Bunya Mountains and Yarraman (24811)
Australia, Australasia

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2009

National site name: Bunya Mountains and Yarraman

Central coordinates: Latitude: -26.8595, Longitude: 151.9035

System: terrestrial

Elevation (m): 100 to 1146

Area of KBA (km²): 626.52205

Protected area coverage (%): 35.56

KBA classification: Regional

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: This IBA is triggered by the presence of a large population of Black-breasted Button-quail and is defined as the following national parks: Bunya Mountains, Tarong, Mt Binga, Pidna and The Palms, and Bunya Mountains National Park (Recovery) and Conservation Park; and the following state forests: Archookoora, Benarkin, East Nanango, Gibson, Googa, Mt Binga, Pidna, South Nanango, Tarong and Yarraman. The Black-breasted Button-quail population within the IBA is thought to be the largest in the world. The presence of this species at more than 1000 m above sea level in the adjacent Bunya Mountains is unusual as the species is not generally found over 500 m elsewhere. The Bunya Mountains are part of the Great Dividing Range with the Yarraman region on its eastern flanks, the entire area being the remnant of an ancient shield volcano. The now deeply weathered basaltic soils which dominate the IBA support a number of rainforest-vine thicket ecosystems as well as some rare grassland (Bunya Mountains only) and eucalypt communities. The Bunya Mountains are entirely protected whereas the Yarraman forests are comprised primarily of state forests supporting large tracts of Hoop Pine plantations as well as a variety of native forests. The IBA straddles two IBRA bioregions: the Brigalow Belt South and Southeast Queensland. The Bunya Mountains are of cultural significance to the indigenous peoples of the area. Triennial gatherings were held in the area, the people feasting on the seeds of the Bunya Pine Araucaria bidwillii. The tussock grasslands (balds) found in these mountains are an example of a culturally maintained landscape, the aboriginal peoples maintaining them and preventing the encroachment of the surrounding forests with the periodic use of fire.

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.

Additional biodiversity: Sightings have been reported of Grey Goshawk (rare), Glossy Black-Cockatoo (vulnerable), Powerful Owl (vulnerable) and Sooty Owl (rare). There are historical records of the presence of the now critically endangered Coxen's Fig-Parrot (Coxen's Fig-Parrot Recovery Team 2001). Pale Yellow Robin was reported twice in the 1960s but these records are considered erroneous (M. Mathieson pers. comm. 2008). The Atlas of Australian Birds database contains a single record of the endangered Swift Parrot for the period 1998 to 2008 (Atlas of Australian Birds database). Non-bird biodiversity: In addition to the Black-breasted Button-quail, a further twelve fauna species listed under Queensland's Nature Conservation Act (1992) have been recorded within the Bunya Mountains IBA boundary: Four of these additional species are birds and are reported in 'Other Birds'. The others are Tusked Frog (Adelotus brevis) (vulnerable), Giant Barred Frog (Mixophyes iteratus) (endangered), Spot-tailed Quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) (vulnerable), Little Pied Bat (Chalinolobus picatus) (rare), Golden-tipped Bat (Kerivoula papuensis) (rare), Collared Delma (Delma torquata) (vulnerable), Golden-tailed Gecko (Strophurus taenicauda) (rare) and the grass skink (Lampropholis colossus) (rare). Many plant species listed as threatened under the Nature Conservation Act (1992) are also found within this IBA inclunding the vulnerable Bunya Mountains Bluegrass (Bothriochloa bunyensis). Numerous ecosystem types that are listed as either of concern or endangered under Queensland's Vegetation Management Act (1999) are also found within the IBA boundary, many of these being vine thicket or rain forest communities considered suitable habitat for Black-breasted Button-quail (Environmental Protection Agency 2007; Mathieson and Smith 2007).

Other site values: Queensland Government. Freely accessible by road and the many walking tracks throughout the national parks. Many areas are quite remote with no walking tracks. Plantations within state forests are generally off limits, however, within many of the state forests there are designated public day use areas, camping areas and forest drives which are accessible.

Habitats

Land use: forestry | nature conservation and research

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Forest	45
Artificial - Terrestrial	45
Grassland	5
Introduced Vegetation	5

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Management of rainforest and open forest encroaching on grassy balds (a threatened ecosystem in the Bunya Mountains only). Weed control required for Lantana infestations, particularly along rainforest edges; and Milkweed (Asclepias spp.) and other weed issues in some of the grassy balds. Careful management of forestry operations in Hoop Pine plantations, which often support the Black-breasted Button-quail, particularly on the edges and adjacent to non-plantation habitat for the species.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Biological resource use	Logging & wood harvesting	Unintentional effects: large scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest]	Ongoing
Natural system modifications	Fire & fire suppression	Increase in fire frequency/intensity	Only in the past and unlikely to return
Natural system modifications	Fire & fire suppression	Suppression in fire frequency/intensity	Only in the past and unlikely to return
Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases	Unspecified species	Ongoing
Pollution	Industrial & military effluents	Type Unknown/Unrecorded	Ongoing
Pollution	Air-borne pollutants	Type Unknown/Unrecorded	Ongoing
Biological resource use	Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals	Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target)	Only in the past and unlikely to return
Climate change & severe weather	Droughts		Ongoing
Energy production & mining	Mining & quarrying		Ongoing
Human intrusions & disturbance	Recreational activities		Only in the past and unlikely to return

Additional information

References: Coxen's Fig-Parrot Recovery Team (2001) Coxen's Fig-Parrot Cyclopsitta diophthalma coxeni recovery plan 2001-2005. Report to Environment Australia, Canberra. Brisbane: Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service. Environment Australia (2000) Revision of the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA) and development of version 5.1. Canberra: Environment Australia. Environmental Protection Agency (2007) Regional Ecosystem Description database (REDD). Version 5.1. Updated June 2007. Database maintained by Queensland Herbarium, Environmental Protection Agency, Brisbane. http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/nature_conservation/ EPA (2008) Wildnet [database]. Environmental Protection Agency, Brisbane. (accessed 1 July 2008). Hamley, T., Flower, P. and Smith, G.C. (1997) Present and past distribution of the black-breasted Button-quail Turnix melanogaster (Gould) in Queensland. Sunbird 27: 1-21. Mathieson, M. and Smith, G.C. (2007) National recovery plan for the Black-breasted Button-quail Turnix melanogaster. Report to the Department of the Environment and Water Resources, Canberra. Brisbane: Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service. Steele, J.G. (1984) Aboriginal Pathways in southeast Queensland and the Richmond River, St Lucia: University of Queensland Press.