MacClark (Acacia Peuce) Conservation Reserve
Overview
Acacia peuce, or waddywood is one of the rarest and most striking trees of the Australian arid zone. It grows in this Reserve on a stony wind-swept plain in one of the driest places in Australia. The average annual rainfall is only 150mm. Daily maximum temperatures average almost 40 degrees celcius in January.
About 1000 mature trees are protected in this Reserve. The major stands of trees are fenced to protect them from stock. Prolonged drought, fires, and rabbits may threaten Acacia peuce seedlings.
The ecology of Acacia peuce is the subject of an ongoing study. There are a number of permanent sites at the Reserve where seedling regeneration and growth rates of trees are measured on a regular basis. It is important not to interfere with stakes and tree bands.
How to Get There
From Alice Springs, the Reserve can be reached via Santa Teresa or from Kulgera, on the Stuart Highway. Access is by 4WD vehicles only and roads may become impassible after heavy rain.
When to Visit
The Reserve is generally accessible all year round. The cooler months (April to September) are the most pleasant times to visit. Summer visitors are strongly advised to travel in convoy with other vehicles.
What to See and Do
In such a harsh environment, only a few shrubs and grasses manage to survive. The Acacia peuce thrives, growing to heights of 17 metres and it is estimated it can live for up to 500 years.
One key to the trees survival is their small spiky needle-like leaves. A small surface area ensures little moisture is lost through the leaves.
Visitor Facilties
There are no visitor facilities at this Reserve. Camping is only recommended at the nearby Old Anado Station.
Please Remember
- Remember you are driving through private landholder properties, so please drive only on the established roads, leaving gates as you find them and slow down in areas where cattle are grazing.
- All natural and cultural resources in the Reserve are protected. Do not interfere with Aboriginal artefacts or stone tool sites in the Reserve.
- Ensure that all gates into the Reserve are closed to exclude stock.
- Do not interfere with the trees and be careful not to trample seedlings.
- Keep vehicles outside the fenced-off areas.
- Fires are not permitted in the Reserve.
- Do not collect firewood near the Reserve.
- Pets are not permitted in the Reserve.
- Guns and traps are prohibited.
- Camping is only recommended at Old Anado Station.
- Do not interfere with nearby bores or cattle yards.
Fact Sheet
Recreational Activities
- 4 x 4 Driving
- Camping Permitted
- Picnic Tables
- Walking Tracks
Walks are the main atraction of this Reserve, with the ability to be able to walk throughout the fenced areas and admire these rare desert giants.
Scenic and Cultural Features
Acacia peuce is found in three places, near Boulia and Birdsville in Queensland and 40km north of Old Andado Homestead in the Mac Clarke Conservation Reserve.
In the first half of this century many of the trees were cut down to build stockyards and shelters, even though the wood is so hard it won't take nails. Mac Clarke was a former Andado pastoralist whose interest in the trees led to the declaration of this Reserve, which bears his name.