Alexander Morrison National Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alexander Morrison National Park Western Australia
IUCN Category II (National Park)
Alexander Morrison National Park Location in Western Australia
Nearest town or city	Coorow
Established	1970
Area	85 km2 (32.8 sq mi)
Managing authorities	Parks and Wildlife Service
Website	Alexander Morrison National Park
See also	List of protected areas of Western Australia

Alexander Morrison National Park is a special protected area in Western Australia. It's like a big natural playground located about 207 kilometers (129 miles) north of Perth. You can find it in the Shire of Coorow, right along the Green Head-Coorow Road. The park got its name from Alexander Morrison, who was the very first official botanist for Western Australia.

What is Alexander Morrison National Park like?

This park is huge, covering about 8,500 hectares (21,000 acres)! It has sandy plains and low, rocky areas made of laterite. These sit on top of older rocks like sandstones and shales.

Plants and Trees in the Park

The main type of plant life you'll see here are sand heaths. These are areas with lots of small, tough shrubs. But the park also has many low woodlands and mallee trees. Mallee trees are a type of eucalyptus that grow with multiple stems from the ground. You'll find these especially in the western parts of the park.

Some of the important eucalyptus trees here include the Powder-barked Wandoo (which is Eucalyptus accedens) and Mallalie (Eucalyptus eudesmoides). The heath areas are full of different plant species. Some are even rare, like the spiral bush (Spirogardnera rubescens). You might also spot the northern type of Banksia vestita growing here.

How was the Park Created?

The land for Alexander Morrison National Park was first set aside on May 23, 1969. This was done by the Department of Lands and Surveys. Over the next two years, in 1970 and 1971, the land was given a special classification. It became an "A" Class reserve.

What is an "A" Class Reserve?

Being an "A" Class reserve is very important. It means the park's purpose cannot be changed unless the government passes a new law. This helps protect the park for a long time. The land was then given to the National Parks Authority of Western Australia to look after. The park was officially named Alexander Morrison National Park on October 8, 1971.

In 1974, the Environmental Protection Authority suggested adding more land to the park. They wanted to include a one-kilometer-wide strip of land south of the Green Head-Coorow Road. However, this idea was never put into action.

See also

In Spanish: Parque nacional Alexander Morrison para niños