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Murray River National Park

Murray River National Park is a protected area in South Australia located around north east of the Adelaide city centre, lying along the Murray River. The national park is classified as an IUCN Category VI protected area. The national park comprises more than , and includes a vast network of Murray River wetlands and floodplains.

History

The Murray River National Park was proclaimed as a national park on 20 June 1991 under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972, "to conserve a significant proportion of South Australia’s floodplain environments which are not represented widely in other reserve systems".

The national park originally consisted of three sections: Katarapko, Lyrup Flats, and Bulyong. Three more were added later.

Description

Murray River National Park is located around north east of the Adelaide city centre, along the Murray River. the national park comprises more than , and includes a vast network of Murray River wetlands and floodplains. The park is classified as an IUCN Category VI protected area.

The park consists of six sections, all of which adjoin the Murray River, extending from near Loxton in the south west to near Renmark in the north-east:

  • Katarapko (), on the north side of the river between Loxton in the south and Berri in the north
  • Lyrup Flats (), on the north side of the river midway between Berri and Loxton
  • Bulyong, or Bulyong Island, on the west side of the river upstream from Renmark, accessible only by boat
  • Paringa Paddock (), including Goat Island, between Renmark and Paringa
  • Gurra Gurra (), just across the river south of Berri, directly opposite Katarapko
  • Kingston-on-Murray (), next to the township of Kingston-on-Murray

Katarapko derives its name from Katara­p­ko Creek, which is one of two significant streams flowing through the park; the other is Eck­erts Creek. Both are very impor­tant habi­tats for native fish, and good for canoeing The Ngak Indau Wetland trail has a bird hide. Kat­fish Reach is a com­mu­ni­ty envi­ron­men­tal reha­bil­i­ta­tion project that encom­pass­es the Katara­p­ko and Eck­ert Creek area.

Paringa Pad­dock, located between Ren­mark and Paringa, includes Goat Island, and con­tains areas of river­ine wood­lands, wet­lands, and riv­er flats.

The protected areas provide for a number recreational activities such as walking, bike riding, canoeing, bird-watching and bush camping. There are parking facilities, designated camping areas with some toilets, walking trails, and a self-guided drive trail.

The 2023 management plan for the national park includes plans for the management of Rilli Island, Media Island, and Kapunda Island Conservation Parks, which are adjacent to Katarapko.

Goat Island

In 2021, a group of people in the Riverland region started a campaign to rename Goat Island to Ruby Hunter Island, to honour the legacy of singer-songwriter Ruby Hunter, who was born on the island in 1955, as Aboriginal people were not allowed to give birth in the local hospital at that time. As Goat Island is part of the Murray River National Park, the Department for Environment and Water has the final say. In February 2025 a consultation process was undertaken by the Department for Housing and Urban Development, but no decision had been made by March 2026. Ruby Hunter Foundation chair Cheryl Norris, diagnosed with a terminal illness in early 2026, expressed a wish to get it done while Ruby's brothers Wally (Eric Richards) and Jeff Hunter were still alive.

See also

References

External links