SA's western parks on show in August

Stretching from Ceduna to the Western Australia border, these parks - known for their rugged beauty, dramatic landscapes and pristine coastline - are being celebrated as the National Parks and Wildlife Service’s (NPWS) August Park of the Month.

A major highlight in the area is the Far West Coast Marine Park, which is one of the best places in the world to witness the annual migration of southern right whales. Each year between May and October the whales gather in these waters to breed and give birth to their young.

NPWS Ranger Robert Sleep has lived in the Far West his entire life and said he was lucky to call the amazing region his home.

“It is a long way from Adelaide, but it’s absolutely worth the effort to make the trip to see what this part of the world has to offer,” Mr Sleep said.

“If you are looking to get adventurous and really connect with this wild landscape, several parks in the region are great for camping, bird watching, whale watching, surfing and fishing.

“I love all our parks for different reasons, but my favourite is probably Fowlers Bay Conservation Park because of its rugged natural beauty and incredible variety of things you can discover and do.”

Mr Sleep said travellers should make sure they are well prepared and self-sufficient as there are limited facilities in several parks, and many are only accessible with a 4-wheel-drive vehicle.

To celebrate these magnificent parks, NPWS has put together a great program of activities and online resources:

• Ranger pop-up station at the Head of the Bight Visitor Centre
• ‘Sea lion spotter’ citizen science project
• Northern Eyre Peninsula - ‘Road Trip Challenge’ family activity sheet
• Southern right whale - Marine mammal activity sheet
• Australian sea lion - Marine mammal activity sheet

For more information and bookings, visit: www.parks.sa.gov.au/park-of-the-month