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About Marino Conservation Park
Marino Conservation Park is a protected area in the Australian state of South Australia located in the Adelaide suburb of Marino, overlooking both parts of the Adelaide metropolitan area and the coastline with Gulf St Vincent.
Situated on the lands of the Aboriginal Kaurna people, the Marino Conservation Park and surrounding areas are part of the Tjilbruke dreamtime.
Proclaimed in 1989 as a conservation park, it aims to protect flora such as the ground cover desert saw sedge (Gahnia lanigera) and twiggy daisy bush (Olearia ramulosa) and native grass species of genera such as Danthonia and Stipa, and groundcovers that dominate the central and eastern portions of the conservation park. The elegant wattle (Acacia victoriae) can also be seen in the conservation park.
The steep west-facing hillside above the railway line contains a very significant remnant area of coastal heath vegetation, including rare plants such as lemon beauty heads Calocephalus citreus, shiny ground berry (Acrotiche patula) and native apricot (Pittosporum phylliraecoides).
Past land-use practices and introduced exotic plants severely depleted the habitat available for native wildlife. Twenty-nine species of bird including owls, falcons, honeyeaters and rosellas frequent the conservation park. The eastern brown snake and insects also find sanctuary in the remnant vegetation and open space area.
It is accessible via the Marino Rocks railway station, which is nearby. A 1.5 km self-guided botanical trail starts from the car park with two gentle hills to climb. The trail from the car park to the Heath viewing area is suitable for wheelchairs. There are no picnic, toilet or other facilities in the conservation park. Camping is prohibited.
The conservation park has an active Friends of Parks group, mostly locals, who meet regularly on the first and third Thursdays and the last Sunday of each month.
The conservation park is classified as an IUCN Category III protected area.
After the creation of the Glenthorne National Park–Ityamaiitpinna Yarta in 2020, Marino Park Conservation Park became part of the Glenthorne Precinct, along with Hallett Cove Conservation Park, areas of the Field River valley and Happy Valley Reservoir.
Location
Marino Conservation Park is located in South Australia at approximately -35.05265°, 138.5088°. A map pin at these coordinates will take you to the approximate lighthouse site — note that some historic lights are on active marine reserves, islands or private land, and visiting may require a boat or permit.
Visiting Marino Conservation Park
Access to Australian lighthouses varies widely. Some are on publicly accessible headlands with car parks and interpretive signage; others are on remote islands that require chartered boats. Most operational lights managed by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) are not open to the public interior, but the grounds and keepers' cottages at heritage-listed stations are often open during daylight hours.
If you're planning a visit, check with the relevant state parks service or heritage body for current conditions, access restrictions and opening times. Many of Australia's finest lighthouses are within national parks, and fees may apply.
Further reading
Read more on Wikipedia → — used under CC BY-SA 4.0. This article includes contributions from the Wikipedia community.