Alexander Morrison National Park

Infobox_protected_area_of_Australia | name = Alexander Morrison National Park
iucn_category = II

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caption =
locator_x = 20
locator_y = 137
nearest_town_or_city = Coorow
coordinates = coord|30|05|02|S|115|29|10|E|type:landmark_region:AU
area = 85.04 km²
established = 1970
visitation_num =
visitation_year =
managing_authorities = Department of Environment and Conservation
official_site = [http://www.naturebase.net/component/option,com_hotproperty/task,view/id,115/Itemid,755/ Naturebase]

Alexander Morrison National Park is a national park in Western Australia (Australia), located convert|207|km|mi|0 north of Perth in the Shire of Coorow along the Green Head-Coorow Road. It was named for Alexander Morrison, the first Government Botanist of Western Australia.

Description

The park contains sandplains and low lateritic breakaways over sandstones and shales of the Lower Jurassic Cockleshell Gully Formation. Sand heaths are the dominant vegetation, but the park also contains extensive stands of low woodland and mallee typical of the area, [cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/Western-Australia/Eneabba/2005/02/17/1108500208425.html|title=Travel - Eneabba|date=8 February 2004|author=Fairfax Digital|accessdate=2007-08-11] especially in the western parts of the park. Prominent eucalypt species in the area are Powder-barked Wandoo ("Eucalyptus accedens") and Mallalie ("E. eudesmoides"), while the heaths are rich in species typical of the region and include rare species such as spiral bush ("Spirogardnera rubescens"). The northern variant of "Banksia vestita" is also common.cite book|title=Conservation Reserves in Western Australia - Report 1974 (Green Book)|author=Conservation through Reserves Committee|publisher=Environmental Protection Authority of Western Australia|date=31 January 1975|id=ISBN 0-7244593-4-0 | page = 5-21]

History

Land for the national park was set aside by the Department of Lands and Surveys under Reserves ↑26800, ↑26803 and ↑26804 on 23 May 1969, and over 1970 and 1971, the land was classified as an "A" Class reserve, meaning its purpose could not be changed except by an Act of Parliament, [cite book|last=Jenkins|first=C. F. H. (Clee)|year=1980|title=The National Parks of Western Australia|publisher=National Parks Authority of Western Australia|id=ISBN 0-7244-8176-1|page=19] and vested in the National Parks Authority of Western Australia. The park was officially named on 8 October 1971. [Gazette WA | title = Reserves | page=1969:1529 | file = 1183/69, 1184/69, 1185/69 | date = 23 May 1969 (Reserves 26800, 26803 and 26804)
* Gazette WA | title = Land Act 1933-1969 - Order in Council | page = 1970:2029 | file = 1183/69 | date = 10 July 1970 See also 29 January 1971 p. 1971:278, 19 February 1971 p. 1971:452.
* Gazette WA | title = Naming of Alexander Morrison National Park | page = 1971:3952 | file = 2531/54 V2 | date = 8 October 1971]

The Environmental Protection Authority recommended in 1974 that a one-kilometre-wide strip of vacant Crown land on the south side of Green Head-Coorow Road be added to the reserve – however, this was not actioned.

References

ee also

* Protected areas of Western Australia