Wyperfeld, Big Desert and Ngarkat (24578)
Australia, Australasia

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1b, A1c, A1d, B1

Year of last assessment: 2009

National site name: Wyperfeld, Big Desert and Ngarkat

Central coordinates: Latitude: -35.6302, Longitude: 141.3148

System: terrestrial

Elevation (m): 0 to 100

Area of KBA (km²): 9762.60667

Protected area coverage (%): 81.66

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: The Wyperfeld, Big Desert & Ngarkat IBA incorporates a large area of contiguous mallee in north-west Victoria and north-east South Australia including Wyperfeld National Park (361,770 ha), Big Desert Wilderness Park (142,300 ha), Ngarkat Conservation Park in South Australia (266,692 ha) and adjacent smaller reserves and state forest. The central feature of the Victorian portion is a chain of lake beds connected by Outlet Creek, the northern extension of the Wimmera River. The lakes only fill when the Wimmera River over-supplies Lake Hindmarsh to the south of Lake Albacutya. The IBA boundary could be extended south into farmland at the southern section of Wyperfeld NP near Murrayville-Nhill Road to conserve the area's Australian Bustards, and also to include Lake Hindmarsh (13,500 ha) and the Lake Albacutya Ramsar Site (5731 ha), which support important numbers of waterbirds when flooded and sometimes support nesting Regent Parrots. However, these lakes are predicted to flood much less frequently in future, given increased levels of water abstraction and decreased levels of rainfall. When it rains the semi-arid landscape is transformed by tiny desert plants that sprout from long-dormant seeds, carpeting the ground with clusters of flowers. The area also contains vast areas of mallee wilderness, which support many rare and endangered plants and animals.

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: Lake Albacutya formerly supported large numbers of waterbirds including counts of 700 Freckled Duck (Martindale 1983), 10,000 Banded Stilt (Robinson 1984), 20,000 Grey Teal, 3000 Australian Shelduck, 3000 Pacific Black Duck, 2000 Australian Wood Duck, 1500 Hardhead, 1000 Australasian Shoveler, 3000 Eurasian Coot, 100 White-necked Heron and 100 Yellow-billed Spoonbill (DEWHA 2008). The endangered Australasian Bittern has been recorded during flood periods. The IBA is also estimated to support 5-10 pairs of Australian Bustard and 1-10 pairs of Western Whipbird, the latter being one of very few remaining inland populations of subspecies P. n. leucogaster (R. Clarke in litt. 2007).

Other site values: South Australian and Victorian Governments. Reserves are open to public but restrictions for access and camping apply.

Habitats

Land use: nature conservation and research | tourism/recreation | water management

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Wetlands(Inland)	5
Grassland	23
Forest	23
Shrubland	23
Savanna	23
Desert	5

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Management activities to reduce the incidence of large-scale, high intensity wildfires. Ongoing research to identify optimal fire age class mosaics and fire management strategies for landscape-scale conservation of threatened mallee species.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Natural system modifications	Fire & fire suppression	Increase in fire frequency/intensity	Ongoing

Additional information

References: Clarke, R.H. (2004) Threatened bird species recorded within the Billiatt and Ngarkat Conservation Park complexes, South Australia, Spring 2003. Unpublished report to the Department for Environment and Heritage, Adelaide. Clarke, R.H. (2005) Ecological requirements of birds specialising in mallee habitats. Modelling the habitat suitability for threatened mallee birds. La Trobe University unpublished report. Clarke, R.H (2007) Surveys for Mallee Emu-wrens within the Murray Mallee Reserve System, Victoria, Spring 2006. Interim Report. Melbourne: Department of Sustainability and Environment. Clarke, R.H., Boulton, R.L. and Clarke, M.F. (in press) Estimating population size of the black-eared miner, with an assessment of landscape-scale habitat requirements. Pacific Conservation Biology. Clarke, R.H. and Clarke, M.F. (1998) Field management of the Black-eared Miner. Final report to Dept of Natural Resources and Environment, Vic. July 1998. DEWHA (2008) A Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia. DSE (2003) Lake Albacutya Ramsar Site: Strategic Management Plan. Melbourne: Department of Sustainability and Environment. Garnett, S.T. and Crowley, G.M. (2000) The action plan for Australian birds 2000. Canberra: Environment Australia. Martindale, J. (1983) Population Estimates of Freckled Duck (Stictonetta naevosa), in Australia. Moonee Ponds: RAOU Report No.13. Paton, D.C. (2000) Biotic responses to fire and drought and developing a fire management strategy for Ngarkat Conservation Park: the importance of site fidelity and hot spots for biodiversity conservation. Unpublished report for University of Adelaide, Australia. Robertson, P., Bennett, A.F., Lumsden, L.F., Silveira, C.E., Johnson, P.G., Yen, A.L., Milledfe, G.A., Lillywhite, P.K., & Pribble, H.J. (1989) Fauna of the Mallee Study Area North-west Victoria. Melbourne: Arthur Rylah Institute Technical Report No 87. Robinson, D. (ed.) (1984) Victorian Bird Report 1983. Bird Observers Club, Melbourne. Silveira, C.E. (2000) Western Whipbird - eastern race Psophodes nigrogularis leucogaster. Flora and Fauna Guarantee Action Statement. Melbourne: Natural Resources and Environment. Tzaros, C. (2008) Reconnect the Bush. In The State of Australia's Birds 2008. Melbourne: Birds Australia. Ward, M.J. & Paton, D.C. (2004) Responses to fire of Slender-billed Thornbills, Acanthiza iredalei hedleyi, in Ngarkat Conservation Park, South Australia. I. Densities, group sizes, distribution and management issues. Emu 104: 157-167.