Onkaparinga River National Park

For the adjoining recreation park, see Onkaparinga River Recreation Park.

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Protected area in South Australia

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; 138.55389
Established	5 August 1993 (1993-08-05)
Area	15.42 km (6.0 sq mi)
Managing authorities	Department for Environment and Water
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 removed from the recreation park and constituted 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’.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

References

^ "Terrestrial Protected Areas of South Australia (refer 'DETAIL' tab )". CAPAD 2016. Australian Government, Department of the Environment (DoE). 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
^ "NATIONAL PARKS AND WILDLIFE ACT 1972 SECTIONS 34(2) AND 28(1): CONSTITUTION OF ONKAPARINGA RIVER NATIONAL PARK" (PDF). The South Australian Government Gazette. Government of South Australia. 5 August 1993. p. 747. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 July 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2019. alter the boundaries of the Onkaparinga River Recreation Park by excising the land to die east of Main South Road from the park;
"Management Plan - Onkaparinga River Reserve" (PDF). Department of Environment and Heritage. 2004. p. 5. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 March 2011. 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.

v t e Protected areas of South Australia
National parks	Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary–Winaityinaityi Pangkara Belair Canunda Cleland Coffin Bay Coorong Dhilba Guuranda-Innes Flinders Chase Deep Creek Glenthorne National Park–Ityamaiitpinna Yarta Gawler Ranges Great Australian Bight Marine Ikara-Flinders Ranges Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre Lake Frome Lake Gairdner Lake Torrens Lincoln Malkumba-Coongie Mount Remarkable Munga-Thirri–Simpson Desert Murray River Naracoorte Caves Nullarbor Nilpena Ediacara Onkaparinga River Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges Wapma Thura–Southern Flinders Ranges Witjira
Conservation parks	Aberdour Acraman Creek Aldinga Scrub Althorpe Islands Angove Avoid Bay Islands Baird Bay Islands Bakara Bandon Bangham Barwell Bascombe Well Baudin Baudin Rocks Beachport Beatrice Islet Belt Hill Beyeria Big Heath Billiatt Bimbowrie Bird Islands Black Hill Black Rock Boondina Breakaways Brookfield Bullock Hill Busby Islet Butchers Gap Calectasia Calpatanna Waterhole Cap Island Cape Blanche Cape Gantheaume Cape Willoughby Caralue Bluff Carappee Hill Carcuma Caroona Creek Carpenter Rocks Carribie Chadinga Charleston Christmas Rocks Clements Gap Clinton Cocata Cooltong Corrobinnie Hill Cox Scrub Cromer Cudlee Creek Custon Cygnet Estuary Danggali Darke Range Desert Camp Dingley Dell Douglas Point Dudley Eba Island Elliot Price Eric Bonython Ettrick Ewens Ponds Fairview Ferguson Ferries-McDonald Finniss Fort Glanville Fowlers Bay Franklin Harbor Furner Gambier Islands Gawler Ranges Geegeela Giles Glen Roy Goose Island Gower Grass Tree Greenly Island Guichen Bay Gum Lagoon Gum Tree Gully Hacks Lagoon Hale Hallett Cove Hanson Scrub Heggaton Hesperilla Hincks Hogwash Bend Hopkins Creek Horsnell Gully Ironstone Hill Jip Jip Kaiserstuhl Kapunda Island Karte Kathai Kellidie Bay Kelly Hill Kelvin Powrie Kenneth Stirling Kinchina Kulliparu Kungari Kyeema Lake Frome Lake Gilles Lake Hawdon South Lake Newland Lake St Clair Lashmar Lathami Laura Bay Lawari Lesuer Leven Beach Lincoln Lipson Island Little Dip Lowan Lower Glenelg River Maize Island Lagoon Malgra Mamungari Mantung Marino Mark Oliphant Marne Valley Martin Washpool Martindale Hall Mary Seymour Media Island Messent Middlecamp Hills Mimbara Minlacowie Moana Sands Mokota Monarto Monarto Woodlands Montacute Moody Tank Morgan Morialta Mount Billy Mount Boothby Mount Brown Mount Dutton Bay Mount George Mount Magnificent Mount Monster Mount Scott Mount Taylor Mowantjie Willauwar Mullinger Swamp Munyaroo Murrunatta Mylor Myponga Nene Valley Nepean Bay Neptune Islands Newland Head Ngarkat Ngaut Ngaut Nicolas Baudin Island Nixon-Skinner Nuyts Archipelago Nuyts Reef Olive Island Padthaway Pandappa Para Wirra Paranki Lagoon Parndana Peachna Peebinga Pelican Lagoon Penambol Penguin Island Penola Piccaninnie Ponds Pigface Island Pike River Pine Hill Soak Pinkawillinie Point Bell Point Davenport Point Labatt Pooginook Poonthie Ruwe Porter Scrub Pualco Range Pullen Island Pureba Ramco Point Ramsay Red Banks Reedy Creek Ridley Rilli Island Rocky Island (North) Rocky Island (South) Roonka Rudall Salt Lagoon Islands Sandy Creek Sceale Bay Scott Scott Creek Seal Bay Searcy Bay Seddon Shannon Sheoak Hill Simpson Sinclair Island Sir Joseph Banks Group Sleaford Mere Spring Gully Spring Mount Stipiturus Swan Reach Talapar Talisker Tallaringa Tantanoola Caves Telford Scrub The Dutchmans Stern The Knoll The Pages The Plug Range Thidna Tilley Swamp Torrens Island Troubridge Island Tucknott Scrub Tumby Island Venus Bay Verran Tanks Vivigani Ardune Vivonne Bay Wabma Kadarbu Mound Springs Wahgunyah Waitpinga Waldegrave Islands Wanilla Wanilla Land Settlement Warren Warrenben West Island Wharminda Whidbey Isles White Dam Whyalla Wiljani Wills Creek Winninowie Wittelbee Woakwine Wolseley Common Yalpara Yeldulknie Yulte 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 Nullarbor Strzelecki Yellabinna
Conservation reserves	Bernouilli Buckleboo Bunbury Bunkers Cortlinye Cox Scrub Cunyarie Desert Camp Hardings Springs Lacroma Moongi Mootra Pinkawillinie Reservoir Poolgarra Tola Former conservation reserves
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
Other protected areas	Arkaroola Protection Area
Former protected areas	Investigator Group Isles of St Francis Katarapko Mount Rescue Mount Shaugh Port Gawler Scorpion Springs Telowie Gorge
Related topics	Marine protected areas of South Australia List of protected areas in Adelaide

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