Nurragi Conservation Reserve

Where is it?: Nurragi Conservation Reserve follows the old railway line from Milang to Sandergrove. Parking is available at Milang or along Nurragi Road.

Property summary: Total area 65 hectares⁴. Hundred of Bremer – Allotment 1 (Deposited Plan No. 28912), Allotment 1 (Deposited Plan No. 29596), Allotment 1 (Deposited Plan No. 29598) and Allotment 10 (Deposited Plan No. 30875); Hundreds of Alexandra and Bremer – Allotment 100 (Deposited Plan No. 30752); Hundred of Alexandrina – Allotment 20 (Deposited Plan No. 27551) and Allotment 101 (Deposited Plan No. 29597).

Landscape Region: Murraylands and Riverland

Owner: Crown Land managed by National Trust of SA.

History: The reserve follows the 14km branch railway line between Sandergrove and Milang which operated from 1884 to 1970. The Friends of Nurragi was established in 1988 to protect and restore the reserve.

On 27 June 1991 Allotments 1 (Deposited Plan No. 29596), 1 (Deposited Plan No. 28912), and 10 (Deposited Plan No. 30875), Allotment 100 (Deposited Plan No. 30752) and Allotment 101 (Deposited Plan No. 29597) were declared as a Nature Conservation and Plantation Reserve and placed under the care, control and management of the Strathalbyn branches of the Men of the Trees Incorporated, The Field Naturalists’ Society of South Australia Incorporated and the National Trust of South Australia¹. On 1 February 2001 Allotment 1 (Deposited Plan No. 29598)² and on 22 November 2001, Allotment 20 (Deposited Plan No. 27551) were also declared a Nature Conservation and Plantation Reserve and placed under the care, control and management of the Friends of Nurragi Association Incorporated and the National Trust of South Australia³.

A walking trail with interpretive signs follows the length of the reserve.

Habitat: It reserve preserves remnant mallee vegetation including square-fruited mallee (Eucalyptus calycogona), narrow-leaved red mallee (E. leptophylla), peppermint box (E. odorata) and native apricot (m>Pittosporum angustifolium). Understorey plants include wallowa (Acacia calamifolia), needle bush wattle (A. rigens) and broombush (Melaleuca uncinata).

More information: NTSA

Total Species Recorded to Date: 97 (non-passerines 39, passerines 58)

Common Species: Peaceful Dove, Weebill, Australian Magpie, Little Raven, Grey Shrikethrush, Diamond Firetail

Less Common Species: Southern Boobook, Red-capped Robin, Hooded Robin, Rufous Whistler

References
 ¹ Government of South Australia. (1985). The South Australian Government Gazette 75: 2040. (27 June). Crown Lands Act 1929: Section 5. 

 ² Government of South Australia. (1985). The South Australian Government Gazette 11: 402. (1 February). Crown Lands Act 1929: Section 5. 

 ³ Government of South Australia. (1985). The South Australian Government Gazette 156: 5078. (22 November). Crown Lands Act 1929: Section 5. 

Updated: 29/07/2021