Nadgee to Mallacoota Inlet (23844)
Australia, Australasia

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1e

Year of last assessment: 2018

National site name: Nadgee to Mallacoota Inlet

Central coordinates: Latitude: -37.4370, Longitude: 149.8727

System: terrestrial

Elevation (m): 0 to 200

Area of KBA (km²): 381.71475

Protected area coverage (%): 99.21

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: This IBA includes all of Nadgee National Park in NSW and the eastern section of the 87,500 hectare Croajingolong National Park in Victoria. The key bird species, Eastern Bristlebird, is no longer found west of Mallacoota inlet in Victoria so this section of Croajingolong is excluded. The habitat is largely a patchy mosaic of coastal heath and eucalypt woodlands. This includes Nadgee Coastal Heath Complex and Nadgee Coastal Heath/Woodland, which occurs in exposed situations along the coast. There is a diverse range of structurally complex wet heath, mainly occurring in poorly drained areas, including Nadgee Lowland Sedge Swamp, Nadgee Tall Wet Shrub Heath and Nadgee Wet Shrub Heath. A unique wetland type occurs within the dune swales surrounding Cape Howe (Cape Howe Dune Swale). Dry Scrub occurs along the length of the proposed IBA coastline, and includes Headland Scrub and Dune Scrub (Lynette Evans pers. comm. 2005). The IBA occurs within one of the least disturbed areas of temperate coastal vegetation on the Australian mainland. This has resulted in a very high level of floristic and structural integrity, which is considered significant at the national level (Ecology Australia 1998).

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs. Alliance for Zero Extinction (2018): site confirmed as an AZE site during the AZE project (2015-2018). Taxonomy, nomenclature and Red List category follow the IUCN 2016 Red List.

Additional biodiversity: A population of Ground Parrots estimated at 50 birds (J.Baker pers. comm. 2006). Small numbers of nesting Pied and Sooty Oystercatchers. Powerful, Sooty and Masked Owls occur throughout the area. Occasional sightings of Pilotbird and Pink Robin (Atlas of Australian Birds database). Striated Fieldwrens occur at an estimated density of 0.62 birds/ha in low, dry Allocasuarina/Hakea heath (Gosper and Baker 1997) and are also found at low density along the coast (D. Hollands pers. comm. 2007). A count of 25 Hooded Plover (of which nine were in Nadgee) in 2003 (M. Antos in litt. 2007); and counts of 12 Hooded between Mallacoota and Cape Howe in both 2000 and 2002 (Hooded Plover database). Non-bird biodiversity: Thirty-seven species of threatened native animals have been recorded in Nadgee, including the long-nosed potoroo, southern brown bandicoot, yellow-bellied glider and spot-tailed quoll. Several dingo groups are present in Nadgee. There are six rare plant species, a large number of restricted species and 24 plant species that reach their southern limit of distribution.

Other site values: NSW and Victorian State Governments.

Habitats

Land use: nature conservation and research (100%)

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Marine Intertidal	5
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	5
Forest	45
Shrubland	45

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Implement the relevant fire management strategies, notably: keep wildfire as small as possible; maintain annual monitoring of the Eastern Bristlebird population; upper biodiversity vegetation thresholds may be exceeded if it is to the advantage of the Eastern Bristlebird population; in the event of a wildfire implement long term strategic predator control in the vicinity of the refuge areas.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Natural system modifications	Fire & fire suppression	Increase in fire frequency/intensity	Only in the future
Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases	Unspecified species	Ongoing
Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases	Problematic native species/diseases	Unspecified species	Ongoing
Human intrusions & disturbance	Recreational activities		Ongoing
Climate change & severe weather	Habitat shifting & alteration		Ongoing

Additional information

References: Baker, J. (1996) Strategy for Conservation and Management of Ground Parrot and Eastern Bristlebird populations at Nadgee NR, Jervis Bay NP and Beecroft Peninsula. Report to NSW NPWS and ANCA. Baker, J. (1997) The decline, response to fire, status and management of the eastern bristlebird. Pacific Conservation Biology 3, 235-43. Baker, J. (1998) Eastern Bristlebird Recovery Plan 1997-2002. NSW NPWS, Sydney. Ecology Australia (1998) Natural Scientific and Wilderness Recreation Values of the Nadgee/Howe Wilderness Area. Report to NPWS & Parks Victoria. Bramwell, M. (2008) The Eastern Bristlebird Dasyornis brachypterus in East Gippsland, Victoria, 1997-2002. Aus. Field Ornithology 25: 2-11. Ecology Australia (1998) Natural Scientific and Wilderness Recreation Values of the Nadgee/Howe Wilderness Area. Report to NPWS & Parks Victoria. NRE (1996) Croajingolong National Park managment plan. Melbourne: Dept of Natural Resources and Environment. NSW NPWS (2003) Nadgee Nature Reserve Plan of Management Sydney: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. NSW NPWS (2005) Draft Fire Management Strategy Nadgee Nature Reserve. NSW NPWS, Far South Coast Region.