Dingley Dell Conservation Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dingley Dell Conservation Park South Australia
View of Dingley Dell, the home of poet Adam Lindsay Gordon, circa 1950, State Library of South Australia PRG-1386-3-50
Dingley Dell Conservation Park Location in South Australia
Nearest town or city	Port MacDonnell
Established	1 January 1922 (1922-01-01)
Area	6 hectares (15 acres)
Visitation	‘Low’ (in 1994)
Managing authorities	Department for Environment and Water
Website	Dingley Dell Conservation Park
Footnotes	Coordinates Nearest town

Dingley Dell Conservation Park is a special protected area in South Australia. It's located in the state's south-east, near the town of Port MacDonnell. This park is about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) north-west of Port MacDonnell. It's also about 23 kilometers (14 miles) north of the city of Mount Gambier.

This park is famous because it holds the cottage where the poet Adam Lindsay Gordon lived. He stayed there from 1864 to 1866.

History of the Park

The land for Dingley Dell was bought by the Government of South Australia in 1922. This happened because a group called the "Dingley Dell Restoration Committee" asked for it. The area was first protected as a "national pleasure resort." This meant it was a place for people to visit and enjoy.

Becoming a Conservation Park

On April 27, 1972, the area's name changed. It became the Dingley Dell Conservation Park. This change happened under a new law called the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972. This new law helped protect many natural areas across South Australia.

What You Can Find at Dingley Dell

In 1994, the park was described in a few ways:

• The main building is a restored cottage. It works as a museum, showing items related to Adam Lindsay Gordon.
• There are also other buildings like a caretaker's home and public toilets. You can find picnic spots too.
• The park has an open forest of South Australian blue gum trees. You can also see other native trees like blackwood, golden wattle, coastal bearded-heath, and native box.
• Fences surround the park. Nearby, there are grazing lands and roads.

A Special Heritage Site

Adam Lindsay Gordon's old home is very important. It was added to the South Australian Heritage Register on July 24, 1980. It's known as the Dingley Dell Museum. A company helps manage the museum today.

Visiting the Park

In 1994, not many people visited the park. Most visitors came to see the old cottage. Fewer people used the walking track behind the cottage.

As of 2014, Dingley Dell Conservation Park had not been given a special category by the IUCN. The IUCN is a global group that helps protect nature.