Editing Torndirrup National Park

{{Use Australian English|date=January 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type                   = protected
| name                   = Torndirrup National Park
| state                  = wa
| iucn_category          = II
| image                  = Albany Gap, Western Australia.jpg
| caption                = The Gap
| image_alt              = 
| local_map              = yes
| zoom                   = 10
| coordinates            = {{coord|35|05|25|S|117|53|29|E|display=inline,title}}
| relief                 = yes
| pushpin_label_position = top
| map_alt                = 
| nearest_town_or_city   = 
| area                   = 39.36
| area_footnotes         = <ref>{{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-all}}</ref>
| established            = 1918
| established_footnotes  = 
| visitation_num         = 
| visitation_year        = 
| visitation_footnotes   = 
| managing_authorities   = [[Department of Parks and Wildlife (Western Australia)|Department of Parks and Wildlife]]
| url                    = dec.wa.gov.au/hotproperty/property/national-parks/torndirrup-national-park.html
}}
'''Torndirrup National Park''' is a national park in the [[Great Southern (Western Australia)|Great Southern region]] of [[Western Australia]], {{convert|400|km|mi|0}} southeast of [[Perth]] and via [[Frenchman Bay Road]] is {{convert|10|km|abbr=on}} south of [[Albany, Western Australia|Albany]].

Torndirrup National Park has many impressive rock formations on the coast. These include the Gap, Natural Bridge and the Blowholes all shaped from the local [[granite]]. The park is along the coast on the west side of [[King George Sound]] and consists of a range of cliffs, gullies, blowholes, beaches and promontories.

==History==
[[Image:Albany Natural Bridge - human figure to scale, Western Australia.jpg|thumb|right|Natural Bridge]]
The area is composed of three major rock types, one of these being [[gneiss]]. The oldest of these was formed 1300-1600 million years ago. This rock type can be seen along the cliff walls of the Gap. The [[granite]]s were formed later as the [[Indo-Australian Plate|Australian Plate]] collided with the [[Antarctic Plate]] 1160 million years ago as molten rock rose to the surface. These granites are visible in the [[Tor (rock formation)|tor]]s atop Stony Hill.

The park was gazetted in 1918, one of the first in [[Western Australia]]. It was later named in 1969 taking the name of the [[Indigenous Australians|Indigenous Australian]] clan that lived in the area. The first [[Park ranger|ranger]] was appointed in 1973.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dec.wa.gov.au/component/option,com_hotproperty/task,view/id,103/|title=Department of Environment and Conservation -Park Finder - Torndirrup National Park|year=2008|access-date=26 September 2010|archive-date=14 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314185113/http://www.dec.wa.gov.au/component/option,com_hotproperty/task,view/id,103/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
The park is the most often visited park in Western Australia,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.about-australia.com/travel-guides/western-australia/australias-south-west/attractions/natural/torndirrup-national-park/|title=About Australia - Torndirrup National Park|year=2010|access-date=16 May 2010}}</ref> with approximately 250,000 visitors per annum.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.australianexplorer.com/torndirrup_national_park.htm|title=Australian Explorer - Torndirrup National Park|year=2009|access-date=16 May 2010}}</ref>

A large bushfire burnt through {{convert|700|ha|acre|0}} of bushland in the area in 2010 and caused the closure of Frenchman Bay Road isolating tourists and residents of the area.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/6939940/albany-residents-lash-authorities-over-fire/|title=Albany residents lash authorities over fire|author=Daniel Mercer|work=[[The West Australian]]|date=16 March 2010|access-date=4 January 2015|publisher=[[Yahoo7]]|archive-date=5 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305135222/https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/6939940/albany-residents-lash-authorities-over-fire/|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2015 another fire burnt out {{convert|616|ha|acre|0}} of bushland between Stony Hill and the Blowholes including destroying important populations of the critically endangered [[Banksia verticillata]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.albanyadvertiser.com.au/?30373815|title=Banksia species burned in national park fire|author=Lisa Morrison|date=15 December 2015|access-date=4 January 2016|work=[[Albany Advertiser]]}}</ref>

==Flora and fauna==
[[File:Banksia Torndirrup.jpg|thumb|[[Banksia grandis]] at Torndirrup]]
A large array of floral species can be found within the park, including the [[Adenanthos sericeus|woolly-bush]], [[Agonis flexuosa|peppermint tree]], swamp [[Eucalyptus cornuta|yate]], various [[banksia]]s and [[karri]] forest. Coastal plants such as native rosemary, banjine and thick leafed fanflower are found in the heath. The park is also home to the very rare [[Adenanthos × cunninghamii|Albany woolly-bush]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=8811|title=Department of Environment - Species profile and threats database|year=2010|access-date=16 May 2010}}</ref> and the critically endangered [[Calectasia cyanea|blue tinsel lily]] of which only a single population exists.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=7669|title=Department of Environment - Species profile and threats database|year=2010|access-date=16 May 2010}}</ref>

Fauna such as [[kangaroo]]s, [[bush rat]]s, [[pygmy possum]]s and [[short-nosed bandicoot]]s are found within the park. Many reptile species are also to be found, including [[tiger snake]]s, [[Echiopsis|bardick]], [[Children's python]] and [[dugite]]s. In 1876 the rare [[dibbler]] was found in the park.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dec.wa.gov.au/component/option,com_hotproperty/task,view/id,103/Itemid,755/|title=Parkfinder - Torndirrup National Park|year=2009|access-date=16 May 2010}}</ref>
Birdlife includes [[honeyeater]]s, [[wattlebird]]s, [[button quail]], [[western rosella]] and a variety of seabirds.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pleasetakemeto.com/australia/torndirrup-national-park/information|title=Peasetakemeto - Torndirrup National Park|year=2009|access-date=16 May 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120907105621/http://www.pleasetakemeto.com/australia/torndirrup-national-park/information|archive-date=7 September 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
[[Whale]]s and [[Pinniped|seal]]s can be seen from the cliffs of the park in the correct season.

The rare and ancient [[Archaeidae|Main's assassin spider]], currently listed as [[threatened]], was found to inhabit the park during a survey conducted in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.verveenergy.com.au/documents/RARE_SPIDER_STUDY_AT_ALBANY_-_MEDIA_RELEASE.pdf|title=Verve Energy Media release - Exciting find of rare assassins spider found on WA South Coast|year=2008|access-date=12 November 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110220003300/http://www.verveenergy.com.au/documents/RARE_SPIDER_STUDY_AT_ALBANY_-_MEDIA_RELEASE.pdf|archive-date=20 February 2011|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==Facilities==
[[File:Torndirrup Peninsula to Bald Head.JPG|thumb|View along walking track out to Torndirrup Peninsula and Bald Head]]
There is an entry fee to access the park. Access to the park is via Frenchman Bay Road, which is sealed and well sign-posted. Access to most features is via sealed roads. No other facilities exist within the park but barbecues, tables, shops and toilets can be found nearby at Frenchman Bay. Entry fees are required to visit the Gap and Natural Bridge.

The park has numerous walks, mostly of a distance of less than {{convert|1500|m|ft|0}}, including the Jimmy Newhills walk and the Stony Hill Heritage Trail walk. The longest trail is the {{convert|10|km|abbr=on}} Bald Head Walk along Flinders [[peninsula]] finishing at Bald Head at the eastern edge of the park.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.australiannationalparks.com/westernaustralia/Torndirrup/default.htm|title=Australian National Parks - Torndirrup National Park|year=2009|access-date=16 May 2010}}</ref>

A {{AUD}}6.1 million upgrade of facilities at the Gap and the Natural Bridge opened in 2016. The redevelopment included two universally accessible lookout structures, connecting paths, a picnic area, interpretive signage and a car park. A [[cantilevered]] grated see-through platform at the Gap rises almost {{convert|40|m|ft|0}} above the [[Southern Ocean]] (also known as Antarctic Ocean) and extends {{convert|10|m|ft|abbr=on}} out from the cliff face, of which {{convert|4|m|ft|abbr=on}} is directly above the ocean.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/Barnett/2016/04/New-park-lookout-open-at-The-Gap-near-Albany.aspx|work=Media Statement|title=New park lookout open at The Gap near Albany|date=10 April 2016|publisher=[[Government of Western Australia]]|access-date=20 June 2016|archive-date=23 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210923172612/https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/Barnett/2016/04/New-park-lookout-open-at-The-Gap-near-Albany.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-11/daring-cantilevered-lookout-opens-in-western-australia/7316078|title=Daring cantilevered lookout opens in Western Australia following construction delays|author=Leah McLennan|date=11 April 2016|publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]}}</ref>

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

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{commons category}}

{{National Parks of Western Australia}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:National parks of Western Australia]]
[[Category:City of Albany, Western Australia]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1968]]
[[Category:Warren bioregion]]