Bascombe Well Conservation Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bascombe Well Conservation Park South Australia
IUCN Category VI (Managed Resource Protected Area)
Bascombe Well Conservation Park Location in South Australia
Nearest town or city	Lock
Established	2 July 1970 (1970-07-02)
Area	334.30 km2 (129.1 sq mi)
Visitation	‘low’ (in 2007)
Managing authorities	Department for Environment and Water
Footnotes	Nearest town Managing authority
See also	Protected areas of South Australia

Bascombe Well Conservation Park is a special protected area in South Australia. It's located on the Eyre Peninsula, about 115 kilometers north of Port Lincoln and 25 kilometers southwest of Lock. This park helps protect important plants and animals. It used to be called Bascombe Well National Park.

Discovering Bascombe Well Conservation Park

Bascombe Well Conservation Park is found in the Kappawanta and Murdinga areas. It's right next to the Tod Highway and south of the Birdseye Highway. This makes it fairly easy to find if you're exploring the region.

How the Park Was Created

The land for Bascombe Well Conservation Park first became a protected area on July 2, 1970. Back then, it was called Bascombe Well National Park. In 1972, its name changed to Bascombe Well Conservation Park. Over the years, more land was added to the park in 1979, 1980, and 2007. The park gets its name from Bascombe Well, a natural feature found within its boundaries.

A Look at the Park's Past

For about 100 years before it became a park, this land was used for farming, mainly for raising animals. This continued until 1967, when the government took over the land. You can still see signs of this past use today. There are old building ruins and stone fences scattered throughout the park. They tell a story of the people who lived and worked here long ago.

Plants and Animals of the Park

Bascombe Well Conservation Park is home to many different types of plants and animals. It's a great place to see Australian wildlife in its natural habitat.

Amazing Plant Life

In 2007, experts studied the plants in the park. They found several interesting things:

• Tree Communities: You'll see many "mallee" trees here. These are a type of eucalyptus tree, like the Coastal White Mallee and Mallee Box. There are also some Red Gum woodlands, which grow where there's water close to the surface.
• Special Plants: The park has 14 plant species that are very important for conservation. These include the West Coast mintbush and the limestone leek-orchid.
• Introduced Plants: Like many places, the park also has some plants that aren't native to Australia. These include bridal creeper, boxthorn, and horehound.

Wonderful Wildlife

The park is also a haven for many animals. Here's what was found in 2007:

• Mammals: Twelve different types of mammals live here. Seven of these are native Australian animals, including three kinds of bats. A special discovery was the grey-bellied dunnart, which was found here in 2004. This was exciting because it showed the animal lived much further east than previously thought! You might also see some introduced animals like rabbits, foxes, feral cats, and house mice.
• Birds: The park is a birdwatcher's paradise with 85 species recorded. Almost all of them are native Australian birds. Some important ones include the blue-breasted fairywren, malleefowl, and painted buttonquail. The only introduced bird seen here is the common starling.
• Reptiles and Amphibians: There are 22 types of reptiles and one amphibian. You might spot a jacky lizard or a trilling frog.

Visiting Bascombe Well Conservation Park

Not many people visit Bascombe Well Conservation Park, so it's a quiet place. In 2007, the main activity for visitors was picnicking near the old ruins.

Getting Around the Park

If you plan to visit, you'll need a four-wheel-drive vehicle. The tracks inside the park are only suitable for these types of cars. There are no special visitor facilities like toilets or picnic tables. This means visitors need to be prepared and self-reliant, bringing everything they need with them.

Protecting the Park

Bascombe Well Conservation Park is classified as an IUCN Category VI protected area. This means it's a protected area where natural resources can be used sustainably. In 1980, it was also listed on the now-closed Register of the National Estate, which recognized its importance to Australia's heritage.