It conserves a significant area of natural bushland on the Adelaide Hills face, including Mount Lofty Summit and Waterfall Gully.

[5][6] The primary objective for Category II is "to protect natural biodiversity along with its underlying ecological structure and supporting environmental processes, and to promote education and recreation".

[4] The conservation park was named for Sir John Burton Cleland (1878–1971), a renowned naturalist, microbiologist, mycologist and ornithologist, and member of the Royal Society of South Australia.

The draft plan also includes possible tourist accommodation areas, on land currently within the Wildlife Park, but away from the animal enclosures.

[14] The conservation park occupies land in the gazetted suburbs of Cleland, Crafers and Waterfall Gully.

[15] By far the largest part of the park consists of bushland, mostly woodland with some open spaces where clearing has taken place.

[19] The NPW Act provides for the establishment and administration of reserves for conservation of wildlife in a natural environment, public benefit and pleasure and for other purposes.

[23] The park allows visitors to get close to the native animals in their natural environment,[22] and offers a number of experiences such as being photographed while holding a koala, interacting with reptiles every day of the week, observing and listening to the keepers at feeding times, meeting a short-beaked echidna, various guided day and night walks and children's experiences.

[24] Wandering around the enclosures, some of the animals are able to be patted, such as the kangaroos (red and western grey) and swamp wallabies.