Pooginook Conservation Park

Where is it?: The park is located located 12km north east of Waikerie north of the Morgan -Renmark Road.

Owner: Department for Environment and Water.

Property summary: Total area 2851 hectares. Hundred of Pooginook – Sections 7, 8 and 14.

Landscape Management Region: Murraylands and Riverland

History: The park was first proclaimed as Pooginook National Park on  The park was first proclaimed as Pooginook National Park on 7 May 1970. It was renamed on 20 December 1973.

Habitat: Dense mallee scrub is found in the north of the park, with Red mallee (Eucalyptus socialis), Ridge-fruited Mallee (E. incrassata), White Mallee (E. dumosa), Yorrell (E. gracilis), and scattered Sugarwood (Myoporum platycarpum) and Bitter Quandong (Santalum murrayanum). The understorey consists largely of Porcupine Grass (Triodia irritans) and Tar Bush (Eremophila glabra). This mallee scrub provides an ample supply of leaf litter which the rare mallee fowl use to build egg incubation mounds.

The south of the park is dominated by open mallee which was grazed and partly cleared prior to the park’s dedication. The tree species are the same as in the north of the park, but with an understorey of acacias, Desert Grevillea (Grevillea pterosperma) and Green Tea-tree (Leptospermum coriaceum).

More information: DEWNR

Total Species Recorded to Date: 129 (non-passerines 53, passerines 76)

Common Species: Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Brown-headed Honeyeater, Chestnut-rumped Thornbill, Weebill, Crested Bellbird, Grey Shrikethrush, Grey Butcherbird, Black-faced Cuckooshrike

Less Common Species: White-bellied Sea Eagle, Spotted Nightjar, Red-backed Kingfisher, Inland Thornbill, White-breasted Woodswallow

Updated: 27/07/2021