# Western River Wilderness Protection Area

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Protected area in South Australia

For other uses, see [Western River](/source/Western_River_(disambiguation)).

Western River Wilderness Protection Area IUCN category Ib (wilderness area)[1] Western River Wilderness Protection Area Location South Australia Nearest city Parndana Coordinates 35°42′00″S 136°54′30″E / 35.70000°S 136.90833°E / -35.70000; 136.90833 Area 24.67 km2 (9.53 sq mi)[2] Established 21 January 1971[3] Governing body Department for Environment and Water

**Western River Wilderness Protection Area**, formerly the **Western River Conservation Park** and the **Western River National Park**, is a [protected area](/source/Protected_area) in the Australian state of [South Australia](/source/South_Australia) located on the north coast of [Kangaroo Island](/source/Kangaroo_Island) about 30 kilometres (19 mi) west of [Parndana](/source/Parndana%2C_South_Australia) in the gazetted locality of [Western River](/source/Western_River%2C_South_Australia). **Waterfall Creek**, with its scenic **Billy Goat Waterfall**, are within the area.

## Description

The wilderness protection area has an area of 24.67 square kilometres (9.53 sq mi). 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](/source/Eucalyptus_cladocalyx)*, *[E. baxteri](/source/Eucalyptus_baxteri)*, *[E. diversifolia](/source/Eucalyptus_diversifolia)* and *[E. cosmophylla](/source/Eucalyptus_cosmophylla)*. There are also areas of *[Allocasuarina muelleriana](/source/Allocasuarina_muelleriana)* open [heath](/source/Heath) and *[A. verticillata](/source/Allocasuarina_verticillata)* low open forest. It contains nesting and feeding habitat for [glossy black cockatoos](/source/Glossy_black_cockatoo).[4][5]

The wilderness protection area is classified as an [IUCN Category Ib protected area](/source/IUCN_protected_area_categories#Category_Ib_–_wilderness_area).[1]

Scenic features include the coastal cliffs and the waterfall on Waterfall Creek,[4] known as Billy Goat Waterfall[6] or Falls (or Billygoat Falls).[7]

## 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](/source/Hundred_of_Gosse).[3]

On 27 April 1972, the national park was reconstituted as the Western River Conservation Park under the *[National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972](/source/National_Parks_and_Wildlife_Act_1972)*.[8]

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.[9][10][11][12]

In 1980, it was listed on the now-defunct [Register of the National Estate](/source/Register_of_the_National_Estate).[5]

## Wilderness qualities

The following qualities have been identified by the government agency managing the wilderness protection area:[10]

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.

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-CAPAD2012SASum_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-CAPAD2012SASum_1-1) ["CAPAD 2012 South Australia Summary (see 'DETAIL' tab)"](http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/pages/0f927a4e-336a-490c-a896-ec37874a5c73/files/capad2012sa.xlsx). *CAPAD 2012*. Australian Government - Department of the Environment. 6 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ReserveList_2-0)** ["Protected Areas Information System - reserve list (as of 17 Feb 2014)"](http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/b88e6e26-4bd9-4c68-8fff-9e800114eb69/park-management-protected-areas-gen.pdf) (PDF). Department of Environment Water and Natural Resources. Retrieved 27 March 2014.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-SAGG-1971_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-SAGG-1971_3-1) Shard, A.J. (21 January 1971). ["NATIONAL PARKS ACT, 1966: VARIOUS NATIONAL PARKS DECLARED"](http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/other/sa_gazette/1971/3.pdf) (PDF). *The South Australian Government Gazette*. South Australian Government. pp. 186–187. Retrieved 6 July 2018.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-mp_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-mp_4-1) Anon (1987). [*Conservation Parks of Kangaroo Island Management Plan*](http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/e41e4e27-da1d-4a81-970a-9e4f00b185f9/PARKS_PDFS_CP_OF_KI_MP.pdf) (PDF). Adelaide: Department of Environment and Planning, South Australia. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7243-8983-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7243-8983-0).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-NRE_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-NRE_5-1) ["Western River Conservation Park - listing on the now-defunct Register of the National Estate (Place ID 7449)"](https://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl?mode=place_detail;place_id=7449). *[Australian Heritage Database](/source/Australian_Heritage_Database)*. [Australian Government](/source/Australian_Government). 21 October 1980. Retrieved 6 July 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Waterfall Creek Hike, Western River Wilderness Protection Area"](https://www.walkingsa.org.au/walk/find-a-place-to-walk/waterfall-creek-hike/). *Walking SA*. Retrieved 18 November 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Billygoat Falls Walking Trail"](https://www.alltrails.com/trail/australia/south-australia/billygoat-falls-walking-trail). *All Trails*. Retrieved 18 November 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-NPWact_8-0)** ["No. 56 of 1972 (National Parks and Wildlife Act, 1972)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180313153910/http://www9.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/legis/sa/num_act/npawa56o1972293/npawa56o1972293.html). *The South Australian Government Gazette*. Government of South Australia: 660 & 701. 27 April 1972. Archived from [the original](http://www9.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/legis/sa/num_act/npawa56o1972293/npawa56o1972293.html) on 13 March 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-SAGG-1993_9-0)** Wiese, B.J. (15 October 1993). ["WILDERNESS PROTECTION ACT 1992 SECTION 22(1): CONSTITUTION OF RAVINE DES CASOARS WILDERNESS PROTECTION AREA"](http://www6.austlii.edu.au/au/other/sa_gazette/1993/102/1755.pdf) (PDF). *The South Australian Government Gazette*. Government of South Australia. p. 1755. Retrieved 25 January 2019.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-2012-13report_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-2012-13report_10-1) ["Wilderness Advisory Committee Annual Report 2012-13"](http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/5ad5624b-73b3-4284-86e0-a28900c9111c/wilderness-annual-report-2012-13-rep.pdf) (PDF). *Annual Report*: 19. September 2013. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1832-9357](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1832-9357). Retrieved 17 March 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-PLB_11-0)** ["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")"](https://web.archive.org/web/20161012010923/http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/). *Property Location Browser*. Government of South Australia. Archived from [the original](http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/) on 12 October 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-SAGG-2006_12-0)** ["Wilderness Protection (Western River Wilderness Protection Area) Proclamation 2006"](http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/sa/proc/wprwpap2006796/). *The South Australian Government Gazette*. Government of South Australia. 5 October 2006. p. 3662. Retrieved 26 January 2019.

## External links

- [Western River Wilderness Protection Area webpage on protected planet](http://www.protectedplanet.net/127676)

v t e Kangaroo Island Major townships American River Kingscote Parndana Penneshaw Beaches American Beach Baudin Beach Brown Beach D'Estrees Bay Emu Bay Island Beach Nepean Bay Vivonne Bay Coastal features Western end of island Cape Borda Cape du Couedic Cape Gantheaume D'Estrees Bay Fides Bluff Maupertuis Bay Nepean Bay Pelican Lagoon Point Marsden Ravine des Casoars Stokes Bay Vivonne Bay Dudley Peninsula Cape St Albans Cape Willoughby Kangaroo Head Moncrieff Bay Pink Bay Protected areas National parks Flinders Chase Conservation parks Baudin Beatrice Islet Beyeria Busby Islet Cape Gantheaume Cape Willoughby Cygnet Estuary Dudley Kelly Hill Lashmar Lathami Lesueur Mount Taylor Nepean Bay Parndana Pelican Lagoon Seal Bay Seddon Simpson Vivonne Bay Marine parks Encounter Western Kangaroo Island Southern Kangaroo Island Wilderness Protection Areas Cape Bouguer Cape Gantheaume Cape Torrens Ravine des Casoars Western River Islands adjacent to Kangaroo Island coast Beatrice Islets Busby Islet Casuarina Islets Douglas Rock Nobby Islet Paisley Islet Pelican Lagoon Islets Pelorus Islet Related and uncategorised 2007 Kangaroo Island bushfires County of Carnarvon Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island Hundred of Dudley Kangaroo Island Council Kangaroo Island wine region Kingscote Airport Middle River Reservoir Category Commons

v t e Protected areas of South Australia National parks Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary–Winaityinaityi Pangkara Belair Canunda Cleland Coffin Bay Coorong Dhilba Guuranda–Innes Flinders Chase Deep Creek Glenthorne National Park–Ityamaiitpinna Yarta Gawler Ranges Great Australian Bight Marine Ikara–Flinders Ranges Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre Lake Frome Lake Gairdner Lake Torrens Lincoln Malkumba-Coongie Mount Remarkable Munga-Thirri–Simpson Desert Murray River Naracoorte Caves Nullarbor Nilpena Ediacara Onkaparinga River Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges Wapma Thura–Southern Flinders Ranges Witjira Conservation parks Aberdour Acraman Creek Aldinga Scrub Althorpe Islands Angove Avoid Bay Islands Baird Bay Islands Bakara Bandon Bangham Barwell Bascombe Well Baudin Baudin Rocks Beachport Beatrice Islet Belt Hill Beyeria Big Heath Billiatt Bimbowrie Bird Islands Black Hill Black Rock Boondina Breakaways Brookfield Bullock Hill Busby Islet Butchers Gap Calectasia Calpatanna Waterhole Cap Island Cape Blanche Cape Gantheaume Cape Willoughby Caralue Bluff Carappee Hill Carcuma Caroona Creek Carpenter Rocks Carribie Chadinga Charleston Christmas Rocks Clements Gap Clinton Cocata Cooltong Corrobinnie Hill Cox Scrub Cromer Cudlee Creek Custon Cygnet Estuary Danggali Darke Range Desert Camp Dingley Dell Douglas Point Dudley Eba Island Elliot Price Eric Bonython Ettrick Ewens Ponds Fairview Ferguson Ferries-McDonald Finniss Fort Glanville Fowlers Bay Franklin Harbor Furner Gambier Islands Gawler Ranges Geegeela Giles Glen Roy Goose Island Gower Grass Tree Greenly Island Guichen Bay Gum Lagoon Gum Tree Gully Hacks Lagoon Hale Hallett Cove Hanson Scrub Heggaton Hesperilla Hincks Hogwash Bend Hopkins Creek Horsnell Gully Ironstone Hill Jip Jip Kaiserstuhl Kapunda Island Karte Kathai Kellidie Bay Kelly Hill Kelvin Powrie Kenneth Stirling Kinchina Kulliparu Kungari Kyeema Lake Frome Lake Gilles Lake Hawdon South Lake Newland Lake St Clair Lashmar Lathami Laura Bay Lawari Lesuer Leven Beach Lincoln Lipson Island Little Dip Lowan Lower Glenelg River Maize Island Lagoon Malgra Mamungari Mantung Marino Mark Oliphant Marne Valley Martin Washpool Martindale Hall Mary Seymour Media Island Messent Middlecamp Hills Mimbara Minlacowie Moana Sands Mokota Monarto Monarto Woodlands Montacute Moody Tank Morgan Morialta Mount Billy Mount Boothby Mount Brown Mount Dutton Bay Mount George Mount Magnificent Mount Monster Mount Scott Mount Taylor Mowantjie Willauwar Mullinger Swamp Munyaroo Murrunatta Mylor Myponga Nene Valley Nepean Bay Neptune Islands Newland Head Ngarkat Ngaut Ngaut Nicolas Baudin Island Nixon-Skinner Nuyts Archipelago Nuyts Reef Olive Island Padthaway Pandappa Para Wirra Paranki Lagoon Parndana Peachna Peebinga Pelican Lagoon Penambol Penguin Island Penola Piccaninnie Ponds Pigface Island Pike River Pine Hill Soak Pinkawillinie Point Bell Point Davenport Point Labatt Pooginook Poonthie Ruwe Porter Scrub Pualco Range Pullen Island Pureba Ramco Point Ramsay Red Banks Reedy Creek Ridley Rilli Island Rocky Island (North) Rocky Island (South) Roonka Rudall Salt Lagoon Islands Sandy Creek Sceale Bay Scott Scott Creek Seal Bay Searcy Bay Seddon Shannon Sheoak Hill Simpson Sinclair Island Sir Joseph Banks Group Sleaford Mere Spring Gully Spring Mount Stipiturus Swan Reach Talapar Talisker Tallaringa Tantanoola Caves Telford Scrub The Dutchmans Stern The Knoll The Pages The Plug Range Thidna Tilley Swamp Torrens Island Troubridge Island Tucknott Scrub Tumby Island Venus Bay Verran Tanks Vivigani Ardune Vivonne Bay Wabma Kadarbu Mound Springs Wahgunyah Waitpinga Waldegrave Islands Wanilla Wanilla Land Settlement Warren Warrenben West Island Wharminda Whidbey Isles White Dam Whyalla Wiljani Wills Creek Winninowie Wittelbee Woakwine Wolseley Common Yalpara Yeldulknie Yulte Yumbarra Game reserves Bool Lagoon Bucks Lake Chowilla Currency Creek Lake Robe Loch Luna Moorook Mud Islands Poocher Swamp Tolderol Recreation parks Anstey Hill Blackwood Forest Brownhill Creek Caratoola Cobbler Creek Granite Island Greenhill Long Island O'Halloran Hill Onkaparinga River Shepherds Hill Sturt Gorge Totness Regional Reserves Chowilla Innamincka Nullarbor Strzelecki Yellabinna Conservation reserves Bernouilli Buckleboo Bunbury Bunkers Cortlinye Cox Scrub Cunyarie Desert Camp Hardings Springs Lacroma Moongi Mootra Pinkawillinie Reservoir Poolgarra Tola Former conservation reserves Wilderness Protection Areas Billiatt Cape Bouguer Cape Gantheaume Cape Torrens Danggali Hambridge Hincks Investigator Group Memory Cove Nullarbor Nuyts Archipelago Ravine des Casoars Western River Yellabinna Other protected areas Arkaroola Protection Area Former protected areas Investigator Group Isles of St Francis Katarapko Mount Rescue Mount Shaugh Port Gawler Scorpion Springs Telowie Gorge Related topics Marine protected areas of South Australia List of protected areas in Adelaide

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Western River Wilderness Protection Area](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_River_Wilderness_Protection_Area) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_River_Wilderness_Protection_Area?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.