Lake Newland (25117)
Australia, Australasia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Lake Newland
Central coordinates: Latitude: -33.4205, Longitude: 134.8588
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 5
Area of KBA (km2): 89.16835
Protected area coverage (%): 98.67
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The IBA comprises the Lake Newland Conservation Park, which extends for 25 km along the coast along Anxious Bay on the western Eyre Peninsula. The main habitats are high-energy sandy beaches with some reefs and rocky stretches, extensive coastal dunes backed by a 20 km series of shallow saline lakes with freshwater springs, soaks and seepages, and some samphire flats and paperbark swamps. Inland of the lakes is abandoned pasture with sparse sheoak (Allocasuarina) woodland. In dry years, the surface water retreats to a smaller permanent lake in the south and the freshwater springs are surrounded by saline muds. Mean annual rainfall ranges from 350-400 mm, mainly falling in May-September.
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: Max count of 56 Pied Oystercatchers and about 15 pairs nesting on the beach; regularly small to moderate numbers of Banded Stilts, max 2000 in 2006 and 2400 in unknown year; regularly small to moderate numbers of Red-necked Stint, recent max 855 in 2003 and 520 in 2006, but previously regular records of 1000-2000; max count of 2000 Chestnut Teal (J. Cooper pers. comm. 2008; DEWHA 2008). Blue-winged Fairy-wrens are common in damp dune swales around the lake (J. Cooper pers. comm. 2008). A minimum of seven pairs of Hooded Plover nest on the nearby beach with a handful of probably non-breeding birds recorded on the lake system (J. Cooper pers. comm. 2007); a maximum 24 Hooded Plover were recorded in the area around 1991 (DEWHA 2008).
Other site values: Owned by the South Australian Government and managed by the Department for Environment and Heritage.
Habitats
Land use: nature conservation and research (100%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 85 | |
| Forest | 5 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 5 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Regulate abstraction of groundwater from spring catchments. Control 4WD and dog access to the beaches which support Hooded Plovers. Continued control of foxes on and adjacent to reserve.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use | Abstraction of surface water (unknown use) | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Droughts | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Department for Environment and Heritage (2003) Lake Newland Conservation Park Management Plan. Department for Environment and Heritage: Adelaide. Robinson, A.C., Delroy, L.B. and Jenkins, R.B. (1982) The conservation and management of the Cape Barren Goose. National Parks and Wildlife Service Special Publication 1. Department of Environment and Planning: Adelaide. DEWHA (2008) A Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia. Lake Newland - SA012. http://www.environment.gov.au/water/publications/environmental/wetlands/database/ accessed November 2008.
Contributors: Thanks to Jane Cooper as compiler. Dave Armstrong contributed counts of shorebirds. Department for Environment and Heritage west and Western Eyre Integrated Pest Management Program control foxes across the area.