Adelaide Hills - Protected Areas

Protected Areas

The Hills region also has many conservation parks, including the Cleland Conservation Park with its free roaming kangaroos, wallabies and emus. The park also has enclosed areas for dingos, koalas, native birds & snakes, and is a popular destination for school groups as well as international visitors. Many native species of fauna can be encountered within the hills region. Among the more common species include the Kookaburra, Tawny Frogmouth, Southern brown bandicoot, Kangaroo, Brown Tree Frog, and Bearded Dragon. Several of the less common species include the Antechinus (Morialta Conservation Park), Heath Monitor (Scott Creek Conservation Park) and the very rare Inland Carpet Python (greater Mount Barker region). Many walking trails, including a portion of the Heysen Trail and bike trails, including the start of the Mawson Trail abound within the Hills. The Heysen Trail itself extends from the tip of the Fleurieau Peninsula, through the Adelaide Hills and on up to the Flinders Ranges, three hours drive north of Adelaide. Birds found in the Hills include some of the best-known Australian parrots such as the Adelaide Rosella, Rainbow and Musk Lorikeets as well as large cockatoos like the Major Mitchell, and the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo. Smaller but no less spectacular are the Superb Blue Wren and Eastern Spinebill.