[1][4] The game reserve consisted of the following land both on Katarapko Island within the floodplain of the Murray River and to the island’s immediate west and north both on the floodplain and adjacent high ground - sections 73 to 79, 89 and 91 to 94 in the Cobdogla Irrigation Area in the cadastral unit of the Hundred of Katarapko, and section 1958 in the Berri Irrigation Area, “Out of Hundreds.”[5]: Foreword, Figure 3  As of 1980, the game reserve covered an area of 40.63 square kilometres (15.69 sq mi).

[4] The land first received protected area status in 1970 when the full extent of Katarapko Island received protection under two separate state statutes: one part of the island (i.e. section 73) was declared simultaneously as a fauna conservation reserve and as a game reserve under the Fauna Conservation Act 1964 while the remainder (i.e. section 74) was declared as the Katarapko National Park under the National Park Act 1966.

However, this document did not proceed because of “significant public opposition” to proposals for “roads, a visitor centre and a staff residence” located within the game reserve.

The proposed works were not included in the management plan for the game reserve’s successor, the Murray River National Park, which published in 1994 for the additional reason of cost due to the “present stringent economic climate.”[13][5]: foreword On 20 June 1991, the game reserve was abolished, and all of its land holding was constituted under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 as the Murray River National Park.

The reserve is open for a limited duck shooting season and is a popular recreation area, particularly for fishing.