Watheroo National Park
| Watheroo National Park Western Australia | |
|---|---|
|
IUCN category II (national park) | |
  Watheroo National Park | |
| Nearest town or city | Moora |
| Coordinates | 30°14′24″S 115°52′43″E / 30.24000°S 115.87861°ECoordinates: 30°14′24″S 115°52′43″E / 30.24000°S 115.87861°E |
| Established | 1969 |
| Area | 444.81 km2 (171.7 sq mi)[1] |
| Managing authorities | Department of Environment and Conservation |
| Website | Watheroo National Park |
| See also |
List of protected areas of Western Australia |
Watheroo National Park is a national park in Western Australia (Australia), 187 km north of Perth. It contains Jingemia Cave.
The park is situated in the Mid West region of Western Australia to the west of the Midlands Road between the towns of Badgingarra to the west and Dalwallinu to the east. The border of the park abuts Pinjarrega Nature Reserve to the north but is otherwise surrounded by farmland. Low Creek borders the park to the east which them flows south to join Moore River.
The park is mostly composed of sand plain country which supports populations of heath, Mallee and Banksia and a large number of wildflowers. Eucalypt stands can be found to the western end of the park.[2] other species include the spinifex, wandoo and yorm gum. Some of the wildflowers found within the park include Kwongan, the Bush Cauliflower and the Scarlet featherflower.[3]
The name of the park comes from the Indigenous Australian name of a nearby spring, it is also the name of a town located to the east of the park.[4]
Composed mostly of quartz based sand with outcrops of sandstone at times having a laterite cap the area acts as a basin between the Dandaragan plateau and the Darling plateau.[5]
In 2010, the Environmental Protection Authority of Western Australia gave approval to survey the Warro gas field that is located beneath the park. The company Latent Petroleum were given permission to conduct a seismic survey allowing them to drive over vegetation.[6]
References
- ↑ "Department of Environment and Conservation 2009–2010 Annual Report". Department of Environment and Conservation. 2010: 48. ISSN 1835-114X.
- ↑ "Department of Environment - Watheroo National Park". 2007. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
- ↑ "Australia's Golden Outback - Watheroo National Park". 2009. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
- ↑ Western Australian Land Information Authority. "History of country town names – W". Retrieved 15 November 2010.
- ↑ "Watheroo National Park (Place ID 10192)". Australian Heritage Database. Department of the Environment. 1991. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
- ↑ "ABC News Park survey gets conditional approval". 2010. Retrieved 14 November 2010.