| Elliot Price Conservation Park | |
|---|---|
  Elliot Price Conservation Park | |
| Location | South Australia,Lake Eyre |
| Nearest city | Marree[2] |
| Coordinates | 28°46′44″S137°18′10″E / 28.77889°S 137.30278°E /-28.77889; 137.30278 |
| Area | 634.53 km2 (244.99 sq mi)[3] |
| Established | 9 November 1967[4] |
| Governing body | Department for Environment and Water |
Elliot Price Conservation Park, formerly the Elliot Price Wilderness National Park, is aprotected area in the Australian state ofSouth Australia located in the gazetted locality ofLake Eyre with its southern boundary being located about 90 kilometres (56 miles) north west ofMarree.[2]
The land first received protected area status as theElliot Price Wilderness National Park established on 9 November 1967 under theNational Parks Act 1996.[4] On 27 April 1972, the national park was reconstituted as theElliot Price Conservation Park under theNational Parks and Wildlife Act 1972.[5]
It occupies land on the Hunt Peninsula and on Brooks Island at the southern end ofLake Eyre as well as some adjoining land which is subject to inundation during periodic flooding. It is immediately adjoined on its west, north and east sides by theKati Thanda-Lake Eyre National Park. As of 2013, the conservation park is closed to public access.[2][6][7]
In 1980, the conservation park was described as follows:[8]
Elliott Price Conservation Park encompasses Hunt Peninsula, a long tongue of land jutting 40km northwards into Lake Eyre north, between Madigan Gulf and Jackboot Bay. The surface of the peninsula consists largely of limestone partly covered in its southern parts by a thin layer of wind-blown sand. Parts of the peninsula are occupied by saltpans or depressions similar to the bed of Lake Eyre itself. The limestone forms prominent cliffs in places along the shoreline. Elsewhere the cliffs are eroded and in places sand hummocks are stabilised bynitre bush.
Preserves important area of ungrazed arid wilderness, providing benchmark against which effects of range land grazing can be compared. Rare plant speciesCassia nemophila,C. oligophylla,Goodenia mitchellii,Grevillea nematophylla andFrankenia foliosa and uncommon bird speciesTyto longimembris (grass owl) andAmytornis barbatus (grey grass-wren) occur. Named after Elliott Price who offered to surrender his pastoral lease on the area for purposes of conservation.
The conservation park is classified as anIUCN Category Ia protected area.[1] In 1980, it was listed on the now-defunctRegister of the National Estate.[8]