Malkumba-Coongie Lakes National Park

1050km NNE from Adelaide CBD

Where is it?: Malkumba-Coongie Lakes National Park is located 100km north west of Innamincka. Access is along the Strzelecki Track, via Leigh Creek.

Owner: Department for Environment and Water

Property summary: Total area 26,669 hectares. Allotment 100 (Deposited Plan 63648) – Out of Hundreds (Innamincka) 1 .

History: The Coongie Lakes Ramsar Wetlands was designated to the list of Wetlands of International Importance on the 15 June 1987.

The Coongie Lakes were included in the Innamincka Regional Reserve which was proclaimed on 22 December 1988 2. The area was excluded from the Innamincka Regional Reserve and proclaimed as Coongie Lakes National Park on 31 March 2005 3. On 7 August 2014 the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation announced that the park would be known as the Malkumba-Coongie Lakes National Park 4.

Landscape Management Region: South Australian Arid Lands

Habitat: The Congie Lakes District is dominated by flood plain and dunefield features. There are a number of major habitats 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 within the area including –

  • River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) riparian woodland
  • Coolabah ( E. coolabah ssp. arida) riparian woodland
  • Swamp Canegrass (Eragrostis australasica) tussock grassland
  • Lignum (Duma florentula) shrubland
  • Chenopod shrubland dominated by Old Man Saltbush (Atriplex nummularia) and Cotton Bush (Maireana aphylla)

More information: NPWSSA

Total Species Recorded to Date: 174 (non-passerines 114, passerines 60)

Common Species: Diamond Dove, Purple-backed Fairywren, White-plumed Honeyeater, Black-faced Cuckooshrike, Magpielark, Australian Raven

Less Common Species: Brolga, White-winged Fairywren, White-necked Heron, Australian Hobby, Pied Honeyeater, Australasian Swamphen

References:
 1 Protected Areas Information System. Property Summary Report. 30 March 2019. Department for Environment and Water, Adelaide, Australia.  

 2 National Parks and Wildlife Act, 1972, Section 34a (1): Constitution of Innamincka Regional Reserve. The South Australian Government Gazette. Government of South Australia. 22 December 1988. 110: 2074.

 3 National Parks and Wildlife (Coongie Lakes National Park and Innamincka Regional Reserve) Proclamation 2005. The South Australian Government Gazette. Government of South Australia. 31 March 2005. 31: 743.  

 4 News Release. 7 August 2014. Minister Ian Hunter. Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation.  

 5 Reid J. & Gillen, J. 1988. The Coongie Lakes Study. Consultancy report to the Department of Environment and Planning.  

6 Reid, J.R.W. & Puckridge, J.T. Chapter 10. Coongie Lakes in Tyler, M.C. Twidale, C.R., Davies, M. and Wells. C.B. (eds.) 1990. Natural History of the North East Deserts. Royal Society of South Australia Inc., Adelaide, South Australia.

 7 Coongie Lakes Ramsar Wetlands. A Plan for Wise Use. 1999. Department for Environment, Heritage and Aboriginal Affairs, Adelaide, South Australia.  

 8 Butcher R. and Hale J., 2011. Coongie Lakes Ramsar Site. Ecological Character Description. Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. Canberra, Australia.  

 9 Malkumba-Coongie Lakes National Park Management Plan 2014. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, Adelaide, South Australia. 

Updated: 3/09/2021

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