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THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST 
May 9, 1950. 
PROTECTION Ot FAUNA AND FLORA 
IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA 
By J. NEIL McGILP 
^HOUGH in all probability the question of 
giving protection to our Fauna and 
Flora had previously been much talked about, 
the first concrete proposals for Sanctuaries 
and Reservations appear to have been made 
in a paper read by the late Mr. A. F. Robin 
before a gathering of the members of the 
Field Naturalists’ Section of the Royal Society 
of South Australia on August 21, 1888. 
These proposals so impressed those present 
that a Committee, to be named the Fauna and 
Flora Protection Committee, was appointed. 
It was charged with the responsibility of 
promoting a public interest in our native 
wild life and the need to preserve it, and to 
make every effort to have suitable land set 
aside as Sanctuaries for the purpose. 
Even at this comparatively early date in 
the history of Fauna and Flora Protection, 
it appears that those interested in the subject 
connected tree planting with wild life preser- 
vation, not only to provide shade, shelter and 
breeding places but as a growing asset from 
which timber could be sold. The revenue 
expected was intended to be used to create 
further Sanctuaries and provide funds foi 
ORIGINAL COMMISSIONERS 
the adequate patrol and supervision of the 
areas set apart for our wild life. 
One of the first steps taken by the Fauna 
and Flora Protection Committee was towards 
the establishment of a National Park. There 
was a Government Farm of some 2,000 acres 
near Belair which was being used for depas- 
turing Police and other departmental horses. 
In 1881 the Government proposed to sell the 
farm, and as the area was within easy dis- 
tance, approximately 8 miles from Adelaide, 
it was considered to be admirably suitable 
for a National Park. Very largely due to 
the efforts of Sir Edwin Smith, Mr. Walter 
Gooch and Mr. A. McDonald, Parliament in 
1883 passed an Act prohibiting the sale of 
the property. It was, however, not until 
1891 that, reacting to the valiant efforts of 
Messrs. Samuel Dixon, W. H. Selway, A. 
F. Robin and other Field Naturalists, widely 
supported by public opinion, Parliament 
passed an lAct vesting the National Park in a 
Board of Commissioners, 5 of whom were 
appointed by the Government and 7 mem- 
bers represented various bodies interested in 
such a project. 
The names of the original Commissioners 
and those acting in this capacity to-day are 
as follows: — 
PRESENT DAY COMMISSIONERS 
Appointed by the 
Sir Edwin Smith, Chairman 
Mr. A. McDonald, M.P. 
Mr. Walter Gooch 
Mr. J. C. F. Johnson, M.P. 
Mr. Samuel Dixon 
Government : 
Professor J. B. Cleland, Chairman 
Mr. F. N. Simpson 
Mr. H. M. Hale 
Mr. H. Womersley 
Mr. A. R. Downer 
Commissioner of Crown Lands 
Hon. Thomas Playford, M.P. Mr. C. S. Hincks, M.P. 
Mr. F. W. Bullock 
Mr. Walter Gill 
Mayor of Adelaide 
Mr. J. McLeay, Lord Mayor 
Conservator of Forests 
Mr. B. H. Bednall 
Dr. M. W. Holtze 
Director of Botanical Gardens 
Mr. I. R. N. Lothian 
Mr. R. G. Minchin 
Director of Zoological Gardens 
Mr. V. D. Haggard 
Royal Society 
Rev. T. Blackburn, President Mr. H. W. Kleeman, President 
Agricultural Society 
Hon. J. L. Stirling, President Mr. H. J. Finniss, Representative 
