Situated 12 kilometres from town, the Ilparpa Valley including the 12 ephemeral claypans contains a wide diversity of plants, animals and landforms. It is home to listed threatened species and nationally significant animals and plants. Owing to its conservation values the Ilparpa Commonage is declared a ‘Wildlife Protected Area’ under the Territory Parks and Wildlife Act 1993.
Rare rainfalls fill the claypans with water bringing aquatic life such as the shield shrimp (trilobite) opportunities to survive and breed.
Landcare clears buffel grass in selected areas with a view to protecting from uncontrolled fire significant stands of old growth trees, flowering plants and ground covers. Clearing buffel helps to liberate seed banks still in the ground resulting in growth of native plants, and protects habitat.