Editing Boorabbin National Park

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type                   = protected
| name                   = Boorabbin National Park
| state                  = wa
| iucn_category          = II
| image                  = Boorabbin NP VIII-2009.jpg
| caption                = 
| image_alt              = 
| local_map              = yes
| zoom                   = 10
| coordinates            = {{coord|31|14|18|S|120|10|09|E|display=inline,title}}
| relief                 = yes
| map_alt                = 
| nearest_town_or_city   = [[Coolgardie, Western Australia|Coolgardie]]
| area                   = 281.53
| area_footnotes         = <ref name="ParkAreas">{{cite journal|year=2010 |title=Department of Environment and Conservation 2009–2010 Annual Report |journal=Annual Report |pages=48 |publisher=Department of Environment and Conservation |issn=1835-114X |url=http://www.dec.wa.gov.au/content/view/6139/2345/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110111124319/http://www.dec.wa.gov.au/content/view/6139/2345/ |archive-date=11 January 2011 |df=dmy }}</ref>
| established            = 1977
| established_footnotes  = 
| visitation_num         = 
| visitation_year        = 
| visitation_footnotes   = 
| managing_authorities   = [[Department of Environment and Conservation (Western Australia)|Department of Environment and Conservation]]
| url                    = 
}}
'''Boorabbin National Park''' is a national park in Western Australia,  between [[Coolgardie]] and [[Southern Cross, Western Australia|Southern Cross]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Kalgoorlie Tourism Visitor Centre - Parks and nature reserves|url=http://www.kalgoorlietourism.com/NR/exeres/32995C68-6E56-4DF8-802E-FA41A6ED58D1.htm|access-date=1 May 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100504075237/http://www.kalgoorlietourism.com/NR/exeres/32995C68-6E56-4DF8-802E-FA41A6ED58D1.htm|archive-date=4 May 2010|df=dmy-all}}</ref> It is located along the [[Great Eastern Highway]] for a distance of approximately 25&nbsp;km with a width of 5&nbsp;km on each side in [[Western Australia]]'s eastern goldfields. The park gets its name from the Aboriginal named rock on the edge of the park and also the Boorabbin settlement, established in 1898.<ref>{{LandInfo WA|c|B|17 November 2010}}</ref>

The Boorabbin National Park is situated on top of a [[plateau]]. The landscape is primarily sand and the vegetation there is quite distinctive growing in deep sands deposited over 50 million years ago. Today the erosion of this significant landscape is lessening, but as a result of past degradation, the sands are left very weathered, leached and lacking in nutrients.

Despite this, the vegetation is diverse with countless species thriving in this environment. Vegetation ranges from the rich [[kwongan heath]]s, woodlands and [[Mallee Woodlands and Shrublands|mallee shrubland]]s. The area is recognised for its unique variety of vegetation, with its own designated plateau vegetation system. Other attributes that the park is known for are the wildflowers, [[samphire]] and salt lakes.

Other vegetation that can be found include species of [[banksia]], [[acacia]], [[hakea]], [[sandalwood]], [[melaleuca]] and [[Xanthorrhoea|grasstree]]. Two restricted species found in the heathland are ''[[Philotheca pachyphylla]]'' and ''[[Philotheca coccinea]]''.<ref>{{cite AHD|9789|Boorabbin National Park|date=2010|accessdate=17 November 2010}}</ref>

Fauna surveys in the park indicate that 17 native mammal species, including the [[wongai ningaui]], [[dunnart]]s and [[bush rat]]s, are found within the park boundaries. Other animals including 4 frog species, 52 species of reptile and 51 bird species are also resident in the park. The park is also home to a rich array of dragon lizards.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ministerial Media Statements|url=http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Lists/Statements/DispForm.aspx?ID=112875|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120226091428/http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Lists/Statements/DispForm.aspx?ID=112875|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 February 2012|access-date=1 May 2010}}</ref>

A [[Bushfires in Australia|bushfire]] in the park killed three men after a roadblock was lifted on [[Great Eastern Highway]] in [[Coolgardie, Western Australia|Coolgardie]] in December 2007 after a long queue of vehicles were waiting for the highway to open after being closed for most of the day. The three truck drivers tried to turn around and flee the fire but could not escape and died from smoke burns. The bushfire continued to burn for two weeks before being extinguished by fire fighters, and authorities then had the highway reopened. An inquiry into the fire was commenced in 2008;<ref>{{cite web|title=Emergency Management Authority Disasters Database|url=http://www.ema.gov.au/ema/emadisasters.nsf/83edbd0553620d8cca256d09001fc8fd/1d24468ecc152a46ca2574030022831c?OpenDocument|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120729222530/http://www.ema.gov.au/ema/emadisasters.nsf/83edbd0553620d8cca256d09001fc8fd/1d24468ecc152a46ca2574030022831c?OpenDocument|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 July 2012|access-date=1 May 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Lightning sparks six fires|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/09/2134801.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120717065135/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/09/2134801.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 July 2012|date=7 January 2008|access-date=1 May 2010|publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]}}</ref> the [[coroner]] found that extreme incompetence by the [[Department of Environment and Conservation (Western Australia)|Department of Environment and Conservation]] had contributed toward the deaths.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-09-17/departments-bushfire-capability-under-scrutiny/2264158|title=Department's bushfire capability under scrutiny|date=17 September 2010|access-date=26 October 2013|publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]}}</ref>
The fire burnt out an area of more than {{convert|7500|ha|acre|0}} of the National Park and unallocated [[crown land]]. The fire jumped containment lines onto the southern side of Great Eastern Highway.<ref>{{cite web|title=Department of Environment and Conservation|url=http://www.dec.wa.gov.au/content/view/3180/1560/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110320205325/http://www.dec.wa.gov.au/content/view/3180/1560/|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 March 2011|access-date=1 May 2010}}</ref>

A memorial garden and shelter was opened near the old town site in 2010 for those who died in the 2007 bushfire.<ref>{{cite web|title=Boorabbin opens fire memorial|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-12-30/boorabbin-opens-fire-memorial/1889738|access-date=24 March 2010|date=30 December 2010|publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Protected areas of Western Australia]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{National Parks of Western Australia}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:National parks of Western Australia]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1977]]
[[Category:Goldfields–Esperance]]
[[Category:Great Western Woodlands]]