South Australia (abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent. With a total land area of 983,482 square kilometres (379,725 sq mi), it is the fourth largest of Australia's states and territories.
The capital city is Adelaide.
About 1/5th of the State is conserved in various types of Parks.
The capital city is Adelaide.
About 1/5th of the State is conserved in various types of Parks.
South Australian Fauna emblem

Hairy nose wombat.
South Australian Flora emblem

Sturt Desert Pea
South Australian State flag
South Australia Coat of Arms.
Parks SA - Dept of Environment, Water & Natural Resources.
South Australia's Parks come under the control of Parks SA, a section of the Department of Environment, Water & Natural Resources (DEWNR).
More information can be found on their website at...
http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/parks/Home
Please click on the link below to take you to the DEWNR home page....
http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/parks/Home
Please click on the link below to take you to the DEWNR home page....
Types of Parks in South Australia.
South Australia has eight different types of parks.......
Additionally you may see reference to........
- National Parks (NP)
- Areas considered to be of national significance due to wildlife, natural features of the land, or Aboriginal or European heritage.
- Conservation Parks (CP)
- Areas protected for the purpose of conserving wildlife or the natural or historic features of the land.
- Game Reserves (GR)
- Areas set aside for conservation of woildlife and the management of game for seasonal hunting
- Forest Reserve
- Recreation Parks (RP)
- Areas managed for public recreation and enjoyment in a natural setting.
- Regional Reserves (RR)
- Areas proclaims for the purpose of conserving wildlife or natural or historical features while allowing responsible use of the area's natural resources.
- Wilderness Protection Areas (WPA)
- Land set aside under the Wilderness Protection Act 1992 to protect natural and remote areas.
- Conservation Reserves (CR)
- Land set aside for conservation of natural and cultural features under the Crown Land Management Act 2009.
- Marine Parks (MP)
- Areas set aside to preserve the biological diversity of the state's coastal, estuarine and marine environments while allowing ecologically sustainable use of the area's natural resources.
Additionally you may see reference to........
- Indigeneous Protected Areas
- Native Forest Reserves
- Protected zones for Historic Shipwreck sites
- Aquatic Reserves.
- 'Important Bird Areas'
- Important Bird Areas (IBAs) are sites that re recognised as internationally important for bird conservation and known to support key bird species. In a partnership project funded by Rio Tinto, between 2005 and 2009 Birds Australia identified and slected Australia's IBA's. Three hundred and fourteen IBAs have been identified across Australia. There are a total of 38 IBA's in South Australia, covering 7 % of South Australia.
Courtesy of www.environment.gov.au
Qualifying parks in South Australia
There are currently 399 parks in South Australia which qualify for WWFF.
They consist of:-
They consist of:-
- 21 x National Parks
- 278 x Conservation Parks
- 13 x Recreation Parks
- 21 x Conservation Reserves
- 14 x Wilderness Protection Areas
- 10 x Game Reserves
- 13 x Native Forest Reserves
- 7 x Regional Reserves
- 20 x Marine Parks
- Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary
- Flinders Island Important Bird Area.
WWFF history in VK519th April 2019:
The following parks were added: 1. Little Mount Crawford Native Forest Reserve VKFF-2884 2. Tower Hill Native Forest Reserve VKFF-2885 3. Watts Gully Native Forest Reserve VKFF-2886 4. Kersbrook Native Forest Reserve VKFF-2887 5. Mount Gawler Native Forest Reserve VKFF-2888 6. Cudlee Creek Native Forest Reserve VKFF-2889 7. Coralinga Native Forest Reserve VKFF-2890 8. Mount Panorama Native Forest Reserve VKFF-2891 9. Knott Hill Native Forest Reserve VKFF-2892 10. Christmas Hill Native Forest Reserve VKFF-2893 11. Kalumunda Native Forest Reserve VKFF-2894 12. Springs Road Native Forest Reserve VKFF-2895 13. Congeratinga Native Forest Reserve VKFF-2896e 8th July 2017:
The following 2 parks were added to the WWFF Directory.
20th October 2016:
The following 2 new gazetted parks were added to the WWFF Directory.
2nd August 2016: The following 81 parks were added to the WWFF Directory. They being....
KML file showing the location of the VK5 parksUse this file to download to either Google Earth or My Google Maps to view the location of qualifying parks in South Australia.
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KML file showing the boundaries![]()
Spreadsheet of VK5 Parks with VKFF reference codes and matching 5CP reference codes for the VK5 Parks Award.![]()
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Extra information
- Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges NP - formerly known simply as Gammon Ranges NP
- Gammon Ranges NP, VKFF-189 - (DELETED). This was a DUPLICATE of VKFF-508.
- Flinders Island - recorded as an Important Bird Area. It is unclear why Flinders Island was exclusively chosen for the original list. There are a total of 38 'Important Bird Areas' in South Australia.
- Malkumba-Coongie Lakes NP - the name was changed on 21 Aug 2014 from Coongie Lakes NP
- Cape Torrens Wilderness Protection area - was formerly known as the Cape Torrens Conservation Park (changed 1993).
- Leseueur Conservation Park - formerly called the Cape Hart Conservation Park (name changed in March 2002)
- Hambidge Wilderness Protection Area - was previously known as the Hambidge Conservation Park (changed September 2004).
- Para Wirra Recreation Park VKFF-1739 - was proclaimed a Conservation Park on 19th May 2016
- Mutton Cove Conservation Reserve is located on land adjoining the Port River and including a bay named Mutton Cove in the suburb of Osborne in the Adelaide metropolitan area. Its existence is mentioned in various documents published by official sources in South Australia. However, as of April 2017, the conservation reserve has not been gazetted, although the bay known as Mutton Cove is located within the boundaries of the protected area known as the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary (wikipedia 2017).
- Ngarkat Conservation Park: is now one large park. It formerly included the Mount Rescue Conservation Park, the Mount Shaugh Conservation Park, and the Scorpion Springs Conservation Park.
- Nurragi Conservation Reserve, a private protected area located in the localities of Milang, Nurragi and Sandergrove and owned by the National Trust of South Australia (wikipedia 2017)
- Port Gawler Conservation Park VKFF-0786: the park was abolished on 8 August 2017 and its land holding was transferred to the Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary National Park—Winaityinaityi Pangkara
- Spaniards Gully Conservation Park (CP) was formerly known as the Spaniards Gully Native Forest Reserve. Gazetted as a CP on 5th December 2017.
- Tennyson Dunes Conservation Reserve is located on land in the suburb of Tennyson in the Adelaide metropolitan area and which was reported as being dedicated as a conservation reserve by Ian Hunter, the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, on 13 September 2015. However, as of December 2016, the conservation reserve has not been gazetted (wikipedia 2017).
- Wirrabara Range Conservation Park (CP) was formerly known as the Wirrabara Range Native Forest Reserve. Gazetted as a CP on 5th December 2017.
Some videos on South Australia's Parks.
Interesting websites.
The following are some websites that may be of interest.
Birdlife Australia

www.birdlife.org.au
Info courtesy of:-
- Department of the Environment and Energy, Australian Government, www.environment.gov.au/land/nrs/science/capad/2018
- Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, www.environment.sa.gov.au n& Wikipedia.
- Birdlife Australia, www.birdlife.org.au
- Wikipedia, www.wikipedia.org