Riverland Mallee (24572)
Australia, Australasia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1e
Year of last assessment: 2018
National site name: Riverland Mallee
Central coordinates: Latitude: -33.4477, Longitude: 140.8822
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 100
Area of KBA (km2): 12368.82545
Protected area coverage (%): 69.02
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This IBA consists of the Riverland (previously Bookmark) Biosphere Reserve on the South Australia/New South Wales border, with extensions to include contiguous uncleared mallee in New South Wales and a corridor along the Murray River downstream to Morgan. This includes the mallee on the following properties: Taylorville, Lunn, Gluepot, Parcoola, Teonga, Calperum, Pooginook Conservation Park, Danggali Conservation Park, Chowilla Regional Reserve and Chowchilla Game Reserve in South Australia; Scotia, Tarawi and Nanya in New South Wales. Also included are areas of native vegetation mapped as Deep Sand Mallee, East West Dune Mallee, Chenopod Mallee and Mallee Mosaic by Val et al. (2001). The IBA also captures the following wetlands: Lake Merreti, Hart Lagoon and Stockyard Plains within the 1956 floodline along the Murray River; and a stretch of the Murray River which has high densities of breeding Regent Parrots and a series of important seasonally flooded wetlands. The Murray River around Renmark and from Loxton down to Morgan supports large numbers of breeding Regent Parrots; these are dependent on mallee and woodland fragments within 10 km of nest sites for use as foraging grounds; includes a 10 km 'buffer' along this stretch of river (smaller numbers downstream of Morgan are excluded from the IBA). This large IBA includes many protected areas managed by various bodies and private stations inside and outside the Biosphere Reserve, many of which are lightly grazed. The corridor along the river includes large areas of intensively farmed and settled land but the whole area is traversed by foraging Regent Parrots and many small fragments of native habitat are important for this 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. 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: The IBA is important for several other mallee bird species which are listed as threatened in New South Wales: Grey Falcon (few records), Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo, Purple-crowned Lorikeet (few records), Striated Grasswren (100s estimated in Gluepot; P. Waanders in litt. 2007), Shy Heathwren, Southern Scrub-robin, Hooded Robin, Chestnut Quail-thrush and Gilbert’s Whistler. Other notable species recorded in the IBA include Australasian Bittern, Australian Painted Snipe, Scarlet-chested Parrot, Banded Whiteface, Chirruping Wedgebill, Diamond Firetail, Black Honeyeater and Painted Honeyeater. There have been two significant counts of Red-necked Avocet, 1500 in 1999 and 1220 in 2003 (Atlas of Australian Birds database). A series of ephemeral wetlands between the IBA and the Murray River support hundreds of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers and up to 150 Freckled Ducks every few years when water levels are suitable (P. Waanders pers. comm. 2007).
Other site values: State governments, conservation foundations and private owners. Many stations are under private ownership. Gluepot Reserve is open to visitors and provides an opportunity to view all mallee bird species.
Habitats
Land use: nature conservation and research | rangeland/pastureland
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 5 | |
| Shrubland | 45 | |
| Forest | 45 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Establish an effective fire regime across the whole mallee block. Extend fox baiting. Prevent any further degradation and re-vegetate mallee between river and main mallee block. Reduce grazing by domestic and feral herbivores.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Agro-industry farming | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Problematic native species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Trend Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Baker-Gabb, D. (in prep.) National Recovery Plan for the Regent Parrot (eastern subspecies) Polytelis anthopeplus monarchoides. Unpublished draft. Canberra: Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. Burbidge, A.H. (1985) The Regent Parrot. A report on the breeding distribution and habitat requirements along the Murray River in south-eastern Australia. Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service Report Series 4. Clarke, R.H. (2005) Ecological requirements of birds specialising in mallee habitats. Modelling the habitat suitability for threatened mallee birds. Unpublished report. Bundoora, Victoria: La Trobe University. DEH (2005) Draft Recovery Plan for the Regent Parrot (eastern subspecies) Anthopeplus polytelis monarchoides in the South Australian Murray Darling Basin. Berri, South Australia: Department for Environment and Heritage. Gluepot Reserve on http://www.riverland.net.au/gluepot/ downloaded February 2008. Smith, K. 2004 Regent Parrot nest survey 2003-2004. Unpublished report. Adelaide: Threatened Species Network. Val, J., Foster, E. and Le Breton, M. (2001) Biodiversity survey of the Lower Murray Darling. Report for National Heritage Trust, Environment Australia. Buronga, New South Wales: Department of Land and Water Conservation. Webster, R. and Leslie, D. (1997) Assessment of Regent Parrot Polytelis anthopeplus breeding habitat in south-western New South Wales. Unpublished report. New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service and State Forests of New South Wales. Westbrooke, M.E. (undated) Nanya Station. Western New South Wales. Vegetation, Fauna and Flora. Unpublished leaflet. University of Ballarat.
Contributors: Peter Waanders wrote the nomination. John Wild of Parcoola; Australian Landscape Trust (managers of Calperum); Birds Australia (managers of Gluepot) and Gluepot Management Committee; Australian Wildlife Conservancy (managers of Scotia); Martin Westbrooke and University of Ballarat; Peter Ewin mapped and commented on the NSW mallee. Thanks also to Grant Whiteman (Australian Landscape Trust), Gluepot Management Committee, Mike Harper (Department for Environment and Heritage) and Emma Ginman (Department for Environment and Heritage).