A Wild and Ancient Landscape
The Gammon Ranges were declared a national park in 1970, with the stunning Weetootla Gorge added to the protected area in later years. Widely regarded as one of the wildest and most spectacular parts of the Flinders Ranges, the park is home to endangered yellow-footed rock-wallabies, wedge-tailed eagles and rare native plants including the Balcanoona wattle. To the east lies the immense salt expanse of Lake Frome—an ephemeral lake stretching roughly 100 kilometres long and 40 kilometres wide. For the Adnyamathanha people, this landscape holds deep cultural significance, with parts of the region continuing to serve as traditional hunting grounds.
The Threat
In 2000, the South Australian Government was considering whether to approve the transfer of a mining lease from BHP to Manna Hill Resources Ltd. If approved, the transfer would have allowed an open-cut magnesite mine to be developed at Weetootla Gorge—inside the boundaries of the national park. For conservationists, it represented a major threat to one of South Australia’s most important protected landscapes.
The Campaign
The Wilderness Society played a key role in campaigning against the proposed mining development. Supporters and conservationists across the country were encouraged to write to then-Minister for the Environment Iain Evans, calling on the government to protect the Gammon Ranges from mining. Many Wilderness Society members and supporters joined the campaign, helping build public pressure to conserve the park and prevent industrial development within its boundaries. The campaign also highlighted concerns about how local Aboriginal community representation was being handled during legal proceedings connected to the case.
Victory for the Gammons
In 2001, just one week after a court decision dismissed a legal challenge connected to the mining proposal, the South Australian Government announced its intention to reproclaim the Gammon Ranges National Park to permanently prevent mining. The decision protected approximately 128,000 hectares of nationally significant landscape and was celebrated as a major conservation victory for South Australia.
Legacy
The campaign to protect the Gammon Ranges reinforced the principle that national parks should be protected from industrial mining development. It also demonstrated the impact of coordinated public pressure—from letters and advocacy through to legal and political engagement—in defending wild places. As conservationist Bill Doyle later recalled:
“When Gammons ranges case first got to court with the mining company, they got a member of the local Aboriginal community who didn’t live locally, to represent the entire community. Categorically untrue and we knew it. State government lawyers didn’t do anything about it. We went and complained to the Minister that the state govt’s legal reps were doing a very poor job in representing the reality of the situation on the ground. The lawyers for the actual local Aboriginal community appeared. Amusing moments.”