Nixon-Skinner Conservation Park 63km S from Adelaide CBD Where is it?: Nixon Skinner Conservation Park is on Main South Road along the edge of the Myponga Reservoir about 3.5km SW of Myponga. Owner: Department for Environment and Water. Property Summary: Total area 8 hectares. Hundred of Myponga – Section 2451 Landscape Management Region: Hills and Fleurieu History: This park was named after the grandfathers of Mrs Lucy Eleanor Page (nee Nixon) and was the first privately donated reserve to be established in South Australia. Her grandparents were Thomas Skinner who acquired land at Yankalilla in 1859 and William Millington Nixon who acquired land on Lake Alexandrina near Wellington in 1858. Although the land was vested to the National Parks and Wildlife Reserves Commission as the Nixon Skinner Reserve in 1957 by Lucy Page the actual land title transfer did not take place until 12 April 1961 following her death on 22 June 1960.2 On 9 November 1967 the park was declared Nixon Skinner National Parks Reserve3. It was re-proclaimed as Nixon Skinner Conservation Park on 27 April 19724. A plaque was unveiled on 24 February 1980 by the Hon. David Wotton, Esq. M.P. Minister of Environment, to commemorate the gift of this land2, 7. Habitat: Their are two major plant associations within the park. The larger proportion is mostly Messmate Stringybark (Eucalyptus obliqua) with Pink Gum (E. fasciculosa) and River Red Gum (E. camaldulensis). Understory plants here include Erect Guinea-flower (Hibbertia stricta), Heath Tea-tree (Leptospermum myrsinoides), Myrtle Wattle (Acacia myrtifolia) and Golden Wattle (A. pycnantha). There is another smaller area of South Australian Blue Gum (E. leucoxylon) with Silver Banskia (Banksia marginata), Cross-leaved Honey-myrtle (Melaleuca decussata) and Silky Tea-tree (L. myrsinoides). More information: NPWSSA Total Species Recorded to Date: 81 (non-passerines 35, passerines 46) Common Species: Laughing Kookaburra, White-throated Treecreeper, Superb Fairywren, Crescent Honeyeater, Brown Thornbill, Grey Shrikethrush, Scarlet Robin Less Common Species: Musk Lorikeet, Willie Wagtail, Restless Flycatcher, Rufous Whistler, Black-capped Sittella References 1 Department for Environment and Water. (2019). Protected Areas Information System. Property Summary Report. 30 March 2019. p. 12. 2 Anonymous. (1980). Nixon-Skinner Conservation Park. The South Australian Naturalist 54(3): 40. 3 Bowden, B. (2016). The “Page” in the history of the Nixon-Skinner Conservation Park. The South Australian Naturalist 90(1): 27-32. 4 Government of South Australia (1967). The South Australian Government Gazette.National Parks Act, 1966: Various National Parks Named. 51: 2043. (9 November 1967) <nbsp;5 Heddle, E.M. (1975). Chapter IX. Nixon-Skinner Conservation Park. In: Effects of man on the vegetation in the National Parks of South Australia. (PhD thesis). University of Adelaide 6 National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972. (SA). sch 4: 1. 7 Wotton, D. (1980). Speech for Unveiling of Plaque at Nixon-Skinner Reserve. The South Australian Naturalist 54(3): 40-42. Updated: 26/07/2021 Download the bird list