine Innes Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre Lake Gairdner Lake Torrens Lincoln Malkumba-Coongie Mount Remarkable Murray River Naracoorte Caves Nullarbor Onkaparinga River Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges Witjira

Conservation parks	Acraman Creek Aldinga Scrub Althorpe Islands Angove Avoid Bay Islands Baird Bay Islands Bakara Baudin Baudin Rocks Beachport Beatrice Islet Beyeria Busby Islet Billiatt Bird Islands Black Hill Breakaways Butchers Gap Cap Island Cape Blanche Cape Gantheaume Cape Willoughby Carpenter Rocks Carribie Chadinga Cleland Clinton Cooltong Cox Scrub Cygnet Estuary Danggali Deep Creek Douglas Point Dudley Eba Island Ediacara Elliot Price Eric Bonython Ewens Ponds Fairview Ferguson Finniss Fort Glanville Fowlers Bay Franklin Harbor Gambier Islands Gawler Ranges Giles Goose Island Greenly Island Guichen Bay Gum Laqoon Kelly Hill Hacks Lagoon Hale Hallett Cove Hincks Horsnell Gully Ironstone Hill Kaiserstuhl Kellidie Bay Lake Gilles Lake Newland Lashmar Lathami Laura Bay Lesueur Leven Beach Lincoln Lipson Island Little Dip Mamungari Mantung Marino Martindale Hall Minlacowie Moana Sands Montacute Moody Tank Morialta Mount Brown Mount Dutton Bay Mount Magnificent Mount Taylor Munyaroo Nene Valley Nepean Bay Neptune Islands Newland Head Nicolas Baudin Island Ngarkat Nuyts Archipelago Nuyts Reef Olive Island Para Wirra Paranki Lagoon Parndana Peebinga Penguin Island Pelican Lagoon Pigface Island Point Bell Point Davenport Point Labatt Piccaninnie Ponds Pinkawillinie Port Gawler Pualco Range Pullen Island Rocky Island (North) Ramsay Rocky Island (South) Salt Lagoon Islands Sceale Bay Scott Creek Seal Bay Searcy Bay Seddon Simpson Simpson Desert Sinclair Island Sir Joseph Banks Group Sleaford Mere Spring Gully Talisker Tallaringa Telowie Gorge The Dutchmans Stern The Pages Torrens Island Troubridge Island Tumby Island Venus Bay Vivonne Bay Wabma Kadarbu Mound Springs Wahgunyah Waitpinga Waldegrave Islands Warrenben West Island Whidbey Isles Whyalla Wills Creek Winninowie Wittelbee Yumbarra

Game reserves	Bool Lagoon Bucks Lake Chowilla Currency Creek Lake Robe Loch Luna Moorook Mud Islands Poocher Swamp Tolderol

Recreation parks	Anstey Hill Blackwood Forest Brownhill Creek Caratoola Cobbler Creek Granite Island Greenhill Long Island O'Halloran Hill Onkaparinga River Shepherds Hill Sturt Gorge Totness

Regional Reserves	Chowilla Innamincka Lake Frome Nullarbor Simpson Desert Strzelecki Yellabinna

Conservation reserves	Bernouilli

Wilderness Protection Areas	Billiatt Cape Bouguer Cape Gantheaume Cape Torrens Danggali Hambridge Hincks Investigator Group Memory Cove Nullarbor Nuyts Archipelago Ravine des Casoars Western River Yellabinna

Aquatic reserves	American River Aldinga Reef Bales Beach Barker Inlet-St Kilda Blanche Harbour-Douglas Bank Coobowie Goose Island Great Australian Bight Marine Park Whale Sanctuary Point Labatt Port Noarlunga Reef Seal Bay St Kilda – Chapman Creek Troubridge Hill West Island Encounter Bay Whyalla - Cowleds Landing Yatala Harbour

Other protected areas	Arkaroola Protection Area

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