Wandown (26500)
Australia, Australasia

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2009

National site name: Wandown

Central coordinates: Latitude: -34.7895, Longitude: 143.0382

System: terrestrial

Elevation (m): 59 to 70

Area of KBA (km²): 48.74536

Protected area coverage (%): 58.30

KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: The IBA consists of three separate properties located about 75 km north-west of Swan Hill in Victoria, which support remnant mallee vegetation used by breeding Malleefowl. The three properties are: (1) Wandown Flora and Fauna Reserve; (2) Menzies Nature Conservation Reserve; and (3) Boundary Bend, a property owned and managed by Trust For Nature. The area experiences a warm, dry climate; mean maximum temperatures range from 15.7oC in July to 33oC in January and mean annual rainfall is 320 mm at the nearby town of Balranald. The three properties are located on calcareous dunefields with sandy or loamy soils. The vegetation on the three properties is dominated by mallee shrubland and mallee woodland communities with patches of semi-arid non-eucalypt woodland. The northernmost portion of Boundary Bend is dominated by Lignum and other non-mallee communities and thus could potentially be excluded from the IBA.

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)

Additional biodiversity: More than 120 species of birds have been recorded in the IBA including Striated Grasswren, Shy Heathwren, Black Honeyeater, Flame Robin, Southern Scrub-robin, Chestnut Quail-thrush, Chestnut-crowned Babbler and Black Honeyeater (Atlas of Australian Birds database). Regent Parrot is a seasonal visitor (mainly spring and summer) in flocks of 5-30 and formerly up to 100+ birds (N. Macfarlane pers. comm. 2007; Atlas of Australian Birds database). Striated Grasswren, Shy Heathwren, Southern Scrub-robin and Chestnut-crowned Babbler were recorded in the IBA during the 1970s but may no longer occur there. Non-bird biodiversity: The IBA contains more than 200 species of plants, including several that are listed as threatened in Victoria. The IBA provides habitats for at least two species of small native mammal, Mitchell's Hopping Mouse and Brush-tailed Possum. The biota of the IBA includes at least two species, Malleefowl and Yellow Swainson-pea (Swainsona pyrophila), which are threatened at national level, and 15 species which are threatened in Victoria.

Other site values: State government (Parks Victoria); private (Trust for Nature). Wandown Flora and Fauna Reserve and Menzies Nature Conservation Reserve are unrestricted public access. Permission for access to Boundary Bend should be sought from Trust for Nature.

Habitats

Land use: nature conservation and research (100%)

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Shrubland	95
Forest	5

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Implement appropriate fire management procedures. Eradicate or otherwise control pest animals.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Natural system modifications	Fire & fire suppression	Increase in fire frequency/intensity	Ongoing

Additional information

References: Benshemesh, J.S. (2003) Flora and Fauna Guarantee Action Statement 59: Mallefowl Leipoa acellata. Melbourne: Department of Sustainability and Environment. Benshemesh, J.S. (2007) Malleefowl Monitoring 2006/07. Report to Victorian Malleefowl Recovery Group. Parks Victoria (2000) State of the Parks 2000: Park Profiles. Melbourne: Parks Victoria. Trust for Nature (2007) Mallee properties. Downloaded from http://www.trustfornature.org.au/content.asp?PageId=79 July 2008.