Cox Scrub Conservation Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cox Scrub Conservation Park South Australia
IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
Cox Scrub Conservation Park Location in South Australia
Nearest town or city	Mount Compass
Established	5 March 1970
Area	5.44 km2 (2.1 sq mi)
Managing authorities	Department for Environment and Water
Website	Cox Scrub Conservation Park
See also	Protected areas of South Australia

Cox Scrub Conservation Park is a special protected area in South Australia. It's about 55 kilometers (about 34 miles) south of Adelaide, near the towns of Ashbourne and Nangkita. This park helps protect unique plants and animals that live there.

What is Cox Scrub Conservation Park?

Cox Scrub Conservation Park is a place where nature is kept safe. It covers an area of 5.44 square kilometers (about 2.1 square miles). The park is managed by the Department for Environment and Water. They make sure the park stays healthy for all the creatures and plants that call it home.

How the Park Started

The park was first created on March 5, 1970. Back then, it was called Cox’s Scrub National Park. A few years later, on April 27, 1972, its name changed to Cox Scrub Conservation Park. This happened when a new law, the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972, came into effect.

Why This Park is Special

Cox Scrub Conservation Park is very important because it protects a type of plant life that is rare in the Mount Lofty Ranges. The main plants you'll see are low Eucalyptus baxteri trees, which are a type of gum tree. Underneath these trees, there's a scrubland filled with Banksia plants.

Amazing Animals

This park is home to many different kinds of birds. Some special ones include the scaly thrush and the beautiful firetail. You might also spot some interesting mammals. These include the southern brown bandicoot, which is an endangered animal in the local area. Another animal found here is the Australian swamp rat. This park is one of the northernmost places where this rat lives in South Australia.

Unique Plants

The park has sandy, wavy land with ironstone underneath. Besides the eucalyptus trees, you'll find other types of gum trees like Eucalyptus cosmophylla and Eucalyptus fasciculosa. The ground is covered with a heath (shrubland) where Banksia ornata is very common. There are also areas with almost pure sand heath. Here, you'll see lots of Banksia ornata along with plants like Hakea, Casuarina, Grevillea, Acacia, and Calytrix species.

A Well-Kept Place

The park is in a very natural state, meaning it hasn't been disturbed much by people. In the past, the only activity here was beekeeping. Not many introduced plants (plants that aren't native to the area) are found in the park. However, there are many rabbits.

Protecting Nature

Cox Scrub Conservation Park is listed as an IUCN Category III protected area. This means it's recognized internationally for protecting a natural feature. In 1980, it was also listed on the Register of the National Estate, which was a list of important heritage places in Australia.

The Story of Mr. Cox

A large part of the park used to belong to a man named Mr. V Cox. He sold the land in 1969. Mr. Cox had kept the land in its natural state so that honey bees could stay there during winter. When he sold the park, he made sure that beekeeping could continue for as long as needed. This practice continued until he passed away.