Chadinga Conservation Park

Chadinga Conservation Park, formerly the Chadinga Conservation Reserve, is a protected area in the Australian state of South Australia located in the Chadinga Dunes on the western side of Lake MacDonnell, in the locality of Penong.^[3] The park is classified as an IUCN Category VI protected area.^[1]

Chadinga Conservation Park South Australia
IUCN category VI (protected area with sustainable use of natural resources)[1]
Chadinga Conservation Park
Nearest town or city	Penong, South Australia
Coordinates	31°58′36.22″S 132°51′20.15″E[1]
Established	11 November 1993[2]
Area	118.54 km2 (45.8 sq mi)[2]
Managing authorities	Department for Environment and Water
See also	Protected areas of South Australia

The conservation park covers 118.54 square kilometres (45.77 sq mi) of coastal dunes, containing a lake and areas of Mallee scrub.^[2] It is commonly called "Tuckamore" by local people. The dunes extend up to 3 km inland and form a habitat for the spinifex hopping mouse.^[4] The conservation park has no visitor facilities, although bush camping is permitted.^[5]

The Dinosaur Ant (Nothomyrmecia macrops), noted as a "living fossil", is found within the conservation park.^[6] The lake is the largest of several salt lakes in the area - others include Red Lake (a small section of Lake MacDonnell cut off by the Penong to Point Sinclair/Cactus Beach road) and Blue Lake, a smaller lake to the south of Lake MacDonnell.