Yellabinna and Yumburra landscape

Yellabinna and Yumbarra form one of nine distinct sub landscapes in the Alinytjara Wiluṟara region. It is a pristine, remote and wild area located east of the Nullarbor Plain and south of the Great Victoria Desert. It is made up of a recognised Wilderness Area and conservation parks. The only infrastructure in this landscape is the Iluka Jacinth-Ambrosia zircon mineral sand mine about 200 kilometres north-west of Ceduna. These parks are co-managed by the Department for Environment and Water (DEW) and the Traditional Owners of these lands with work on Country supported by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the AW Landscape Board.

Key characteristics

• Wilderness areas and conservation parks
• Mallee corridor linking the Great Victoria Desert to the northern Eyre Peninsula
• Granite rock holes, many of which are highly significant to Aṉangu groups
• The Googs Lake system, a group of saltwater lakes
• Iluka’s Jacinth-Ambrosia zircon mineral sand mine, which extracts saline groundwater for use in the mine and its camp

Native plants and animals

• Numerous threatened birds including the striated grass wren, white-browed treecreeper, scarlet chested parrot, malleefowl and painted button-quail
• Reptiles such the thorntailed gecko, ribbon slider, McKenzie’s dragon, carpet python and linga dragon
• Small mammals, including the western pygmy possum and nationally endangered sandhill dunnart
• More than a dozen threatened native plant species

Visiting

The Yellabinna and Yumbarra landscape, particularly Googs Track, attracts four-wheel drive tourists wanting to experience the beauty and challenges of this remote area. Access to this region may require a pass or permit. Visitors should also be aware that there are safety issues specific to the region.