Kalamurina Sanctuary facts for kids
Kalamurina Sanctuary is a special nature reserve located in the dry, north-eastern part of South Australia. This large area of land used to be a farm for sheep and then cattle, known as Kalamurina Station. It covers a huge space, about 6,700 square kilometers (2,587 square miles).
In December 2007, the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) bought Kalamurina. They turned it into a nature reserve to protect its amazing variety of plants and animals. Many rare and endangered species live here.
Exploring Kalamurina's Landscape
Kalamurina Sanctuary is located right next to the northern edge of Lake Eyre North. It includes a big part of the land that drains into Lake Eyre. The landscape here is very diverse and interesting.
You can find sandy dunes, flat plains covered in small, shiny rocks called gibbers, and desert woodlands. There are also both fresh and salty lakes. Important desert rivers like the Warburton, Macumba River, and Kallakoopah Creek flow through the property. These rivers create special areas along their banks where plants and animals thrive.
Kalamurina is bordered by another large property called Cowarie Station to the east. It also sits between the Simpson Desert Regional Reserve to the north and the Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre National Park to the south. Because of Kalamurina, there is now a huge protected area in central Australia. This combined protected land is even bigger than the entire state of Tasmania!
Amazing Wildlife of Kalamurina
Since the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) took over in 2007, protecting the wildlife has been a top priority. A big part of their work involves controlling animals that are not native to the area. These "feral" animals can harm the natural environment and its unique creatures.
Several threatened animal species call Kalamurina home. These include the crest-tailed mulgara, a small, mouse-like marsupial. You might also find the kultarr, another tiny marsupial known for its long tail. The Lake Eyre dragon, a type of lizard, also lives here. Another special bird is the Eyrean grasswren.
There were once reports of the very rare night parrot being seen at Kalamurina. However, later investigations showed that these reports were not reliable.
A Look Back: Kalamurina's Station Days
The land that is now Kalamurina Sanctuary has a long history. It was first set up as a farm, or "pastoral lease," before 1884. Back then, it was stocked with merino sheep, mainly for producing wool.
By 1888, a man named A. Mercer owned the station. He even brought in camels to help transport supplies across the vast land. A year later, in 1889, cattle were also being raised on the property. At that time, it was owned by Cave and Robertson. William Robertson took over the station around 1895.
The area faced tough times with poor seasons and droughts. In 1899, Kalamurina Station had to be abandoned because of severe drought. All the waterholes dried up completely by 1902. Robertson eventually went bankrupt. The drought returned in 1908, leaving almost no food for animals on many properties, including Kalamurina. At that time, Kalamurina was about 3,000 square miles (7,770 square kilometers) and had about 6,000 cattle.
In 1994, another severe drought hit the region. However, a group of new owners bought the station. They were Tony Boyd, John Said, Graeme Croft, Vince Conte, and Thomas Ng. They had been told by weather experts that rain would come soon. And it did! The property, which was then about 6,500 square kilometers (2,500 square miles), had two good rainy seasons in a row. They were able to raise 3,500 cattle there. The group sold the station in 2003 or 2004.
