| Mamungari Conservation Park | |
|---|---|
 Serpentine Lakes | |
  Mamungari Conservation Park | |
| Location | South Australia |
| Nearest city | Eucla |
| Coordinates | 29°8′26″S129°15′8″E / 29.14056°S 129.25222°E /-29.14056; 129.25222 |
| Area | 21,289.45 km2 (8,219.90 sq mi)[2] |
| Established | 7 May 1970 (1970-05-07)[3] |
| Governing body | DEW Maralinga Tjarutja Community |
| Website | Official website |
Mamungari Conservation Park (formerly known asUnnamed National Park,Unnamed Conservation Park and also known as theUnnamed Biosphere Reserve) is aprotected area located inSouth Australia within the southernGreat Victoria Desert and northernNullarbor Plain about 200 kilometres (120 miles) west ofMaralinga and 450 kilometres (280 miles) northwest ofCeduna. It is about 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) north-west of Adelaide and abuts theWestern Australia border
The conservation park was proclaimed in 1970 as a national park under the thenNational Parks Act 1966 for the purpose of conserving "the environments of the Great Victoria Desert and protect wilderness values". It was not assigned a name in 1970 and was subsequently constituted as theUnnamed Conservation Park under theNational Parks and Wildlife Act 1972. It was renamed as Mamungari Conservation Park on 30 November 2006.[4]
In May 2004, following the passage of special legislation, SA PremierMike Rann fulfilled a pledge he had made to Maralinga leaderArchie Barton as Aboriginal Affairs Minister in 1991, by handing back title to 21,000 square kilometres (8,100 sq mi) of land to theMaralinga Tjarutja andPila Nguru people, including the conservation park and theSerpentine Lakes. This was the largest land return undernative title in South Australia since PremierJohn Bannon's hand over ofMaralinga lands in 1984.[5]
It is one of fourteenUnited Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) WorldBiosphereReserves in Australia and obtained this status in 1977 with the name of theUnnamed Biosphere Reserve.[6][7]
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]
The conservation park is managed jointly by thetraditional owners, theMaralinga Tjarutja andPila Nguru people, and theDepartment for Environment and Water.[4]
The conservation park may only be visited by those who have obtained the minimum impact code and can demonstrate experience using that code. Permits are required to travel to the conservation park and will take 4 to 6 weeks to arrange. The only road of significance that passes through the conservation park is theAnne Beadell Highway.[citation needed]