Para Wirra Recreation Park, Conservation park in Mount Lofty Ranges, South Australia
Para Wirra Conservation Park is a protected area in the Mount Lofty Ranges spanning roughly 1,400 hectares with varied landscapes. The park contains forests, open grasslands, flowing waterways, and rolling terrain that connect different natural environments together.
The area contains the Barossa Goldfields, where mining operations began during the 1860s and continued through small-scale digging until the mid-1930s. These mining activities shaped early European settlement in the region.
The name Para Wirra comes from the Kaurna language and means 'the forest where a waterway flows', recognizing the traditional lands of Peramangk, Ngadjuri, and Kaurna peoples. Visitors experience this connection between the name and the landscape as they walk through wooded areas and past flowing streams.
The western entrance opens daily from sunrise to sunset, while the eastern gate provides 24-hour access for campers using a combination code. Visitors should check which entry point suits their planned activities best.
The park is home to over 100 bird species alongside emus, kangaroos, bearded dragons, and short-beaked echidnas living in their natural habitat. This variety makes it a notable place to watch native Australian animals.
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