Messent Conservation Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Messent Conservation Park South Australia
IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
Messent Conservation Park Location in South Australia
Nearest town or city	Salt Creek
Established	9 January 1964 (1964-01-09)
Area	115.83 km2 (44.7 sq mi)
Managing authorities	Department for Environment and Water
See also	Protected areas of South Australia

Messent Conservation Park is a special protected area in South Australia. It's located in the south-east part of the state. You can find it about 164 kilometers (102 miles) south-east of Adelaide. It's also only about 6 kilometers (4 miles) north-east of the small town of Salt Creek.

This park is a place where nature is kept safe. It was once called the Messent National Park and the Messent Wildlife Reserve.

History of Messent Conservation Park

Messent Conservation Park has changed names a few times over the years. It started as a wildlife reserve. This happened on January 9, 1964. It was set up to protect animals and plants.

Later, on November 9, 1967, it became the Messent National Park. More land was added to the park in 1970. Then, on April 27, 1972, its name changed again to Messent Conservation Park. This new name was part of a law called the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972. More land was added in 1979.

As of 2018, the park covers a large area. It is about 115.83 square kilometers (44.72 square miles) in size.

What Makes Messent Conservation Park Special?

In 1980, experts described Messent Conservation Park. They said it has many different types of natural areas. These include open scrub, open heath, and tussock sedgeland. These are all types of plant communities.

Plants and Animals

The park is home to seven types of rare plants. It also provides a safe home for many animals. You can find western grey kangaroos, wombats, and echidnas here. Small animals like ash-grey mice also live in the park.

Birds like emus and mallee fowl are also found here. Many different kinds of waterbirds visit the park too.

Landscape and Environment

The park's land is mostly sandy plains. It has sand dunes that have become stable over time. In between the dunes, there are low areas. These areas can have sedge flats, swamps, and even a lake.

The main type of plant cover is Eucalyptus diversifolia open scrub. This means there are scattered eucalyptus trees. There are also large areas of open heath and tussock sedgeland.

In 1977, a bushfire affected the park. The park has been recovering since then. The swamps and lake do not fill up as much as they used to. This might be because of drainage work done in areas further south.

Protecting Messent Conservation Park

Messent Conservation Park is very important for conservation. It is listed as an IUCN Category III protected area. This means it is a natural monument or feature. These areas are protected mainly for their unique natural features.

In 1980, the park was also listed on the Register of the National Estate. This register no longer exists, but it showed the park's importance.