Mokota Conservation Park

Images ©:
Jean Turner
Area Data 
https://grasslands.ecolinc.vic.edu.au/sites/default/files/Mokota%20Conservatino%20Park.geojson
Description 

The terrain of the park is hilly with ephemeral watercourses and rock outcropping on the ridges. Native vegetation in the park comprises tussock grassland dominated by Hard Mat-rush (Lomandra multiflora ssp dura) over Bunch Wire-grass (Aristida behriana). Various spear (Stipa spp) and wallaby (Danthonia spp) grasses are co-dominant throughout. Due to the high proportion of herbaceous species, the appearance of the grassland changes markedly with the seasons. Vegetation on the northern and western slopes is very patchy. In places the structure is relatively open, with gaps between perennial grass and Lomandra tussocks occupied by a variety of seasonal herbs and soil that is bare or covered with a moss and lichen crust. Elsewhere the vegetation may be much denser, with alien species such as Wild Oats (Avena barbata) occupying the space between native grass tussocks and fewer native herbs. The condition of the vegetation is very variable due to past use for grazing with alien species becoming dominant near dams and on hill tops.

State 
SA
Location 

Mokota Conservation Park is located 5 km east of the township of Mount Bryan in the Clare Valley. 

Facilities 

Interpretive signage, lookout, walking trails

Size 
455 ha
Owner 
South Australian Government
Manager 
National Parks South Australia
Contacts 

National Parks South Australia  (+61 8) 8892 3025

History 

The Ngadjuri people occupied land in the North Mount Lofty Ranges, including the park, which was probably used for hunting or foraging. They may have burnt the grasslands from time to time as early settlers reported frequent fires in grasslands during the heat of summer. The area was described by the first surveyor in 1860 as good pastoral land and soon became freehold land that was grazed from the 1860’s until acquisition for conservation in 1999. The park was never cultivated and the previous landowner indicated it was grazed at a rate of approximately one lambing ewe per hectare between May and September each year.  Lack of cultivation, consistently low stocking rate and minimal application of fertiliser, along with the yearly removal of stock at the start of spring are believed to be responsible for the high biodiversity values of the native grassland. 

Signifigance 

Three nationally threatened species occur within the park,  the Flinders Worm Lizard (Aprasia pseudopulchella), Small Scurf-pea (Cullen parvum) and Trailing Hop-bush (Dodonaea procumbens). The rare white spotted skipper butterfly listed as vulnerable also occurs. 

Management activities and priorities 

In autumn of 1996, the northern and western slopes of the park up to an altitude of about 650 metres were burnt. Vegetation monitoring. Weed control.

Local Requests 

Park may be closed on days of extreme fire danger.

No camping or campfires

Flora Species 

150 flora species