Editing Flinders Chase National Park

{{about|the protected area in South Australia|the associated locality | Flinders Chase, South Australia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type                   = protected
| name                   = Flinders Chase National Park
| state                  = sa
| iucn_category          = II
| iucn_ref      = <ref name=CAPAD2016SASum>{{cite web|title= Terrestrial Protected Areas of South Australia (refer 'DETAIL' tab ) |url= http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/pages/761994ab-42cc-4f24-952c-c21221861884/files/capad2016sa.xlsx |work=CAPAD 2016|publisher=Australian Government, Department of the Environment (DoE) |access-date=21 February 2018 |date=2016}}</ref>

| image                  = Remarkable Rocks 02.jpg 
| caption                = Remarkable Rocks, in the southern part of the park
| image_alt              = 
| coordinates            = {{coord|35|58|38|S|136|40|22|E|scale:1000000|display=inline,title}}
| relief                 = yes
| pushpin_label_position = bottom
| map_alt                = 
| nearest_town_or_city   = [[Kingscote, South Australia|Kingscote]]
| area                   = 326.61
| area_footnotes         = <ref name=CAPAD2016SASum/>
| established            = 1919<br/>1972 (national park)
| established_footnotes  = <ref name=SAGG>{{cite journal|title= Chief Secretary's Office, Adelaide, October 16th, 1919. (i.e. acts assented to by the Governor) | journal=The South Australian Government Gazette |date= 19 October 1919 |page= 949|url=http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/other/sa_gazette/1919/44/949.pdf|access-date=21 May 2017 |publisher=Government of South Australia}}</ref><ref name=SAGG-NPWact/>
| visitation_num         = 
| visitation_year        = 
| visitation_footnotes   = 
| managing_authorities   = [[Department for Environment and Water (South Australia)|Department for Environment and Water]]  
| url                    = https://www.parks.sa.gov.au/parks/flinders-chase-national-park
}}

'''Flinders Chase National Park''' (formerly '''Flinders Chase''') is a [[protected area]] in the Australian state of [[South Australia]] located at the west end of [[Kangaroo Island]] about {{convert|177|km|abbr=off}} west-south west of the state capital of [[Adelaide city centre|Adelaide]] and {{convert|110|km|abbr=off}} west of the municipal seat of [[Kingscote, South Australia|Kingscote]]. It is a sanctuary for endangered species and home to a few [[Geologic formation|geological phenomena]]. It was the second [[national park]] to be declared in South Australia.<ref>[https://www.flightcentre.com.au/world-travel/australia/kangaroo-island/flinders-chase-national-park ''flightcentre.com.au'']{{failed verification|date=September 2019}}</ref>

Flinders Chase National Park consists of three sections - an area of coastal landscapes around [[Cape du Couedic]] in the south west corner of the island, the [[Gosse, South Australia|Gosse Lands]] in the centre of the west end of the island and the former [[Cape Borda Lightstation]] reserve in the north west corner of the island.

==Description==
===Location===
Flinders Chase National Park is located at the north-western end of Kangaroo Island in [[South Australia]] approximately {{convert|110|km|abbr=off}} west of Kingscote.<ref name=page5/> It is located within the gazetted localities of [[Flinders Chase, South Australia|Flinders Chase]], [[Gosse, South Australia|Gosse]] and [[Karatta, South Australia|Karatta]].<ref name=FlindersChase>{{cite web|title=Search result for "Flinders Chase (Locality Bounded)" (Record no SA0058416 ) with the following layers being selected - "Suburbs and Localities"and "Road Labels"|url=http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/|publisher=Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure|access-date=6 March 2016|archive-date=12 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012010923/http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=Gosse>{{cite web|title=Search result for "Gosse (Locality Bounded)" (Record no SA0027114) with the following layers selected - "Suburbs and Localities" and "Road Labels"|url=http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/|publisher=Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure|access-date=8 March 2016|archive-date=12 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012010923/http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=Karatta>{{cite web|title=Search result for "Karatta (Locality Bounded)" (Record no SA0034161) with the following layers selected - "Suburbs and Localities" and "Road Labels"|url=http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/|publisher=Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure|access-date=8 March 2016|archive-date=12 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012010923/http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Extent===
As of 1993, the national park consists of three separate parcels of land:<ref name=page5>{{cite web|title= Flinders Chase National Park, Kelly Hill Conservation Park, Ravine des Casoars Wilderness Protection Area and Cape Bouguer Wilderness Protection Area Management Plans |url= http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/937b2d35-3d3e-41f0-9e9e-9e4f00b1a9a9/PARKS_PDFS_KI_MISC_MP.pdf |publisher= Department for Environment, Heritage and Aboriginal Affairs |access-date=1 May 2014|pages=5|year=1999}}</ref><ref name=PA2015>{{cite web|title=Protected Areas of South Australia September (Map) 2015 Edition|url=http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/bf6977cb-f1f9-4700-9b5f-a35500fda94f/protected-areas-of-south-australia-map.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923085503/http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/bf6977cb-f1f9-4700-9b5f-a35500fda94f/protected-areas-of-south-australia-map.pdf |archive-date=2015-09-23 |url-status=live |publisher=Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) |date=30 July 2015 |access-date=15 April 2015}}</ref>

*''Cape du Couedic'' which is refers to the main parcel of land within the national park and which is bounded at the north by the West Bay Road and the West Melrose Track, to the east by the West End Highway and an unsealed track called the Sand Dune Track; and the portion of coastline extending from West Bay in the west to Cape du Couedic in the south and to Sanderson Bay in the east. This portion of the national park includes the following islands - [[Paisley Islet]] (also known as West Bay Island) at West Bay and the [[Casuarina Islets]] immediately south of Cape du Couedic.
*The Gosse Lands - a parcel of land which is bounded by the Playford Highway to the north and the West End Highway to the west.
*The former lighthouse reserve at [[Cape Borda]].

===Protected area designation===
The national park is classified as an [[International Union for Conservation of Nature|IUCN]] [[IUCN protected area categories#Category II — National Park|category II protected area]].<ref name=CAPAD2016SASum/>

==History==
{{OSM Location map  
| coord = {{coord|-35.81| 137.3}}  
| zoom = 8                        
| width = 320
| height = 160
| shape1=n-circle
| shape-color1=red
| shape-outline1=white
| mark-coord1 = {{coord|-35.711 | 136.779}}
| mark-title1 = Du Mole River outlet
| mark-coord2 = {{coord|-35.950 | 136.732}}	
| mark-title2 = Rocky River ranger station
| mark-coord3 = {{coord|-35.749 | 136.587}}	
| mark-title3 = Cape Borda
| mark-coord4 = {{coord|-36.061 | 136.699}}	
| mark-title4 = Cape Du Couedic
| caption =
| auto-caption=1
}}
Following a deputation of scientists in 1906,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article163074775 |title=Fauna and Flora Protection |newspaper=[[The Observer (Adelaide)]] |volume=LXIII |issue=3,384 |location=South Australia |date=11 August 1906 |accessdate=20 February 2022 |page=26 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> the premier, [[Thomas Price (South Australian politician)|Tom Price]], agreed to set aside the Cape Borda lighthouse reserve of 61 square miles as a nature reserve.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article105315109 |title=Home for Australian Fauna |newspaper=[[The Daily Herald (Adelaide)]] |volume=2 |issue=384 |location=South Australia |date=29 May 1911 |accessdate=18 February 2022 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> and in 1909 the South Australian government converted another 79 square miles of what had been pastoral reserve to a nature reserve,{{efn|These figures are inexact: figures of 60 square miles for the first and 86 for the second have been reported.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5353988 |title=Bird Protection in South Australia |newspaper=[[The Advertiser (Adelaide)]] |volume=LV |issue=16,883 |location=South Australia |date=25 November 1912 |accessdate=18 February 2022 |page=11 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>}} under the control of the Fauna and Flora Board. The board had asked for 300 square miles but the additional properties needed had already been leased, and the lessees, who had yet to make any improvements,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167002017 |title=A National Reserve. |newspaper=[[The Southern Cross (South Australia)]] |volume=XXIII |issue=1139 |location=South Australia |date=16 June 1911 |accessdate=18 February 2022 |page=11 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> demanded £28,000 as compensation for losing what they had been getting for £28 per year<ref name=Register08>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article56981253 |title=Fauna and Flora |newspaper=[[The Register (Adelaide)]] |volume=LXXIII |issue=19,083 |location=South Australia |date=11 January 1908 |accessdate=20 February 2022 |page=10 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>  [[Professor Stirling]] urged that when those leases expired they be turned over to the Board.<ref name=Register08/>

The reserve was named Flinders Chase at the suggestion of Samuel Dixon<ref name=reserve>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5201342 |title=Kangaroo Island Reserve |newspaper=[[The Advertiser (Adelaide)]] |volume=LII |issue=15,939 |location=South Australia |date=17 November 1909 |accessdate=17 February 2022 |page=11 |via=National Library of Australia}} "[[Chase (land)|Chase]]" is an old English term for a private game reserve.</ref> (died 1927).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article214734161 |title=Obituary |newspaper=[[The Glenelg Guardian]] |volume=XIII |issue=747 |location=South Australia |date=1 September 1927 |accessdate=17 February 2022 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
Apart from its intended use as a habitat for koalas and other mammals, it was considered a likely refuge for the [[lyre bird]], "pheasant" (perhaps the [[malleefowl]], [''Leipoa ocellata'']) and "bush turkey" (perhaps [[Australian brushturkey]], [''Alectura lathami'']), all threatened on the mainland due to depredations by foxes.<ref name=reserve/> The [[Rocky River (Kangaroo Island)|Rocky River]] was touted as a [[platypus]] reserve.

Parts of the national park first acquired protected area status as a 'flora and fauna reserve' declared on 16 October 1919 under the ''Fauna and Flora Reserve Act 1919'', an act whose specific purpose was:<ref name=SAGG/><blockquote>…to establish a Reserve on Kangaroo Island for the Protection, Preservation, and Propagation of Australasian Fauna and Flora, and to provide for the Control of such Reserve, and for other purposes.</blockquote>
No funds were made available for fencing or provision of a ranger however, and the laws regarding burning, shooting, poisoning and taking of protected species were unenforceable and broken with impunity.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article200994084 |title=The Fur Industry |newspaper=[[The South Eastern Times]] |issue=1945 |location=South Australia |date=20 October 1925 |accessdate=18 February 2022 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
In 1922 the government brought the Chase's total area close to {{convert|200 |sqmi }}<ref>{{cite book|author=Neville Cordes |title=Portrait of an Island |year=1972 |publisher=Islander Newspapers, Kingscote KI}}</ref> by the addition of the Rocky River freehold and leases south of Rocky River to the landing reserve by the [[Cape du Couedic]] lighthouse. The Chase's eastern boundary was now a straight line running south from the [[De Mole River]] mouth to the island's south coast.<ref name=News24>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129853128 |title=Fauna and Flora |newspaper=[[The News (Adelaide)]] |volume=II |issue=142 |location=South Australia |date=5 January 1924 |accessdate=20 February 2022 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> It also gave the board a couple of cottages for the use of a ranger and visitors.<ref name=News24/>

It was constituted as a national park upon the proclamation of the ''[[National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972]]'' on 27 April 1972 which repealed five items of existing legislation including the ''Fauna and Flora Reserve Act 1919''.<ref name=SAGG-NPWact>{{cite journal |title= Chief Secretary's Department, Adelaide, 27th April, 1972, list of act assented to by the |journal= The South Australian Government Gazette |date= 27 April 1972 |pages= 1633 |url= http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/other/sa_gazette/1972/19/1633.pdf |access-date= 21 May 2017 |publisher= Government of South Australia}}</ref> At proclamation in 1972, it consisted of the following land in the following [[Cadastral divisions of South Australia|cadastral unit]]s as well as the entirety of the [[Casuarina Islets]] - section 11 in the [[Hundred of Borda]], section 64 in the [[Hundred of Gosse]], section 17 in the [[Hundred of McDonald]] and section 66 in "South out of Hundreds".<ref name=NPWact>{{cite Legislation AU|SA|act|npawa56o1972293|National Parks and Wildlife Act (No 56 of 1972)}}</ref>

On 15 October 1993, land in section 11 of the Hundred of Borda, section 64 of Hundred of Gosse and  Allotments 50 and 52 in DP 38340 and with an area of {{convert|416.63|km2}} was removed from the national park and constituted under the ''Wilderness Protection Act 1992'' as the [[Ravine des Casoars Wilderness Protection Area]].<ref name=CAPAD2016SASum/><ref name="SAGG-1993">{{cite web |last1=Wiese |first1=B.J. |title=WILDERNESS PROTECTION ACT 1992 SECTION 22(1): CONSTITUTION OF RAVINE DES CASOARS WILDERNESS PROTECTION AREA |url=http://www6.austlii.edu.au/au/other/sa_gazette/1993/102/1755.pdf |website=The South Australian Government Gazette |publisher=Government of South Australia |access-date=25 January 2019 |page=1755 |date=15 October 1993}}</ref>

==Sanctuary==
Since creation in November 1919, it has become a sanctuary for endangered species, some of them introduced from the mainland in the 1920s and 1930s. During the 1940s, 23 additional species were introduced, including [[koala]]s (1923) and [[platypus]] (1928). Most of these species can still be observed today. [[Kangaroos]], [[goannas]] and [[echidnas]]<ref>{{cite web|author=Rismiller, Peggy|title=Echidna research, Kangaroo island|year=2005|publisher=Pelican Lagoon Research & Wildlife Centre|url=http://www.echidna.edu.au/monotremes/echidna_research.html|access-date=15 July 2012|archive-date=21 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150221201703/http://www.echidna.edu.au/monotremes/echidna_research.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> are commonly seen in the national park.{{Citation needed|date=January 2018}}

=== Little penguins ===
[[Little penguin]]s have been recorded in Flinders Chase in the 1920s,<ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article58518868 "Cape de Coudie Light. Guarding rocky coast. Lighthouse keeper's life."] ''The Mail'', South Australia (1926-01-23). Retrieved 2014-03-13.</ref> 1930s,<ref>Hill, Ernestine "A Southern Eden. Flinders Chase and its family" ''The Advertiser'', South Australia (1936-09-05). Retrieved 2014-03-13.</ref><ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article58859776 "Sanctuary - Flinders Chase"] ''The Mail'', South Australia (1935-03-30). Retrieved 2014-03-13.</ref> 1940s,<ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48691289 "Preserving our wildlife - Work being done at Flinders Chase"] ''The Advertiser'', South Australia (1946-02-13). Retrieved 2014-03-12.</ref> and 1950s.<ref>N.Q. Naturalists Club [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article62477315 "Current Nature Notes. Flinders Chase, Kangaroo Island."] ''Townsville Daily Bulletin'', Queensland, Australia (1953-04-25). Retrieved 2014-03-13.</ref> It is believed that these colonies have since gone extinct, partly due to the increase of  [[Arctocephalus forsteri|long-nosed fur seal]] populations after the end of commercial sealing. In 1886, little penguins were seen at Admiral's Arch.<ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article45851763 "Trip across Kangaroo Island"] ''South Australian Register'', South Australia (1886-12-07). Retrieved 2014-03-13.</ref>

==Geological monuments==<!-- This section is linked to from [[Remarkable Rocks]] -->
[[File:Remarkable Rocks granite dome.jpg | thumb | upright 1.5 | The Remarkable Rocks granite dome.  The boardwalk was built after the 2020 fires.]]

The national park contains two geological features that have been listed as geological monuments by the [[Geological Society of Australia]]: [[Cape du Couedic]] and Remarkable Rocks.<ref>{{Citation | author1=Kangaroo Island Natural Resources Management Board | title=Here to stay for our children and grandchildren : a natural resources management plan for the Kangaroo Island region 2009| year=2008|volume=1|pages=88–89 | publication-date=2009|url= http://www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/files/6c638870-9796-48ce-b54d-a1e300902b8e/vol-1-state-of-the-region-2009-plan.pdf | publisher=Kangaroo Island Natural Resources Management Board | isbn=978-1-921595-00-4 }}</ref>

'''Remarkable Rocks''' are naturally sculptured formations precariously balanced atop a granite outcrop. They remind visitors of the sculptures of [[Henry Moore]].<ref name="ReidWashingtonPost">{{cite news|url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/10/AR2009071001673.html |title= Kangaroo Island Will Drive You Wild |author= Alice Reid |newspaper= [[The Washington Post]] |date= 12 July 2009 |quote= The "Remarkable Rocks," as they are called, are a collection of enormous eroded granite boulders sitting atop a giant dome of lava coughed up about 200 million years ago. Wind and sea spray have since carved the chunks into what look like monumental Henry Moore sculptures perched 200 feet above a crashing sea. }}</ref>

==Fire==
Lightning strikes on Thursday 6 December 2007 caused approximately {{convert|60000|ha}} of land in both the national park and the adjoining Ravine des Casoars Wilderness Protection Area to be burnt, before being brought under control ten days later.<ref name="FMP">{{cite web |title=Flinders Chase Fire Management Plan 2009-2014 (Incorporating Flinders Chase National Park, Ravine des Casoars Wilderness Protection Area, Cape Bouguer Wilderness Protection Area and Kelly Hill Conservation Park) |url=https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/sharedassets/public/fire_management/fire-management-plan-flinders-chase-plan.pdf |publisher=Department for Environment and Heritage, Government of South Australia |access-date=8 January 2020 |page=14 |date=September 2009}}</ref> The national park was again damaged during the [[2019–20 Australian bushfire season]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/gallery/2020/jan/08/scorched-earth-the-bushfire-devastation-on-kangaroo-island-in-pictures|title = Scorched earth: The bushfire devastation on Kangaroo Island – in pictures|newspaper = The Guardian|date = 7 January 2020}}</ref> with the Visitor Centre  completely destroyed.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Australia kangaroo island echidna.jpg|An [[echidna]] at Flinders Chase National Park
Image:Remarkable Rocks 03.jpg |Remarkable Rocks
Image:Admirals arch kangaroo island.jpg|Admirals Arch
Image:Flinders Chase NP 1.jpg|View from Bunker Hill lookout
File:Kangaroo_Island-kangaroo.jpg|[[Western grey kangaroo]]
Image:Cape de Couedic.jpg|Cape de Couedic
File:Flinders Chase Visitor Centre.jpg|Flinders Chase Visitor Centre
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Protected areas of South Australia]]
*''[[Loch Vennachar]]''
*[[2007 Kangaroo Island bushfires]]
*[[Rocky River (Kangaroo Island)]] 
*[[Field Naturalists Society of South Australia]]
{{Clear}}

==Notes and references==
{{Notelist}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{commons category-inline|Flinders Chase National Park}}
*{{wikivoyage-inline|Kangaroo Island}}
*[https://www.parks.sa.gov.au/parks/flinders-chase-national-park Flinders Chase National Park official webpage]
*[http://www.protectedplanet.net/313936 Flinders Chase National Park webpage on protected planet]

{{Kangaroo Island}}
{{Protected areas of South Australia|state=collapsed}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:National parks of South Australia]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Kangaroo Island]]
[[Category:Wildlife sanctuaries of Australia]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1919]]
[[Category:1919 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Penguin colonies]]