Mutton Cove Conservation Reserve

Where is it?: Mutton Cove Conservation Reserve is on the Le Fevre Peninsula, on the western side of Port River, about 7km N of Port Adelaide. Mutton Cove Creek dissects the reserve. This reserve is part of the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary. There is a small car park, on the western side of the reserve along Mersey Road.

Owner: Crown Land managed by Department for Environment and Water.

Property summary: Total area c. 48 hectares. Hundred of Adelaide – Allotment 22 (Deposited Plan 76309).

Landscape Management Region: Green Adelaide

History: Mutton Cove was named after Mutton Cove in Devonport, Devon, which has a considerably larger area¹.

The Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary was proclaimed on 2 June 2005².

Habitat: The Mutton Cove Conservation Reserve has been significantly degraded since European settlement. Much of the area surrounding the reserve has been subject to fill. The majority of Mutton Cove is saltmarsh.

It is last remaining biodiverse area of salt marsh and Grey Mangrove (Avicenna marina) woodland on the Le Fevre Peninsula. The salt marsh is comprised of Beaded Samphire (Sarcocornia quinqueflora), Austral Seablite (Suaeda australis), Shrubby Glasswort (Tecticornia arbuscula) and Grey Samphire (Tecticornia halocnemoides) low shrubland³.

A pathway extends around the perimeter of the reserve.

There are two shipwrecks within the park – Jupiter, a composite paddle steamer and Excelsior, a steel screw steamer built in 1897^{1, 3}.

More information: Friends of Mutton Cove

Total Species Recorded to Date: 89 (non-passerines 58, passerines 16)

Common Species: White-faced Heron, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Silver Gull, Spur-winged Plover, White-fronted Chat, Singing Honeyeater, Welcome Swallow

Less Common Species: Musk Duck, Pacific Reef Heron, Australian Pelican, Rock Parrot, Grey Shrikethrush, Brown Songlark

References
 ¹ Hartell, R. (2002). Archeological Treasures Heritage South Australia. Department for Environment and Heritage, Adelaide 

 ² Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary Act 2005. (SA). sch 1: 27-28. 

 ³ Cook, F. and Coleman, P. (2003). Environmental Management Plan Mutton Cove, South Australia. Delta Environmental Consulting, [St Kilda, South Australia]. 

Updated: 26/07/2021