{{Short description|Protected area in South Australia}} {{other uses|Western River (disambiguation){{!}}Western River}} {{Use Australian English|date=April 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox protected area | name = Western River Wilderness Protection Area | image = | image_caption = | image_alt = | iucn_category = Ib | iucn_ref = <ref name=CAPAD2012SASum>{{cite web|title=CAPAD 2012 South Australia Summary (see 'DETAIL' tab)|url=http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/pages/0f927a4e-336a-490c-a896-ec37874a5c73/files/capad2012sa.xlsx|work=CAPAD 2012|publisher=Australian Government - Department of the Environment|access-date=6 February 2014|date=6 February 2014}}</ref> | coordinates = {{coord|35|42|00|S|136|54|30|E|display=inline,title}} | map = South Australia | map_alt = | map_width = 200px | relief = | label = Western River Wilderness Protection Area | label_position = | location = [[South Australia]] | established = 21 January 1971<ref name="SAGG-1971">{{cite web |last1=Shard |first1=A.J. |title=NATIONAL PARKS ACT, 1966: VARIOUS NATIONAL PARKS DECLARED |url=http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/other/sa_gazette/1971/3.pdf |website=The South Australian Government Gazette |publisher=South Australian Government |access-date=6 July 2018 |pages=186–187 |date=21 January 1971}}</ref> | area_ha = | area_km2 = 24.67 | area_ref = <ref name=ReserveList>{{cite web|title=Protected Areas Information System - reserve list (as of 17 Feb 2014)|url=http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/b88e6e26-4bd9-4c68-8fff-9e800114eb69/park-management-protected-areas-gen.pdf|publisher=Department of Environment Water and Natural Resources|access-date=27 March 2014}}</ref> | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | visitation_ref = | nearest_city = [[Parndana, South Australia|Parndana]] | nearest_town = | governing_body = [[Department for Environment and Water (South Australia)|Department for Environment and Water]] | website = }}
'''Western River Wilderness Protection Area''', formerly the '''Western River Conservation Park''' and the '''Western River National Park''', is a [[protected area]] in the Australian state of [[South Australia]] located on the north coast of [[Kangaroo Island]] about {{convert|30|km}} west of [[Parndana, South Australia|Parndana]] in the gazetted locality of [[Western River, South Australia|Western River]]. '''Waterfall Creek''', with its scenic '''Billy Goat Waterfall''', are within the area.
==Description== The wilderness protection area has an area of {{convert| 24.67|km2}}. The topography is rugged, with numerous steep slopes and deep gullies. The vegetation consists mainly of open forest, woodland and scrub associations dominated by ''[[Eucalyptus cladocalyx]]'', ''[[Eucalyptus baxteri|E. baxteri]]'', ''[[Eucalyptus diversifolia|E. diversifolia]]'' and ''[[Eucalyptus cosmophylla|E. cosmophylla]]''. There are also areas of ''[[Allocasuarina muelleriana]]'' open [[heath]] and ''[[Allocasuarina verticillata|A. verticillata]]'' low open forest. It contains nesting and feeding habitat for [[glossy black cockatoo]]s.<ref name=mp>{{cite book |title=Conservation Parks of Kangaroo Island Management Plan|author=Anon |year=1987 |publisher=Department of Environment and Planning, South Australia |location=Adelaide |isbn=0-7243-8983-0|url= http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/e41e4e27-da1d-4a81-970a-9e4f00b185f9/PARKS_PDFS_CP_OF_KI_MP.pdf}}</ref><ref name="NRE"/>
The wilderness protection area is classified as an [[IUCN protected area categories#Category Ib – wilderness area|IUCN Category Ib protected area]].<ref name=CAPAD2012SASum/>
Scenic features include the coastal cliffs and the waterfall on Waterfall Creek,<ref name=mp/> known as Billy Goat Waterfall<ref>{{cite web | title=Waterfall Creek Hike, Western River Wilderness Protection Area | website=Walking SA | url=https://www.walkingsa.org.au/walk/find-a-place-to-walk/waterfall-creek-hike/ | access-date=18 November 2021}}</ref> or Falls (or Billygoat Falls).<ref>{{cite web | title=Billygoat Falls Walking Trail | website=All Trails | url=https://www.alltrails.com/trail/australia/south-australia/billygoat-falls-walking-trail| access-date=18 November 2021}}</ref>
==History== The land under protection first gained protected area status as the Western River National Park proclaimed on 21 January 1971 under the ''National Parks Act 1966'' in respect to land in sections 8 and 47 in the cadastral unit of the [[Hundred of Gosse]].<ref name="SAGG-1971"/>
On 27 April 1972, the national park was reconstituted as the Western River Conservation Park under the ''[[National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972]]''.<ref name=NPWact>{{cite journal |title= No. 56 of 1972 (National Parks and Wildlife Act, 1972) |journal= The South Australian Government Gazette |date= 27 April 1972 |pages= 660 & 701 |url= http://www9.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/legis/sa/num_act/npawa56o1972293/npawa56o1972293.html |access-date= 27 May 2018 |publisher= Government of South Australia |archive-date= 13 March 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180313153910/http://www9.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/legis/sa/num_act/npawa56o1972293/npawa56o1972293.html |url-status= dead }}</ref>
On 15 October 1993, the majority of its extent was proclaimed under the ''Wilderness Protection Act 1992'' as a wilderness protection area with the remainder being added on the 5 October 2006.<ref name="SAGG-1993">{{cite web |last1=Wiese |first1=B.J. |title=WILDERNESS PROTECTION ACT 1992 SECTION 22(1): CONSTITUTION OF RAVINE DES CASOARS WILDERNESS PROTECTION AREA |url=http://www6.austlii.edu.au/au/other/sa_gazette/1993/102/1755.pdf |website=The South Australian Government Gazette |publisher=Government of South Australia |access-date=25 January 2019 |page=1755 |date=15 October 1993}}</ref><ref name=2012-13report>{{cite journal|title=Wilderness Advisory Committee Annual Report 2012-13|journal=Annual Report|date=September 2013|pages=19|url=http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/5ad5624b-73b3-4284-86e0-a28900c9111c/wilderness-annual-report-2012-13-rep.pdf|access-date=17 March 2014|issn=1832-9357}}</ref><ref name=PLB>{{cite web |title=Search result for "Western River Wilderness Protection Area" (Record no SA0020593 with the following layers selected - "Suburbs and Localities", "Place names (gazetteer)" and "Development Plan Layers") |url=http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/ |work=Property Location Browser |publisher=Government of South Australia |access-date=9 September 2016 |archive-date=12 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012010923/http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="SAGG-2006">{{cite web |title=Wilderness Protection (Western River Wilderness Protection Area) Proclamation 2006 |url=http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/sa/proc/wprwpap2006796/ |website=The South Australian Government Gazette |publisher=Government of South Australia |access-date=26 January 2019 |page=3662 |date=5 October 2006}}</ref>
In 1980, it was listed on the now-defunct [[Register of the National Estate]].<ref name="NRE">{{cite AHD|7449| Western River Conservation Park - listing on the now-defunct Register of the National Estate |date=21 October 1980|access-date=6 July 2018}}</ref>
==Wilderness qualities== The following qualities have been identified by the government agency managing the wilderness protection area:<ref name="2012-13report"/> <blockquote> While there are some relatively minor impacts of modern technology, the area has distinctive wilderness attributes and warrants protection and restoration in accordance with the provisions of the Act. In addition to its rugged terrain and high coastal cliffs that are characteristic of the northern coast of Kangaroo Island, Western River Wilderness Protection Area is highly valued for the presence of habitat for the endangered Glossy Black-cockatoo. Plant species diversity is high and the vegetation exhibits a wide cross-section of Kangaroo Island vegetation. </blockquote>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.protectedplanet.net/127676 Western River Wilderness Protection Area webpage on protected planet]
{{Kangaroo Island}} {{Protected areas of South Australia}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Western River Wilderness Protection Area}} [[Category:Protected areas of Kangaroo Island]] [[Category:Wilderness areas of South Australia]] [[Category:1971 establishments in Australia]] [[Category:Protected areas established in 1971]] [[Category:South Australian places listed on the defunct Register of the National Estate]]