Around one hour’s drive from the city of Adelaide you will find the tranquil refuge of Monarto Conservation Park.

Situated in the rain shadow of the Southern Mount Lofty Ranges to the west, it has just over half the average annual rainfall of Adelaide, and is considered semi-arid – a stark contrast to the nearby Hills environment. The River Murray is 15km to the east and Lake Alexandrina is 15km southward.

Hinting at the park’s geological history, sandy ridges in this area of the Murray Plains reveal that it was once part of the ocean bed.

The thickets of mallee woodland and dry heathland provide alluring opportunities for those wishing to escape the hustle and meander amongst the vegetation in the hope of spotting southern scrub-robin and the shy heathwren. If particularly patient, visitors may also be rewarded with a spotted harrier hovering above the adjacent pasture lands. A variety of other species have been recorded in the park including the purple-gaped honey eater, spotted pardoldote, malleefowl, weebill and white-browed babler. This Park is a ‘birdo’s’ paradise!