Protected areas of South Australia

Protected areas of South Australia, consisting of protected areas located within South Australia and its immediate onshore waters and which are managed by South Australian Government agencies. As of 2018, South Australia contained 359 separate protected areas declared under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972, the Crown Land Management Act 2009 and the Wilderness Protection Act 1992. Together, they cover a total land area of or 21.5% of the state's area.

Jurisdiction The jurisdiction for legislation of protected areas within South Australia and the immediate onshore waters known officially as "the coastal waters and waters within the limits of South Australia" is that of the South Australian government. The National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 authorises the creation and management of protected areas, which form the majority of South Australia’s contribution to the National Reserve System.

Other South Australian legislation that may create protected areas includes the following: Forestry Act 1950, Wilderness Protection Act 1992, Historic Shipwrecks Act 1981, River Murray Act 2003, Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary Act 2005, Fisheries Management Act 2007, Marine Parks Act 2007, Crown Land Management Act 2009, Arkaroola Protection Act 2012 and Native Vegetation Act 1991.

The Australian Government does not have power under the Australian constitution to legislate for protected areas within South Australia. However, its treaty obligations and its constitutional responsibilities permit the state to develop policies for protected areas and to enter into agreements concerning protected areas. Examples include nomination of sites under the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (also known as the Ramsar Convention) and establishment of agreements for Indigenous Protected Areas.

National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972

The National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 (also known as the National Parks Act) is the main South Australian legislation authorising the establishment and management of protected areas.The act uses the term "reserve" in lieu of the term "protected area"; the agency which administers the act generally uses the term "park". It is concerned with the establishment and management of reserves, establishment of sanctuaries, conservation of native plants and animals, declaration of protected animals, management of protected animals in respect to taking, keeping, farming and harvesting, and control of hunting.

The act is administered by the Department for Environment and Water (DEW).

Reserves declared under this act totalled 320, covering an area of or 19.6% of South Australia's area. , there were 359 parks in South Australia subject to the act and national parks Regulations.

The following types of reserves are listed within the Act: national parks, conservation parks, game reserves, recreation parks and regional reserves.

National parks National parks are "areas considered to be of national significance due to wildlife, natural features of the land, or Aboriginal or European heritage". As of May 2020, the following national parks had been declared:

Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary—Winaityinaityi Pangkara Belair Canunda Cleland (2021) Coffin Bay Coorong Deep Creek (2021) Flinders Chase Gawler Ranges Glenthorne–Ityamaiitpinna Yarta (2020) Great Australian Bight Marine Ikara-Flinders Ranges Dhilba Guuranda-Innes Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre Lake Frome National Park (2021) Lake Gairdner Lake Torrens Lincoln Malkumba-Coongie Lakes Mount Remarkable Munga-Thirri–Simpson Desert (2021) Murray River Naracoorte Caves Nilpena Ediacara National Park Nullarbor Onkaparinga River Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges Wapma Thura–Southern Flinders Ranges National Park (2021) Witjira

Conservation parks

Conservation parks are "areas protected for the purpose of conserving wildlife or the natural or historic features of the land". As of 2021, the following conservation parks had been declared:

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 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 Kanku-Breakaways Kapunda Island Karte Kathai Kellidie Bay Kelly Hill Kelvin Powrie Kenneth Stirling Kinchina Kulliparu Kungari Kyeema Lake FromeLake Frome Conservation Park is not to be confused with Lake Frome National Park, which is in the south-east of the state near Southend. Lake Gilles Lake Hawdon South Lake Newland Lake St Clair Lashmar Lathami Laura Bay Lawari Lesueur 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

Former conservation parks include Cape Hart, Cape Torrens, Cleland, Ediacara, Eurilla, Investigator Group, Isles of St Francis, Mount Rescue, Mount Shaugh, Munga-Thirri–Simpson Desert Conservation Park, Naracoorte Caves, Port Gawler and Scorpion Springs, Spaniards Gully, Telowie Gorge, Western River, and Wirrabara Range.

Game reserves Game reserves are "areas set aside for conservation of wildlife and the management of game for seasonal hunting". As of 2018, the following game reserves had been declared: Bool Lagoon Bucks Lake Chowilla Currency Creek Lake Robe Loch Luna Moorook Mud Islands Poocher Swamp Tolderol

Former game reserves include Coorong and Katarapko.

Recreation parks

Recreation parks are "areas managed for public recreation and enjoyment in a natural setting". As of March 2018, the following recreation parks have been declared: 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

Regional reserves are "areas proclaimed for the purpose of conserving wildlife or natural or historical features while allowing responsible use of the area's natural resources". As of 2021, the following regional reserves had been declared: Chowilla Innamincka Nullarbor Strzelecki Yellabinna

Other South Australian legislation Conservation reserves

Conservation reserves are a parcels of "land set aside for conservation of natural and cultural features under the Crown Land Management Act 2009". As of 2018, the following conservation reserves had been declared: Bernouilli Buckleboo Bunbury Bunkers Cortlinye Cox Scrub Cunyarie Desert Camp Hardings Springs Lacroma Moongi Mootra Pinkawillinie Reservoir Poolgarra Tola

As of 2018, reserves declared under the Crown Land Management Act 2009 totalled 15, covering a total area of or less than 0.1% of South Australia’s area.

Native forest reserves The Forestry Act 1950 allows for the declaration of forest reserves for "purposes relating to the conservation, development and management of land supporting native flora and fauna ...". Native forest reserves are administered by the South Australian Forestry Corporation (trading as ForestrySA) which is a wholly owned state government business. As of 2014, the following native forest reserves, located in the Southern Flinders Ranges, the Mount Lofty Ranges and the Limestone Coast, had been declared:

Bagdad Boolara Burr Slopes South Cave Range Christmas Hill Comaum Congeratinga Coralinga Cudlee Creek Deadmans Swamp Dry Creek Gillap North Gillap South Glencoe Hill Grundy Lane Hacket Hill Hells Hole Honan Honeysuckle Island Swamp KalumundaKangaroo Flat Kay Kennion Kersbrook King Tree Knott Hill Konetta Laslett Little Mt. Crawford Long Malone Heath McRosties Mount Benson Mount Gawler Mount McIntyre Mount Panorama Mount Watch Muddy Flat Nangwarry Native WellsOverland Track Pond Flat Rock Shelter Rocky Reserve Round Waterhole Snow Gum Springs Road The Bluff The Heath The Marshes The Woolwash Topperwein Tower Hill Wandilo Warreanga Watts Gully Whennen White Waterhole Windy Hill Wombat Flat

Wilderness protection areas The Wilderness Protection Act 1992 was established in 1992 to provide for "the protection of wilderness and the restoration of land to its condition before European colonisation". The day-to-day administration of the act is carried out by DEW. As of 2018, the following areas had been declared: Billiatt Cape Bouguer Cape Gantheaume Cape Torrens Danggali Hambidge Hincks Investigator Group Memory Cove Nullarbor Nuyts Archipelago Ravine des Casoars Western River Yellabinna

As of 2018, reserves declared under the Wilderness Protection Act 1992 totalled 14, covering an area of or 1.9% of South Australia’s area.

Protected zones for historic shipwreck sites The Historic Shipwrecks Act 1981, which is administered by DEW, allows for the creation of protected zones over land and water around historic shipwrecks. The following protected zones have been declared: HMAS Hobart Shipwreck Reserve Zanoni Shipwreck Reserve

River Murray protection area