St Arnaud Box-Ironbark Region (26496)
Australia, Australasia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: St Arnaud Box-Ironbark Region
Central coordinates: Latitude: -36.8585, Longitude: 143.1317
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 210 to 605
Area of KBA (km2): 478.21433
Protected area coverage (%): 67.35
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 St Arnaud region of central Victoria (as defined by Kennedy and Tzaros 2005). This is situated between the Maryborough-Dunolly and the Rushworth 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 Stawell-Ararat in the west to St Arnaud in the east, including the following remnants (with land-ownership status): Jallukar (Nature Conservation Refuge; NCR), Illawarra (NCR and public land), Deep Lead (NCR), Glynwylln (State Forest; SF), Joel Joel (NCR), Moorl Morrl (NCR), Mt Bolangum, Big Tottingham (NCR and private), Little Tottingham (SF), Pyrenees (Landsborough NCR, Landsborough Hill NCR and SF) and St Arnaud Range (NP, Regional Park, Stoney Creek NCR, Stuart Mill NCR, Redbank 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 uncommon at Deep Lead (where two pairs were recorded in 2005) and at other woodland remnants around the IBA (Tzaros 2005; Atlas of Australian Birds database). Other declining woodland birds in the St Arnaud region include Brown Treecreeper, Speckled Warbler, Hooded Robin and Crested Bellbird, with occasional records of migrant Black Honeyeater and Pink Robin.
Other site values: Protected areas and state forests are owned and managed by the Victorian 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 |
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Suppression in fire frequency/intensity | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Problematic native species/diseases | Unspecified species | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Problematic species/diseases of unknown origin | Named species | Ongoing |
| Climate change & severe weather | Droughts | Ongoing | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing | |
| Pollution | Garbage & solid waste | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Environment Conservation Council (2001) Box-ironbark forests and woodlands investigation. Final Report. Melbourne: Environment Conservation Council. Brasher, M. (2005) Painted Honeyeater at Deep Lead Conservation Park, Stawell. Downloaded from http://www. eremaea.com/Birdline Species.aspx? Taxon = 7906 & Birdline = 1 in Feb 2009. 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 and 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. Tzaros, C. (2005) Wildlife of the box-ironbark country. Collingwood, Victoria: CSIRO Publishing.
Contributors: Gary Cheers, Ian Davidson, Simon Kennedy and Chris Tzaros provided data and comments.