Moorrinya National Park

In the heart of the Desert Uplands, Moorrinya National Park protects 18 land types in the Lake Eyre Basin, one of Australia's most important catchments.

This remote park has dry, flat plains criss-crossed by watercourses and covered in open eucalypt, paperbark and acacia woodlands and grasslands. Moorrinya is a wildlife refuge, protecting Australian icons such as kangaroos, koalas, emus and dingoes, as well as rare and threatened species such as the square-tailed kite, squatter pigeon and Julia Creek dunnart.

Moorrinya National Park was initially established as the sheep grazing property, Shirley Station. In the late 1970s, cattle replaced sheep and grazing continued until the park was established in 1993. Much of the sheep station infrastructure, dating back to the late 1940s, remains as a reminder of the spirit and hard work of the people who lived in this remote part of Queensland.