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25-557: Kennedy Range National Park is a national park in Gascoyne region of Western Australia , approximately 830 kilometres (520 mi) north of Perth and about 150 km (93 mi) east of Carnarvon . Kennedy Range is found on the edge of the Gascoyne River catchment area and is a weathered plateau that extends for a distance of 150 km (93 mi), essentially forming a huge mesa . Spectacular sandstone cliffs can be found on

50-816: A Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty. Captain Gascoyne was a committee member of the London-based Western Australian Missionary Society and a member of the London Association for the Protection of the Interests of the Colony . In 1858 Francis Gregory explored the region and subsequently publicized it as highly suitable to pastoralism . Settlement began in the 1860s, and the town of Carnarvon

75-472: A result of cyclonic activity. Because of the semi-arid climate, most of the Gascoyne is covered in scrub, primarily spinifex and mulga , with very little tree cover. Horticulture is the major industry of the Gascoyne region. Bananas, tomatoes, grapefruit, mangoes, table grapes and a range of vegetable products are grown along the Gascoyne River . Climatic advantages enable the growers to meet out-of-season demand both locally and in export markets. Fishing

100-464: A valuable fodder source, particularly in times of drought, as they are palatable to stock and provide up to 12% crude protein . The seeds of Acacia aneura are traditionally used to make seedcakes . The mulga apple is an insect gall commonly eaten by Aboriginal people . Mulga tree gum ( ngkwarle alkerampwe in the Arrernte language ) is a type of lerp scale found on mulga branches. It provides

125-499: Is absent from semiarid regions that experience summer or winter drought . Mulga scrub is distinctive and widespread, with the Mulga Lands of eastern Australia defined as a specific bioregion . The dominant species in these woodlands is mulga, with poplar box ( Eucalyptus populnea ) forming an increasingly important codominant in the eastern districts. The extent of ground cover in mulga woodlands varies with canopy density of

150-600: Is also a major industry with prawn, scallop, crab and wet line fishing operations based in Carnarvon and Exmouth. In the mining sector, salt and gypsum are mined at Lake MacLeod , north of Carnarvon. Tourism is an important industry, due to the warm dry climate and the long coastline, which includes the Ningaloo Reef and the Shark Bay World Heritage Site . The pastoral industry was historically important but

175-480: Is no longer a major contributor to the economy. It represents the region's main land use: in 1994 84% of the Gascoyne's land area was covered by pastoral leases . Before being settled by Europeans, the Gascoyne had been home to Indigenous Australians for thousands of years. The first known European to land in the region was Dirk Hartog in 1616; other early visitors include Willem Jansz , William Dampier , Nicolas Baudin , and Phillip King . In September 1834

200-482: Is often multistemmed with a bushy crown . Its phyllodes are flat, narrowly linear to narrowly elliptic, 40–100 mm (1.6–3.9 in) long and mostly 1.5–3 mm (0.059–0.118 in) wide, straight or slightly curved. The flowers are borne in a cylindrical head in the axils of phyllodes on a hairy peduncle 3–10 mm (0.12–0.39 in) long. The heads are 15–25 mm (0.59–0.98 in) long and bright yellow. Flowering occurs from March to May or August and

225-1016: The Northern Territory , South Australia , Queensland and New South Wales . In Western Australia it grows in a variety of soils and habitats in the Central Ranges , Coolgardie , Gascoyne , Gibson Desert , Great Sandy Desert , Great Victoria Desert , Little Sandy Desert , Murchison , Nullarbor , Pilbara and Tanami bioregions. In the Northern Territory it occurs in the Burt Plain , Central Ranges, Channel Country , Davenport Murchison Ranges , Finke , Gawler , Gibson Desert, Great Sandy Desert, Great Victoria Desert, Little Sandy Desert, MacDonnell Ranges , Mitchell Grass Downs , Mount Isa Inlier , Murchison, Pilbara, Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields , Stony Plains and Tanami bioregions. In South Australia, mulga occurs in scattered population in

250-455: The eucalypt woodlands that dominate much of Australia, mulga woodlands are not well adapted to regular fire and species in mulga communities vary in their ability to survive fires. Many species, including mulga, have a very limited ability to resprout after fire, and rely instead on mechanisms of seed production for species survival. Many plants produce hard, woody fruits or seeds, which can not only survive intense heat, but also may require

275-572: The Australian continent, or about 1.5 million square kilometres. The mean rainfall for much of the habitat for A. aneura in Australia is roughly 200–250 mm/year, but it goes to as high as 500 mm/year in New South Wales and Queensland . The lowest mean rainfall where it grows is about 50–60 mm/year. Both summer and winter rainfall are necessary to maintain mulga, and the species

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300-556: The Indigenous Australians inhabited the area for over 20,000 years prior to European settlement. The first European to explore the area was Francis Thomas Gregory , whose expedition reached the range in 1858. Gregory named the range after the Governor of Western Australia at the time, Arthur Edward Kennedy . He also named the nearby Lyons River in the same expedition before continuing to Mount Augustus . Pastoralists arrived in

325-535: The area shortly afterwards with Charles Brockman setting up Boolathana Station in 1877, and the region experienced success in wool production until the 1930s when the overgrazing , drought and the Great Depression caused most businesses to fail. The valleys and plains of the range had been severely degraded but the range top was only slightly damaged as a result of pastoral activity. The area has been explored for minerals but has not been mined. The park

350-440: The family Fabaceae and is endemic to inland Australia. It is a variable shrub or small tree with flat, narrowly linear to elliptic phyllodes , cylindrical spikes of bright yellow flowers and more or less flat and straight, leathery pods . Acacia aneura is a variable shrub or small tree that typically grows to a height of 2.5–7 m (8 ft 2 in – 23 ft 0 in), sometimes up to 10 m (33 ft) and

375-636: The north-west of that state and in Queensland it is found in the south-west, but also extend northwards through the Mitchell Grass Downs bioregion and west into the Channel Country . In New South Wales, Acacia aneura is mainly found west from Nyngan and Griffith and possibly as far east as the Hunter Valley . Mulga savanna and mulga codominant tussock grasslands cover roughly 20% of

400-519: The overstorey, becoming almost nonexistent in extremely dense stands. In more open stands, the herbaceous layer consists of wire grasses ( Aristida spp.), mulga oats ( Monocather sp.), mulga mitchell ( Thyridolepis sp.), wanderrie ( Eriachne spp.), finger grasses ( Digitaria spp.) and love grasses ( Eragrostis spp.). Various other woody species are also significant in mulga woodlands, particularly hop bushes ( Dodonaea spp.), Eremophila and cassia ( Senna spp.). In contrast to

425-685: The park, including mulla mulla , hakeas , eremophilas , Calytrix , verticordias and various everlasting daisies . A species of lizard Lerista kennedyensis , commonly called the "Kennedy Range broad-blazed slider", is named after the Kennedy Range. Gascoyne (Western Australia) The Gascoyne has the lowest population of any region of Western Australia, with about 9,277 people. The majority of residents are non-Aboriginal people born in Australia (74%). Just over half live in Carnarvon (4,426) where Aboriginal residents account for 18% of

450-626: The pod is more or less straight and flat, 20–40 mm (0.79–1.57 in) long and 7–15 mm (0.28–0.59 in) wide with a winged edge. The pods are papery, brown to greyish-brown, containing elliptic to oblong or egg-shaped seeds 3.5–5 mm (0.14–0.20 in) long and 2.5–3.0 mm (0.098–0.118 in) with a small whitich or cream-coloured aril . Aboriginal peoples of the Coober Pedy area in South Australia refer to mulga trees as Umoona , which means "long life". Acacia aneura

475-562: The population. Other centres are Exmouth , Denham , Gascoyne Junction and Coral Bay . The Gascoyne has a moderate arid tropical, climate. It is generally warm all year round, with mean maximum daily temperatures ranging from 22 °C (72 °F) in July to 35 °C (95 °F) in January. The region receives about 320 days of sunshine per year. Annual rainfall is low and variable, averaging about 200 mm (8 in), most of which occurs as

500-473: The presence of pearl shell and guano were noted by Thomas Hunt of the schooner Monkey , while searching for the wreck of the barque Mercury . Shark Bay became the site of Australia 's first pearling industry when production of mother-of-pearl began in January 1850. In 1839, George Grey explored the area and named the Gascoyne River after Captain John Gascoyne RN, son of Bamber Gascoyne ,

525-512: The southern and eastern sides of the range, which are dissected by steep canyons which have an elevation of up to 100 metres (330 ft). The Range formed a natural border for two Aboriginal peoples, the Maia and the Malgaru . Natural springs located on the edge of the ranges would have provided game to hunt and outcrops of chert would have provided stone for tools. Over 100 sites provide evidence that

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550-455: The stimulus of fire to scarify and promote germination . Long-lived seed stores in soil is also common in these woodlands. Mulga can be planted with sandalwood in plantations as a host tree. The flowers provide forage for bees , especially when there is enough water available. Mulga is of great economic importance to the Australian pastoral industry. Despite containing considerable amounts of indigestible tannins , mulga leaves are

575-532: Was first formally described in 1855 by George Bentham from an unpublished description by Ferdinand von Mueller . Bentham's description was published in Linnaea: Ein Journal für die Botanik in ihrem ganzen Umfange, oder Beiträge zur Pflanzenkunde . The specific epithet ( aneura ) means 'without nerves', referring to the phyllodes. Mulga is endemic to Australia, and is found in Western Australia ,

600-402: Was gazetted in 1883. By 1880 the area was home to approximately 20,000 sheep on a number of sheep stations in the area. In 2021, 4 year old girl Cleo Smith was abducted and later found in Carnarvon . 22°S 115°E  /  22°S 115°E  / -22; 115 Acacia aneura Acacia aneura , commonly known as mulga , is a species of flowering plant in

625-451: Was officially gazetted in 1993 and contains some facilities for visitors. A bush toilet and camp-sites are located at Temple Gorge, but it is planned to relocate this camp ground. There are a number of walk trails within the park but no water is available. Entry to the park is free but camp-site fees apply. A popular time to visit the park is following heavy rains when wildflowers emerge. Over 80 species of wildflower are known to inhabit

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