Nullarbor Wilderness Campaign

	The spectacular Bunda Cliffs. Peter Owen

The Wilderness Society has nominated the Nullarbor Plain for protection under South Australia’s Wilderness Protection Act 1992. The nomination acknowledges the cultural significance of the region to the Mirning people and their interests in its protection and future management.

Recognised internationally for its natural and cultural heritage values, the iconic plain is the largest semi-arid karst cave system in the world. It covers an area of 270,000km, extending 2000km eastward from Norseman in Western Australia to west of Ceduna in South Australia. The spectacular Bunda Cliffs and the Great Australian Bight border the area to the south, with the Great Victoria Desert to the north.

The name Nullarbor is derived from the Latin words meaning “no trees”. Despite a lack of woodland on the surface, it is covered by bluebush and saltbush, with open woodlands of acacia and mallee at the outer edges.  

Weathering of the karst limestone plain has produced spectacular natural features. Over 250 caves and large circular depressions are recorded throughout the region, with the ocean flowing inland for hundreds of metres into some caves, forming underground river systems and blowholes.

Caves not only provide habitat for many unusual and endemic animals, but are very important culturally to the Mirning people. Rockholes, another karst feature, also have both natural and cultural value, being the only places that water can collect on the dry surface.

Caves on the Nullarbor Plain. Bill Doyle

Although the area has existing nature reserves, including the vast Nullarbor Regional Reserve and the Nullarbor National Park, with the exception of a small part of the National Park, all of it is open to mineral exploration, production and other exploitative activities.

A large mineral sands mine between the Yellabinna and Nullarbor Regional Reserves is currently on the agenda, with proponents of the mine looking into the feasibility of extracting precious groundwater from below the plain. Such activity could threaten its high wilderness value, as well as open the area up to fragmentation tracks and further mining ventures.

The Nullarbor is essential to the east/west connection of the southern Australian landscape and the implementation of our WildCountry vision. It is the link between the recently proclaimed Yellabinna Wilderness Protection Area in SA and the Great Western Woodlands in WA.

The nomination does not propose specific boundaries for a Wilderness Protection Area at this stage, but instead highlights the significance of the region and the need for wilderness recognition.

Now is our chance to protect this truly unique part of the world, worthy of the World Heritage List!

To get involved with the campaign to protect the Nullarbor Plain, contact The Wilderness Society's SA Campaign Centre on (08) 8231 6586.

• Learn more: The Nullarbor Plain - world’s largest limestone karst landscape