Nelshaby Reserve

Where is it? Nelshaby Reserve is c. 13.5km NE of Port Pirie at the corner of Reservoir Road and Scenic Drive North, Nelshaby.

Owner: Crown Land managed by Port Pirie Regional Council.

Property summary: Total area c. 26 hectares. Hundred of Napperby – Allotment 20 (Deposited Plan 35859)¹.

Landscape Management Region: Northern and Yorke

History: The name “Nelshaby” is an aboriginal name for “boiling springs”². The Nelshaby Reservoir was completed in 1879 to provide water for Port Pirie and later used as a secondary water supply for the district ^{3, 4}.

Nelshaby Reserve was proclaimed on 26 August 1993 as a Recreation Reserve under the care, control and management of the District Council of Pirie⁵.

Habitat: The reservoir contains significant aquatic and terrestrial habitats. The dominant vegetation around the reservoir is River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis var. camalduensis) over Weeping Emubush (Eremophila longifolia) with introduced grasses.

Water is being diverted into the lake area in Nelshaby Reserve which has reduced environmental flows for the E. camaldulensis populations and has partly resulted in the death of these trees⁴.

Total Species Recorded to Date: 95 (non-passerines 52, passerines 43)

Common Species: Eurasian Coot, Australasian Grebe, Singing Honeyeater, Red-rumped Parrot, Grey Teal,

Less Common Species: White-fronted Honeyeater, Whistling Kite, Elegant Parrot, Red-capped Robin

References:
 ¹ Port Pirie Regional Council-Community Land Register. (Id # 199). 

 ² Cockburn, R. 1990. (3rd edition). South Australia. What’s in a name. Nomenclature of South Australia. Axiom Books. Adelaide. South Australia. p. 158.

 ³ Danvers Architects Pty Ltd / Bone and Tonkin Planners Pty Ltd. 1990. Port Pirie Heritage Study. Part 1: Report and Recommendations.  Port Pirie Development Committee. State Heritage Branch. 

 ⁴ Seaman, R.L. 2002. Wetland Inventory of the Northern Agricultural Districts South Australia. Department for Environment and Heritage, South Australia. 

 ⁵ Crown Lands Act, 1929: Section 5. The South Australian Government Gazette. Government of South Australia. 87: 926. (26 August 1993) 

Updated: 6/08/2021