Watheroo National Park
Watheroo National Park is a national park in Western Australia, 187 km north of Perth. It contains Jingemia Cave.
| Watheroo National Park Western Australia | |
|---|---|
IUCN category II (national park) | |
 Jingemia Cave | |
  Watheroo National Park | |
| Nearest town or city | Moora |
| Coordinates | 30°14′24″S 115°52′43″E |
| Established | 1969 |
| Area | 444.81 km2 (171.7 sq mi)[1] |
| Managing authorities | Department of Environment and Conservation |
| Website | Watheroo National Park |
| See also | List of protected areas of Western Australia |
The park is situated in the Mid West region of Western Australia to the west of the Midlands Road between the towns of Badgingarra to the west and Dalwallinu to the east. The border of the park abuts Pinjarrega Nature Reserve to the north but is otherwise surrounded by farmland. Low Creek borders the park to the east, and then flows south to join Moore River.
The park is mostly composed of sand plain country, which supports populations of heath, mallee and Banksia and many wildflowers. Eucalypt stands can be found to the western end of the park.[2] Other species include spinifex, wandoo and yorm gum. Some of the wildflowers found within the park include kwongan, bush cauliflower and scarlet featherflower.[3]
The name of the park comes from the Indigenous Australian name of a nearby spring; it is also the name of a town located to the east of the park.[4]
Composed mostly of quartz-based sand with outcrops of sandstone at times having a laterite cap, the area acts as a basin between the Dandaragan plateau and the Darling plateau.[5]
In 2010, the Environmental Protection Authority of Western Australia gave approval to survey the Warro gas field that is located beneath the park. The company Latent Petroleum was given permission to conduct a seismic survey, allowing them to drive over vegetation.[6]
References
- "Department of Environment and Conservation 2009–2010 Annual Report". Annual Report. Department of Environment and Conservation: 48. 2010. ISSN 1835-114X. Archived from the original on 11 January 2011.
- "Department of Environment - Watheroo National Park". 2007. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
- "Australia's Golden Outback - Watheroo National Park". 2009. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
- Western Australian Land Information Authority. "History of country town names – W". Retrieved 15 November 2010.
- "Watheroo National Park (Place ID 10192)". Australian Heritage Database. Department of the Environment. 1991. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
- "ABC News Park survey gets conditional approval". 2010. Retrieved 14 November 2010.