FRIENDS
OF NEWLAND HEAD CONSERVATION PARK
CONCISE DESCRIPTION OF PARKS
AUTHORISED FOR NEWLAND HEAD FRIENDS'S ACTIVITIES
NEWLAND HEAD CONSERVATION PARK
This park is 15kms SW of Victor Harbor on Fleurieu Peninsula South Australia. It was dedicated in 1985 and has an area of 1037 Ha. In 1999 a further coastal section of the Waitpinga Cliffs was purchased and currently awaits formal annexure.It conserves the impressive scenery of Parsons and Waitpinga Beaches, Newland Headland and further to the west the long vegetated finger of the Waitpinga Cliffs coastal reserve.
Waitpinga Cliffs
It has diverse flora containing remnants of the western limits of the Murray Mallee vegetation block and the southern limit of the Mt Lofty Ranges vegetation block as well as primary coastal dune vegetation. It is dissected by the Waitpinga creek estuary which holds samphires and saline ephemeral wetland species. 22 floristic systems have been recognised to date containing over 470 native species of which over 170 have significance ratings of regional, state or national status.
130 species of birds (including marine species) have been sighted from or in the park. 13 native mammals have been reported within the park boundary. New Zealand fur seals, penguins and whales can be sighted seasonally in the coastal waters.
The park lies within the Aboriginal Ngarrindjeri Nation. It has several important social and cultural Aboriginal sites being once occupied by the Ramindjeri. Some of these sites relate to the Ngurunderi Dreaming which describes a journey taken by Ngurunderi along the coast to Cape Jervis.
The geology of the park is also diverse and is seen as significant. The Waitpinga Cliffs and exposed headlands show sections of the underlying base rock of Kanmantoo Group schist. Overlaying these schists are glacial deposits of Permian sands which occur near Ridgeway Hill. At the rear of Newland Headland there is a fossil parabolic dune formed in the Quaternary period. More recent dunes appear on the clifftop in front of the quaternary dune overlaying a calcrete cap formed by wind blown calcareous material.
Further west the exposed section of the dunes in the Waitpinga estuary shows the limestone bed formed by fossiliferous limestones deposited during periods of higher sea level. The beach and primary dunes are of the Holocene period and are of calcareous material.
The park contains predominantly mallee heath vegetation, some of which is remnant from earlier drier periods and most of which is now more recent, dominant and due to the more temperate environment.
Parsons Beach
Eucalyptus diversifolia (soap mallee) is by far the most common with discrete areas of E. fasciculosa (pink gum) E. cosmophylla (cup gum) E. incrassata (ridge fruited mallee) and E. oleosa (acorn mallee) amongst it. There are other pockets of significant Eucalypt species in the park which are more commonly seen in the Murray flats. The rear of the beach dunes and slopes are populated by soap mallee +/- coast silver wattle (Acacia retinodes var. uncifolia) coastal wattle (Acacia longifolia var. sophorae) and coastal daisy (Oleara axillaris). This park lies 14 kms north west of Victor Harbor and is in one of the higher rainfall areas of the Fleurieu Peninsula. It was gazetted on Jan 27th 1966. Furtheraddidtions were made on the Sept 13th 1973.
Surface soil was formed by the dissection of an ancient laterite capping containing ironstone gravel. Within the park there is a small quarry which contains feldspathic quartzite.
It is populated with tall open forest of Eucalyptus obliqua with sclerophyllus understorey and E baxteri canopy on the lower slopes and valleys.
The fungus Phytophthora cinnamomi is present within the park and is also present in peripheral areas in the direction of water flows. This fungus is harmful to a number of native species and can change the composition of systems and habitat. It is preferable that visitation is reduced to dry periods as this fungus is active when soil is moist and can be carried easily on shoe soles and car tyres during wet periods.
Information to be provided at a later date.
VISIT THE LINKS BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION
BRIEF GROUP HISTORY
JOIN AN ENTHUSIASTIC, ACTIVE GOAL-ORIENTED GROUP
PHONE ENQUIRIES: 8552 5693
EMAIL: rtaylor1@iinet.net.au
