Moorunde Wildlife Reserve facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Moorundee Wildlife Reserve South Australia
IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
Moorundee Wildlife Reserve Location in South Australia
Nearest town or city	Sedan
Established	1968
Area	69.00 km2 (26.6 sq mi)
See also	Protected areas of South Australia

Moorundee Wildlife Reserve is a special protected area in South Australia. It is located near the Murray River, between the towns of Blanchetown and Swan Reach. This reserve is very important because it helps protect the Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat.

How Moorundee Wildlife Reserve Started

The idea for Moorundee Wildlife Reserve began in 1967. A couple from Adelaide, Mr. and Mrs. Conquest, loved wombats very much. They wanted to create a safe place, called a sanctuary, just for the Southern Hairy-nosed Wombats.

They reached out to the "Natural History Society of South Australia" (NHSSA). This society works to protect the native plants and animals of South Australia. Together, the Conquests and the NHSSA started raising money.

This fundraising effort was the very first environmental appeal in South Australia. They managed to collect enough money to buy two pieces of land. These lands totaled 2020 hectares. The society named this new area Moorundee Wildlife Reserve. The name came from an old local outpost used by Edward Eyre.

Later, the Conquests and the Society had different ideas about how to run the reserve. The Society wanted to focus on protecting the wombat habitat. The Conquests had other plans, so they stopped their support for the project. In 2008, the Society bought more land next to the reserve. This new section was called the 12 Mile Plain. This made the reserve much larger, growing to 6950 hectares.

What Makes Moorundee a Special Protected Area?

Moorundee Wildlife Reserve has a special status that helps protect it forever. As of 2014, the land is protected by three native vegetation heritage agreements. These agreements were made in 2008 under a law called the Native Vegetation Act 1991 (SA).

This means that the owner, the Natural History Society of South Australia, has agreed to protect all the native plants on the property forever. It is like a promise to keep the land wild and safe.

The reserve is also classified as an IUCN Category III protected area. This category is usually for places that are natural monuments or features. For Moorundee, it means the reserve is recognized for its importance in protecting a specific natural area and its wildlife, especially the wombats.