Horsnell Gully Conservation Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Horsnell Gully Conservation Park South Australia
IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
Building at the lower entrance
Horsnell Gully Conservation Park Location in South Australia
Nearest town or city	Norton Summit
Established	1 January 1947
Area	1.37 km2 (0.5 sq mi)
Managing authorities	Department for Environment and Water
Website	Horsnell Gully Conservation Park
See also	Protected areas of South Australia

Horsnell Gully Conservation Park is a special protected area in South Australia. It's about 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) east of Adelaide. This park is a great place to explore nature.

It has several small, narrow valleys called gorges. These gorges feed into the Adelaide Plains. You can also find a small waterfall here that flows during certain times of the year. The park is popular for its walking trails, including a part of the famous Heysen Trail. It is next to Giles Conservation Park.

Discover Horsnell Gully Conservation Park

Horsnell Gully Conservation Park covers the western slopes of the Mount Lofty Ranges. It's a rugged area with beautiful natural features. The park is part of the watershed for Third Creek. This creek is one of the main streams that flow into the River Torrens.

What You'll See

The park is home to different types of plant communities. You can see stringybark trees with dense, tough shrubs underneath. There are also smoothbark trees like River Red Gums and Manna Gums. These trees grow in areas with richer soil at lower elevations.

You might also notice some grassy areas. These often have non-native pasture plants mixed with some shrubs. This mix creates a unique landscape within the park.

Park History

Horsnell Gully Conservation Park has been a protected area for a long time. It first became a "national pleasure resort" in 1947. This meant it was set aside for people to enjoy nature.

Later, in 1967, it was officially named the Horsnell National Park. Its name changed again in 1972 to Horsnell Conservation Park. This change happened under a new law called the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972.

In 1985, more land was added to the park. However, in 2007, some of this added land became its own separate park. That new park is now known as Giles Conservation Park. As of 2018, Horsnell Gully Conservation Park covers an area of 1.37 square kilometers (0.53 square miles).

Protecting the Park

Horsnell Gully Conservation Park is very important for nature. It is listed as an IUCN Category III protected area. This means it's recognized as a "Natural Monument or Feature." These areas are protected because of their unique natural features.

In 1980, the park was also listed on the former Register of the National Estate. This list included places that were important to Australia's natural and cultural heritage.

Images for kids

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  Flowering Allium on the Horsnell Gulley walk

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  Unknown butterfly on the Horsnell Gulley walk

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  Unknown orthopteran on the Horsnell Gulley walk