Beyeria Conservation Park
Beyeria Conservation Park (CP186) is a small nature reserve on Kangaroo Island, 13.5 km south of Kingscote on the northern edge of the MacGillivray Plain, on Willsons Road. It is 2 km in length (north to south) and almost 1km in width (east to west).
For a summary of Beyeria Conservation Park click HERE.
Beyeria subtecta
It was formally dedicated in May 1987 and comprises 184 hectares and the park occupies section 164, Hundred of Haines Kangaroo Island in the County of Carnarvon, South Australia.
Grevillia illicifolia
The park was proclaimed following representations to the State Government from botanist and conservation organisations, who sought to prevent further vegetation clearance for agricultural land use in this vicinity. The name of the reserve relates to the scientific name of the Kangaroo Island Turpentine Bush, which only occurs in this soil type.
Grevillia muricata
The management of this park is to ensure the conservation in perpetuity of its natural environment and landscape qualities with objectives to protect the remnant endemic communities and to facilitate research into the biology and successional cycle of endemic and rare to endangered plant species. Fire management should be based on up to date ecological information and scientific research, while wildfire is to be managed for the maintenance and/or enhancement of the natural biophysical features of the park.
Eucalyptus cneorfolia
The climate is cool, temperate with mainly winter rainfall of approximately 550ml.
This small reserve is on the northern edge of the McGillivray Plain with sandy-loam soils over deep clay, evidencing ‘crab-hole’ formation in the otherwise level terrain.
The vegetation is predominately low open-woodland, with Kangaroo Island Narrow-leaved Mallee (Eucalyptus cneorifolia) in alliance with Broombush (Melaleuca uncinata). In the low-lying swampy areas grows Callistemon rugulosus var. rugulosus (Scarlet Bottlebrush and Broombush (Melaleuca uncinata).
Patches of open-heath in the northern sector contain a number of significant, endemic plant species including Beyeria subtecta (KI Turpentine Bush), Caladenia ovata (Kangaroo Island Spider-orchid), Grevillea muricata (Rough Spider-flower) and Pultenaea insularis (Beyeria Bush-pea which was firstly found on 22 Nov 1991 and formally described in June 1992). Of these only Grevillea muricata and Pultenaea insularis may be visible most of the time, whereas Beyeria subtecta is intolerant to shading, preferring full sunlight and Caladenia ovata only flowers between August and October annually.
Olearia microdisca (Small-flower Daisy-bush) was introduced by Black Hill Nursery in an attempt to establish it inside of a conserved area. The named plants are endemic to Kangaroo Island and other plants within the park have rare to endangered status ratings.
Access to the park is from Willsons Road which forms the northern boundary.
Internal access is by 5metre wide tracks constructed along the western, southern and eastern boundaries which are inside of the fences.
Prior to acquisition, repeated burning and chaining is understood to have occurred in the northern sector, with the most recent farming event occurring in April 1986. In 2013 a well-planned fuel reduction fire burnt parts of southern portion of the park.
A small seasonally filled swamp occurs on the south -eastern corner of the park, and a seasonal drainage line that empties on the western boundary about 1.5 km from Willsons Road.
There are no facilities for visitors excepting for an information board at the entrance and a small parking bay for a few vehicles. The ring-route walking trail allows foot traffic. This is situated more or less on the north-east side of the park. Scattered or clusters along this trail are some plant signs nearby the plant in question.
A plant list for Beyeria Conservation Park is available if requested. It comprises 4 pages.
Beyeria Walk
A 1.5km self-guided walk exists on the northern side of the park. The walk has eleven numbered posts which describe the narrow leafed mallee community that exists within the park. Click to download the brochure associated with the numbers.
Also along the walk is a series of named plants that highlight the rare and threatened plants of the area.
Friends of Cape Gantheaume Activities
The Friends of Cape Gantheaume continually maintain the walking trail within the park.
The group has also installed name plates identifying the significant plant species. Linked with the name plates, the group is establishing the threatened plants at the commencement of the trail to showcase these important plants.
