Tamborine Mountain (26497)
Australia, Australasia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Tamborine Mountain
Central coordinates: Latitude: -27.9492, Longitude: 153.1847
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 200 to 560
Area of KBA (km2): 39.35273
Protected area coverage (%): 10.61
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Mount Tamborine IBA contains the forest of the Tamborine Plateau, an isolated massif inland of Brisbane. The boundary of the IBA is defined as the rainforest below the cleared, largely residential summit and above the eucalypt forests, which includes the southern fragments of Tamborine National Park. The key bird species, the Albert's Lyrebird, also occurs in residential areas but its dependency on these areas is unknown and these are excluded from the IBA. The plateau is an isolated spur of the Great Dividing Range located approximately 62 km south of Brisbane and approximately 30 km from the ocean, running 10 km north to south and 6 km east to west at its widest point. The mean average rainfall is 1565 mm falling mainly in summer; the mean average temperatures are 16 to 25 Celsius in summer and 9 to 18 Celsius in winter. The extent of subtropical rainforest would expand into the adjacent wet eucalypt forest if fires were suppressed. These fires are mostly controlled burns rather than the wildfires of the past.
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: Glossy Black-Cockatoo, Sooty Owl, Marbled Frogmouth, Noisy Pitta. Non-bird biodiversity: Other species include Platypus, Short-beaked Echindna and Richmond Birdwing.
Other site values: Queensland State government, with management by QPWS, and private ownership.
Habitats
Land use: forestry | nature conservation and research
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Introduced Vegetation | 50 | |
| Forest | 50 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Increase restoration of habitat on private and public land. Limit urban development to preserve existing habitat. Investigate control measures for cats, dogs and foxes.
| 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: Garnett, S.T. and Crowley, G.M. (2000) The Action Plan for Australian Birds 2000. Canberra: Environment Australia. Queensland Government EPA & QPWS (2005) Albert's Lyrebird Project Survey Kit. Downloaded Sep 2008 from http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/publications/p01642aa.pdf/Alberts_lyrebird_survey_kit.pdf
Contributors: The nomination was first written by the late Harry Biggs, with help from the Tamborine Mountain Natural History Association.