The protection area is reported as satisfying the definition of a "category II National Park".

[1] The protection area which consists of the majority of the Arkaroola Pastoral Lease and the Mawson Plateau part of the Mount Freeling Pastoral Lease covers an area of about 590 square kilometres (230 square miles).

The former of the two leases which has not been stocked for over 30 years is operated for the purpose of conservation and tourism under the name, Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary.

[1][2][3] Following the public outcry that resulted from Marathon Resources' misconduct in the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary—including the illegal dumping of many tonnes of exploration waste in shallow pits, the South Australian government promised to introduce legislation to ban all mining activities in the sanctuary, with the Premier stating that "we have decided to give the region unprecedented protection".

[4] The protection enacted by the South Australian government prohibits any and all mining within an area roughly coincident with the Arkaroola pastoral lease on which the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary is located.