Lenger Reserve

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Lenger reserve is 95 hectares in size and is part of an undulating plain consisting of limestone with overlying calcrete. Saunders Creek has cut a narrow valley through this plain and a number of permanent spring-fed waterholes separated by reed beds and dotted with River Red Gums (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) are found in the Reserve. The best time to visit the Reserve is outside the hottest summer months.

The vegetation is primarily mallee with shrub and chenopod understoreys. There have been 208 indigenous flora species identified within the reserve, 26 of these are of Particular Conservation Significance including Maireana rohrlachii (Rohrlach's bluebush), which is nationally significant.

Of the 85 birds sighted on the reserve 9 have conservation status at the state or regional level.

A 100-year-old pug and pine and stone rubble cottage on the property is also of local heritage interest.

History

The Reserve was donated to the National Trust of South Australia in 1978 by Rudolph Gustav Lenger to be used as a bird sanctuary.

Management

The Reserve is managed by the Friends of Lenger Reserve with assistance from the Natural Heritage Manager and contractors when grant funding is available. The Friends hold regular working bees and focus largely on weed control, revegetation and rehabilitation of the creek line and cleared areas.

Grassland species are regenerating in previously cleared and cropped areas. This has accelerated since the removal of sheep grazing, fencing, and rabbit control. Volunteers have also stabilised the cottage, repaired fencing, cleared rubbish, established the marked hiking track and helped to develop an interpretive brochure.

Location

Lenger Reserve is located 16 km north, north east of Mannum.

From Mannum head north-east on the Purnong Road for approx. 10 km. Turn left on Stockwell Road then after 4 km turn right at the first intersection into Springs Road. The boundary of the Reserve is found a further 2kms along this road and the entrance is near the Saunders Creek ford.

Latitude-longitude -34.817,139.370

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Walking

The Lenger Reserve brochure (PDF) will guide you around the Lenger Reserve hiking trail and displays points of interest. Copies of the brochure are available from the National Trust head office and Mannum Tourist Information Centre.

The trail is 2.7 km in length and is rated by the National Trust as a grade 4 hiking track. Allow 90 minutes.

There are no other facilities on site. Contact the Mannum Visitor Information Centre for details of facilities nearby.