A good range of vehicle tracks take visitors through much of the park. Kangaroo Island itself has an excellent gravel road network making it relatively easy to explore the whole of the island.

The island is reached by vehicle ferries which operate from Adelaide and from Cape Jervis on the Fleurieu Peninsula.

The park is located 210 km southwest of Adelaide and 100 km west of Kingscote on Kangaroo Island.

For further information contact the NP&WS at Rocky River, ph: (084) 83 7235, or Kingscote, ph: (084) 82 2381.

Picture: Remarkable Rocks, Flinders Chase, Kangaroo Island National Park (Random House).

Para Wirra was reserved as a national park in 1962 to provide bush recreation for the expanding metropolis, particularly the Elizabeth-Salisbury area. It was reclassified as a recreation park under the National Parks and Wildlife Act of 1972.

The park consists of elevated rolling ridges cut by the steep-sided valleys of the South Para River, Hamlin's Gully and Mack Creek, with the highest point some 350 metres above sea-level. The rocks are metamorphic (affected by heat and pressure) from mainly two main eras - 2,500 million years and 1,000 million years ago. The mining period has left old mine shafts and tunnels, especially in Hamlin's Gully and the South Para valley, and walkers should take care in the bush in these localities.

The average annual rainfall of 650 millimetres results in a vegetation mantle of open forests of long-leaved box and pink gums with some blue gums and scattered native pines. The rocky soils also favour hardy plants like the tall yacca, needle-bush and several wattles, and there are colourful ground-clinging plants such as flame heath, native orchids and rock ferns in spring. Tall river red gums grow alongside rock pools in the South Para River gorge, and north of the river occur whipstick mallee and patches of malaleuca heath.

Indigenous wildlife in Para Wirra includes the western grey kangaroo, brushtailed and ringtail possums, the echidna and the yellow-footed marsupial mouse. Over 100 species of birds occur - the emu, Adelaide rosella, galah, red-rumped parrot, purple-crowned and musk lorikeets, Australian magpie, red wattlebird, and many others. Skinks and dragons of the lizard family occur, as well as eastern brown, red-bellied black and little whip snakes.

Para Wirra is a park for outdoor recreation in a bush setting. Picnics, barbecues, bushwalking, nature study, photography, orienteering, horse-riding on designated tracks, tennis and other ball games are all provided for.

Facilities include picnic shelters, tennis courts and ovals for hire, walking trails, barbecue fireplaces, a kiosk, information centre, drinking water taps, and public toilets (including facilities for handicapped persons). There is an entrance fee for vehicles.

Picture: Black Boys in Para Wirra Recreation Park. (Random House).