140804shackle road self guided drive broch (1)
TRANSCRIPT
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Flinders Chase
National ParkShackle Roadself-guided drive
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2 Shackle Road self-guided drive
This self-guided nature drive on the rugged western end of
Kangaroo Island will take you from Flinders Chase Visitor Centre
to Cape Borda Lightstation (or vice versa) via Shackle Road and
Playford Highway. Allow at least two hours to complete the drive
or a full day to really explore.
To gain a greater understanding of the natural history of
Flinders Chase National Park and Ravine des Casoars Wilderness
Protection Area, follow the map in this guide. The trail symbol of
a yacca and the stop number, mark designated stops at points
of interest along the drive.
Why not plan your drive to end or start with a guided tour of the
Lightstation and museum at Cape Borda? Tour times are available
from Natural Resources Kangaroo Island (NRKI) offices and
visitor centres. If you have more time, consider an
overnight stay at Cape Bordas heritage
accommodation, or camp at nearby Harveys
Return. Contact Flinders Chase Visitor Centre
on (08) 8553 4410 for bookings.
In 1907 a track was put through to
connect Cape du Couedic Lightstation to
the Cape Borda Kingscote telephone
line. This line was completed in 1911and the track is now Shackle Road.
Please notethis drive traverses dirt
roads. These narrow, winding dirt roads
have a loose surface, that is corrugated
and slippery when wet. Please adjust your
driving speed to suit the conditions and
watch out for wildlife. Shackle Road will be
closed during winter months and at timeswhen it is not passable to 2WD vehicles. Reduce
your speed and watch out for wildlife.
Introduction
yacca xanthorrhoea sp
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Shackle Road self-guided drive 3
National Park
Wilderness Protection Area
NP
WPA
Shackle Road drive
Location
Cape Borda
Scotts Cove
Flinders ChaseVisitor CentreFlinders ChaseVisitor Centre
Maupertuis Bay
112233
44
55
66
77
88
910
1112
Ravine des Casoars
Stops812
0 km 10
10
Unsealed road
Major sealed road
Walking trail(referred to in stop 12)
Shackle Road drive
Cape du Couedic
West Bay
Ravine des CasoarsWilderness Protection Area
Cape Torrens
Harveys Return
Self registration station
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4 Shackle Road self-guided drive
This is the home of the common termite
(Nasutitermes exitiosus).These moundsappear to be soft on the outside but
contain extremely hard tunnels and
chambers, constructed by the worker
termites, using a cementing compound
contained in their saliva mixed with soil
and cellulose.
The interiors of these mounds, which are
a constant 2530C, also play an
important role as incubators for goanna
eggs. The heath goanna (Varanus
rosenbergi), Kangaroo Islands only
goanna, lays up to fourteen eggs in early
February in the base of mounds. The hole
created by the strong claws of the female
goanna is miraculously repaired within a
few days by termites.
In September the young goannas hatch
and dig themselves out. Ravens (Corvuscoronoides and C. mellori), Australian
magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen)and grey
currawongs (Strepera versicolor)prey on
the young as they emerge from the
termite mounds.
Stop 1- Natures incubators
Can you see an unusual cone-shaped mound of
soil in the clearing?
Termites break down plant material and cycle
nutrients through the environment.
Grey currawong
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Shackle Road self-guided drive 5
Rosenberg heath goanna
Goannas are unable to regulate their own
body temperature internally, and need tobask in the sun for at least half an hour
(longer on overcast days) before becoming
active. Please drive slowly as they may be
sluggish and unable to avoid your vehicle.
The trees in this area are mostly swamp
gums (Eucalyptus ovata)and are found in
the poorly drained areas of western
Kangaroo Island. Their botanical name
refers to their oval shaped leaves. Swamp
gums, along with manna gums
(Eucalyptus viminalis ssp. Cygnetensis)are
the preferred browsing trees of the koala
(Phascolarctos cinereus), which was
introduced to the island in 1923 and
commonly found in this area.
Swamp gum
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6 Shackle Road self-guided drive
Rocky River is one of the few rivers in
South Australia where the entire catchment
lies within a protected area. This provides a
unique opportunity to maintain much of
the rich biodiversity of the park.
A 50 m walk downstream along the
Rocky River Hike will take you to a
seasonal waterhole (dry in late summer
and autumn). Platypus (Ornithorhynchus
anatinus)are well established in the Rocky
and Breakneck rivers, and waterholes such
as this are ideal feeding areas. Patient
observers may see them feeding during
the day, but you may wish to return to
this spot at dawn or dusk as these are
their preferred feeding times.
Platypus were introduced from the
mainland to Flinders Chase during the
1920s and 1940s. The practice of
importing rapidly disappearing mainland
species for protection ceased in the
1950s. Today Flinders Chase National Park
is seen as having a valuable conservation
function in its own right.
Stop 2- Few of a kind
Platypus
The striking scarlet
bottlebrush (Callistemon
rugulosus) which flowers in
spring, grows in this area.
Native cherry
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Shackle Road self-guided drive 7
by their light grey and white trunks and
narrow leaves. The oval-leaved swamp
gums you saw at the previous stop also
occur along the river. Can you spot them?
While you are enjoying this serene location,
why not sit quietly and listen to the many
bird calls. You may be surprised how many
different birds can be detected by their call.
Can you hear the raucous but distinctive
K-jilk K-jilk or E-gypt E-gypt call of the
crescent honeyeater (Phylidonyris
pyrrhoptera).
The light green, drooping trees on the river
bank are native cherry trees (Exocarpos
cupressiformis). These trees parasitise the
roots of other trees, such as the tall,
graceful pink gums (Eucalyptus fasciculosa)
in the area. Pink gums can be recognised
Look for the prickly Christmas bush
(Bursaria spinosa) a tall shrub in this area
with clusters of creamy flowers, which
commence in December.
Crescent honeyeater on
pink gum
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8 Shackle Road self-guided drive
Crimson rosella
Stop 3- Objects of erce competition
The tall trees in this area are sugar gums
(Eucalyptus cladocalyx). The common name
refers to a sugar compound present in the
leaves of young trees giving them a sweet
taste. Sugar gums are easily recognised by
the unique clumping of adult foliage at the
ends of the branches, which gives a storiedumbrella effect. Look for these trees as you
continue your journey.
The tall, gnarled trunks provide many
hollows for which competition is fierce.
Common brushtail possums (Trichosurus
vulpecular)make a home here, while birds
such as galahs (Cacatua roseicapilla),
rainbow lorikeets (Trichoglossus
haematodus)and crimson rosellas
(Platycercus elegans)use these hollows
when nesting.
On Kangaroo Island, sugar gums are
essential nesting trees for the threatened
glossy black-cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus
lathami halmaturinus). The trunks of their
nesting trees are collared with sheets of
iron to prevent possums from climbing up
and taking over the nesting hollows. Feral
bees create extra pressure for these
hollows as they establish
their hives there.
Rainbow lorikeet
Sugar gum
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Shackle Road self-guided drive 9
Many species of orchids (which flower inlate winter and spring) occur under these
trees. A careful, observant walk will spot
these beautiful delicate plants.
The pale green bush, which is a common
understorey to the sugar gum trees at
this stop, is wallaby bush (Choretrum
glomeratum var. glomeratum). This plant
belongs to the same family as the native
cherry referred to at Stop 2 and is
another parasitic feeder. Tammar
wallabies(Macropus eugenii)find the
green berries extremely palatable, hence
the common name for this plant. If you
drive through this area after dark you may
be lucky enough to see tammar wallabies
nibbling delicately on these plants.
Pink fairy orchid
Mayfly orchidMosquito orchid
Tammar
wallaby
Wallaby bush
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10 Shackle Road self-guided drive
Stop 4- Firebreaks
Bushfires are part of the cycle of life for
Kangaroo Island and evidence of previous
fires can be seen throughout Flinders
Chase National Park. The most recent fire
in December 2007 was started by
lightning and burned around 65% of
Flinders Chase National Park.
Shackle Road plays an important role in
fire management within the park by being
a firebreak. To safely manage fuel hazard
levels, prescribed (planned) fires are used.
Our trained specialists decide where,
when and under what conditions burns
will be managed. Regular fuel reduction
operations are undertaken along the
length of Shackle Road.
Can you see the tall yacca or grass tree
(Xanthorrhoea semiplana tateana)on the
edge of the firebreak? Yaccas are very
long-lived plants, growing only one
centimetre per year, so if you see one over
two metres high it means it is about
200 years of age. The long flower spikes
often grow following fires and may shoot
to 3.5 metres tall in about three months.
After fire, birds and pygmy-possums
pollinate the thousands of individual
flowers, and the seeds are then dispersed
onto the nutrient rich ash. The botanical
name refers to the gum which flows from
the stem. This may be found as dried hard
balls on the tall, black trunk.
Yacca
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Shackle Road self-guided drive 11
Dark bush-pea
Brush bronzewing
used to manufacture explosives. Duringthe First World War several hundred
tonnes of yacca gum were ordered by
England and America. Yacca gum is also
used in the manufacture of wood stains
and fireworks.
Bronzewing pigeons (Phaps chalcoptera
and P. elegans)and beautiful firetail
finches (Stagonopleura bella)are common
in this area, as they feed on the seed of
the bush-peas (Pultenaea spp.)that
grow here.
Kangaroo Island bush-pea
Beautiful firetail
The green carpenter bee (the largest
native bee in southern Australia) nests in
dry flowering stalks of yaccas and in
trunks and branches of dead banksia.
The yacca gum harvesting industry began
as early as 1843 and by the early 1900s
several hundred men were employed. The
gum of the yacca contains a substance
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12 Shackle Road self-guided drive
Stop 5- Ravine des Casoars
Wilderness Protection Area
You are now in the Ravine des Casoars
Wilderness Protection Area, covering
40,000 hectares. The ravine was named by
the explorer Nicolas Baudin in 1802, after
spotting large numbers of Kangaroo Island
emus, that the French believed to be
cassowaries (casoars). These lowironstone hills with steep-sided gullies and
narrow ridges, contain shallow lakes. The
low open mallee woodlands and sugar
gum woodlands cladding the hills provide
a diverse range of habitats. The Breakneck
and Rocky rivers begin within these hills.
The coastal cliffs and scenery of this area
are spectacular.
Ignited by lightning and driven by strong
winds, the fires of 2007 burnt 98% of
Ravine des Casoars Wilderness Protection
Area. Since then, regrowth has been
Tawny-crowned
honeyeater
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Shackle Road self-guided drive 13
spectacular. The fires and recovery have
expanded our understanding of the role of
fire in native bushland.
What does wilderness protection
mean?The Wilderness Protection Act 1992
provides the highest possible protection
for natural land that still retains a
wilderness character, and hence is an
important addition to the suite of land
management legislation in South Australia.
The establishment of a system of
wilderness reserves ensures that these
areas will be preserved in their natural
state for present and future generations
to enjoy.
What can I do in a Wilderness
Protection Area? Visitors may access
some areas on foot and are encouraged to
adopt a tread lightly ethic as outlined in
The Minimum Impact Code for Wilderness
Use in South Australia brochure, available
from the Flinders Chase Visitor Centre.
As you enjoy the view from this spot, you
may be able to see the taller trees such as
sugar gums along the creek lines.
However, dominant species throughout
this area is Kangaroo Island mallee ash
(Eucalyptus remota). This species of mallee
only occurs on western Kangaroo Island. It
flowers in summer and is an important
food source for the many species of nectar
feeding birds and native bees.
Tawny-crowned honeyeaters (Gliciphila
melanops) are easily spotted flitting across
the road. Summer visitors may spot
elegant parrots (Neophema elegans)
flushed from the roadside. The bright
green elegant parrots, which are often
mistaken for budgerigars (Melopsittacus
undulates), feed on the abundant seeds
which have been produced by spring
flowering plants.
Sugar gum
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14 Shackle Road self-guided drive
Common heath
Stop 6- Bullock Waterhole
Look closely at the plants and shrubs in
this area. The reeds and heaths found
here are common in areas where the soil
is poorly drained or swampy. As you
continue your journey you may recognise
these areas by the light green foliage of
swamp wattle (Acacia retinodes).
The soil in these waterlogged areas is
nutrient poor but plants have adapted to
the conditions. The common heath
(Epacris impressa) has formed an
association with a root fungus, which
assists the plant and nutrient uptake in
exchange for sugars obtained from its
roots. If you look carefully in spring and
summer you may see the delicate fairies
apron (Utricularia dichotoma), a small
single-stemmed plant about ankle height
Fairies apron
Swamp wattle
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Shackle Road self-guided drive 15
with two purple petals. This plant,
like the sundews with their sticky leaves,
supplements its nutrient intake by
trapping insects.
Fairies aprons belong to the bladderwort
family and possess modified leaves or
bladders which are suction traps.
An enticing aroma near the bladder
entrance attracts small insects. When the
insects touch a sensitive hair, a door flies
open, sucking the insect inside the bladder.The door immediately closes and the
plant digests the insect. Thankfully these
plants are not people sized!
At the end of the short trail is a natural
spring. In 1907 this waterhole was used
by bullocks during the construction of a
telephone line that connected Cape du
Couedic to Cape Borda and Kingscote.
Please stay on the trail to conserve this
fragile habitat.
Many native animals use the waterhole as
a watering point.
Can you determine which animals have
visited by their tracks and scats?
The New Holland honeyeater (Phylidonyris
novaehollandiae) is common here and
gregarious flocks are often seen. Careful
observers may spot a brown falcon (Falco
berigora), patiently perched on mallee
branches or soaring overhead.
Brown falcon
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16 Shackle Road self-guided drive
Stop 7- Bull Creek
Bull Creek has its catchment entirely
within the Ravine des Casoars Wilderness
Protection Area, and joins with the
Breakneck River system. This vast area of
undisturbed wetland provides ideal habitat
for many species of birds such as rails
(Rallus spp.)and crakes (Porzana spp.).These birds are seldom seen due to their
secretive habits within this dense,
swampy vegetation.
Spotted crake
Cutting grass
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Shackle Road self-guided drive 17
Cinnamon fungus has been identified in
this area.Please help reduce its
spread by not walking off roads or
designated walking tracks.
Phytophthora cinnamomi, known as
cinnamon fungus, is a water mould,
fungus-like organism. It is carried in soil
and water and causes disease and death
to a wide variety of native plant species.
Phytophthora cinnamomiattacks the
roots and stems of susceptible plants
and causes them to rot. The plants are
no longer able to take up sufficient
water and nutrients and die.
This disease spreads quickly through
movement of water in the soil and
slowly from plant to plant by root
contact. People have dramatically
increased its spread by moving soil,
gravel and plants from infested areas
to uninfested areas. It can be
transferred long distances in soil
stuck to the underbodies and
wheels of vehicles and
earthmoving equipment.
Bushwalkers can spread it
with mud sticking to their boots,
tent pegs and toilet trowels.
You can help reduce the spread of
Phytophthora by staying on formed
roads and designated walking tracks and
by using foot hygeine cleaning stations
where provided.
Roads through sensitive areas such as
this pose a threat to the pristine quality
of these wetlands. Silt from the road can
wash into the creek adversely affecting
the vegetation.
Roadsides also provide ideal conditions
for weed introductions and these may
easily be brought in by earthmoving
equipment during maintenance
operations such as grading.
Brown stringybark
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18 Shackle Road self-guided drive
Stop 8- Wildres
Take a few moments to look back over the
way you have come. The vista provides a
wonderful overview of the extent of the
park. While enjoying the view, ponder on
the management issues facing park
managers today. One of the most
challenging and perhaps the mostcontroversial is fire.
Fire is a natural occurrence on Kangaroo
Island and many plants and animal species
have evolved to live with it. Lightning
strikes are responsible for the majority of
wildfires within this park. Kangaroo Islands
native flora has evolved to depend on fire
to reproduce. Some species need heat to
crack open their hard seed capsules; some
need chemicals in the smoke to kick-start
epicormic buds that grow beneath their
bark; others need heat to stimulate
regrowth from underground lignotubers.
Fire also clears the undergrowth and allows
dormant plants to emerge into the
sunlight.
Banksias (Banksia marginateand B. ornate)
are large shrubs found in this area, which
have biologically adapted to thrive in a
fire-prone environment. They have tough,
woody fruits sealed with fire-proof resin
that stops the seeds from falling into the
fire. Banksia seedpods have a winged seed
separator that prevents seeds from falling
onto the ground until after rain.
Desert banksia
Silver banksia
Kangaroo Island dunnart
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Shackle Road self-guided drive 19
The Kangaroo Island dunnart (Sminthopsis
aitkeni), found only on Kangaroo Island,
may prefer vegetation which has been
burnt at different times by fires of
varying intensities, creating a mosaic
effect.
Their seeds get a great start to life by
floating into newly watered, fertile soil
away from competition with other
seedlings.
Banksias take about eight to nine years to
reach maturity. Therefore fires that occur
before new seed set, can eliminate species,
providing a competitive advantage to other
faster growing species.
Like plant species, animals, including birds
and invertebrates also need different fire
regimes. The needs of animals differ
according to the habitat they prefer and
their diet. Some mammal species, such as
the Kangaroo Island kangaroo (Macropus
fuliginosus fuliginosus), favour frequent
fires and repopulate a burnt site rapidly,
taking advantage of the exposed
nutritious food supply. However, bush rats
(Rattus fuscipes)favour a longer fire
frequency because the area takes longer
to provide a suitable habitat for them
to flourish.
Kangaroo Island kangaroo
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20 Shackle Road self-guided drive
Stop 9- Harveys return
A steep but rewarding hike (1 kilometre
return) to the tiny cove originally known as
Murrells Landing will have you pondering
the hardships and endurance of
pioneering settlers.
The cove was initially used by Joseph
Murrell to load salted seal skins collected
from the area in the early 1800s. It was an
extremely dangerous landing site and the
early hunters must have been skilful and
hardy seamen.
In 1834 the cove became known as
Harveys Return and it is the nearest landing
site to Cape Borda Lightstation. Much of
the material used to build the lighthouse
was landed at Harveys Return in 1858. In
1859, following repeated requests from
the first head lighthouse keeper Captain
Woodward, provision was made for a
double track and trolleys down the steep
incline with a horse-drawn winch near
the top.
The sea to land transfer of goods
continued to be a dangerous and
hazardous affair, until the site was finally
abandoned around 1928. Relics of the
landing apparatus are still visible today,
including the base of a derrick crane that
was erected atop a rocky platform in 1923,
with an additional connecting rail.
A history of the difficulties of Harveys
Return as a loading site and subsequent
improvements is presented at Cape Borda
museum.
The valley leading to the cove contains
drooping sheoaks (Allocasuarina verticillata),
the predominant food source for the
endangered glossy black-cockatoo. If you
move quietly you may be rewarded with a
flash of red from the glossy black-
cockatoos tail feathers as they fly overhead.
Spectacular outcrops of tightly folded,
thinly bedded schists
(known as zebra
schists due to its bands
of colours) can be seen
at the base of the cliffs
on the western side of the
cove.
A 400 metre section of this
coastline has been
designated as a geological
monument by the
Geological Society of
Australia.
Glossy black-cockatoo
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Shackle Road self-guided drive 21
In summer the rocky cove becomes a sandy
beach and visitors to this area may see the
delicate footprints of birds and other
animals that use the beach.
Information on the walking trail to the cove
is presented in the brochure Parks of
Kangaroo Island, available from NRKI
offices and visitor centres or website.
Drooping sheoak
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22 Shackle Road self-guided drive
Stop 10- Lightstation cemetry
This stop offers a grim insight to the
isolation and hardships of the lighthouse
keepers and their families, as well as the
rugged hazardous nature of the nearbycoastline. It also symbolises the importance
of sea trade and shipping to the developing
state of South Australia.
Unfortunately a simple ailment could
easily become a fatality due to poor
medical aid. One such event was the
death of the first head lighthouse keeperCaptain G.W Woodward who tripped and
pierced his eye on a stick; some four
weeks later he died. Three months later
the Lightstation was supplied with a
medicine chest, alas too late for Captain
Woodward!
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Shackle Road self-guided drive 23
Captain George Main,
lighthouse keeper at Cape
Borda in the 1870s.
Captain Main buried two
of his sons in this cemetery.
His seven year old soncontracted Scarlet Fever from
a newly arrived family and
died in May 1875. Eighteen
months later his three year old
son fell over the cliff below
the lighthouse.
The cemetery was used for the keepers
and their families until 1937 when the
road was constructed. Due to the
isolation, the keepers were sometimes
required to carry out all the tasks of the
burial, including making the coffin. There
are five timber crosses marked InMemory, which may be the graves of
unidentified shipwreck victims.
Why is the cemetery so far from the
lightstation?
Look at the tall Sugar Gums they signify
deeper soil.
Why is one headstone facing the
opposite direction?Ask the Interpretive Officer at Cape Borda
Lightstation.
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24 Shackle Road self-guided drive
Stop 11- Scotts Cove lookout
This stop offers visitors spectacular views
of magnificent rugged, sheer cliffs. On a
fine day the sparkling blue sea contrasts
impressively with the earthy colours of
the cliffs.
The cliffs are 145 metres high at this
point. The occasional fishing boat seen
gently bobbing at its anchor below,
seems vulnerable and fragile from this
height.
A careful scan with binoculars from the
lookout may reward the observer with
the sighting of a seal.
The sealing industry began to wind-down in the mid-1800s due to the
depletion, bordering on extinction, of
seals, caused by the wholesale slaughter
of the animals. Remote
colonies of fur seals
(Arctocephalus forsteri
andA. pusillus doriferus)
and Australian sea-lions(Neophoca cinerea) were
common at places like Scotts
Cove.
A gang of sealers worked at Scotts Cove
by lowering a man over the cliff by rope,
to kill and skin the animals peacefully
basking on the rocks below. When
sufficient skins had been obtained the
rest of the gang would haul the man
and the skins up the cliff.
Folklore has it that Scotts Cove was the
scene of a gruesome murder when gang
members refused to tolerate the brutality
of their leader any longer. When this
greatest ruffian of all was making his
last ascent of the day, the haul rope was
cut and he was dashed to pieces on the
rocks below.
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Shackle Road self-guided drive 25
This section of coastline is regarded as a
death trap to shipping radioed the
Captain of the Portland Maruin 1935 as
she was sinking. The steamer was
successfully beached near Cape Torrens
but the combination of wild weather and
its cargo of wet and swelling grain added
the Portland Maruto the islands manyshipwrecks.
Keep a lookout for the white-bellied sea-
eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster), endangered
in South Australia. These majestic coastal
raptors are sometimes seen soaring over
the cliffs and along the coast, with their
long, broad wings upswept. They prey on
fish and fledgling seabirds such as terns
and gulls. These birds are particularlysensitive to disturbance from above during
breeding season, which extends from May
to December. Please keep to existing
formed paths to avoid disturbing them.
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26 Shackle Road self-guided drive
Stop 12- Cape Borda
Welcome to spectacular Cape Borda
Lightstation, built in 1858 to aid
navigation in the busy shipping lanes to
Port Adelaide. Cape Borda is the highest
light above sea level in South Australia
(155 metres) and the only square
lighthouse in the state. It was built toassist in the defence of South Australia,
and is equipped with a small signal
cannon which is fired daily. Cape Borda
had one of the last resident lighthouse
keepers in the state and was destaffed in
1989. The Department of Environment,
Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR)
continues to conserve the lightstation
precinct and offers the lightkeeper
cottages as accommodation to visitors.
Tours of the Lightstation and museum are
available to visitors daily. Access to the
reading room, souvenirs and light
refreshments are available between tours.
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Tour times are available from NRKI offices
and visitor centres.
Three well-defined walking trails have been
developed for visitors. The Clifftop Hike
and Return Road Hike are accessed from
the Cape Borda Lightstation precinct. The
Ravine Hike is accessed from Ravine Road.
For more information refer to the Parks of
Kangaroo Islandbrochure, available from
NRKI offices and visitor centres.
Cape Borda Lightstation and museum is
the last or first stop of the drive and offers
the visitor an insight into the
achievements of a bygone era.
The rare Kangaroo
Island logania (Logania
insularis) is only found
growing in the upper
northern and western
slopes of Cape Borda,
in an area of threesquare kilometres.
Further information:
Discover Kangaroo Island
Barker, S. & McCaskill, M. (1999)Royal Geographical Society of SA,
Adelaide
Kangaroo Island Visitor Guide
Tourism Kangaroo Island
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28 Shackle Road self-guided drive
Bushre safety for travellersBushfires can occur without warning and
can quickly impact your travel route.
In South Australia, bushfires occurregularly. Being out on the road during a
bushfire is extremely dangerous last
minute evacuations are a life-threatening
option.
Total re bans
The CFS may declare Total Fire Bans on
days of severe weather, when high
temperatures, strong winds and low
humidity could cause fires to become
uncontrollable. Certain activities like
barbeques and camp fires are banned on
these days.
Do you know what you can and cant do
today?
Fire danger ratings
Every day during the Fire Danger Season,
weather and other factors are used to
calculate Fire Danger Ratings for each
District. These ratings are not predictors of
how likely a bushfire is to occur, but how
dangerous it could be if it did occur.
On total re ban days
On Total Fire Ban days, it is best to
postpone a trip into the bush, since thedangers of fires starting and moving
rapidly are extremely high. Think about
what you will do on those days: obey fire
bans, avoid activities that could start a fire
(such as driving through long grass,
campfires), and avoid activities that can
place you in areas of high risk.
For your safety Go to www.cfs.sa.gov.au
Monitor ABC Radio 891 AM
Contact Bushfire Information Hotline
1300 362 361 (TTY 133677)
Seek advice from park staff (Flinders
Chase Visitor Centre 8553 4490)
To report a fire, dial 000.
BushwalkingIt is advisable not to go bushwalking on Total
Fire Ban days, but if you are caught in a
bushfire you should:
Never try to outrun the flames.
Head for a natural fire break, e.g.
streams, clearings or rock outcrops. Keep away from high ground in the
path of the fire.
Never shelter in an above ground water
tank or dam.
Cover yourself or shelter behind a solid
object such as a rock, to protect yourself
against radiant heat.
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Fires can threatensuddenly and
without warning
WATCHfor signs of
fire, especially smoke
and flames
KNOWthe Fire
Danger Rating in your
area and be aware of
local conditions
HAVEyour
Bushfire Survival
Plan and kit ready
CALL000
to report a fire
TO SEEK
INFORMATION
listen to
local radio
go towww.cfs.sa.gov.au
or call the Bushfire
Information
Hotline on 1300
362 361
(TTY 133 677)
DANGER RATING WHAT SHOULD I DO?
CATASTROPHIC
TOTAL FIRE BAN
You need to act now.
These are the worst conditions for a bushfire -if a
fire starts, it will be extremely difficult to control
and will move very fast. Buildings are not built to
withstand these fires.
The safest place to be is away from any bushfire
prone areas.
Avoid travelling through forests, thick bush or
long dry grass
Leave bushfire prone areas the night before or
early in the morning. Act immediately do not
wait and see.
EXTREME
TOTAL FIRE BAN
You need to get ready to act
Fires that start under these conditions will be
unpredictable, fast-moving and difficult to control.
The safest place to be is away from any bushfire
prone areas: leave them early in the day, and do
not travel into these areas.
SEVERE
TOTAL FIRE BAN
You need to be aware.
Fires that start under these conditions will be
difficult to control.
If possible, avoid travelling into bushfire prone areas.
If not, only travel if you and your vehicle are wellprepared. Know where to go if there is a bushfire.
Watch out for smoke or any changes in conditions.
VERY HIGHYou need to be prepared.
Fires that start under these conditions are likely to
be controlled.
Buildings can provide safety. Know where to get
more information about the weather and bushfires,
and watch out for any changes
HIGH
LOW-MODERATE
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30 Shackle Road self-guided drive
Travelling on the roadCars are a very dangerous place to be during
a bushfire, as they offer little protection from
radiant heat, and driving conditions are
often difficult and stressful.
If you are aware of bushfires before you
leave home, plan an alternative route and
do not travel to the affected area. If you
come across smoke while travelling, turn
around and go back. Listen to the radio and
ask locally for help to find a safe way
through.
Ensure your vehicle is properly maintained
for the journey you are undertaking. Keep
several woollen blankets and a supply of
fresh water in your vehicle, just in case you
are caught in a bushfire.
Before the re front reaches you
Park behind a solid structure to block as
much heat as you can. If this isnt
possible, find a clearing away from dense
bush and flammable material on the
ground, such as branches and leaves.
Park the vehicle off the roadway to avoid
collisions in poor visibility.
Face vehicle towards oncoming fire
front.
Turn headlights and hazard lights on.
Tightly close all windows and doors.
Stay inside your vehicle it offers better
protection from the radiant heat than
being in the open.
Shut all the air vents and turn the
air conditioning off.
Turn the vehicle engine off.
Get down below window level into foot
wells and shelter under woollen
blankets.
Drink water to minimise risks of
dehydration.
As the re front passes
During a bushfire the critical time for
personal safety is during the 5 to 10 minutes
it takes for the fire front to pass.
Stay in the vehicle until fire front haspassed.
Fuel tanks are very unlikely to explode.
Smoke gradually gets inside the vehicle
and fumes will be released from the
interior of the vehicle. Stay as close to
the floor as possible to minimise
inhalation and cover mouth with a moist
cloth.
Tyres and external plastic body parts maycatch alight. In more extreme cases the
vehicle interior may catch on fire.
Once the front has passed and the
temperature has dropped, cautiously exit
the vehicle (be careful internal parts
will be extremely hot).
Move to a safe area such as a strip of
land that has already burnt.
Stay covered in woollen blankets,continue to drink water and wait for
assistance.
If you need to use your vehicle as a shelter from a bushre:Research shows that sheltering inside a vehicle is a high risk strategy and it is highly unlikely
that a personal will survive in all but the mildest circumstances.The only sure way to survive a
bushfire is to be nowhere near the threat.
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Copyright
Licensed under Creative CommonsAttribution 3.0 Australia License
www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au
Copyright Owner: Crown in right of the state of South Australia 2013
Government of South Australia 2013
Disclaimer
While every reasonable effort has been made to verify the information in
this fact sheet use of the information contained is at your sole risk. The
Department recommends that you independently verify the information
before taking any action.
FIS 92672
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For further information contact:
Flinders Chase Visitor Centre
Flinders Chase National Park
Kangaroo Island SA
T: (08) 8553 4490
Cape Borda Lightstation
Flinders Chase National Park
Kangaroo Island SA Telephone
T: (08) 8553 4465
Natural Resources Centre Kangaroo Island
37 Dauncey Street
Kingscote SA 5223
T: (08) 8553 4444
www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/kangarooisland
National Parks SA
www.parks.sa.gov.au
Acknowledgements
Illustrations by Nicholas Burness Pike
Friends of Parks KI Western Districts for their contribution towards
the production of this booklet.