Protected areas of South Australia

[5] As of 2021, the following conservation parks had been declared:[8] [note 3] Former conservation parks include Cape Hart, Cape Torrens, Cleland, Ediacara, Eurilla, Investigator Group, Isles of St Francis, Mount Rescue, Mount Shaugh, Munga-Thirri–Simpson Desert Conservation Park, Naracoorte Caves, Port Gawler and Scorpion Springs, Spaniards Gully, Telowie Gorge, Western River, and Wirrabara Range.

[1] The Forestry Act 1950 allows for the declaration of forest reserves for "purposes relating to the conservation, development and management of land supporting native flora and fauna ...." Native forest reserves are administered by the South Australian Forestry Corporation (trading as ForestrySA) which is a wholly owned state government business.

[12][13][14] As of 2014, the following native forest reserves, located in the Southern Flinders Ranges, the Mount Lofty Ranges and the Limestone Coast, had been declared:[14][15] The Wilderness Protection Act 1992 was established in 1992 to provide for "the protection of wilderness and the restoration of land to its condition before European colonisation".

They were established "to protect the habitat, ecosystems and communities of the rich variety of underwater organisms found in the marine and estuarine waters of South Australia".

The reserves, which are considered to be IUCN Category II protected areas, are as follows:[25][26] Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary (ADS) is a sanctuary area intended to protect the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) population residing in the Port Adelaide River estuary and Barker Inlet as well as protecting and enhancing the Port Adelaide River estuary and Barker Inlet.

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

In return, the Minister may agree to reduce statutory fees such as local government rates or offer assistance in terms of funding of works such as fencing or provision of expert advice to "protecting and improving the conservation value of the heritage agreement area".

Land covered by heritage agreements is considered to meet IUCN Category III.

[34] As of 2015, Naracoorte Caves National Park was the sole World Heritage Site located in South Australia.

The listing acknowledged the fossil assemblages present at both sites to be a "superb illustration of the key stages of evolution of Australia’s unique fauna".

Two of its components are Calperum and Taylorville stations, which were respectively purchased by the Chicago Zoological Society in 1993 and the Australian Landscape Trust in 2000, with ownership being deeded to the Director of National Parks.