The Big Desert Wilderness Park is a
protected area
Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural or cultural values. Protected areas are those areas in which human presence or the exploitation of natural resources (e.g. firewood ...
in the Australian state of Victoria, Australia located in the state's west adjoining the border with
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...
. It is the oldest of Victoria's three wilderness parks.
The wilderness park consists of an area of ,
[ with no vehicular access, and no defined walking tracks. It includes part of the Big Desert and also adjoins Ninety Mile Desert across the border in South Australia. As it is a dedicated wilderness area, there are no facilities of any kind, including toilets or campsites. However, hiking and small fuel stoves are permitted. The wilderness park is overlapped by the Wyperfeld, Big Desert and Ngarkat Important Bird Area which identified as such by ]BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global partnership of non-governmental organizations that strives to conserve birds and their habitats. BirdLife International's priorities include preventing extinction of bird species, identifying and safeguarding i ...
because of its importance for the conservation of malleefowl
The malleefowl (''Leipoa ocellata'') is a stocky ground-dwelling Australian bird about the size of a domestic chicken (to which it is distantly related). It is notable for the large nesting mounds constructed by the males and lack of parental ca ...
and other species of mallee birds.
A large bushfire
A wildfire, forest fire, or a bushfire is an unplanned and uncontrolled fire in an area of Combustibility and flammability, combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identified as a ...
was ignited by lightning
Lightning is a natural phenomenon consisting of electrostatic discharges occurring through the atmosphere between two electrically charged regions. One or both regions are within the atmosphere, with the second region sometimes occurring on ...
in the park in 2002 then spread rapidly due to strong winds and dry fuel. The fire soon joined another in the adjoining Wyperfield National Park and an area of was burned out. The fire burned for two weeks resulting in the loss of an abandoned house and of private property.
See also
* Protected areas of Victoria
Victoria is the smallest mainland state in Australia. it contained separate protected areas with a total land area of (17.64% of the state's area).
The parks are managed by Parks Victoria, a state government agency. There are also many sma ...
External links
Parks Victoria
References
Parks of Grampians (region)
Parks of Loddon Mallee (region)
Wilderness parks of Victoria (state)
Mallee Woodlands and Shrublands
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