Maryborough-Dunolly Box-Ironbark Region (26486)
Australia, Australasia

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Global KBA criteria: A1a, D1a

Year of last assessment: 2009

National site name: Maryborough-Dunolly Box-Ironbark Region

Central coordinates: Latitude: -36.8290, Longitude: 143.6902

System: terrestrial

Elevation (m): 160 to 280

Area of KBA (km²): 896.10699

Protected area coverage (%): 29.11

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: This IBA includes all the box-ironbark woodland remnants that are significant for Swift Parrots in the Maryborough-Dunolly region of central Victoria (as defined by Kennedy and Tzaros 2005). This is situated between the St Arnaud and the Bendigo Box-Ironbark Region IBAs. Where only one area within a forest patch is known to be significant the whole patch is taken, as this is the usual management unit and Swift Parrots are likely to use the remaining woodland in smaller numbers or less regularly. This IBA ranges from Dalyenong in the west to Maryborough in the east, including the following remnants (with land-ownership status): Dalyenong (NCR), Tunstalls (NCR), Dunolly (Waanyarra NCR, Dunolly-Tarnagulla SF and Mt Hooghly SF), Kooyoora (SP and Kingower SF) and Maryborough (Paddys Ranges SP, Bung Bong NCR, Talbot NCR, Caralulup NCR, Dunach NCR, Timor NCR, Havelock NCR and SF). Other adjacent areas of woodland are dominated by trees less suitable for these bird species and are excluded from the IBA, although these areas are still important for other woodland birds and support small numbers of the key IBA species. Most of the IBA is within protected areas or state forests, with only small forest blocks on private land.

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: The vulnerable Painted Honeyeater is a rare breeding visitor to the Maryborough-Dunnolly region (Atlas of Australian Birds database); it is uncommon at Kooyora and at other woodlands remnants outside of the IBA (Tzaros 2005; Starr 2006). Other declining woodland birds including Brown Treecreeper, Speckled Warbler, Hooded Robin, Crested Bellbird and Gilbert's Whistler; and occasional records of migrant Black Honeyeaters and Pink Robins. Also 45 records of Flame Robin, 12 records of Bush Stone-curlew and one record of Purple-gaped Honeyeater in 1585 Atlas of Australian Birds surveys undertaken from 1998 to 2008 (Atlas of Australian Birds database).

Other site values: Protected areas and state forests are owned and managed by state government; the IBA also contains small areas of private land. Some of the forest remnants are on private land without public access.

Habitats

Land use: forestry | nature conservation and research

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Forest	100

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Investigate conservation partnerships with land-owners of box-ironbark remnants on private land, especially seeking to link remnants with larger patches of woodland and forest. Investigate habitat restoration and creation on more fertile land close to remnants. Advocate for protection of the 23% of priority box-ironbark sites that are still unprotected.

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
Climate change & severe weather	Droughts		Ongoing

Additional information

References: Environment Conservation Council (2001) Box-ironbark forests and woodlands investigation. Final Report. Melbourne: Environment Conservation Council. Kennedy, S. (2000) Swift Parrot priority foraging and roost sites in Central Victoria. Bendigo, Victoria: Department of Natural Resources and Environment. Kennedy, S. (2001) Box-ironbark forests & woodlands investigation. Final report. Melbourne: Environment Conservation Council. Kennedy, S.J. and Tzaros, C.L. (2005) Foraging ecology of the Swift Parrot Lathamus discolor in the box-ironbark forests and woodlands of Victoria. Pacific Conservation Biology 11: 158-173. Starr, S. (2006) Swift Parrot, Painted Honeyeater. Wehla forest (Kooyoora State Park). Downloaded from http://www. eremaea.com/BirdlineSpecies.aspx? Taxon = 7906 & Birdline = 1 in Feb 2009. Tzaros, C. (2005) Wildlife of the box-ironbark country. Collingwood, Victoria: CSIRO Publishing.