[8][9] Much of the land surrounding the current park was cleared years ago for agriculture,[10] but a few rocky outcrops, not suitable for farming practices, preserved fragments of the original vegetation.

[16] A focus within the park has been the protection of the Malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata), a native bird species that originally inhabited much of the natural mallee environment.

Malleefowl are easy prey for common predators such as foxes and feral cats and are now only found at a handful of sites across Australia, including Ferries McDonald (CP).

[18] The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), with the help of volunteer groups, carry out operations within Ferries McDonald Conservation Park and the surrounding region aimed at minimising the fuel load and subsequently the risk of a bushfire.

[21] Like most parts of the Australian landscape, Ferries McDonald Conservation Park has populations of introduced species, including feral cats, foxes and rabbits.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources practices baiting programs that aim to eradicate pest species within the Murray Darling Basin.