SA Wilderness Campaigns

South Australia has a strong Wilderness Protection Act. We are now campaigning to have high quality wilderness areas protected under that Act. Key campaigns include Yellabinna, and the large Central Eyre Peninsula Parks.

The South Australian Wilderness Protection Act was passed in 1992 after a strong campaign by the Wilderness Society. It provides the highest level of wilderness protection in state law (See Notes on Wilderness Protection and the SA Wilderness Protection Act). In 1993 five areas on Kangaroo Island were declared as Wilderness Protection Areas and a number of areas on the Eyre Peninsula were nominated for assessment under the Act. In 2003 the government announced its decision to proclaim a Wilderness Protection Area at Memory Cove in the Lincoln National Park on the lower Eyre Peninsula. This would be the first Wilderness Protection Area in mainland South Australia.

The major current campaigns for new Wilderness Protection Areas are:

• Yellabinna
• Central Eyre Peninsula

Existing Wilderness Protection Areas in South Australia

• Ravine des Casoars Wilderness Protection Area
• Cape Torrens Wilderness Protection Area
• Western River Wilderness Protection Area
• Cape Bouger Wilderness Protection Area
• Cape Gantheaume Wilderness Protection Area
• Memory Cove Wilderness Protection Area (not yet proclaimed)