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Black Hill Conservation Park

Black Hill Conservation Park is located 10 km northeast of the Adelaide GPO, in South Australia. The park covers an area of 684 ha and is bounded to the north by the valley of the River Torrens and Gorge Road. To the south it joins Morialta Conservation Park by Fifth Creek and Montacute Road. The suburb of Athelstone adjoins the western boundary of the park while agricultural and quarrying activity occurs along the eastern boundary.

Ambers Gully
Ambers Gully

The park conserves spectacular rugged ridges and offers gully scenery. A comprehensive network of management tracks and walking trails exists in the park. A wide variety of native plant species inhabit the park, ranging from giant River Red Gums Eucalyptus camaldulensis var. camaldulensis in the valleys, to low heath plants on the ridge tops. Common amongst the heaths are the low sheoaks, which give Black Hill its name. The foliage of the sheoaks gradually matures to a dark rusty, almost black colour, as summer progresses. Looking from the Adelaide Plains, the hill appears to be black in colour.

Below Black Hill, on the flatter land, various developments have been established including the landscaped Wildflower Garden, and our Lofty/Barossa District Office, which administers a number of surrounding parks.

The park is contained within the scope of The Greater Mount Lofty Parklands - Yurrebilla and forms an integral part of these parklands that link reserves across the Mount Lofty Ranges and Hills Face Zone. The Yurrebilla Parklands provide biodiversity and recreational links between a variety of land tenures to form a ‘second generation’ of parklands around the city of Adelaide complementing initiatives under the Parklands 21 initiative.

The land contained within The Greater Mount Lofty Parklands - Yurrebilla and parks like Black Hill is critical to the survival of many threatened plants, animals and ecological communities found nowhere else in the state. Additionally, a dedicated network of trails will directly link local areas to the Parklands network through key parks and reserves. These corridors will increase opportunities for the community to access a diverse range of recreational, educational, spiritual and cultural activities in different locations throughout the Parklands.

Climate

Ambers Gully woodland
Ambers Gully woodland

The park is subject to cool wet winters with warm to hot dry summers. The average summer maximum temperature during January and February is 28 ° Celsius. The winter average temperature is around 17 ° Celsius.

The average annual rainfall ranges from 640 mm near Athelstone to 944 mm near Norton Summit where rain-bearing clouds, moving over the Adelaide Plains, are forced up by the Mt Lofty Ranges resulting in increased rainfall. Rainfall occurs mainly in the May to September winter period, although late spring and summer thunderstorms are not uncommon.

Wind direction differs from Adelaide, with the regular occurrence of gully winds from the top of the ranges to the plain during the summer months. These cooler late afternoon and evening winds are often quite strong and can provide relief after hot days.

Contact

Lofty/Barossa District Office
Black Hill Conservation Park
115 Maryvale Road
Athelstone SA 5076
Australia

Phone: (61 8) 8336 0901
Fax: (61 8) 8336 0900
Email: Lofty Barossa

In case of after hours emergency call the duty officer pager 1300 650 411 and quote pager number 465281 or during business hours the Department for Environment and Heritage on (61 8) 8204 9000.

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