Tracks of the MalleeFree Tracks of the Mallee Edition 2 'South Australia’s Mallee Parks are hidden from the major highways in the area. However, for those wishing to experience a uniquely Australian environment, the mallee is well worth a visit.' This unique and very special part Nanam Well highlights the difficulties of our state has a network of more of obtaining water in this area. than a dozen stunning parks. These Opportunities to explore this region protected areas range in size from are endless. Those who take the time the huge 270 000 hectare Ngarkat to experience the sights and sounds Conservation Park to smaller areas of this special place will discover ‘the such as the 3500 hectare Karte secrets of the mallee’. Conservation Park. This network page combines with numerous privately Keeping our Future Alive 2 owned patches of natural bushland Protecting our Mallee 2 to help conserve the ecologically rich Four-wheel Driving 2 mallee ecosystems. Fire Restrictions 3 South Australia’s mallee region has Fire Ban Districts 3 a diverse range of fascinating and The National Parks Code 3 unique wildlife, from the secretive The Honeydrippers 4 pygmy-possums living in the banksia Watching Wildlife 4 heaths to the rare Malleefowl. Home of the Malleefowl 4 Ngarkat is home to more than Tents, pegs and swags 5 thirty rare and endangered plant Park Fees 5 species. These plants help to produce Enjoying your parks 6 a magnificent display of native Mallee Trips 6-7 wildflowers, particularly in spring. Tracks of the Mallee Map 8-9 The mallee region is steeped in Special places 10 history. The Ngarkat (pronounced Karte Conservation Park 10 Narr-kat) Aboriginal people originally Ngarkat Conservation Park 11 inhabited the area, and evidence Stepping out 12 of their occupation still exists. The Select your Trail 12 The closer you look 13 remnants of early attempts to graze Tyms Lookout Hike 13-14 stock in Ngarkat can also be found Scorpion Springs Conservation throughout the park. Among the Park Walking Trail Network 15-16 intriguing historical sites are several $URXQGWKHFDPSÀUH ruins such as Box Flat and Bucks Perhaps we can help you 18 Camp. The restored wood-lined 1 Tracks of the Mallee Tracks of the Mallee Keeping our Future Alive Protecting our Mallee Four-wheel Driving Much of our remaining mallee vegetation Looking after your parks grows on fragile sandy soil. The plant cover The parks of the mallee provide opportunities for helps stabilise the sandy soils. Damage to this people to enjoy peaceful and remote places. vegetation can lead to shifting sands, eventually Remember to carefully plan your trip so that your creating large blowouts. Please tread lightly on visit will be a safe and enjoyable experience. sandy tracks and trails. We recommend that you visit the mallee parks in the cooler months. During this time the temperature is much more comfortable, the fire Motorcycles danger is lower and the wildflowers are in bloom. Trail bikes are an exciting way to travel through the mallee. However, for the benefit of the parks and your own safety the following guidelines Driving in sand apply: You can help protect the environment by • all bikes must be registered reducing tyre pressure as soon as you enter the • stay on the clearly marked tracks to avoid park. You will also find it easier to drive in sand damage to vegetation with tyres deflated to approximately 15-18 psi • avoid riding near campgrounds so that you (105-120 kpa). Please remember to reinflate tyres do not disturb other park users. prior to leaving the park. The Border Track From the north-east corner of Ngarkat We ask your cooperation in observing Conservation Park, the Border Track is restricted park regulations, which have been designed to to one-way access. You can only travel from ensure that you enjoy your visit while helping to north to south. At the junction of the Border conserve our natural environment. Track and the Centre Track (approximately 29 Information is provided in all parks. km down the Border Track), the track reverts to a two-way system. The one-way system has been implemented to protect the sand dunes, track surface and vegetation. The Border Track presents extremely difficult driving conditions. If you are not fully prepared, and supported by other vehicles, don’t go. Due to the high fire danger and lack of emergency vehicle access, the Border Track is closed throughout the fire season. Please use an alternative route if travelling through the park during this time. Little Pygmy-possum Moderate amounts of rain can flood the track for a number of days. To avoid damage to the track do not use it after heavy rain. Soil conservation As you travel through the mallee parks you will see a number of tracks that have restricted access. Some of these are for emergency access during fires. The soil on these tracks is fragile, and easily eroded. Damage to these tracks will affect the safety of emergency personnel and volunteers. Please stay on clearly marked tracks. 2 Tracks of the Mallee Tracks of the Mallee Keeping our Future Alive Fire Restrictions Fire Ban Districts FIRE DANGER SEASON: Upper South East Usually 1 November to • Kelvin Powrie Conservation Park • Southern part of Ngarkat Conservation Park 30 April (Check CFS hotline 1300 362 361) • Harding Springs Conservation Park Wood fires are not permitted throughout the fire Riverland danger season. • Bakara Conservation Park Total Fire Bans are broadcast as necessary from Murraylands 6 pm during the fire danger season and apply for • Northern part of Ngarkat Conservation Park 24 hours, from midnight to midnight the following • Carcuma Conservation Park day. They are broadcast on radio and television • Karte Conservation Park and are printed in the morning press. • Peebinga Conservation Park Be aware that if extreme weather conditions • Billiatt Conservation Park develop suddenly, such as high winds and • Lowan Conservation Park high temperatures a ‘Total Fire Ban’ could be • Swan Reach Conservation Park announced as late as 7 am on the morning of • Marne Valley Conservation Park the ban. • Ferries-McDonald Conservation Park The Border Track is closed throughout the fire • Monarto Conservation Park season. Please use an alternative route if travelling • Ridley Conservation Park through the park during this time. • Long Island Recreation Park NON-FIRE DANGER SEASON: Usually 1 May to 31 October (Check CFS hotline 1300 362 361) When lighting a camp fire please The National Parks Code remember: Help protect your national parks by following these • conserve fallen timber as this is important habitat guidelines: for wildlife • leave your pets at home • bring your own firewood or restrict collection • take your rubbish with you of firewood to the firebreaks that run along the • observe fire restrictions, usually 1 November to edge of some tracks 30 April. Check CFS hotline 1300 362 361. • do not cut standing trees Gas fires only during this period except on days of • use fire rings where provided declared Total Fire Ban. The parks are covered by • always construct your camp fire at least four the Riverland, Murraylands and Upper South metres away from existing vegetation East fire ban districts. • when a fire is alight you must stay with it, and • conserve native habitat by using liquid fuel or ensure that you have enough water to put it out gas stoves • ensure fires are completely extinguished before • camp only in designated areas leaving your camp site. • respect geological and heritage sites • keep our wildlife wild - do not feed or disturb animals, or remove native plants • keep to defined vehicle tracks and walking trails • be considerate of other park users • generators and firearms are not permitted • maximum speed limit in parks is 40 km per hour. Thank you for leaving the bush in its natural state for the enjoyment of others. 3 Tracks of the Mallee Tracks of the Mallee The Honeydrippers Home of the Malleefowl The banksias that grow throughout much of Malleefowl, as the name suggests, live in the mallee Ngarkat Conservation Park produce large areas of Australia and are rated as nationally amounts of nectar. endangered. Large patches of unburnt mallee in South Australian parks provide important habitat for For many years the area has been the winter these unique birds. home of honeybees. A number of apiarists (beekeepers) place hives among the Unlike most birds, Malleefowl do not spend several banksias for a few months each year. weeks at a time sitting on eggs. Instead the eggs are buried in a sand and compost mound that produces As you travel around Ngarkat you may enough heat to incubate the eggs. notice numerous unmarked tracks. These They dedicate up to eleven months a year caring tracks are for servicing the beehives, and are for the nest, yet take no interest in their young once not for public access. they have hatched. The network of tracks is complex, and it is Given that it’s such a long and intensive process to very easy to become disorientated. Apart create the right conditions for the eggs to hatch, it from becoming lost you will probably disturb would be reasonable to expect that the workload is the bees and damage vegetation as you try shared between the male and female. In fact, to find your way out. this is not the case. The male digs and builds the Play it safe, mound, which is around one metre high and three stay on the marked tracks. metres wide. This is a complex and exhausting task. The right amount of compost has to be incorporated at the right depth. The male must wait for enough rain to wet the compost before building the upper layers of the nest.