Friends of Riverland Parks

If you enjoy the River Murray and would like to help preserve this unique landscape why not join us the Friends of the Riverland parks as we assist DEWNR staff in the conservation and maintenance of the numerous State parks in the region. New members are always welcome.

Our group assists DEWNR with projects in a range of parks in the Riverland. These parks include:

• riverine area parks
• Murray River National Park ( Katarapko section)
• Chowilla Game Reserve
• mallee area parks – Danggali Conservation Park
• Cooltong Conservation Park
• Pooginook Conservation Park

Activities include:

• Revegetation,
• weed control,
• fox baiting,
• biological surveys,
• walking track installation and maintenance,
• rubbish removal and general maintenance

History

The group was established in October 1991. A very successful and well attended annual forum for all friends groups was conducted in Berri in 2003. Many of our members have been recognized by FOP Inc. for outstanding service. The group has been the recipient of a number of awards at annual forums including:

• Friends Group of the Year
• Best Biodiversity Project
• Best Walking Trail Project
• Best Heritage Project

Achievements

Because of the number of parks that our group works in, it has been necessary to prioritise our activities and this has meant that most activities in each year have been focussed on a particular park. This has enabled us to make a contribution to all parks over the years. Some of the more notable achievements include:

• Murray River National Park (Katarapko)
  • Extensive revegetation projects over many years
  • Establishment of a self-guided drive trail
  • Establishment of the Ngak Indau Walking Trail
  • Establishment of the Cragg’s Hut Walking Trail
  • Biological Surveys
  • Regular fox baiting
• Danggali Conservation Park
  • Restoration of Birthday Hut
  • Installation of nest boxes
• Chowilla game Reserve
  • Installation of the Customs House Walking Trail
  • Long standing Bush Stone Curlew Surveys
  • Revegetation projects
• Cooltong Conservation Park
  • Annual Mallee fowl Nest Monitoring Surveys since 1993
  • Annual Biological Surveys since 2004
  • Regular fox baiting
• Pooginook Conservation Park
  • Annual Mallee fowl Nest Monitoring Surveys since 1991
  • Annual Biological Surveys since 2004
  • Regular fox baiting

Flora and Fauna

Each of our parks have a unique array of plants and animals that are dependent on the habitats available in the park, but they also have species that are special to that particular park e.g.

• Katarapko National Park – Regent Parrot - Mallee Pine (Callitris gracilis)
• Danggali Conservation Park – Scarlet-chested parrot - Mulga (Acacia aneura)
• Chowilla Game Reserve – Bush Stone Curlew - Green variant or Black Box (Eucalyptus largiflorens)
• Cooltong Conservation Park – Black-eared Miner - Blue Mallee (Eucalyptus cyanophylla)
• Pooginook Conservation Park – Western Pygmy Possum – Grammosolen dixonii