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Flinders Chase National Park

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This article is about the protected area in South Australia. For the associated locality, see Flinders Chase, South Australia.

Flinders Chase National Park
South Australia
Remarkable Rocks, in the southern part of the park
Nearest town or cityKingscote
Established1919
Area326.61 km2 (126.1 sq mi)[1]
Managing authoritiesDepartment of Environment, Water and Natural Resources
WebsiteFlinders Chase National Park
See alsoProtected areas of South Australia

Flinders Chase National Park is a protected area located at the west end of Kangaroo Island, South Australia, about 177 kilometres (110 mi)* west-south west of Adelaide and 110 kilometres (68 mi)* west of Kingscote. It is a sanctuary for endangered species and home to a few geological phenomena. It was the second national park to be declared in South Australia.[citation needed] It consists of three sections - an area of coastal landscapes around Cape du Couedic in the south west corner of the island, the Gosse Lands in the centre of the west end of the island and the former Cape Borda Lightstation reserve in the north west corner of the island.

Description

Location

Flinders Chase National Park is located at the north-western end of Kangaroo Island in South Australia approximately 110 kilometres (68 mi)* west of Kingscote.[2] It is located within the gazetted localities of Flinders Chase, Gosse and Karatta.[3][4][5]

Extent

As of 1993, the park consists of three separate parcels of land:[2][6]

  • 'Cape du Couedic' which is refers to the main parcel of land within the park and which is bounded at the north by the West Bay Road and the West Melrose Track, to the east by the West End Highway and an unsealed called the Sand Dune Track; and the portion of coastline extending from West Bay in the west to Cape du Couedic in the south and to Sanderson Bay in the east. This portion of the park includes the following islands - Paisley Islet (also known as West Bay Island) at West Bay and the Casuarina Islets immediately south of Cape du Couedic.
  • The Gosse Lands - a parcel of land which is bounded by the Playford Highway to the north and the West End Highway to the west.
  • The former lighthouse reserve at Cape Borda.

Rocky River (Kangaroo Island) is located within Flinders Chase National Park.[citation needed]

Protected area designation

The national park is classified as an IUCN category II protected area.[1]

Sanctuary

Since the creation of the national park in November 1919, Flinders Chase has become a sanctuary for endangered species, some of them introduced from the mainland in the 1920s and 1930s. During the 1940s, 23 additional species were introduced, including Koalas (1923) and Platypus (1928). Most of these species can still be observed today. Kangaroos, Goannas and Echidnas are commonly seen in the park.

Little penguins

Little penguins have been recorded in Flinders Chase in the 1920s,[7] 1930s,[8][9] 1940s[10] and 1950s.[11] It is believed that these colonies have since gone extinct, in part due to the increase of New Zealand fur seal populations since the end of commercial sealing. In 1886, little penguins were seen at Admiral's Arch.[12]

Geological wonders

The park contains two geological monuments. Remarkable Rocks are naturally sculptured formations precariously balanced atop a granite outcrop. They remind visitors of the sculptures of Henry Moore.[13] Admirals Arch, home to playful New Zealand fur seals, displays the ability of the ocean to carve the coastline.

Fire

Lightning strikes on Thursday 6 December 2007 caused 63,433 hectares of Flinders Chase National Park to be burnt, before finally being contained on 16 December.[14]

  • Flinders Chase visitors centre
    Flinders Chase visitors centre
  • Echidna at Flinders Chase National Park
    Echidna at Flinders Chase National Park
  • Remarkable Rocks
    Remarkable Rocks
  • Admirals Arch
    Admirals Arch
  • View from Bunker Hill lookout
    View from Bunker Hill lookout
  • Western grey kangaroo
    Western grey kangaroo

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "CAPAD 2012 South Australia Summary (see 'DETAIL' tab)". CAPAD 2012. Australian Government - Department of the Environment. 6 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Flinders Chase National Park, Kelly Hill Conservation Park, Ravine des Casoars Wilderness Protection Area and Cape Bouguer Wilderness Protection Area Management Plans" (PDF). Department for Environment, Heritage and Aboriginal Affairs. 1999. p. 5. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  3. ^ "Search result for "Flinders Chase (Locality Bounded)" (Record no SA0058416 ) with the following layers being selected - "Suburbs and Localities"and "Road Labels"". Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  4. ^ "Search result for "Gosse (Locality Bounded)" (Record no SA0027114) with the following layers selected - "Suburbs and Localities" and "Road Labels"". Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  5. ^ "Search result for "Karatta (Locality Bounded)" (Record no SA0034161) with the following layers selected - "Suburbs and Localities" and "Road Labels"". Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  6. ^ "Protected Areas of South Australia September (Map) 2015 Edition" (PDF). Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR). 30 July 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  7. ^ "Cape de Coudie Light. Guarding rocky coast. Lighthouse keeper's life." The Mail, South Australia (1926-01-23). Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  8. ^ Hill, Ernestine "A Southern Eden. Flinders Chase and its family" The Advertiser, South Australia (1936-09-05). Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  9. ^ "Sanctuary - Flinders Chase" The Mail, South Australia (1935-03-30). Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  10. ^ "Preserving our wildlife - Work being done at Flinders Chase" The Advertiser, South Australi (1946-02-13). Retrieved 2014-03-12.
  11. ^ N.Q. Naturalists Club "Current Nature Notes. Flinders Chase, Kangaroo Island." Townsville Daily Bulletin, Queensland, Australia (1953-04-25). Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  12. ^ "Trip across Kangaroo Island" South Australian Register, South Australia (1886-12-07). Retrieved 2014-03-13.
  13. ^ Alice Reid (12 July 2009). "Kangaroo Island Will Drive You Wild". The Washington Post. The "Remarkable Rocks," as they are called, are a collection of enormous eroded granite boulders sitting atop a giant dome of lava coughed up about 200 million years ago. Wind and sea spray have since carved the chunks into what look like monumental Henry Moore sculptures perched 200 feet above a crashing sea.
  14. ^ The Islander 2007-12-20
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