Nature Guide

The Coorong

The Coorong National Park is located on the South-East coast of South Australia. Take a look at the map below.

The Coorong National Park

Natural Features

The natural features of a place or the natural environment includes everything that occurs naturally. All living things, climate, weather and natural resources (such as water) are all part of the natural environment.

The Coorong is a calm and wonderful place in Australia. The Coorong is a long, narrow lagoon that runs next to the coastal dunes for about 140km. A wetland ecosystem that consists of ocean, beach, freshwater lakes, salt lagoons and the river mouth of the Murray River.

The Coorong is a completely natural and untouched coastal environment. The Coorong creates a border between land and sea.

The Coorong National Park is home to a huge range of native plants and animals. There has been over 2,000 species of native flora recorded. Of the many native species of animals, many are endangered. There have been 35 species of birds, 16 species of mammals and 35 species of fish recorded in the Coorong area. Unfortunately, there have been 20 species of mammals that have already become extinct.

Native Animals

The Coorong National Park is home to a huge amount of species, unfortunately many of these animals are extinct already. Some of the animals you might find around the Coorong National Park today include seals, whales, pelicans and Rays.

Take a read below to find out more about some of these animals.

AUSTRALIAN SEA LION

The Australian sea lion is a type of seal that is found around the Coorong National Park. Sea lions will stay in colonies of 10 to 15 sea lions at a time. A male sea lion is called a bull and is a dark grey colour, they can weigh up to 300kg. The females are called cows and are smaller and lighter than the males. The offspring of a sea lion is called a pup, they are born with dark brown fur and change to a grey colour like an adult at about four months old.

The Australian sea lions find most of their food on the sea floor. This food includes squid, octopus, small fish, penguins, stingrays and small sharks. The Australian Sea lion is one of the most rarest species of sea lions.

More than 85% of the world's population of Australian Sea Lions live in South Australia. You will often find the Australian sea lions sunbathing on rocks and beaches in the sunshine.

SOUTHERN RIGHT WHALE

Every year whales will migrate to warmer waters. The Southern Right Whale migrates from the cold waters in Antarctica to warmer waters of South Australia, this is where they breed and have their offspring. Whales are a mammal, not a fish. They breathe air just like humans, they do this through their 'blowhole' located on the top of their head.

A southern right whale will weigh approximately 1000kg when they are a born. They will grow up to about 80 000kg as an adult. These whales will eat very small food in very large amounts. They can eat up to 1000kg of krill or tiny fish in one day. They will catch their food using their comb-like teeth called baleen.

You might be lucky enough to see these whales as they migrate to the South Australian waters. In this area southern right whales breed every year.

AUSTRALIAN PELICAN

The Coorong is an ideal place for birdwatching with more than 35 species of native birds found in the Coorong and 230 migrating birds. The Coorong National Park is an important breeding area for birds in Australia, especially the Australian pelican.

The Australian pelican is the biggest of all pelicans. They can grow up to 1.8 metres long and weigh up to 13kg. The Australian pelican has a bigger beak than every other bird. This beak allows them to eat fish, turtles and frogs. Inside this beak is a pouch underneath and can hold between 9 and 13 litres of water.

The Australian pelican is often found in the lakes, rivers and seashore of the Coorong National Park.

SOUTHERN EAGLE RAY

The Southern Eagle Ray is a type of manta ray that is native to South Australia. They are a very large animal that can grow up to 3 metres wide and weigh up to 50kg. The Southern Eagle Ray eat small fish and crabs. Their mouths are located under their bodies which makes eating small fish and crabs off the sand floor very easy. Their very small teeth grind their food to swallow.

The Southern Eagle Rays are only found in South Australia. The adults will swim further north to New South Wales or Queensland in the colder months to get warmer waters.

To spot an eagle ray can be quite difficult. They spend most of their time on the ocean floor. They are able to cover themselves with sand to camouflage from predators. This is a main reason why you will find them in the shallows of the Coorong rivers and lakes or near beaches.

Native Plants

The Coorong National Park has many native plants that have survived many years. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people used and lived on the resources of the Coorong. The amount of salt in the water is the main reason why only particular plants will grow in this area.

Continue reading to read more about the native plants to the Coorong National Park.

BLOWN-GRASS

Surrounding the banks of the Coorong you will find scattered amounts of blown-grass. This is a native grass to Australia that grows well in sandy areas and areas high in salt. This grass grows in clumbs up to 70cm tall. The grass is a green with sometimes a purple shade to it.

The leaves of the blown-grass are long and thing with a very rough texture. They are flat leaves that sometimes will fold together. As the seeds grow on the the leaves they are blown away by the wind and scattered across the area. This is how the plant spreads to grow over large areas.

METALLIC SUN-ORCHID

Throughout South Australia you can find the metallic sun-orchid flower although around the Coorong National Parks is one of the best areas to spot them! This flower can grow up to 50cm tall but are most commonly 20cm tall. Each stem consists of between 6 and 18 flowers that are a mix of colours between grey and green with smalls splashes of pinks and purples, these colours create a metallic look which gives the flower its name. The flowers come out between September and November.

Unfortunately, due to many threats the metallic sun-orchid is currently endangered. Kangaroos, rabbits and caterpillars are all eating the beautiful plant while fire and flower picking are restricting the amount of growth.

SILVER DAISY BUSH

The silver daisy bush is a bush or shrub grows up to 1.5 metres tall. The bush has leaves that are 3-9cm long and have a shiny with a wrinkled look to them. The leaves are covered with beautiful daisy flower heads. These flowers are commonly white, some rare daisies are a pale purple colour.

The silver daisy-bush is found throughout Australia and commonly around the Coorong National Park. The silver daisy bush is not endangered but research shows that numbers are becoming less each year, there are approximately 1000 individual plants left in the Coorong National Park and the surrounding area.

SOUTHERN SWAINSON-PEA

The southern swainsea-pea is a native plant to Australia that is commonly found in South Australia. This plant can grow up to 15cm tall, it is only a very small plant. With green, hairy leaves about 3-5cm long and beautiful bright purple flowers. Each year between August and January the flowers are produced.

Unfortunately, the southern swainson-pea flower is decreasing in numbers throughout Australia. Some of the reasons for this include invasion of weeds, loss of habitat due to houses being built and farms and fires.

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The Coorong

Nature Guide

The Coorong National Park is located on the South-East coast of South Australia. Take a look at the map below.

The Coorong National Park

Natural Features

The natural features of a place or the natural environment includes everything that occurs naturally. All living things, climate, weather and natural resources (such as water) are all part of the natural environment.

The Coorong is a calm and wonderful place in Australia. The Coorong is a long, narrow lagoon that runs next to the coastal dunes for about 140km. A wetland ecosystem that consists of ocean, beach, freshwater lakes, salt lagoons and the river mouth of the Murray River.

​

The Coorong is a completely natural and untouched coastal environment. The Coorong creates a border between land and sea.

​

Native Animals

The Coorong National Park is home to a huge amount of species, unfortunately many of these animals are extinct already. Some of the animals you might find around the Coorong National Park today include seals, whales, pelicans and Rays.

​

Take a read below to find out more about some of these animals.

​

AUSTRALIAN SEA LION

​

The Australian sea lions find most of their food on the sea floor. This food includes squid, octopus, small fish, penguins, stingrays and small sharks. The Australian Sea lion is one of the most rarest species of sea lions.

​

More than 85% of the world's population of Australian Sea Lions live in South Australia. You will often find the Australian sea lions sunbathing on rocks and beaches in the sunshine.

SOUTHERN RIGHT WHALE

​

​

You might be lucky enough to see these whales as they migrate to the South Australian waters. In this area southern right whales breed every year.

​

AUSTRALIAN PELICAN

The Coorong is an ideal place for birdwatching with more than 35 species of native birds found in the Coorong and 230 migrating birds. The Coorong National Park is an important breeding area for birds in Australia, especially the Australian pelican.

​

​

The Australian pelican is often found in the lakes, rivers and seashore of the Coorong National Park.

​

​

SOUTHERN EAGLE RAY

​

The Southern Eagle Rays are only found in South Australia. The adults will swim further north to New South Wales or Queensland in the colder months to get warmer waters.

​

To spot an eagle ray can be quite difficult. They spend most of their time on the ocean floor. They are able to cover themselves with sand to camouflage from predators. This is a main reason why you will find them in the shallows of the Coorong rivers and lakes or near beaches.

Native Plants

The Coorong National Park has many native plants that have survived many years. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people used and lived on the resources of the Coorong. The amount of salt in the water is the main reason why only particular plants will grow in this area.

​

Continue reading to read more about the native plants to the Coorong National Park.

​

BLOWN-GRASS

Surrounding the banks of the Coorong you will find scattered amounts of blown-grass. This is a native grass to Australia that grows well in sandy areas and areas high in salt. This grass grows in clumbs up to 70cm tall. The grass is a green with sometimes a purple shade to it.

​

The leaves of the blown-grass are long and thing with a very rough texture. They are flat leaves that sometimes will fold together. As the seeds grow on the the leaves they are blown away by the wind and scattered across the area. This is how the plant spreads to grow over large areas.

​

METALLIC SUN-ORCHID

​

Unfortunately, due to many threats the metallic sun-orchid is currently endangered. Kangaroos, rabbits and caterpillars are all eating the beautiful plant while fire and flower picking are restricting the amount of growth.

​

SILVER DAISY BUSH

The silver daisy bush is a bush or shrub grows up to 1.5 metres tall. The bush has leaves that are 3-9cm long and have a shiny with a wrinkled look to them. The leaves are covered with beautiful daisy flower heads. These flowers are commonly white, some rare daisies are a pale purple colour.

​

​

SOUTHERN SWAINSON-PEA

​

Unfortunately, the southern swainson-pea flower is decreasing in numbers throughout Australia. Some of the reasons for this include invasion of weeds, loss of habitat due to houses being built and farms and fires.

​

​

​

For more fun facts and photos