Waitpinga Conservation Park

{{about|the Conservation Park in South Australia|the nearby locality|Waitpinga, South Australia}}

{{Use Australian English|date=August 2015}}

{{Use dmy dates|date= August 2015}}

{{Infobox Australian place

| type = protected

| name = Waitpinga Conservation Park

| state = sa

| city = Parawa{{cite web|title= Search results for "Waitpinga Conservation Park" with the following datasets selected – 'Suburbs and Localities', 'NPW and Conservation Properties', 'Hundreds' and 'Gazetteer' |url= http://location.sa.gov.au/viewer/?map=roads&x=138.35554&y=-35.57197&z=13&uids=41,19,8,105&pinx=138.323950&piny=-35.590510&pinTitle=Location&pinText=Waitpinga+Conservation+Park,+Park |website=Location SA Map Viewer |publisher= South Australian Government |access-date=1 October 2019 }}

| iucn_category = iii

| iucn_ref = {{cite web|title= Terrestrial Protected Areas of South Australia (refer 'DETAIL' tab ) |url= http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/pages/761994ab-42cc-4f24-952c-c21221861884/files/capad2016sa.xlsx |work=CAPAD 2016|publisher=Australian Government, Department of the Environment (DoE) |access-date=21 February 2018 |date=2016}}

| image =

| caption =

| image_alt =

| coordinates = {{coord|35|35|25.79|S|138|19|26.04|E|display=inline,title}}

| force_national_map =

| relief =

| pushpin_map_caption =

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| map_alt =

| nearest_town_or_city = Yankalilla

| area = {{convert|3|ha|abbr=off}}

| area_footnotes ={{cite web|title=Protected Areas Information System - reserve list (as of 16 July 2015)|url= http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/sharedassets/public/park_management/protected-areas-30june2015.pdf |publisher=Department of Environment Water and Natural Resources|access-date=3 August 2015}}

| established = {{start date|1960|01|01|df=y}}

| established_footnotes =

| visitation_num = "very few visitors"

| visitation_year = 2009

| visitation_footnotes =

| managing_authorities = Department for Environment and Water

| url =

}}

Waitpinga Conservation Park (formerly the Waitpinga National Parks Reserve) is a protected area in the Australian state of South Australia located about {{convert|15|km|abbr=off}} south of the town of the Yankalilla in the gazetted locality of Parawa.

On 9 November 1967, it was proclaimed under the National Parks Act 1966 as the Waitpinga National Parks Reserve in respect to an area of land already under statutory protection.{{cite web|last1= Walsh |first1= Frank |title= NATIONAL PARKS ACT, 1966: VARIOUS NATIONAL PARKS NAMED. |url=http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/other/sa_gazette/1967/51/2043.pdf|website=South Australian Government Gazette|publisher=South Australian Government|access-date=17 March 2018|page= 2043 |date=9 November 1967|quote=Section 355, hundred of Waitpinga}} The conservation park was proclaimed under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 on 27 April 1972.{{cite journal |title= No. 56 of 1972 (National Parks and Wildlife Act, 1972) |journal= The South Australian Government Gazette |date= 27 April 1972 |page= 700 |url= http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/sa/num_act/npawa56o1972293/ |access-date= 20 January 2017 |publisher= Government of South Australia}}

As of 2011, it was described as being "dedicated to the conservation of the rare Coral Fern." The conservation park contains a "low open forest of stringbark and Pink Gum, over an understorey of bracken, tea-tree, sedges and grasses." Notable fauna includes the Chestnut-rumped heathwren, which is a nationally-listed endangered species.{{cite web|title= Reserves of the South-western Fleurieu Peninsula Fire Management Plan |url= http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/sharedassets/fire_management/sw-fleurieu-peninsula-fmp.pdf |publisher=Department of Environment and Heritage |date=2009|access-date=3 August 2015|pages = 1, 7, 13, 15 &57}}{{cite web|title= Parks of the Fleurieu Peninsula |url= http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/sharedassets/parks/psa-gen-parksfleurieu.pdf |publisher=Department of Environment and Heritage |date=2011|access-date=3 August 2015|page=3}}

The conservation park is within the extent of "Illawong Swamp" which is listed as a wetland of national importance and immediately adjoins a forestry plantation operated by ForestrySA as part of its Second Valley Forest operation.{{cite web|title= Search result for Illawong Swamp - SA036 |url= http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/wetlands/report.pl|publisher= Department of the Environment |access-date=4 August 2015}}{{cite web|title= Mount Lofty Ranges Forest Reserves Management Plan |url= https://www.forestrysa.com.au/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=aVRcl0srcxQ%3d&tabid=148&portalid=0&mid=617&forcedownload=true |publisher=Forestry SA |date=2014 |access-date=4 August 2015|page = 3}}

The conservation park is classified as an IUCN Category III protected area.