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The Southern Midlands municipal area contains a network of publicly and privately managed reserves that protect important natural and cultural values across the region. There are currently 20 publicly owned reserves established to conserve significant habitats, landscapes, flora and fauna. Of these, the Southern Midlands Council owns and manages the Chauncy Vale Wildlife Sanctuary near Bagdad, an area with historic connections to the Chauncy family.

The remaining 19 reserves are managed by Parks and Wildlife and comprise ten Conservation Areas, eight Nature Reserves and one Game Management Reserve at Lake Tiberias. One of the best-known sites is the Lake Dulverton Conservation Area, which is managed by the Southern Midlands Council in partnership with the Lake Dulverton and Callington Park Management Committee. Collectively, these publicly owned reserves cover approximately 2.9% of the Southern Midlands municipal area.

In addition to the public reserve network, a significant area of privately owned land is also managed for nature conservation. This includes properties protected through long-term nature conservation covenants, Landcare sites operating under shorter-term management agreements, and areas voluntarily set aside by private landholders for environmental purposes. When these privately managed areas are included, approximately 7.5% of the municipal area is subject to some form of nature conservation management.

Together, these reserves and conservation areas provide important opportunities to protect and experience the distinctive natural character of the Southern Midlands. They allow visitors to explore landscapes, flora and fauna that retain many of the characteristics of the region's natural environment. While most of the reserves are relatively small by Tasmanian standards, they protect a range of habitats and landscape features that are particularly characteristic of the Midlands, including grasslands supporting threatened species, saltpan lakes, ephemeral wetlands, sandstone escarpments and dry sclerophyll woodlands.

Our Reserves and Sanctuaries

Reserves in the Southern Midlands provide an opportunity for visitors to step back in time and experience the landscape, flora and fauna of the region in relatively natural condition. Most of the reserves are small by Tasmanian standards but are special in that they protect features that have a uniquely midlands flavor such as grassland flora rich in threatened species; saltpan lakes; ephemeral wetlands; sandstone escarpments and dry sclerophyll woodland.

Lake Dulverton Conservation Area

Lake Dulverton & Callington Park Management Committee

Chauncy Vale Wildlife Sanctuary

Coal River Gorge Nature Reserve

Lake Tiberias

Tunbridge Township Lagoon Nature Reserve