Cape Portland (24336)
Australia, Australasia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Cape Portland
Central coordinates: Latitude: -40.7887, Longitude: 148.0432
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 51
Area of KBA (km2): 64.76506
Protected area coverage (%): 17.75
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This IBA includes the coastal fringe from Cape Portland to Policemans Point and the offshore Swan Island, important for Hooded Plovers, and the wetlands and grasslands around Cape Portland, important for Cape Barren Geese, in north-eastern Tasmania. These areas are comprised of mostly rocky coastline with some beaches, with tidal estuaries, and pasture with freshwater wetlands. The beaches are particularly important for nesting birds as they are much less disturbed than other similar beaches in Tasmania. The remaining bushland areas of Mount William National Park are excluded as they only support modest populations of the more widespread Tasmanian endemic species.
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.
Additional biodiversity: The vulnerable Fairy Tern has nested in small numbers on Baynes Island and on Musselroe Spit (R. Cooper pers. comm. 2009; Hydro Tasmania 2003); at least eight pairs were present on Musselroe Spit in 2008/09 (E. Woehler in litt. 2009). Fairy Terns are commonly recorded along this coast with positive records in 40 of 113 (35%) Atlas of Australian Birds surveys from 1998 to 2008 (Atlas of Australian Birds database). Up to 680 Double-banded Plover (Lane 1987) have been observed, but the threshold of 500 does not appear to be exceeded regularly for this species. 347 Pied Oystercatchers have been counted (AWSG database) but there are insufficient counts along the length of the IBA to ascertain whether it regularly exceeds threshold numbers. Australasian Bittern seen commonly on Tregaron South lagoon in the 1980s (Hydro Tasmania 2003). Regionally significant numbers of Red-necked Stint (counts include 2932 in 1982, 1611 in 1985, 2081 in 1986, 1899 in 1992), Curlew Sandpiper max 2000 in 1985 (Hydro Tasmania 2003) and Red-capped Plovers (at least 30 pairs along this coast including at least 15 pairs on Musselroe Spit in 2008/09; E. Woehler pers. comm. 2009). Regionally significant numbers of Wedge-tailed Eagles (R. Cooper pers. comm. 2007). Various restricted-range Tasmanian endemic species occur in the fringing terrestrial vegetation (e.g. Tasmanian Thornbill) but the populations captured within this IBA are insignificant.
Other site values: Private land on most of inland Cape Portland, some classified as 'private reserve', remaining area is in protected areas. Permission is required to access the private land off the public roads. Contact land owners, protected area managers, Priscilla Park and Eric Woehler.
Habitats
Land use: energy production and mining | nature conservation and research | rangeland/pastureland
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 43 | |
| Grassland | 5 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 5 | |
| Introduced Vegetation | 5 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 43 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Control invasive marram grass and sea spurge. Limit impacts of proposed wind farm.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Energy production & mining | Renewable energy | Ongoing | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Droughts | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Birds Tasmania (2006) Unpublished data. Cooper, R. (1982) Little Musselroe Bay. An Occasional Stint 1: 59-64. Cooper, R. (1997) Hooded Plover winter flocks and breeding success in north-west Tasmania. Stilt 30: 23-25. Hydro Tasmania (2003) Musselroe Wind Farm Project. Development Proposal and Environmental Management Plan. Lane, B. (1987) Shorebirds of Australia. Melbourne: Nelson Publishers. Rudman, T. (2003) Tasmanian Beach Weed Strategy for marram grass, sea spurge, sea wheatgrass, pyp grass & beach daisy. Hobart: DPWIE Nature Conservation Branch, Technical Report 03/2. Woehler, E. and Park. P. (2006) Inventory of Nationally Important Shorebird Sites in Tasmania. Unpublished report by Birds Tasmania for Birds Australia.
Contributors: Thanks to Ralph Cooper as compiler.