South Australia

Protecting wilderness is what we do best

If you share our passion for protecting, promoting and restoring wilderness* and natural processes, then you've come to the right place. Our SA Team values your support.

We respectfully acknowledge the First Nations peoples, who have cared for these lands and waters for tens of thousands of years, and whose enduring connection to Country continues today.

Two iconic areas we are currently working to protect include the Great Australian Bight (including Kangaroo Island) and the Lake Eyre Basin (including the Munga-Thirri Simpson Desert, Goyder Lagoon and the Coongie Lakes Ramsar site).

We must stop the expansion of the climate-wrecking fossil fuel industry into these areas.

*Wilderness is any remote area of land or sea which, following thousands of years of First Nations’ Traditional Ownership, continues to support large, intact functioning ecosystems unaffected, or affected to only a minor extent, by the impacts of modern industrial society.

Banner photo: Darren Longbottom

status

The Australian sea lion is the country's only native seal and is a keystone species dependent on the waters of the Great Australian Bight. Photo: A.Steffee

Head of Bight. Photo: Rebecca Burnett

The Bight is a crucial nursery for southern right whales. Photo: Peta North

Waters from the wider Lake Eyre Basin empty into Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. Photo: Peter Owen

Munga-Thirri / Simpson Desert is a haven for desert plants and animals. Photo: Glenn Walker

SA government's election commitments

In order to protect South Australia's land and sea wilderness, giving native species their best chance of surviving climate change, we managed to secure many significant policy commitments from the SA government prior to the March 2022 state election. These commitments will help guide some of our work through to the 2026 state election and beyond.

Wilderness Assessment for SA
Working with First Nations Communities
Science Based Prescribed Burn Program
Recognise the Vital Role of Dingos
Review Vehicle Access to Sensitive Environments
End Petroleum Leases in Munga-Thirri National Park
Investigate Protection for Goyder Lagoon and Coongie Lakes
Investigate World Heritage for Lake Eyre Basin
Support World Heritage for Great Australian Bight
Explore Protecting Whale Nurseries
Protect Vulnerable Sea Lions
Investigate UNESCO Biosphere for Kangaroo Island
Eradicate Cats from Kangaroo Island
Enforce Relevant Legislation in Parks
Review Heritage Agreements for Conservation
Rangelands to be Managed for Climate Change
Appoint Commissioner for the River Murray
Investigate having a Super Park for the Murray Mouth

This map, updated in 2023 for the first time since the 1990s, shows that about 65% of South Australia remains wilderness or intact land. At a time of global environmental decline, this is both something to celebrate, and a powerful reminder of the need to protect what remains before more is lost or fragmented.

A history of success

status

Our history in pictures

The Wilderness Society SA has a great track record of achieving real conservation outcomes for our state. This includes forcing three Oil Giants out of the Great Australian Bight, protecting over 1.8 million hectares of land under the Wilderness Protection Act and 44% of our coastal waters in South Australia's new marine parks network.

Past Campaign success stories:

Successfully campaigned for the Munga-Thirri-Simpson Desert to be declared Australia’s biggest national park - approx 3.6m ha.
Forced three Oil Giants—BP, Chevron and Equinor—to abandon their plans to deep-sea drill for oil in the pristine seas of the Great Australian Bight.
Successfully campaigned for the Nullarbor to be declared a Wilderness Protection Area—approx 900,000ha.
Secured Marine Park Sanctuary Zones—44% of SA's coastal waters included in new Marine Park Network with approx 363,400 hectares fully protected Sanctuary Zones.
Protected Arkaroola Mountains and the Mawson Plateau from mining in the heart of the Wilderness Sanctuary.
Successfully campaigned for Investigator Group and the Nuyts Archipelago Island group to be declared wilderness protection areas—that's 17 offshore islands.
Stopped Wellington Weir on the Murray River, which would have cut Ramsar-listed Lower Lakes and Coorong Wetlands from the River.
Successfully campaigned for Yellabinna to be declared a Wilderness Protection Area—approx 500,000ha.
Signed on as a Project Partner for the WildEyre collaborative conservation program.
In total, protected over 1.8 million hectares under the Wilderness Protection Act.

Read our constitution

Contact us: [email protected]

Kaurna Country
Adelaide Campaign Centre
The Wilderness Society SA
28 North Street, Adelaide SA 5000, Australia

FB | Instagram