Discovery Bay to Piccaninnie Ponds (25113)
Australia, Australasia

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2009

National site name: Discovery Bay to Piccaninnie Ponds

Central coordinates: Latitude: -38.1790, Longitude: 141.2215

System: marine, terrestrial

Elevation (m): 0 to 15

Area of KBA (km²): 99.80202

Protected area coverage (%): 95.21

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: The IBA extends along the coast from Green Point in South Australia to eastern Bridgewater Bay in Victoria. It includes the wetland along the drain to Green Point, Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds Conservation Park, a small parcel of private land to the north of Piccaninnie Ponds Conservation Park, and Discovery Bay Coastal Park east to the end of Discovery Bay (the remaining sections along Bridgewater Bay and Nelson Bay only support Rufous Bristlebirds amongst the key bird species). The most prominent ecological community in the IBA is coastal scrub, which is dominated in most places by emergent Moonah, and is otherwise comprised of medium-sized shrubs (e.g. Coast Wattle, Coast Beard-heath, Seaberry Saltbush and Coast Daisy-bush) above a ground cover of grasses, herbs and sedges. The IBA includes a long stretch of exposed sandy beaches and sand dunes. The IBA also includes the Glenelg River estuary, Long Swamp and other freshwater swamps, some small permanent freshwater lakes and pools, and some small patches of herb-rich eucalypt woodland. Piccaninnie Ponds contain clear water upwelling from limestone aquifers.

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: Discovery Bay supports regionally important numbers of Sanderling with a count of 2000 in 2006 (Christie 2006). Small numbers of Little Terns nest at the mouth of the Glenelg River (Christie 2006). The Bush Stone-curlew is rare to uncommon in the IBA (Emison et al. 1987). The vulnerable Fairy Tern and near threatened Flame Robin are occasionally recorded in the IBA but no counts are available for either species (Atlas of Australian Birds database). Non-bird biodiversity: Discovery Bay Coastal Park supports 66 species (23 species of flora and 43 species of fauna) which are considered to be threatened in Victoria, including nine species that are nationally threatened and 14 species that are listed under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988. One species, the Coast Gum, is restricted in Victoria to Discovery Bay Coastal Park. Discovery Bay Conservation Park is considered to be of high conservation value to 15 species, including seven that are listed under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (Parks Victoria 2000).

Other site values: South Australian and Victorian State governments (Parks Victoria, Department for Environment and Heritage) and private holdings.

Habitats

Land use: nature conservation and research | urban/industrial/transport

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Marine Intertidal	5
Shrubland	90
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	5

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Minimise human disturbance. Eradicate or control introduced fauna and flora.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases	Named species	Ongoing
Human intrusions & disturbance	Recreational activities		Ongoing

Additional information

References: Christie, M. (2006) Wader sites in the lower south east, South Australia. Stilt 50: 259-262. DEWHA (2008) A Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia. http://www.environment.gov.au/water/publications/environmental/wetlands/database/ accessed June 2008 Emison, W. B., Beardsell, C. M., Norman, F. I., Loyn, R. H. and Bennett, S.C. (1987) Atlas of Victorian Birds. Department of Conservation, Forests and Lands and Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union Melbourne. Parks Victoria (2000) State of the Parks 2000. Volume 2 - Park Profiles. Parks Victoria Melbourne. Parks Victoria (2006) Discovery Bay Parks (Mount Richmond National Park, Cape Nelson State Park and Discovery Bay Coastal Park) and Cape Nelson Lighthouse Reserve Management Plan. Parks Victoria Melbourne.