Red Banks Conservation Park

180km N from Adelaide CBD

Where is it?: Red Banks Conservation Park is 15 km E of Burra. It is in the Regional Council of Goyder. The park protects fossilised remains of Australia’s extinct megafauna, including Diprotodon, Thylacine, Sthenurus and Procoptodon.

Owner: Department for Environment and Water.

Property summary: Total area 1030 hectares. Hundred of Baldina, Sections 244, 277, 278, 280, 294 and Allotment 21 (Deposited Plan 42518)1.

Landscape Management Region: Northern and York

History:  In the 1980’s the land now comprising the conservation park became a popular venue for off-road vehicle recreation. On 26 November 1993 Sections 244, 277, 278, 279 and 280, Hundred of Baldina, were dedicated as a Conservation, Recreation and Education Reserve under the the care, control and management of the District Council of Burra Burra2.

Red Banks Conservation Park was proclaimed on 15 January 20023.

Habitat: The park protects fossilised remains of Australia’s extinct megafauna, including Diprotodon, Thylacine, Sthenurus and Procoptodon. Many of these fossils have been preserved in situ and have remained articulated, thus increasing the value of the site.

Red Banks Conservation Park occurs at the transition of two broadly defined ecosystem types: (i) the temperate grasslands and grassy woodlands of the North Mount Lofty Ranges; and (ii) the semi-arid shrublands and mallee of the Murray Plains. The park supports a number of vegetation associations.

  • Red Mallee (Eucalyptus oleosa) with or without Gilja Mallee (E. brachycalyx) is found in the eastern portion of the park, with Yorrell (E. gracilis) present in all but the most north-western portion. Scattered individuals of Bullock Bush (Alectryon oleifolia), Leafless Cherry (Exocarpos aphyllus), Native Apricot (Pittosporum phylliraeoides) and Umbrella Wattle (Acacia oswaldii) are found amongst the mallee. The understorey is dominated by Black Bluebush (Maireana pyramidata), Ruby Saltbush (Enchylaena tomentosa), Mealy Saltbush (Rhagodia parabolica) and Short-leafed Bluebush (M. brevifolia).
  • Degraded Black Bluebush (Maireana pyramidata) Shrubland occurs over most of the western portion of the park. Short-leafed Bluebush, Mealy Saltbush, Nitre Bush (Nitraria billardierei) and Grey Bindyi (Sclerolaena diacantha) form the subdominant cover.
  • Along Baldina Creek and the western end of Stone Chimney Creek there is Common Reed (Phragmites australis)/Bulrush (Typha domingensis) Reedlands. The occasional River Red Gum (E. camaldulensis), South Australian Blue Gum (E. leucoxylon ssp. pruinosa) and Dryland Tea-tree (Melaleuca lanceolata lanceolata) occur along the edges of the reedland areas.
  • The creeks in Red Banks Conservation Park are bound by a belt of Mallee Box (E. porosa) Low Woodland. Beaked Red Mallee and Red Mallee are scattered amongst the Mallee Box with increasing abundance towards higher ground. There are also a small number of Southern Cypress Pine (Callitris gracilis) distributed amongst the Mallee Box trees.
  • There is an area of Scented Mat-rush (Lomandra effusa) Tussock Grassland in the western portion of the park4.

More information: NPWSSA Friends of Burra Parks

Total Species Recorded to Date:  119 (non-passerines 50, passerines 69)

Common Species:  Grey Butcherbird, White-winged Chough, Black-faced Cuckooshrike, Little Raven, Redthroat, Jacky Winter

Less Common Species:  White-browed Babbler, Cockatiel, Grey Fantail, Rufous Fieldwren, Brown Songlark, Rufous Whistler

References:
1 Department for Environment and Water. (2019). Protected Areas Information System. Property Summary Report. 30 March 2019. p. 40.  

 2 Government of South Australia. (1993). Crown Lands Act, 1929: Section 5. The South Australian Government Gazette 121: 2846. (2 December 1993).  

 2 Government of South Australia. (2002). National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 Section 30(1): Constitution of Red Banks Conservation Park. The South Australian Government Gazette 7: 185. (15 January 2002). 

 4 Department for Environment and Water. (2006). Red Banks Conservation Park Management Plan. 

Updated: 9/08/2021