New England (24450)
Australia, Australasia

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2009

National site name: New England

Central coordinates: Latitude: -30.5665, Longitude: 152.4747

System: terrestrial

Elevation (m): 100 to 1560

Area of KBA (km²): 745.83019

Protected area coverage (%): 99.87

KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: The IBA is identical to New England National Park, which is located 75 km east of Armidale and 50 km west of Coffs Harbour in New South Wales. The park includes the high eastern escarpment of the Great Dividing Range and consists of high cliffs, rugged ridges and streams which converge into two main river systems, the Bellinger and the Macleay. Average annual rainfall is 1514 mm at a station at 1060 m altitude, average maximum summer temperatures here are 24 Celsius and minimum winter temperatures are 2 Celsius. Palaeozoic sedimentry and metamorphic rocks of slate, phylitte and greywake dominate the landscape, and on the plateau these are covered by the volcanic basalt, trachyte and tuff. These different rock types produce very different soils which, along with the high altitudinal range, support a diversity of flora and fauna. The park plays host to around 60,000 visitors a year and has walking tracks, camping grounds and other facilities to accommodate them. New England National Park is World Heritage listed and has a substantial area that fits the criteria for a Wilderness Park. This area stretches through the rugged gullies and ridges of the Bellinger River and Five Day Creek.

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)

Additional biodiversity: One hundred and thirteen species of birds have been recorded in the park, including 24 of a possible 36 NSW rainforest dependent birds. Non-bird biodiversity: The park supports a wide range of fauna including Platypus, Echidna, Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Wallaroo, Swamp Wallaby, Red-necked Wallaby, Red-necked Pademelon, Parma Wallaby, Potoroo and Dingo. Arboreal marsupials are also abundant and include Brush-tailed Possum, Greater Glider, Ring-tailed Glider, Feather-tailed Glider, Koala and Phascogale. Smaller mammals include Tiger Quoll, Brown Antichinus, Bush Rat, Bridled Bandicoot, Swamp Rat and Dusky Antechinus. There is a colony of Bent-winged Bats in the park and occasionally the Little Red Flying Fox and Grey-headed Flying Fox can be seen in the area. Over 500 species of plants can be found.

Other site values: NSW state government with management the responsibility of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Habitats

Land use: nature conservation and research (100%)

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Forest	90
Grassland	5
Shrubland	5

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Monitor Rufous Scrub-bird population especially in relation to fire, logging or other forest disturbances. Monitor and manage feral dogs and other invasive species.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Natural system modifications	Fire & fire suppression	Suppression in fire frequency/intensity	Ongoing
Climate change & severe weather	Other impacts		Only in the future
Climate change & severe weather	Habitat shifting & alteration		Only in the future

Additional information

References: NSW NPWS (2008) Atlas of NSW Wildlife. http://wildlifeatlas.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/wildlifeatlas/watlas/species.jsp accessed 11 June 2008.