Calpatanna Waterhole Conservation Park is a protected area in the Australian state of South Australia, located on the Eyre Peninsula approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) south-east of the town of Streaky Bay. It lies within the gazetted localities of Calca, Mortana, and Yanerbie.
Establishment and Administration
The conservation park was proclaimed on 14 February 1974 under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 (South Australia), initially comprising sections 121, 122, 128, 129, 144, 179, 180, and 189 in the Hundred of Wrenfordsley. Additional land in sections 248 and 249 was added on 16 July 1985. As of July 2016, the park covered an area of 36.44 square kilometres (14.07 sq mi). It is classified as an IUCN Category Ia protected area (strict nature reserve) and is administered by the South Australian Department for Environment and Water.
Name and Etymology
The park is named after the Calpatanna Waterhole, a water source located within its boundaries that served as an important supply for the traditional Aboriginal people of the area as well as for early European settlers.
Geography and Habitat
The dominant feature of the park is an extensive area of seasonal saline lagoons that fill with winter rains. The principal vegetation association is mallee scrub dominated by Eucalyptus diversifolia in association with Eucalyptus socialis, Eucalyptus gracilis, Melaleuca lanceolata, and Exocarpus species. Around the saline lagoons, Melaleuca halmaturorum tall shrubland forms a major vegetation type. The park encompasses semi-arid habitats including mallee open-scrub, samphire low shrubland, and swamp paperbark communities.
Description (1980)
In 1980, when listed on the now-defunct Register of the National Estate, the conservation park was described as "a moderately large park preserving semi-arid scrub representative of the west coast region of South Australia" containing "seasonal saline lagoons which enhance the diversity of the flora and fauna represented." Though it had some history of grazing, the park was noted to be in good condition and generally representative of the vegetation of the region.
Recreation
The park provides opportunities for bushwalking, nature study, and self-sufficient camping. It is also recognised as a site of interest for birdwatching, with a 500-hectare claypan lagoon in the south-western quadrant and a complex of smaller lakes along the western side.
