Black Hill Conservation Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Black Hill Conservation Park Athelstone and Montacute, South Australia
IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
Access track in Black Hill Conservation Park
Black Hill Conservation Park Location in South Australia
Nearest town or city	Adelaide
Established	27 January 1972
Area	7.58 km2 (2.9 sq mi)
Managing authorities	Department for Environment and Water
Website	Black Hill Conservation Park
See also	Protected areas of South Australia

Black Hill Conservation Park is a special protected area in South Australia. It's about 10 kilometers northeast of Adelaide, the state capital. This park is a rugged bushland area with a tall peak and steep hills. It's a great place to explore nature and enjoy the outdoors.

Exploring Black Hill Park: Location and Weather

Black Hill Conservation Park covers about 7.58 square kilometers. It's part of the Mount Lofty Ranges, a range of hills that runs north to south, just east of Adelaide.

Where is Black Hill Park?

The park is located in the suburbs of Athelstone and Montacute. Gorge Road borders it to the north, and Montacute Road to the south. Most of the park is on the northern side of Fifth Creek.

Black Hill Conservation Park is right next to Morialta Conservation Park. Morialta is another popular spot for activities like bushwalking, bird watching, and even rock climbing.

How to Get There

You can enter the park with a vehicle from Maryvale Road. There are also many walking paths that lead into the park from different points along Marble Hill Road.

What's the Weather Like?

Black Hill Conservation Park has a Mediterranean climate, just like Adelaide. This means it has warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters.

• In winter, the average temperature is around 17 degrees Celsius.
• In summer, the average temperature is about 28 degrees Celsius.
• Sometimes, in summer (December to February), temperatures can get very hot, rising above 40 degrees Celsius.
• The park gets about 800 millimeters of rain each year, mostly between May and September.

The park is classified as an IUCN Category III protected area. This means it's a special kind of protected area that focuses on keeping important natural features safe.

History of the Park

Black Hill Conservation Park has been a protected area for many years.

When Was it Established?

The land first became a protected area on January 27, 1972. It was called the Black Hill National Park back then. A few months later, on April 27, 1972, it was renamed the Black Hill Conservation Park. This change happened under a new law called the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972. As of 2019, the park is still 7.58 square kilometers in size.

In 1982, the park was added to a list called the Register of the National Estate. This list used to keep track of important places in Australia.

Who Lived Here Before?

The land where Black Hill Conservation Park is located was traditionally home to the Kaurna people. They are the traditional owners of this land.

Kaurna People and the Land

Unfortunately, many Kaurna elders passed away before their culture and history could be fully written down. So, we don't know a lot about what life was like in this area before European settlers arrived. However, we do know that the Kaurna people used fire to help them hunt and to make the plants grow back stronger. This shows their deep connection to the land.

Friends of the Park

There used to be a wildflower garden on private land near the park. This garden has now officially become part of the conservation park. There's a group called the Friends of the Black Hill and Morialta Conservation Parks. They have a building in the park where they meet and organize activities. They help look after the wildflower garden and both the Black Hill and Morialta conservation parks.

Things to Do at Black Hill Park

Black Hill Conservation Park offers many fun activities for visitors.

Popular Activities

• Bushwalking: There are many walking paths throughout the park. Two famous trails, the Yurrebilla Trail and the Heysen Trail, pass through Black Hill.
• Picnics: You can enjoy a picnic near the park's main buildings. This area is also connected to the Athelstone oval and Wadmore Park, which is another local reserve.
• Bird Watching: The park is a great place to spot different kinds of birds.

Easy to Visit

Black Hill Conservation Park is only about 10 kilometers from the center of Adelaide. This makes it an easy place to visit, but it's sometimes overlooked compared to other parks. It's a hidden gem for nature lovers!