The Native Vegetation of Boorowa Shire

June 2002 NSW

NATIONAL

PARKS AND

WILDLIFE

The Native Vegetation ofBoorowa Shire

© NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, 2002.

This work is copyright, however material presented in this Plan may be copiedfor personal use or published for educational purposes, providing that anyextracts are fully acknowledged. Apart from this and any other use aspermitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced withoutprior written permission from NPWS.

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service,43 Bridge Street,(PO Box 1967)Hurstville NSW 2220Tel: 02 95856444www.npws.nsw.gov.au

Cover photographs

Upper: Blakelys Red Gum – Yellw Box Grassy Woodland at Godfreys Creek TSR, LachlanValley Way (Photographer – S. Priday)

Lower: Paddock trees on the South West Slopes (Photographer – B. Wrigley)

This report should be cited as follows:

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (2002) The Native Vegetation of BoorowaShire. NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, Hurstville NSW.

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Acknowledgements

The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service gratefully acknowledges the assistanceof staff at Boorowa Shire Council, particularly Jody Robinson and Colin Owers.

We would also like to thank the following landholders for their hospitality and foraccess to their properties: Alan and Jo Coles of “Currawidgee”, Steve Boyd of“Narra-Allen”, Dan and Vicki Carey of “Ballyhooley”, Judith Refshauge of“Midlands”, Tim and Dave Hewlett of “Blackburn”, Ros and Chris Daley of “GentleDestiny”, John Anderson, Jeff Southwell of “Crystal Springs”, Doug Dockery of“Balloch”, Bruce McKenzie of “Tarengo”, Roger Clarke of “Hillrose”, Mrs Halley of“Mount Snowden”, Mr Coble of “Forestdene” and Adrian Davey of “Kurrajong”.

David Marsh of “Allendale”, Ray Bush of “Back Creek” and Libby Elliott fromBoorowa Landcare also provided valuable assistance.

Brian Furby generously allowed the image of the Brown Treecreeper to be used inthis report.

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Contents

Acknowledgements.........................................................................................................i

Summary ........................................................................................................................v

1 Native Vegetation of Boorowa Shire ......................................................................1

1.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................1

1.2 Report Structure................................................................................................1

1.3 The Native Vegetation of Boorowa Shire ........................................................2

1.4 Vegetation of Boorowa Shire ...........................................................................5

1.4.1. Vegetation Communities within Boroowa Shire………………………..5

River Red Gum Forest………...…………………...…………………..5

River Oak Riparian Forest………………………………………...…...7

Blakelys Red Gum – Yellow Box Woodland………………….…...…7

Kangaroo Grass/Red Leg Grass Grassland/Open Woodland…….…....7

White Box Woodland……………………………………………...…..8

Red Stringybark – Long Leaved Box Open Forest/Woodland………..8

Red Stringybark Dry Shrub Forest…………………………………….9

Black Cypress Pine – Red Stringybark – Red Box Open Forest……....9

Red Stringybark – Joycea GrassTussock Open Forest………………..9

1.4.2 Ecosystem Functionality……………………………………………..…9

1.5 Environmental Weeds.....................................................................................11

2 Conservation Value and Management of Roadside Vegetation............................13

2.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................13

2.2 Roadside Conservation Values .......................................................................14

2.2.1 High Conservation Value Roadsides .......................................................14

2.2.2 Medium Conservation Value Roadsides..................................................14

2.2.3 Low Conservation Value Roadsides ........................................................14

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2.3 Implications for Boorowa Shire Council........................................................16

2.3.1 Road Construction and Maintenance .......................................................16

2.3.2 Stockpile and Compound Sites ................................................................18

2.3.3 Table Drain and Mitre Drain Maintenance ..............................................18

2.3.4 Replanting Native Vegetation..................................................................19

2.3.5 Firewood Removal……………………………………………………...20

3 Other Areas of Conservation Significance on Public Lands.................................21

3.1 Travelling Stock Reserves ..............................................................................21

3.2 Cemeteries ......................................................................................................26

3.3 Other Crown Lands.........................................................................................26

3.4 Private Property ..............................................................................................27

3.5 Local Environment Plans (Local Government)..............................................28

4 Threatened Species and Endangered Ecological Communities ............................32

4.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................32

4.2 Legislative Framework ...................................................................................32

4.2.1 Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 ............................................32

4.3 Endangered Ecological Communities ............................................................32

4.4 Threatened Flora.............................................................................................33

4.4.1 Tarengo Leek Orchid (Prasophyllum petilum) ........................................33

4.4.2 Yass Daisy (Ammobium craspedioides)..................................................33

4.5 Threatened Fauna............................................................................................35

4.5.1 Bush Stone Curlew (Burhinus gralarius) .................................................35

4.5.2 Superb Parrot (Polytelis swainsonii)........................................................35

4.5.3 Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor).............................................................36

4.5.4 Barking Owl (Ninox connivens) ..............................................................36

4.5.5 Speckled Warbler (Cthonichola saggitata) ..............................................37

4.5.6 Hooded Robin (Melanodryas cuculatus) .................................................37

4.5.7 Black-chinned Honeyeater (Melithreptis brevisrostis) ............................38

4.5.8 Painted Honeyeater (Grantiella picta)......................................................38

4.5.9 Regent Honeyeater (Xanthomyza phrygia)..............................................38

4.5.10 Grey-crowned Babbler (Pomatostomus temporalis)................................39

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4.5.11 Brown Treecreeper (Climacteris picumnus victoriae) .............................39

4.5.12 Diamond Firetail (Stagonopleura guttata)................................................40

4.5.13 Squirrel Glider (Petaurus norfolcensis) ...................................................41

4.5.14 Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) ................................................................41

4.2.15 Large-footed Myotis (Myotis adversus)………………………………...41

4.5.16 Golden Sun Moth (Synemon plana) ........................................................42

4.5.17 Perunga Grasshopper (Perunga ochracea) ...............................................43

4.6 Threatened Species Management in Boorowa Shire ......................................43

5 References .............................................................................................................45

6 Appendix 1 – Plant Species as Recorded in Vegetation Type ..............................47

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Summary

The distribution of vegetation in Boorowa Shire strongly relates to soil type, geology,and position in the landscape (ie valley floor or ridge top). Three broad plantcommunities occur: riparian forests; grassy woodlands and dry forests. Riparianforests of Red Gum or She Oak occur along the rivers and major creeks. Woodlandcommunities, dominated by Blakelys Red Gum and Yellow Box, occur along mostcreek lines and lower slopes. A Red Stringy-bark – Long Leaved Box forest occurs onsedimentary rocks on the lower slopes in the South-east of the Shire. White Boxwoodlands with a grassy understorey formerly occupied most of the undulating slopesin the Shire, while a grassland/open woodland occupied much of the broad basincentred on Boroowa. Ridge-lines and upper slopes support dry forest in which RedStringy-bark is always a dominate species.

Eight-five percent of the shire’s native vegetation has been cleared. Most of theremaining large blocks of vegetation are dry forests on rocky ridgelines unsuitable foragriculture. Isolated paddock trees and small patches of less than 2ha (200m x 100m),provide the majority of remaining woodland cover. The vegetation of Boorowa ishighly fragmented and dysfunctional. The remaining remnants are under considerablestress from increased salinity, over fertilisation, grazing, herbicide drift and soilcompaction.

Given the extent of clearance it is not surprising that many threatened plant andanimal species occur within the shire. The habitat for most of the threatened species ispredominantly woodland. Recorded locations of threatened species are provided, aswell as ecological and conservation information. Retention and enhancement ofwoodland remnants and their understorey is the key issue for retaining viablepopulations of the threatened species within Boroowa Shire.

The perilous state of the Shire’s vegetation means that its retention, regeneration andrehabilitation on private land is crucial to its survival. This report providesinformation of use to those engaged in such activities. It can be used as a guide to theselection of suitable species for planting, provides further justification for theallocation of Landcare and Natural Heritage Trust funding to the Shire and containsspecific conservation advice.

Roadsides and Travelling Stock Reserves are generally the areas which retain thegreatest plant diversity within the Shire. Council has the key responsibility forprotecting remaining roadside vegetation, while rural Lands Protection Boards areresponsible for the stock reserves. Conservation advice for these areas includesprotection of the most significant areas and implementation of compatiblemanagement.

This report also suggests that the survival of native vegetation and threatened specieshabitat would be enhanced by the inclusion of a tree preservation order and a clausethat protects roadside vegetation in the Shire’s Local Environment Plan.

Boorowa Shire Native Vegetation Mapping Project

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1 Native Vegetation of Boorowa Shire

1.1 Introduction

The South West Slopes has been cleared of native vegetation to a greater extent thanany other bio-region in the State, and contains some of the State’s most threatenedecosystems. Only 16% of natural vegetation cover remains. Despite the level ofdisturbance to native vegetation the region has a relatively poor natural resourcesinformation base.

NSW NPWS has sought to redress this situation by initiating a pilot project involvingmapping the native vegetation of the Boorowa Shire. The principle aims of the projectare as follows:

� To begin gap-filling the natural resource information base of the South WestSlopes bioregion;

� To identify areas of conservation significance in Boorowa Shire; and

� To provide data to assist council in the preparation of a Local Environmental Plan.

The mapping project involved initial stratification of the shire into units based onbroad geological types, average annual temperature and average annual rainfall.Different environmental units were sampled by a vegetation plot survey. Thesesurveys recorded all vascular plant species (ie herbs, grasses, forbs, shrubs, trees andferns) and their abundance within 209 plots, each with an area of 400m2 (ie 20m x20m). This data was then combined with that from 203 similar plots that had beensurveyed in Travelling Stock Routes in southern Boorowa Shire and neighbouringCrookwell Shire (Hibberd and Taws 1993) and from crown land areas inneighbouring parts of Yass, Gunning and Crookwell Shires (Gellie et. al. 2001).

The pooled data was then used to identify plant communities within the shire and thedistribution of these communities in relation to a multitude of parameters includinggeology, soil type, slope, topography, aspect, temperature and rainfall. A full reporton the methodology can be obtained at request from the NPWS Queanbeyan Office,Conservation Planning Unit (6298 9702).

1.2 Report Structure

This report is divided into four sections as follows:

1. Native Vegetation of Boorowa Shire

2. Significance and management of roadside vegetation

3. Other areas of conservation significance within Boorowa Shire

4. Threatened species issues in Boorowa Shire


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1.3 The Native Vegetation of Boorowa Shire

European settlement and the subsequent introduction of grazing and cropping regimeshave resulted in the clearance of over 85% of the Shire’s native vegetation. Much ofthe remaining native vegetation has been extensively modified. Small areas ofvegetation have escaped clearing and intensive grazing. These remnants occur onprivate land, crown land, cemeteries, roadsides, stock routes and stock reserves. Manyof the larger remnants of native vegetation in the eastern half of the shire representregeneration after initially being cleared in the last 100 or so years.

Map 1 shows the distribution of extant native vegetation in Boorowa Shire, and thepredicted native plant communities based on the modelling conducted during thisproject. The map shows that much of the native vegetation within the broad basinsurrounding the town of Boorowa has been almost completely cleared. Of theremnants remaining, only a handful are in good condition. A large proportion ofextant native vegetation occurs in the eastern half of the shire. Much of this occurs onshallow or skeletal soils that are less suited to agriculture. Some of the best remnantsin terms of condition of the understorey vegetation (ie a high diversity of nativespecies, few exotic species) occur on very steep, rocky terrain in the north east of theshire. With the exception of a few small sites on public lands, native vegetationremnants on lower slopes and valley bottoms within the Shire are in poor condition.Understorey vegetation in these remnants is characterised by a dominance of exoticspecies and a low diversity of native species.

Map 2 shows the modelled distribution of native plant communities within Boorowashire prior to the commencement of clearing, following European settlement. Thedistribution of vegetation types within the Shire is dictated by numerousenvironmental parameters, chiefly soil, geology and topographic position. The plantcommunities defined in this report are not discrete entities that contain uniqueassemblages of species with no overlap between communities. Rather, thecommunities described here are based on an analysis that examines the overallsimilarity of sites based on the plant data gathered during the project. Sites that aremore similar to one another than they are to other sites are grouped together. Byexamining the plant species that characterise sites within these groups, it is possible todifferentiate between vegetation types. The plant communities defined using thisprocess for the Boorowa Shire are described below.

It is important to recognise that the maps produced for this report are models based on400 plot locations. Modelling is about purporting to get it right the majority of thetime, not all the time. It has most use in providing the extent and context of avegetation community across the landscape. Decisions for individual sites should notbe made without verification of the vegetation through a site visit. The maps shouldbe used to make contextual decisions about a particular piece of bush. They shouldnot be used as a definitive guide to what is actually there. However, they do provide astrong indication of likely vegetation types.


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1.4 Vegetation of Boorowa Shire

Nine vegetation communities have been identified within the Shire. The communitieshave been named according to the dominant species of the distinguishing vegetationlayer or stratum (ie Red Stringybark – Red Box Open Forest). The communities, theircurrent extent and their estimated pre-clearance cover are shown in Table 1. (Data ona further five vegetation sub-alliances have also been provided. Distribution data onthe Red Gum, White Box and Red Stringybark sub-alliances can be requested fromthe NPWS, Conservation and Planning Unit). It should be noted that the figures oftotal extant area, include all representations of a particular vegetation type no matterwhat the condition of individual remnant patches. The area of extant vegetation isderived from tree cover highlighted under satellite Spot imagery. This imageryenables a resolution down to (10m x 10m) the crown cover size of an averagepaddock tree. The actual area of clearance is likely to be marginally higher than givenin Table 1 as the spot imagery was not able to distinguish between windbreaks, otherplantings and small farm dams.

For all the woodland communities, isolated paddock trees and small patches of lessthan 2ha, provided the majority of vegetation cover. Around 40% of the vegetationremaining in the Shire exists within patches of less than 2ha (200m x 100m). Thus thevegetation of Boorowa shire is highly fragmented, with conservation of smallerpatches and isolated trees being of considerable importance. This is similar in otherparts of the South West Slopes (Gibbons and Boak 2002).

1.4.1 Vegetation Communities within Boroowa Shire

The distribution of vegetation types in the Shire strongly relates to soil type, geology,and topography. The plant communities can be grouped into three broad categories:riparian forests; grassy woodlands and dry forests. River Red Gum Forest occursalong the banks and flats of the major river systems, while River Oak Riparian Forestoccurs along the Lachlan River and the lower reaches of the other major watercourses.Woodland communities, dominated by Blakelys Red Gum and Yellow Box, occuralong most creek lines and lower slopes. A Red Stringy-bark – Long Leaved Boxforest occurs on sedimentary rocks on the lower slopes in the South-east of the Shire.White Box woodlands with a grassy understorey formerly occupied most of theundulating slopes in the Shire, while a grassland/open woodland occupied the slopeswithin a broad basin centred on Boroowa. Ridge-lines and upper slopes support dryforest in which Red Stringy-bark is almost always present.

River Red Gum Forest

This vegetation type is found on fertile alluvial soils along Hovells Creek, BoorowaRiver and the Lachlan River (particularly upstream of Wyangala Dam). The forestgenerally occurs as a ribbon of riparian vegetation but formerly may have extended upto several hundred metres from the watercourse on river flats. The extant mapping ofthis community is really just a map of where River Red Gums (Eucalyptuscamaldulensis) still occur. There is virtually no where in the Shire where weeds orpasture species do not dominate the understorey. Thus the community can basically beregarded as extinct within the Shire. Persistent native understorey plants includeCarex appressa (Tall Sedge), Austrodanthonia racemosa (Wallaby Grass) and


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Table 1. Vegetation Communities of Boroowa Shire

Name of Vegetation Ecosystem Pre-1750Area

ExtantArea

% Cleared

River Red Gum forest 3063 577 81%

River Oak riparian forest 738 111 85%

Blakleys Red Gum – Yellow Box Woodland

Sub-alliances

Blakelys Red Gum Grassy woodland

Blakelys Red Gum-Yellow Box Poa- Themeda woodland

Northern Tablelands and Slopes Blakely’s Red Gum-Yellow Box- Long Leaved Box Woodland

Blakelys Red Gum-Yellow Box-Apple Box BothriochloaGrassy Woodland

50071

29577

11371

3095

6028

4093

1570

2176

105

248

94%

95%

81%

97%

96%

Kangarro Grass –Red Leg grassland/openwoodland

24269 418 98%

White Box Woodlands

Sub-alliances

NW White Box grassy woodland

White Box-Blakelys Red Gum- bothriochloa grassywoodland

39700

30556

9144

2204

1974

230

96%

93%

97%

Red Stringybark/Long-leaved Box/CandlebarkOpen Forest/Woodland

Sub-alliances

Candlebark-Themeda grassy forest

Red Stringybark-Long Leaved Box Danthonia-Silverwattle grass-Cassinia arcuata forest

17297

9694

7585

2197

1638

556

87%

83%

93%

Callitris endlicheri-Red Stringybark-Red Box shrubforest

2379 828 65%

Red Stringybark Dry Shrub Forests

Sub-alliances

Red Stringybark-Red Box Cassinia dry shrub forest

Red Stringybark-Red Box Poa dry shrub open forest

72955

17134

55821

9492

4302

5190

87%

75%

91%

Red Stringybark -Joycea grass tussock open forest 47205 8965 81%

TOTAL 257,659 28,862 88%


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Themeda australis (Kangaroo Grass). Silver Wattle (Acacia dealbata) is a commonmid storey species. It occurs on less fertile river sands. Its original extent was around3000 ha of which 81% has been cleared of trees.

River Oak Riparian Forest

The only occurrences of this community in the Shire is along the Lachlan River,particularly downstream of Wyangala Dam, and along the other major water coursesupstream of their confluence with the Lachlan. It is a tall forest up to 30m tall,dominated by River Oak (Casuarina cunnignhamiana). Weeping Grass (Microlaenastipoides) is the dominant understorey species. This community always had arestricted occurrence in the Shire of about 700ha of which 85% has been cleared ofnative trees.

Blakelys Red Gum – Yellow Box Grassy Woodlands

Grassy Woodlands dominated by Blakelys Red Gum (Eucalyptus blakelyi) andYellow Box (Eucalyptus melliodora) formerly occupied much of the creek flats,drainage lines and lower slopes across the Shire. Red Gum – Yellow Box woodlandsare found between about 300–600m, on the more fertile and deeper soils, derivedfrom both volcanic and sedimentary rocks. Blakelys Red Gum tends to dominatealong drainage lines, where as Yellow Box and Apple Box (Eucalyptus bridgesiana)are usually dominant on the lower slopes. It is a medium height woodland of up to 20metres high. The shrub layer is virtually absent. The ground cover is a grassy sward,which also contains many herb species. Common understorey species include PurpleWire Grass (Aristida ramosa), Redleg Grass (Bothriochloa macra), Hairy Panic(Panicum effusum), Rock Fern (Cheilanthes sieberi), Wallaby Grasses(Austrodanthonia species), Fuzzy New Holland Daisy (Vittadinia cuneata), WattleMat-rush (Lomandra filiformis), and Kangaroo Grass (Themeda australis). PoaTussock (Poa sieberiana) may be a dominant understorey species on soils derivedfrom sedimentary rocks. Over three quarters of the former extent of this woodlandtype have been cleared, particularly on volcanic soils. The understorey in mostremaining remnants have usually been substantially modified. Relatively goodexamples of this vegetation type occur at Godfreys Creek TSR, Breakfast Creek TSR,Doonside TSR and along Tangmangaroo Road.

Kangaroo Grass – Red-leg Grass Grassland/Open Woodland

This grassland/open woodland community is dominated by Kangaroo Grass (Themedaaustralis) and Redleg Grass (Bothriochloa macra) with occasional woodland trees to25m. These trees are usually Yellow Box (Eucalyptus melliodora), Blakelys RedGum (Eucalyptus blakelyi) and Apple Box (Eucalyptus bridgesiana). In relativelyundisturbed remnants the diversity of native plants is high, with large numbers offorbs growing between grass tussocks. Other common grassy sward species includeCommon Everlasting (Chrysocephalum apiculatum), New Holland Daisy (Vittadiniagracilis), Variable Plantain (Plantago varia), Sheep’s Burr (Acaena ovina), Many-flowered Mat-rush (Lomandra multiflora), Hairy Panic (Panicum effusum) andYellowish Bluebell (Wahlenbergia luteola).

This vegetation type occurs on fertile soils of volcanic origin and formerly coveredmuch of the broad basin in the south-west of the Shire, centred on Boorowa. It


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formerly covered about 24,000 ha. It occurs on the slopes and gently undulatingcountry, above river and creek flats, between about 500 – 620m. It is the mostextensively cleared community in the Shire and is now restricted to a small number ofisolated remnants. Good examples of this vegetation type occur at Tarengo TravellingStock Reserve and along the roadside of Ashford Lane.

It should be noted that the mapping of extant vegetation is largely reliant on the extentof trees. Thus it is not that reliable in mapping the remaining extent of grasslandcommunities. It is possible that the extent of this community has been under-estimated. Nevertheless the vegetation survey covered all public roads within theBoorowa Basin and no areas of native grassland could be observed on adjoiningprivate land. On the contrary it is a largely ploughed landscape.

White Box Grassy Woodland

White Box (Eucalyptus albens), often in conjunction with Blakelys Red Gum(Eucalyptus blakelyi) and Yellow Box (Eucalyptus melliodora), is the dominantspecies on most of the undulating slopes in the Shire. White Box woodland is foundon a variety of volcanic and sedimentary rock types but generally on deeper soils,from about 375m – 600m. This community is a medium woodland up to 20 meters.The shrub layer is sparse though Sifton Bush (Cassinia arculeata) may be locallycommon. The ground cover is dominated by grasses intermingled with forbs andsedges. Wire Grass (Aristida sp.), Corkscrew Grass (Austrostipa sp.), Red Leg Grass(Bothriochloa macra) and Hairy Panic (Panicum effusum) are common. Characteristicforbs include Stinking Pennywort (Hydrocotyle laxiflora), Rock Fern (Cheilanthessieberi), Wood Sorrel (Oxalis perennans) and Wattle Mat-rush (Lomandrafilliformis). The community has been extensively cleared due to the arable nature ofthe soils on which it occurs. This vegetation type formerly covered about 40,000hawith only 2200ha remaining, much of which is in small patches of five trees or less.Examples of this community occur at Hovell’s Creek and Bennet Springs TravellingStock Reserves.

Red Stringybark – Long Leaved Box – Candlebark Open Forest/Woodland.

This community only occurs in the south-east of the Shire, and is perhaps best thoughtof as a Southern Tablelands vegetation type. It is principally located on sedimentaryrocks that form a relatively poor soil and an undulating landscape. The communityoccupies the creek flats and lower slopes from about 600 –700m. It is a medium forestup to 15m tall, in which Red Stringybark (Eucalyptus macrorhyncha) and Long-leaved Box (Eucalyptus goniocalyx) are co-dominant, with the occasional Yellow Box(Eucalyptus melliodora) and Blakleys Red Gum (Eucalyptus blakleyi). CandlebarkGum (Eucalyptus rubida) may become a dominant element in the south of the Shire,on volcanic soils. Silver Wattle (Acacia dealbata) is a common mid storey species.The shrub layer is open and includes such species as Grey Guinea Flower (Hibbertiaobtusifolia), Daphne Heath (Brachyloma daphnoides), Sifton Bush (Cassiniaarcuata), Urn Heath (Melichrus urceolatus) and, particularly on volcanics, ShowyParrot Pea (Dillwynia sericea). The understorey consists of an open to dense cover oftussock grasses and graminoids. Common species include Wallaby grass(Austrodanthonia racemosa and Austrodanthonia laevis), Poa Tussock (Poasieberiana), Kangaroo Grass (Themeda australis), and Wattle Matt-rush (Lomandrafiliformis. Pudmen Creek TSR contains a good example of this community type.


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Red Stringybark – Red Box Open Forest

This community generally occurs on granite hills from about 550 to 750m. It occupiesthe mid and upper slopes as well as the ridge tops. The community is a medium openforest with trees up to 20m high. Red Stringybark (Eucalyptus macrorhyncha) isusually a dominant species with other tree species present including Long-leaved Box(Eucalyptus goniocalyx), Tumbledown Gum (Eucalyptus dealbata), Scribbly Gum(Eucalyptus rossi), Red Box (Eucalyptus polyanthemos) and Black Cypress Pine(Callitris endlicheri). The shrub layer provides a moderate cover, but Dolly Bush(Cassinia aculeata) may become thick on steeper slopes and rockier areas. Othercommon shrub species include Daphne Heath (Brachyloma daphnoides), Long-leavedCassinia (Cassinia longifolia) and Thyme Spurge (Phyllanthus hirtellus). The grasscover is sparse to moderate and includes Red-anther Wallaby Grass (Joycea pallida),Nodding Blue Lily (Stypandra glauca), Rock Fern (Cheilanthes sieberi) and PurpleWire Grass (Aristida ramosa). This vegetation type used to cover about 73,000 ha ofwhich 9500 ha remain.

Black Cypress Pine – Red Stringybark – Red Box Open Forest

This community generally occurs on poor skeletal soils derived from metamorphosedsediments composed mainly of shale, slate and quartzose sandstone. This communityoccupies the ridge tops and upper slopes of the hilly country in the north-east andnorth-west of the Shire. It occurs between about 500 – 750m. The community is a lowforest co-dominated by a range of eucalypts and Black Cypress Pine (Callitrisendlicheri ). The shrub layer consists of an open to moderate cover of plants to 1m.The ground cover is a sparse to moderate cover of grasses and sedges, which includeNodding Blue Lily (Stypandra glauca), Slender Wire Lily (Laxmania gracilis) and asedge (Lepidosperma laterale). This community always had a restricted distribution,covering about 2400ha of which 800ha remains.

Red Stringybark – Joycea Grasss Tussock Open Forest

This vegetation community occurs on granites and metamorphosed sediments in hillycountry across the Shire from about 400m – 750m. It tends to occur on upper slopesand ridges on poor soils, typically sandy loams. The community is a medium openforest with trees up to 20m high. Dominant species include Red Stringybark(Eucalyptus macrorhyncha), Long-leaved Box (Eucalyptus goniocalyx), TumbledownGum (Eucalyptus dealbata), Scribbly Gum (Eucalyptus rossi), Mugga Ironbark(Eucalyptus sideroxylon) and White Box (Eucalyptus albens). The shrub layerprovides a moderate cover and common shrubs include Dolly Bush (Cassiniaaculeata), Bush-pea (Pultenea procumbens) and Showy Parrot Pea (Dillwyniasericea) while tussock grasses are common in the understorey. Understorey speciesinclude Red-anther Wallaby Grass (Joycea pallida), Black-anthered Flax-lily(Dianella revoluta) and Wattle Mat-rush (Lomandra filiformis).

1.4.2 Ecosystem Functionality

An indication as to the functional health of the above vegetation communities can beobtained through consideration of the following five ecosystem criteria. .Functionality of an ecosystem refers to the intactness of all of the parts, both bioticand abiotic, relative to the original ecological condition of that ecosystem. A


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functional ecosystem usually has a full range of functional groups, such as vascularand non-vascular plants, herbivores, insectivores, frugivores, and carnivores, whichmake up a diverse range of interactions and relationships in that ecosystem.

� landscape integrity - Landscape integrity refers to whether an ecosystem fallsinto a heavily modified landscape, which would be ranked as a 5, on a scale of 1to 5. If an ecosystem falls within a natural matrix of ecosystems with little overallmodification, it would be ranked as a 1 in a scale of 1 to 5;

� extent of habitat fragmentation - The comparative size of the current patchrelative to historical conditions. A highly fragmented ecosystem withpredominantly small patch sizes would be ranked as a 5, on a scale of 1 to 5. If anecosystem occurs in large, intact and naturally shaped patches or relatively intactlinear patches, it would be ranked as a 1, on a scale of 1 to 5;

� proportion of native species present - If an ecosystem has a high proportion ofnative species present in most of its patches, it would be ranked as a 1, on a scaleof 1 to 5. If an ecosystem had mostly exotic species present in most of its patches,it would be ranked as a 5, on a scale of 1 to 5.

� current habitat complexity - This criterion refers to the microhabitat of anecosystem, relative to historical conditions. Some ecosystems are inherently morevariable and have more layers and places for plants or animals to find resources orshelter. An ecosystem with a high habitat complexity would be ranked as 1, on ascale of 1-5. An ecosystem with few layers and few microhabitats for specieswould be ranked as a 5, on a scale of 1 to 5.

� presence or absence of key functional groups - If most of the functional groupsare present within an ecosystem, it would be ranked as a 1, on scale of 1 to 5. If anecosystem has lost some key functional groups, which affects ecological processeswithin an ecosystem, it would be ranked as a 5, on a scale of 1 to 5.

Table 2 shows how the five criteria above are assessed and combined to create fourcategories of ecosystem functionality. Of necessity, subjective judgements areinvolved.

Table 2. Factors contributing to Degree of Ecosystem Functionality

Category ofFunctionality

LandscapeIntegrity

Degree ofFragmentation

ExoticSpeciesPresent

HabitatComplexity

FunctionalGroupsPresent

Cut-OffPoints

HighlyDysfunctional (S)

Very Low(4-5)

Very High (4-5) Many (3-5) Very Low(4-5)

Few (4-5) 19-25

ModeratelyDysfunctional (R)

Low (3) High (3-4) Some (3) Low (4) Some (3-4) 16-18

ModeratelyFunctional (M)

Moderate(2-3)

Moderate(2-3) Few (2-3) Moderate(3)

Some-Most(2-3)

11-15

Functional (I) High (1-2) Little (1-2) Hardly Any High (1-2) Most (1-2) 5-10


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Category ofFunctionality

LandscapeIntegrity

Degree ofFragmentation

ExoticSpeciesPresent

HabitatComplexity

FunctionalGroupsPresent

Cut-OffPoints

(1-2)

Table 3 provides an indication of the condition or functionality of the differentvegetation ecosystems within Boorowa. Most vegetation types within Boorowa Shirehave been extensively fragmented through clearance. No vegetation communitieswithin the Shire are in a functional state. Two communities are moderately functional,two moderately dysfunctional and five are highly dysfunctional. Thus, regeneration,planting and other ‘landcare’ activities are crucial to retaining viable naturalecosystems in the Boorowa region.

1.5 Environmental Weeds

Exotic plant species are widespread throughout Boorowa Shire, particularly in theareas used for intensive agricultural activities. Although many species withreputations as serious weeds occur in the shire, few appear to occur in large numbers.Some of the worst weeds in the south west slopes region, such as Paterson’s Curse(Echium plantagineum) and St Johns Wort (Hypericum perforatum) occur mostly inscattered infestations. Thistle species appear to be widespread but reasonably wellcontained. Serrated Tussock (Nassella trichotoma), a serious weed of the southernhighlands and southern tablelands, was recorded only in the north east of the shire inthe vicinity of Wyangala Dam. African Lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula) was observedat a small number of locations along the Lachlan Valley Way. Willows (Salix spp.)were commonly observed along all major waterways in the shire. Sharp Rush (Juncusacutus) was generally restricted to areas that appeared to be subjected to waterloggingand possibly high salinity.

In native vegetation remnants, the most common weeds recorded were ubiquitousspecies such as Flatweed (Hypochaeris radicata) and Quaking Grass (Briza maxima).Also prevalent in the majority of remnants, particularly those on more fertile soils,was Rough Dog’s Tail Grass (Cynosurus echinatus). This species formed a dominantcomponent of the understorey in a large number of plots. It may represent a threat tothe integrity of some of the native vegetation remnants in the shire. Some exoticpasture species, particularly Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomeratus) and Phalaris (Phalarisspp.), were also common in native vegetation remnants, particularly roadsideremnants in more fertile areas.

Other potentially problematic species that were not obvious because of the timing ofthe surveys, are also likely to commonly occur in the shire. Among these is OnionGrass (Romulea rosea) which is an invasive species that commonly occurs in nativegrasslands and grassy woodlands.


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Table 3. Functionality of the Vegetation Communities of Boorowa Shire

Name of Vegetation Ecosystem Category of Functionality

River Red Gum forest Highly Dysfunctional

River Oak riparian forest Moderately Dysfunctional

Blakleys Red Gum – Yellow Box Grassy Woodland

Sub-alliances

Blakelys Red Gum Grassy woodland

Blakelys Red Gum-Yellow Box Poa- Themeda woodland

Northern Tablelands and Slopes Blakely’s Red Gum-Yellow Box- Long Leaved Box Woodland

Blakelys Red Gum-Yellow Box-Apple Box BothriochloaGrassy Woodland

Highly Dysfunctional





Kangaroo Grass – Red Leg Grass grassland/openwoodland


White Box Woodlands

Sub-alliances

NW White Box grassy woodland

White Box-Blakelys Red Gum- bothriochloa grassywoodland




Red Stringybark – Long Leaved Box – CandlebarkOpen Forest/Woodland

Sub-alliances

Candlebark-Themeda grassy forest

Red Stringybark-Long Leaved Box Danthonia-Silverwattle grass-Cassinia arcuata forest

Moderately Dysfunctional



Callitris endlicheri-Red Stringybark-Red Box openforest

Moderately Functional

Red Stringybark – Red Box Open Forests

Sub-alliances

Red Stringybark-Red Box Cassinia dry shrub forest

Red Stringybark-Red Box Poa dry shrub open forest




Red Stringybark -Joycea tussock grass open forest Moderately Functional


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2 Conservation Value and Management of Roadside Vegetation

2.1 Introduction

In many parts of Boorowa Shire, roadside vegetation is the only original nativevegetation that remains. These remnants contain plant communities that are poorlypreserved on the surrounding private land.

In regions that are highly modified, such as the Boorowa Shire, roadside vegetation isa valuable tool in determining the composition of the pre-European environment.Roadsides are especially important for the conservation of understorey plant specieswhich are sensitive to grazing pressure. These species often survive only within thenarrow fenced roadside area. Grazing land adjacent to roadsides typically contains amixture of exotic pasture species, weeds and native species which are able to toleratesustained grazing pressure, such as Red Grass (Bothriochloa macra) and Speargrasses(Austrostipa spp.). Where cropping or horticultural landuse is practised the vegetationhas been completely altered from its pre-European state and typically retains noendemic vegetation.

Road reserves were established to provide access from one place to another and haveevolved to perform a number of functions including the provision of servicesincluding communication, electricity, drainage, sewage and gas. They are also usedfor stock grazing, beekeeping and recreational activities. Ideally roadsides are not themost suitable places for wildlife and native plants, however they are often all thatremains in certain landscapes. There are many natural, economic, social and culturalreasons why roadside vegetation should be valued and retained.

Roadside reserves containing native vegetation are important because they:

� may be the only remaining examples of the original native flora prior to non-Aboriginal occupation

� provide a source of seeds for farm tree planting of locally adapted indigenous treesand shrubs

� provide habitat for birds and other fauna which may help to control agriculturalpests

� may contain rare or threatened species and communities

� help to retain the biodiversity of the region

� conserve the genetic variation of flora species for their potential economic andscientific value and the long term survival of the species

� may act as corridors connecting other areas of remnant vegetation therebyallowing the movement of wildlife

� are an important resource for stock during drought

� may contain historical sites (Aboriginal and early European)


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� slow the effects of land degradation such as salinity and soil erosion (including theeffects on the road infrastructure).

� can provide effective wind breaks for adjoining properties

� are easier and cheaper to maintain than introduced vegetation as there is a reducedneed for slashing and herbicide application

� provide aesthetic appeal for road users in the Shire

� improve public awareness of nature conservation and provide opportunities foreducation in ecology

2.2 Roadside Conservation Values

Roadside vegetation in the Boorowa Shire is an invaluable resource in determiningthe composition of the pre European landscape. As a result a large number of plotswere located within the roadside reserve during the vegetation assessment process.The information collected was used to rate the condition of the vegetation. Plots wereassessed as being of high, medium or low conservation value according to thediversity of native plant species, level of weed infestation and value as wildlifehabitat. Map 3 details the location of roadsides of conservation value (Map 3).

2.2.1 High Conservation Value Roadsides

High conservation value roadsides support a diversity of native plants with all layersof the ecosystem present, including trees with an understorey of native shrubs andground cover species. These roadsides offer valuable habitat for wildlife.

2.2.2 Medium Conservation Value Roadsides

Medium conservation value roadsides are partially modified and degraded due todisturbance such as grazing, past clearing or weed invasion. These roadsides have anintact overstorey of trees, however exotic grasses and forbs generally dominate theunderstorey. These roadsides offer habitat for many native fauna species. However,species sensitive to habitat alteration are less likley to use these areas.

2.2.3 Low Conservation Value Roadsides

Low conservation value roadsides are highly modified and dominated by exoticplants. Few native plants remain, although occasional trees and colonising shrubs suchas Acacia and Pultenaea species may be present. The potential for wildlife habitat inthese areas is low, limited to mobile species such as the Superb Parrot.

The map of roadside conservation values for the Boorowa Shire can be utilised by thecouncil staff to assist in the planing process for future road works. Road constructionand maintenance activities should avoid disturbance to areas of high conservationvalue. Tree and sapling removal should be avoided in areas of medium and lowconservation value.

Roadsides of high and medium conservation value are also important foci forrestoration efforts. In addition to being an important seed source they can also be thecore for regeneration efforts. For example a recent project in North-east Victoria


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provided adjoining land holders with fencing materials provided they put a fence 20min from the roadside vegetation and let it be. There has been significant revegetationeffectively doubling the width of the roadside reserves. The establishment of thisperennial vegetation has also mitigated against salinity and reduced discharge aroundthe roads, thus protecting road infrastructure.

2.3 Implications for Boorowa Shire Council

Unless actively managed for conservation purposes roadsides are exposed tocontinuing threats. Common threats to roadside vegetation include:

� road maintenance, widening and construction

� spraying, slashing, mowing or cultivating for weed control and fire prevention

� weed invasion

� grazing

� smothering with road construction materials

� alteration to drainage

� agricultural fertilisers

� inappropriate fire regimes

� firewood collection

2.3.1 Road Construction and Maintenance

2.3.1.1 Planning Process

In areas where road construction or maintenance is proposed an initial site inspectionshould be carried out to determine the most effective road design or maintenancemethod for the preservation of native vegetation. The inspection should be conductedwith the following points in mind:

� Where are the areas of native vegetation?

� What is the condition of the roadside vegetation? Consult the roadside vegetationmap. Are there high conservation value roadside remnants within the proposedworks area?

� Are there any threatened species/communities or significant habitat for threatenedspecies along the roadside?

� Can the majority of construction take place on the roadside with the leastvegetation? That is, can the road alignment be adjusted to preserve the maximumamount of vegetation? One narrow and one wide roadside is preferable to twonarrow disturbed roadsides.

� Can the width of the clear zone be reduced where high conservation valuevegetation is identified? A reduction in the speed limit may be appropriate.

� Will the mitre drains direct excess water and sediment into areas of highconservation value?


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2.3.1.2 Assessment and Reporting Process

Once the road design or maintenance method has been determined a detailedassessment of the impact of those activities may need to be prepared. A Review ofEnvironmental Factors and an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) will berequired for proposed works funded by the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) and/orto occur on RTA managed road reserves. It is recommended that a similar reportingprocess be implemented for works on local and regional roads, particularly wherevegetation removal is to be carried out over a large distance or where areas ofenvironmental sensitivity or high conservation value are to be affected. All worksinvolving the removal of native vegetation, including single trees will require an‘eight part test’ under Section 5A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act.Intelligent road design will prevent difficulties and delays at this stage.

2.3.1.3 Construction and Maintenance Activities

An EMP will provide a detailed checklist during construction and maintenanceactivities. The following points should be considered prior to the commencement ofworks:

� If vegetation is to be removed, check with relevant organisations such as GreeningAustralia, local landcare groups or Wildplant Rescue about the possibility of seedcollection or transplantation of native species.

� If high conservation value vegetation has been identified within the work zone itshould be sectioned off with barrier tape and all construction and maintenancestaff should be notified.

� The boundaries of the work site (clear zone) should be clearly defined.

� Parking and turning areas should be identified and located on low conservationvalue roadside areas.

During the construction phase the following points should be considered:

� If trees are to be lopped ensure that the pruning is carried out in the correct ‘3-cutmethod’ which assists the tree to heal the wound without permanent damage. Donot prune trees by breaking branches with heavy machinery.

� Timber which is lopped or felled should ideally be left along the roadside ashabitat for wildlife. However if there is insufficient room the timber can beremoved to a designated stockpile site for public use.

� Alternatively timber may be chipped and later spread as mulch in disturbed areasor revegetation sites.

� Smaller branches should be left in sites requiring revegetation utilising the naturalseed shedding as the vegetation dries out.

� Cleared vegetation should not be burnt.

� Dead timber should be retained except where it presents a safety hazard.

� If work is carried out in a severely weed infested area (especially in the case ofnoxious weeds) it may be advisable to wash down the machinery beforetransportation to a new site.


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� Keep vegetation disturbance in all areas to a minimum to reduce potential soilerosion and the spread of weeds. The cost of earthworks and revegetation tomitigate soil erosion can be very expensive.

� Where excavation of the soil profile is to take place topsoil should be removed toa depth of 100-200mm and stockpiled in designated sites. Topsoil should berespread as soon as possible to allow regeneration from the soil seed bank tooccur.

� Silt fences or hay bales should be used during construction to prevent sedimentfrom moving from freshly graded table drains or other disturbed areas.

� Upon completion of works disturbed areas should be revegetated as soon aspossible with species appropriate for the site. Ideally table drains should be seededwith local native grasses. An alternative is a sterile cover crop (varieties bred toset non-viable seed), which will be replaced by native seed over time. This isparticularly important in areas of high conservation value roadside whereintroduced grasses may invade the adjoining vegetation. Local Greening Australiaand Landcare offices will be able to provide advice about appropriate seed sources

2.3.2 Stockpile and Compound Sites

Stockpiling road construction material within the roadside reserve often leads to soilcompaction which will damage plant roots, smother small plants and can promoteweed invasion into an area. Stockpile and compound sites should be located in areasof low conservation value, that is areas that are clear from native trees, shrubs andgroundcovers. The boundaries of the site should be clearly defined (surrounded by anearth bund) to control vehicular access and prevent any impact on the surroundingarea.

2.3.3 Table Drain and Mitre Drain Maintenance

Maintenance of table and mitre drains is an ongoing and costly process that can beapproached in a number of ways including grading, herbicide spraying, slashing ormowing. In all cases maintenance should not extend beyond the drain.

� Grading table and mitre drains leaves a bare soil surface susceptible to erosionand colonisation by weeds. Sedimentation following erosion will require furthermaintenance and weeds such as Phalaris will choke table drains, build up drymatter to create a fire hazard and invade roadside vegetation. Excess spoil fromtable drains is often pushed into adjoining roadside vegetation smothering smallplants and spreading weeds. Grading of table drains should be avoided along highconservation value road reserves.

� Spraying herbicides can be used to reduce the build up of vegetative matter and toeliminate tree and shrub seedlings. Care must be taken to avoid the spraying ofnon-target plant species.

� Mowing or slashing to the back of the table drain is the preferred method in mostsituations as they do not disturb the soil and tend to favour native plants (oftenperennial) over exotic weeds (often annual). However care must be taken to cleanequipment when moving from areas of low or medium conservation value intohigh conservation value roadsides to prevent the spread of weeds.


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2.3.4 Replanting Native Vegetation

Whilst revegetation projects help to reduce the impact of works in the long term it isimpossible to mimic the variety and complexity of age, structure and species that isinherent in natural bushland. For example, eucalypts may take 150-200 years todevelop suitable hollows for wildlife. This reinforces the notion that it is better topreserve remnant roadside vegetation than to try to replace it later. Where disturbancemust occur, however, it is recommended that an effort be made to replant at least anequivalent area to that which has been lost.

The selection of plant species is important for a successful outcome and to providemaximum benefit for the dependant native fauna. The native vegetation maps andspecies lists in Appendix 1 provide an excellent guide to endemic species forreplanting at a selected site. The seeds should be collected from the local area toensure they are well suited to the local soils and climate.

When selecting revegetation sites the potential for creating or enhancing wildlifecorridors should be considered. An example may occur where two areas of high ormedium conservation value patches are separated by a low conservation value area.Planting in the low conservation value area would help to enhance the connectivity ofthe roadside corridor for the movement of small birds and other native fauna.

There are several methods of revegetation available including direct seeding,tubestock planting, brush matting, hand broadcasting seed and hydromulching.

� Direct seeding can be carried out by machines designed for the purpose (these areavailable through Greening Australia). It is a quick and simple method however itdepends upon the availability of large quantities of endemic seed and success canbe dependent upon weather conditions and good ground preparation.

� Tubestock planting is labour intensive and weed control is important both prior toplanting and during establishment. Tubestock create an instant effect and requirelower quantities of seed. Ground preparation such as deep ripping and weedcontrol should be carried out well before planting for optimum results.

� Brushmatting is a technique that can utilise any lopped material accumulatedduring road construction or collected from adjacent bushland areas to preventerosion and spread seed. Where areas have been disturbed the soil should beroughened (scarified) and the branches placed in position before they shed theirseed. This method is only appropriate for species that retain their seed on the plantbut release it when the plant dries out examples include eucalypts and she-oaks.

� Hand broadcasting of seed is similar to direct seeding requiring large quantities ofendemic seed and is used on steep slopes that are inaccessible to the mechanicalseeder. Incorporation of the seed with rakes will improve success.

� Hydromulching is often used on steep road batters where instant stabilisation isrequired. This technique has been used by the RTA and involves the application ofseed and mulching materials with a hydromulching machine.


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2.3.5 Firewood Removal

The roadside vegetation of Boorowa shire has been virtually striped of any fallen deadtimber while standing dead trees are rare. Standing and fallen dead wood are crucialanimal habitat. Many birds such as Kookaburra’s, rosellas and the threatened SuperbParrot nest in the hollows of dead trees, while other birds such as the threatenedBrown Treecreeper forage on the dead wood. Possums, gliders and bats also usehollow trees for shelter and food. Insects, like the stag beetle, rely on dead wood tosurvive and help keep the soil healthy. Insects also provide food for many birds,reptiles and mammals; Fungi, which include colourful mushrooms and toadstools,turn nutrients in dead wood into a kind of energy that makes the soil healthy and helpstrees grow. The dead timber plays an essential role in maintaining forest andwoodland nutrient cycles. In fact, the deadwood component is at least as important asthe living overstorey, leaf litter and soil components for the maintenance of ecologicalprocesses that sustain biodiversity ( see http://www.ea.gov.au/land/firewood/ for moreinformation).

Council could combat the collection of dead wood from roadside areas through;

� education that explains that old standing trees and dead wood on the groundprovide an important source of food and habitat for many species of birds andmammals. The removal of these trees and logs is mistakenly seen as just 'cleaningup the forest' when they are in fact a critical part of the ecosystem.

� Road signage that the collection of wood is prohibited.

� Suggesting alternative sources of wood such as thinnings from revegetation sites.

.


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3 Other Areas of Conservation Significance on Public Lands

3.1 Travelling Stock Reserves

In addition to the remnants of roadside vegetation of conservation significance, thestudy has identified a number of other public lands within Boorowa Shire containingsignificant remnants of native vegetation. The travelling stock reserves (TSRs) withinBoorowa Shire contain some particularly important remnants. The best examples ofnative vegetation in the shire on lower slopes and flats are largely contained withinTSRs, although it is possible that small remnants may occur on private properties thatwere not surveyed during the project.

Table 4.1 lists all TSRs within Boorowa Shire that were examined during the project.This table also lists the plant communities, and threatened species recorded from eachreserve and a rating of overall conservation significance. The latter is presented aseither a High, Medium or Low rating using similar criteria to those applied forroadside remnants in the preceding chapter. The table also presents managementstrategies that will be required to preserve and enhance the conservation value of thesesites. These are general, prescriptive guidelines only. The best approach to themanagement of the TSRs will be through the preparation of a Plan of Management foreach reserve.

Management issues that need to be considered for Travelling Stock Reserves include:

� Collection of firewood. Firewood collection often results in the removal of muchof the dead woody debris that forms an integral component of the habitat ofseveral threatened species including the Bush Stone-curlew, Hooded Robin,Brown Treecreeper and Speckled Warbler as well as a host of regionallysignificant fauna species. Dead Timber is uncommon in virtually all the areasTSRs. No further permits for firewood collection should be issued and illegalcollection should be prosecuted. Signs prohibiting firewood collection would behelpful.

� Use of reserves for long-term grazing. The conservation value of native vegetationon a large proportion of TSRs can be attributed directly to the low levels ofgrazing to which they have been subjected over the years. A change inmanagement of reserves from occasional grazing by stock to longer-term leaseswill diminish their conservation value. Pulse grazing may be a suitable techniquefor the management of the native grassy understorey of TSRs. For those TSRswith high quality native ground vegetation, the best approach to management, atleast for the time being, will be to maintain the site’s current grazing regime withminor modifications as necessary.

� Occurrence of weeds. Although weeds do not appear currently to pose significantthreats to the integrity of most remnants of significant native vegetation on TSRsin the Boorowa Shire, the potential for this to occur remains high. Set stocking islikely to result in the introduction or re-introduction of several species of exoticplants. However, stocking at strategic times of the year may also be used tocontrol certain weed species.


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Table 4.1. Conservation Significance of TSRs in the Boorowa Shire.

TSR Plant Communities(Main types shown in bold)

Threatened Speciesknown from TSR

ConservationSignificance

Specific Management Issues

Pudman Creek(154)

Blakley’s Red Gum – YellowBox Grassy Woodland.Red Stringybark – JoyceaTussock open forestCandlebark – Themeda grassyforest

Brown Treecreeper, SuperbParrot, Bush Stone Curlew,

High Some weed infestation

Tarengo (180) Themeda – Bothriochloagrassland/open woodland

Tarengo Leek Orchid, GoldenSun Moth

High Main issue is the population of the Tarengo Leek Orchid.Management of this TSR is discussed in the draftRecovery Plan for the Tarengo Leek Orchid currentlybeing prepared by NSW NPWS.

Gunnary (8) Blakley’s Red Gum – YellowBox Grassy Woodland.Red Stringybark – JoyceaTussock open forest

Swift Parrot, Diamond Firetails,Brown Treecreeper, HoodedRobin, Grey-crowned Babbler

High Minor occurrences of weed speciesDisturbance of creek on southern side of road

Phils Creek (152) Red Stringybark – JoyceaTussock open forestRed Stringybark long leavedBox Candlebark OpenForest/ woodland

Potential Brown Treecreeper Medium Minor occurrences of weed species

Fivemile (81) Red Stringybark – JoyceaTussock open forestRed Stringybark long leavedBox Candlebark OpenForest/ woodlandWhite Box woodlandsBlakley’s Red Gum – Yellow

Potential Brown Treecreeper Medium Minor weed infestationsPotential movement of litter from the nearby rubbish depot


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Box Grassy Woodland.Bees Nest (14) Blakley’s Red Gum – Yellow

Box Grassy Woodland.Red Stringybark – JoyceaTussock open forest

Brown Treecreeper (RestlessFlycatcher) **

High Minor occurrences of weed speciesGrazing

Geegullalong* (65,99, 87, 88, 86, 111,49)

Red Stringybark Red BoxOpen ForestWhite Box woodlandsBlakley’s Red Gum – YellowBox Grassy Woodland

Superb Parrot, DiamondFiretail, Grey-crowned Babbler(Varied Sittella)**

High Areas of high weed infestationAreas of erosionEasy access for firewood collectors

Frogmore (84) Blakley’s Red Gum – YellowBox Grassy Woodland

Lone Pine (116) Blakley’s Red Gum – YellowBox Grassy Woodland.Red Stringybark – JoyceaTussock open forest

(Crested Shrike-tit, RestlessFlycatcher) **

High Erosion along creeklineWeed issues in the lower part of the reserve

Stoney Creek (179) Red Stringybark – JoyceaTussock open forestWhite Box woodlands

Medium Some areas of high weed abundance.

Dryburgh (70) Blakley’s Red Gum – YellowBox Grassy Woodland.Red Stringybark – JoyceaTussock dry shrub openforestRiver Red Gum Forest.

Potential Superb Parrot Low High proportion of exotic species in the ground cover(including noxious species such as St John Wort andHorehound).

Reids Flat (160) White Box woodlandsRed Stringybark Red Box

Potential Brown Treecreeper High Appears currently to be heavily grazed


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Open ForestHovells Creek(100)

White Box woodlandsBlakley’s Red Gum – YellowBox Grassy Woodland.

Brown Treecreeper, SuperbParrot

High Regeneration of gravel pit area

Godfreys Creek(90)


Brown Treecreeper , SuperbParrot (Crested Shrike-tit) **

High Some areas of dense Phalaris sp. growth.

Breakfast Creek(27 & 28)


Grey-crowned Babbler (CrestedShrike-tit)**

High Extensive weed infestationsEasy access for firewood collectors (currently unfencedalong road frontage)

Bennett Springs(18)

White Box woodlandsBlakley’s Red Gum – YellowBox Grassy Woodland.River Red Gum Forest.

Brown Treecreeper High Some areas of weed infestation

*Much of the native vegetation along the Geegullalong Stock Route is regarded as roadside remnants. As such, issues concerning its conservation and management are dicussed in the precedingchapter. Geegullalong TSR is here regarded as the broad, westernmost section of the stock route, located between the western boundary of the shire and the road to “Boona” and “Cains”.

** The Crested Shrike-tit, Restless Flycatcher and Varied Sittella have been recognised as woodland birds that have experienced major declines within the South-westSlopes, so much so, that they can now be regarded as regionally uncommon birds.


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3.2 Cemeteries

All known cemeteries in the shire were examined during the study. Of these, remnantsof native vegetation were found within the Frogmore, Rye Park and Boorowacemeteries. The other cemeteries were generally dominated by exotic species andmaintained by mowing.

Of the cemeteries containing native vegetation, Frogmore cemetery is in the bestcondition, containing remnants of high conservation significance. The vegetationwithin Rye Park cemetery is more disturbed than that within the Frogmore Cemeterybut is nonetheless of high conservation value. An undescribed orchid species(Genoplesium sp.) was recorded in the Rye Park cemetery during the study. Thisorchid is only known from two other locations. Only a small remnant of disturbednative vegetation is present within Boorowa cemetery. However, the community isrepresentative of the endangered ecological community, White Box-Yellow BoxWoodland.

3.3 Other Crown Lands

Four other areas of crown land were identified during the project as being of highconservation value by virtue of the quality of the native vegetation present. The siteswere:

� The crown reserve on the eastern edge of the town of Boorowa. This site containsa remnant of Themeda/Bothriochloa grassland/open woodland that containsseveral patches of forb-rich understorey vegetation. This vegetation is part of theWhite Box – Yellow Box – Blakley’s Red Gum complex which is listed as anendangered ecological community. Woody weeds and exotic pasture species haveinvaded the property. NPWS recommends that a plan of management be preparedfor this site in order to preserve the qualities that make it an area of highconservation significance. The NPWS would like to assist in the preparation ofthis plan.

� A crown reserve on Taylors Flat Road supporting Red Stringybark – Joyceatussock grass open forest. This forest contains a high diversity of native shrubsand herbaceous species and provides habitat for the threatened BrownTreecreeper.

� The triangular block on Lachlan Valley Way near the entrance to the “Doonside”property. This block contains a significant stand of Blakelys Red Gum/YellowBox grassy woodland and provides habitat for the Brown Treecreeper, Grey-crowned Babbler and significant woodland bird species including the VariedSittella and Restless Flycatcher.

� The rectangular block on the corner of Lachlan Valley Way and the Top CreekRoad. This site supports a comparatively large stand of Blakelys Red Gum/YellowBox grassy woodland. The Superb Parrot has been recorded breeding on the site.A colony of the threatened Grey-crowned Babbler was recorded along Top CreekRoad and it is probable that the site provides foraging habitat for this species.


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3.4 Private Property

Private holdings constitute the largest area of lands in Boorowa Shire, and the vastmajority of the extant vegetation. They are crucial to the conservation of biodiversitywithin Boroowa Shire.

Several large and significant remnants of native vegetation occur on private propertieswithin the shire. The maps provided with this report can assist in identifying these.The efforts of landowners in conserving these areas can be recognised and given somesupport through such means as Voluntary Conservation Agreements or WildlifeRefuges for which the NPWS is the contact agency. Property Agreements between thelandholder and the Department of Land and Water Conservation, as provided forunder Part 5 of the Native Vegetation Conservation Act, may also be appropriate.

Paddock trees and small patches of native trees represent most of what is left of manyof Boorowa’s vegetation communities, particularly woodlands. For example it islikely that more than 55% of woodlands dominated by Blakely’s Red Gum andYellow Box, occur in patches less than one hectare in size. Paddock trees and smallpatches of native trees play an important role in maintaining the productive capacityof Boorowa shire and they are critically important to the conservation of the naturalflora and fauna found in the Shire. Farming practices can favour the survival and aidregeneration of isolated paddock trees and small tree clumps through:

� providing buffer plantings around isolated trees and clumps (of particular value ifthese plantings link remnant patches to larger areas);

� fencing off areas to encourage natural regneration;

� avoiding fertilising in the vicinity of trees;

� avoiding excessive nutrient build-up in the vicinity of paddock trees by managingstock movements;

� avoiding herbicide drift to paddock trees; and

� providing conditions for increasing numbers of insect-eating birds and bats.

Conditions suitable for eucalypt regeneration must be created for the paddock-treeresource to be perpetuated. Eucalypt regeneration can be achieved by spelling onepaddock at a time at a stocking rate sufficiently low enough to achieve regeneration,preferentially timed with years favourable for recruitment. Eucalypt regeneration hasbeen achieved by temporarily reducing stocking rates by approximately one third inunfertilized pastures (data from Reid and Landsberg 2000). Alternatively, trees orpatches can be temporarily fenced to prevent grazing or cultivation. Fertilizer inputshould also be reduced where regeneration is targeted. The identification ofdemonstration areas in which eucalypt regeneration has been achieved will helpdefine the specific conditions required to obtain regeneration. A regeneration event asseldom as every 50-100 years may be sufficient to perpetuate eucalypts providedmortality is kept to a minimum.

Appendix 1 provides a list of all species recorded within the 209 surveyed plots acrossthe Shire. The vegetation type(s) in which a particular plant occurs is also provided.This information provides a guide for re-planting projects as to likely species thatexisted in an area prior to clearing or other disturbance activities.


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Boorowa Shire and its active Landcare or Catchment Management groups have accessto funding for regeneration works through the Natural Heritage Trust and NationalAction Plan for Salinity. This report and maps provide tools and information that canhelp get multiple benefits from salinity-related programs, which is a stated objectiveof the Commonwealth projects. For example salinity related plantings or fencing fornatural regeneration could include increasing the extent of remnants of endangeredwoodland communities and enhancing habitat of threatened species. The Shire orcommunity groups who make applications for such funding will increase theirchances of funding by using the figures and information in this report to justify claimsabout biodiversity outcomes.

3.5 Local Environment Plans (Local Government)

Local environment plans (LEPs) prepared by local councils can includeenvironmental protection zonings that restrict vegetation clearance. However, thefragmented distribution of important vegetation within Boroowa Shire does not relatewell to a zoning approach. It would be extremely problematic to put lines on zoningmaps. Rather the LEP for Boroowa Shire should include planning provisions that aimto protect, maintain and enhance the natural ecosystems and biodiversity of the area.

The NPWS suggests that the Boroowa LEP should contain a tree preservation orderand a clause that protects roadside vegetation.

As discussed in earlier sections roadside vegetation within Borroowa Shire hasconsiderable conservation importance. The NPWS suggests that wording along thefollowing lines should be included within the Boroowa LEP.

Roadside vegetation

(1) A person must not clear vegetation, cause destruction of trees, or collect dead timber,within roadside vegetation of medium or high conservation value, except with the consentof Council.

(2) The Council shall not grant consent to the clearing of roadside vegetation or thedestruction of roadside trees unless it is done in a way that minimises;

(a) the risk of soil erosion, dry land salination or other land degradation;

(b) the loss of scenic amenity; and

(c) the loss of remnant vegetation, trees and natural wildlife habitats.

A tree preservation order may apply to a specified area or specified trees on Crownand private land. Under an order clearance of significant trees is prohibited withoutfirst gaining development approval from Council. This prevents ad hoc andunnecessary clearance and enables a tree-felling activity to be considered in a broaderframework of trying to maintain and enhance remaining fragmented vegetation.Wagga Wagga Shire recently adopted a tree preservation order that may be a suitablemodel for Boroowa. Relevant Provisions from the Wagga Wagga LEP are reproducedbelow.


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Wagga Wagga Tree Management Policy

Definitions

“Native Vegetation” means vegetation that is indigenous to the Wagga Wagga LocalGovernment Area, including trees, shrubs and understorey plants.

“Property of Significant Value” means property with a market value of more than $500, butdoes not include livestock or fencing.

Extent

1. A person shall not harm any tree except with the consent of Council.

2. In determining an application made to it under this Tree Management Policy, Council may:

a) give consent unconditionally;

b) give consent subject to conditions; or

c) refuse consent.

3. In Residential, Business, Industrial and Village Zones as defined in the Wagga Wagga LocalEnvironmental Plan 1985 and Wagga Wagga Rural Local Environmental Plan 1991, a tree underthis Tree Management Policy is:

a) any living plant located in front of the building line for the street that has a height of morethan 3.5 metres and a branch spread of more than 3 metres.

b) any living plant located behind the building line that has a height of more than 7 metres.

c) any living plant located in an area where a building line has not been fixed and having aheight of more than 7 metres.

d) any dead plant with a trunk diameter greater than 50 cm (measured 1.3 metres above theground).

e) any native vegetation occurring in a wetland.

Within Residential, Business, Industrial and Village Zones, Council shall not grant consent toharm any tree unless it has made an assessment of its importance in relation to:

a) potential danger;

b) tree health;

c) heritage values;

d) scenic and environmental amenity;

e) habitat for threatened species;

as outlined in Wagga Wagga City Council’s “Best Practice Guidelines for Assessing Tree


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Removal and Modification Requests in Residential, Business, Industrial and Village Zones”.Special consideration shall be given to species listed in Council’s Significant Species Schedule(see Schedule 1).

4. In Rural, Special Uses, Open Space, and Environmental Protection Zones as defined in the WaggaWagga Local Environmental Plan 1985 and Wagga Wagga Rural Local Environmental Plan 1991,a tree under this Tree Management Policy is:

a) any living plant with a trunk diameter greater than 20 cm (measured 1.3 metres above theground).

b) any dead plant with a trunk diameter greater than 50 cm (measured 1.3 metres above theground).

c) any native vegetation occurring in a wetland.

d) any native vegetation covering an area of more than 100 square metres (equivalent to 10 x 10metres).

Within Rural, Special Uses, Open Space, and Environmental Protection Zones, Council shall notgrant consent to harm any tree unless it has made an assessment of its importance in relation to:

a) potential danger;

b) soil stability and prevention of land degradation;

c) scenic and environmental amenity;

d) vegetation systems and natural wildlife habitat, including that of threatened species; and

e) heritage values;

as outlined in the Wagga Wagga City Council’s “Best Practice Guidelines for AssessingVegetation Clearing Requests in Rural, Special Uses, Open Space and Environmental ProtectionZones”. Special consideration shall be given to species listed in Council’s Significant SpeciesSchedule (see Schedule 1).

Exemptions

5. This Tree Management Policy does not require the consent of Council to harm trees:

a) where development consent to carry out clearing has been obtained under the NativeVegetation Conservation Act 1997; or

b) where clearing of trees has been authorised under other legislation (for example, anyclearing authorised under the Rural Fires Act 1997 or the State Emergency and RescueManagement Act 1989 in relation to an emergency within the meaning of the latter Act,any clearing authorised under the Plantations and Reafforestation Act 1999, any clearingauthorised to be carried out under Division 3 or 4 of Part 7 of the Fisheries ManagementAct 1994, any clearing that involves the removal or lopping of any tree or other vegetationin accordance with Section 88 of the Roads Act 1993, any clearing carried out inaccordance with a licence issued under Section 131 of the National Parks and WildlifeAct 1974, etc.); or

c) where the following occurs in a Rural (but not Rural Residential) zone:

i) where there are less than 40 trees in each hectare (100 x 100 metre grid), alandowner may cut up to 2 trees per hectare, with a maximum of 10 trees per


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property, in any period of one calendar year for on-farm uses. The trees to be cutmust have a trunk diameter of less than 50 cm (measured 1.3 metres above theground).

ii) where there are more than 40 trees in each hectare (100 x 100 metre grid), alandowner may cut up to 7 trees per hectare, in any period of one calendar yearfor on-farm uses. The trees to be cut must have a trunk diameter of less than 50cm (measured 1.3 metres above the ground).

This Tree Management Policy does not require the consent of Council to prune commercial ordomestic fruit trees.

6. Nothing in this Tree Management Policy shall prohibit the harming of any tree that has becomedangerous to human life or property of significant value. Except for emergencies, Council’sArboricultural Officer must confirm their dangerous condition before removal takes place.

Declared noxious weeds and nuisance species listed in Schedule 2 are exempt from this TreeManagement Policy.


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4 Threatened Species and Endangered Ecological Communities

4.1 Introduction

This section of the report provides a summary of the endangered and threatened floraand fauna species and endangered ecological communities recorded from withinBoorowa Shire. A brief summary of the ecology of each species, its conservationstatus throughout its range and in the Boorowa Shire and the implications in relationto proposed activities within the shire is provided. Map 4 shows records of threatenedfauna within Boorowa Shire. These records include those from the NSW NPWS Atlasof NSW Wildlife and from observations made during the vegetation mapping project.

4.2 Legislative Framework

4.2.1 Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995

The NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act 1995) provides thelegislative basis for the protection of threatened species in NSW. The Act provides forthe establishment and maintenance of schedules of endangered and threatened faunaand flora species and endangered ecological communities. It places responsibilities ongovernment agencies, consent authorities and applicants with respect to developmentcontrol, planning and species recovery planning.

There is no requirement under the Act to apply for a licence to “harm or pick” athreatened species in order to undertake routine agricultural activities. As the majorityof activities affecting threatened species on private lands in Boorowa Shire fall withinthis category, the Act will not necessarily have a direct influence on landholders undermost circumstances. Routine agricultural activities include:

� Grazing of lands that have been regularly stocked in the past;

� Maintenance of existing tracks on properties;

� Maintenance of existing fencelines;

� Occasional tree felling;

� Collection of firewood for personal use.

Activities that do not constitute routine agricultural activities include:

� Firewood collection for commercial gain;

� Clearing greater than 2 hectares of native vegetation a year;

4.3 Endangered Ecological Communities

White Box-Yellow Box Woodland is listed as an endangered ecological communityon Schedule 1, Part 3 of the TSC Act 1995. This community is defined as woodlandsin which the dominant tree species include White Box (Eucalyptus albens), YellowBox (Eucalyptus melliodora) and Blakely’s Red Gum (Eucalyptus blakelyi). Thefollowing plant communities identified in this project represent forms of thisecological community:


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� White Box Woodlands� Themeda australis-Bothriochloa Grassland/Open Woodland� Blakelys Red Gum-Yellow Box- Grassy Woodlands

The native vegetation model accompanying this report indicates that the woodlandsrepresenting this community once covered about 44% of Boorowa Shire. They wereparticularly widespread across the western half of the shire. Today these woodlandsoccur over less than 3% of the Shire, mostly as small patches of poor condition (iemany weeds present, high level of other disturbances, low native species diversity).

The listing of this community on the TSC Act 1995 reinforces the value of theidentification of these communities in this report and the need to implement strategiesto protect these remnants. The definition of the community within the TSC Act 1995includes degraded remnants that would respond to assisted natural regeneration. Thiscould include single paddock trees or clumps of trees within paddocks, which asdetailed previously, form a large proportion of the remaining remnants of this plantcommunity in Boorowa Shire.

4.4 Threatened Flora

4.4.1 Tarengo Leek Orchid (Prasophyllum petilum)

This orchid species is known from only three, widely dispersed sites on the SouthWestern Slopes and Southern Tablelands of NSW. Two of the known sites are withincemeteries in the ACT region. The third site is on the Tarengo TSR locatedapproximately five kilometres south-west of Boorowa. At this site, the species occurswithin Themeda australis-Bothriochloa macra grassland. The Tarengo TSR supportsthe largest known population of the species. It is possible that the orchid may occur onprivate properties in the Boorowa region, particularly those supporting nativegrasslands and grassy woodlands that have not been subjected to long term grazingpressure. The orchid is currently the focus of a recovery planning programcoordinated by the NSW NPWS.

4.4.2 Yass Daisy (Ammobium craspedioides)

The Yass Daisy is distributed roughly between Bigga and Wagga Wagga. This specieswas recorded in four sites in the south-eastern corner of the shire. This included onesite on private property, two on TSRs and one on a crown leasehold property. Surveysfor this species are best conducted in spring and summer so it is possible that thespecies is more widespread in the Boorowa Shire but was not detected at somelocations during the project which was conducted during the autumn months.

The Yass Daisy occurs in relatively undisturbed grassy woodlands and secondarygrasslands (grassy woodlands in which much of the native tree cover has beenremoved). All sites in which the species was recorded during the survey werecharacterised by the presence of an understorey dominated largely by native speciesand a light grazing regime.


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4.5 Threatened Fauna

4.5.1 Bush Stone Curlew (Burhinus gralarius)

The Bush Stone Curlew is a large, brown, ground dwelling bird that occupies grassywoodlands often characterised by a relatively dense ground cover and abundant fallenlogs and branches. It has a broad distribution throughout northern Australia, extendingdown the eastern seaboard into Victoria.

Conservation Status

This species is extremely rare in the southern parts of its range. Threatening processesinclude native vegetation clearing, predation by the European Fox and grazing byintroduced livestock.

Issues in Boorowa Shire

Any populations of this species recorded within Boorowa Shire should be reported.Firewood removal should not occur in areas where this species has been recorded.

4.5.2 Superb Parrot (Polytelis swainsonii)

Boorowa Shire is well known for the occurrence of a breeding population of theSuperb Parrot, present during the spring and summer months of the year. The specieshas been adopted by the Shire as a symbol of the region. It is a predominantly green,medium sized parrot, the males of which have bright yellow cheeks and throat,bordered on the top of the breast by a crescent-shaped band of red. Females arelargely green, lacking the bright colours of the male.

Conservation Status

Notwithstanding the species’ public profile and appropriate management by manylandholders, its habitat continues to be destroyed through insidious and culturallyentrenched land use practices.

In Boorowa Shire it has become threatened through clearing of native vegetation andis further threatened as result of the continuing loss of mature or dead trees withhollows. This includes mature trees or stags along roadsides and in paddocks. Therarity of this species is perhaps masked to some extent by its conspicuousness and thefact that it is an easily identified species with a high public profile in the region.


Removal of nesting trees, including isolated paddock trees and roadside trees, and areduction in foraging habitats pose the most serious threats to this species in the shire.The fragmented nature of woodland trees and the lack of regeneration are significantlong-term issues that need to be addressed. All planning assessments for roadmaintenance or works within road reserves in Boorowa Shire should include an eightpart test for this species, except perhaps for some roadsides classed in this report asLow Conservation Value. The adoption of a tree preservation order would also aid theconservation of this parrot. The best time of year for undertaking survey and


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assessment for this species is during the late spring/summer period when the birds arenesting.

4.5.3 Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor)

The Swift Parrot is a medium-sized, predominantly green parrot that breeds inTasmania in the summer months. During autumn much of the population migrates tomainland Australia. Autumn and winter flowering Eucalyptus species such as WhiteBox and Red Ironbark form an important component of the diet of the species duringthis period.

Conservation Status

The Swift Parrot is threatened by clearing of breeding habitat in Tasmania andforaging habitat on mainland Australia. It was recorded in Gunnary TSR during theproject and is likely to regularly occur within Boorowa Shire, although it may beabsent in some years depending on the magnitude of the flowering of Eucalyptusspecies.


Two of the Swift Parrot’s main feed trees on mainland Australia, White Box and RedIronbark, occur throughout Boorowa Shire. A Tree Preservation Order and educationprogram would assist in the conservation of this species. All planning assessments forroad maintenance within the shire should include an eight part test for this species,except perhaps for some roadsides classed in this report as Low Conservation Value.

4.5.4 Barking Owl (Ninox connivens)

The Barking Owl is a large owl found in woodlands though out eastern and northernAustralia. It is similar to, but larger than, the much more common Boobook Owl. Itlacks the “spectacles” of the latter species and, as the name suggests, it has adistinctive, dog-like call.

Conservation Status

Like many other woodland bird species, the Barking Owl is rare in the southern partsof its range but still relatively common in northern Australia.

There are no formal records of this species in Boorowa Shire. However, it is possiblethat a small number may occur in some of the larger vegetation remnants.


Should this species occur in the shire, its conservation will be dependant on theretention of large remnants of native vegetation. The cumulative impact of theremoval of small areas of native vegetation will be an important consideration indecisions concerning the protection of this species.


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4.5.5 Speckled Warbler (Cthonichola saggitata)

The Speckled Warbler is a small, insectivorous bird that inhabits woodlands inVictoria, NSW and Queensland. It is a mostly brown bird streaked with black, greyand white.

Conservation Status

The Speckled Warbler is uncommon throughout its range and is apparentlydisappearing from small, isolated remnants of habitat.

This species was recorded from several sites within Boorowa Shire during the project.All sightings were made either within or nearby comparatively large remnants ofnative vegetation.


The conservation of this species in Boorowa Shire will be dependant on the protectionand enhancement of large remnants of native vegetation. This may be best achievedthrough the implementation of management strategies developed in consultation withprivate landholders. This bird nests on the ground and fallen timber is important inhiding the nest site from predators such as currawongs. Thus fallen timber should notbe collected from locations from where this bird is known. Revegetation works canprovide suitable habitat for this species, though a recent survey of revegetation sitesfor Greening Australia only found the Speckled Warbler in sites greater than 8ha insize and at least 8 years old. It has yet to be recorded as breeding in revegetated areas(Greening Australia 2001).

4.5.6 Hooded Robin (Melanodryas cuculatus)

The Hooded Robin is a distinctive, medium-sized bird that inhabits dry, open, grassywoodlands usually with an abundance of fallen logs. Males are distinctively pied;females are a duller grey-brown colour. This species occurs in all mainland states ofAustralia.

Conservation Status

The species has become rare in NSW and Victoria but is still relatively common in theother mainland states.

The species was recorded only once during the project. It was recorded on just twooccasions during bird surveys conducted by the CSIRO before the commencement ofthe Native Vegetation Mapping Project. It is confined to large remnant woodlandpatches. These results indicate that the species is very rare in Boorowa Shire.


Given its rarity, all known habitat of this species within the shire is of considerableimportance. Its conservation may be best achieved through the implementation ofmanagement strategies developed in consultation with private landholders.Revegetation works can provide suitable habitat for this species, though a recentsurvey of revegetation sites for Greening Australia only found the Hooded Robin a


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few sites all greater than 1ha in size, greater than 25m wide and at least 10 years old.These sites had a well-developed ground layer of leaf litter, bark twigs, native grassesand herbs. It has yet to be recorded as breeding in revegetated areas (GreeningAustralia 2001).

4.5.7 Black-chinned Honeyeater (Melithreptis brevisrostis)

The Black-chinned Honeyeater is a medium sized bird with a green back and wings,white breast and a black head. This species occurs in NSW, Victoria and SouthAustralia.

Conservation Status

This species has become uncommon to rare throughout its range in NSW.

The species has been recorded in several locations in the Boorowa Shire, mostly in ornear large remnants of native vegetation.


All planning assessments for road maintenance within the shire should include aneight part test for this species, except perhaps for some roadsides classed in this reportas Low Conservation Value.

4.5.8 Painted Honeyeater (Grantiella picta)

The Painted Honeyeater is a medium-sized bird with a black head and back withyellow margins on the wing feathers, white breast and underbelly and a distinctivebright pink bill. It is distributed from southern Victoria and south-eastern SouthAustralia to north Queensland and eastern parts of the Northern Territory.

Conservation Status

This species is sparsely distributed and has disappeared from many parts of its range.

There are no formal records of this species from Boorowa Shire although it is likely tooccur in the shire from time to time.


The Painted Honeyeater feeds on the fruit of Mistletoe species. In Boorowa Shire theloss of broad habitats rather than trees supporting mistletoes is likely to have had agreater impact on this species. Planning assessments for road maintenance within theshire that may affect habitat of the Painted Honeyeater should include an eight parttest for this species.

4.5.9 Regent Honeyeater (Xanthomyza phrygia)

The Regent Honeyeater is a relatively large honeyeater that is predominantly black onthe back and head, with a large patch of red, warty skin around the eye. The flight and


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tail feathers are black with a yellow edge. The chest and underbelly feathers are whitewith a black margin, creating a scalloped effect. It occurs in Box-Ironbark woodlandfrom southern Queensland to Victoria and is most common on the western slopes ofthe Great Dividing Range.

Conservation Status

The Regent Honeyeater has undergone a large decline in abundance and is nowendangered throughout its range.

There are no formal records of this species from Boorowa Shire. However, it isprobable that it occurs in the shire on a sporadic basis.


Planning assessments for road maintenance within the shire that may affect habitat ofthe Regent Honeyeater should include an eight part test for this species.

4.5.10 Grey-crowned Babbler (Pomatostomus temporalis)

The Grey-crowned Babbler is a medium-sized bird that inhabits grassy woodlandsthroughout its range in eastern Asutralia from Victoria to northern Australia. Thespecies forages and breeds in small family parties that occupy large territories.Families build several football-sized nests in low trees and tall shrubs within theirterritories.

Conservation Status

The species is extinct in South Australia, near extinct in Victoria and is becomingrarer in southern NSW. It is still common in Queensland.

Several family parties of this species were recorded in Boorowa Shire during theproject. Three sites at which the species was recorded were roadsides. Several nestswere found in young trees between three to eight metres tall at these sites.


All roadside nest and foraging habitat sites should be protected. Like most of thethreatened woodland birds within the shire, the species will be dependent on theprotection and enhancement of remnants of native vegetation, including paddock treesin the vicinity of larger remnants. All planning assessments for road maintenance orother roadside works within the shire should include an eight part test for this species,except perhaps for some roadsides classed in this report as Low Conservation Value.Any surveys conducted for this species prior to works should include targetedsearches for nests.

4.5.11 Brown Treecreeper (Climacteris picumnus victoriae)

The Brown Treecreeper occurs in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. Thespecies typically inhabits open grassy woodlands with fallen logs present. It nests intree hollows and breeds in pairs or small family parties. Brown Treecreepers forageon the ground and on the trunks of live and dead trees.


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Conservation Status

The population of the Brown Treecreeper within the NSW sheep-wheat belt hasdeclined over the last 15 to 20 years. Populations of the species have disappearedfrom remnants of apparently suitable habitat leading to the conclusion that the speciesgenerally requires large remnants of native vegetation for survival.

The Brown Treecreeper was recorded from numerous sites within Boorowa Shire,within a large range of vegetation types and remnant sizes. Although it is unwise tospeculate on the basis of a small data set such as that gathered during the project, it ispossible that Boorowa Shire may support one of the healthiest populations of thespecies within the South Western Slopes Bioregion.


Although this species was recorded from a wide range of sizes of vegetationremnants, it is possible that further fragmentation of remnants will result in theisolation and loss of some populations of the species. Regeneration projects are likelyto favour this species and the Speckled Warbler. Fallen timber should not be removedfrom known habitats of this species as the Brown Treecreeper spends much timeforaging on fallen logs. All Planning Assessments for road maintenance within theshire should include an eight part test for this species, except perhaps for someroadsides classed in this report as Low Conservation Value.

4.5.12 Diamond Firetail (Stagonopleura guttata)

The Diamond Firetail is a small finch that inhabits drier grassy woodlands in SouthAustralia, Victoria, New South Wales, the ACT and Queensland. The species feedspredominantly on grass seeds and nests in shrubs and small trees either in single pairsor communally.

Conservation Status

The species still occupies much of its broad range but within this range it has becomeextinct in small remnants of vegetation.

This species was recorded infrequently in Boorowa Shire during the project but has,nevertheless, been recorded from numerous sites. It appears to be restricted largely toungrazed or lightly grassland/woodland remnants.


As this species feeds largely on grass seeds it is likely that heavily grazed areasprovide less suitable habitat than roadsides and public lands subjected to infrequentgrazing. Mowing of roadside vegetation as part of maintenance activities may affectthis species. All planning assessments for road maintenance within the shire shouldinclude an eight part test for this species, except perhaps for some roadsides classed inthis report as Low Conservation Value. Revegetation works can provide suitablehabitat for this species. A recent survey of revegetation sites for Greening Australiafound this bird in a variety of revegetation plots from short windrows to large 15hablocks, it was only found in sites at least 9 years old. It has been recorded as breedingin revegetated areas (Greening Australia 2001).


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4.5.13 Squirrel Glider (Petaurus norfolcensis)

The Squirrel Glider is a small possum-like mammal capable of gliding between treesby extending flaps of skin located between the fore and hind legs. They are grey-brown in colour and have a black stripe extending from just above the nose, over thetop of the head and down the centre of the back. Squirrel Gliders feed on insects,nectar and exudates from leaves and wounds in trees such as Acacia and Eucalyptusspecies. They occur from central Victoria, along the eastern seaboard of Australia tonorth Queensland.

Conservation Status

The Squirrel Glider is rare in the southern parts of its range. Further north in NSWand Queensland it is fairly common.

The species has been recorded from “Boona” and “Cains” in the western part of theshire and may occur in other areas with suitable habitat. Overall, it is probable that thespecies is rare in the shire.


All planning assessments for road maintenance within the shire for roadsides classedin this report as High Conservation Value should include an eight part test for thisspecies. Some areas identified as Medium Conservation Value may also providepotential habitat for this species. Some remnants on private properties may alsosupport populations of this species. Adoption of a Tree Preservation Order wouldassist the conservation of this species. Voluntary Conservation Agreements betweenNPWS and the relevant property owners would also aid the protection of suchpopulations.

4.5.14 Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)

The Koala is one of the most recognised animals of the Australian bush. An adultmale Koala weighs from 6.5 –12kg and females 5-8.5kg. Its fur is grey to brown andwhite below and its ears are large and rounded. Koalas inhabit eucalypt woodlandsand forests. Within Boorowa shire, Koala occur mainly in forests of Scribbly Gum(Eucalyptus rossii), Red Stringbark (Eucalyptus macrorhyncha) and Bundy(Eucalyptus goniocalyx).

Conservation Status

Koalas are scarce across the south-east region. Within Boorowa Shire, Koalas occur atlow to very low densities. A 1988 Koala survey across the shire only positivelyidentified them as being present in two patches of woodland in the Rye Park area.Historical records are clumped around the Taylor’s Flat road area with additionallimited sightings from the vicinity of Rugby and Reids Flat. They are most likely tooccur in the south-east of the Shire (Cox and Goldney 1998).


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Although Koala numbers within the Shire appear to be naturally low due to thepresence of presumably marginal habitat, fragmentation and degeneration ofremaining available habitat is a serious limiting factor. The isolation of Koalapopulations and habitat makes them particularly susceptible to hot crown fires that killKoalas and remove food. Predation by introduced predators such as dogs and foxes isa further significant threat. Land management practices that increase regeneration,sustainability and connection between woodland patches and scattered farm trees arecrucial to the viability of the species in Boorowa Shire. Fox control programs in areasof known or likely Koala habitat are also important.

4.5.15 Large-footed Myotis (Myotis adversus)

The Large-footed Myotis (or Large-footed Mouse-eared Bat or Fishing Bat) grows upto 56mm in length. It is dark-grey to reddish brown above and paler below. Old batsare ginger coloured. As the name suggests its feet are exceptionally large (10-14mm)with the toes widely spaced and distinctly hairy. Large-footed Myotis roost in caves,mine shafts, hollow-bearing trees near waterways, storm water channels, underbridges, buildings and in dense foliage. Their roosting sites are separate from breedingsites. They use their large feet to rake across water to catch insects and fish. They alsocatch flying insects over water. They require waterbodies such as streams, creeks, andlakes for foraging. In NSW females have one young each year usually in November orDecember, usually in small maternity colonies.

Conservation Status

The Large-footed Myotis is primarily a coastal species and is rarely found more than100km inland. They are found in the coastal band from the north-west of Australia,across the top-end and south to western Victoria. They are found across Victoria andsouthern NSW. A specimen was recently trapped along Bang Bang Creek, nearKoorawatha, about 6km to the west of the Boorowa Shire.


Retention and enhancement of riparian vegetation within the Shire may be importantto this species.

4.5.16 Golden Sun Moth (Synemon plana)

The Golden Sun Moth is a conspicuous day-flying moth found in native grasslands,often mistaken for a butterfly. The female of the species is more colourful than themale, having short, bright orange hind-wings under black and white patterned frontwings.

The adults of the species only live for 1-4 days, and do not feed during this time.Adults emerge for a period of between 6-8 weeks through November and December,the males will fly only in bright sunshine during the warmest part of the day. At othertimes of the year, the larvae of the Golden Sun Moth live in the soil and are thought tofeed almost exclusively on the roots of native Wallaby Grass (Danthonia sp.).


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Dominance of this grass as ground cover is therefore essential for the species survivalat any one site.

Conservation Status

Historically, the Golden Sun Moth was widespread throughout southeastern Australia.Museum records show the distribution extending from Bathurst in central NSW,through the Southern Tablelands of NSW, central and western Victoria, toBordertown in eastern South Australia. With the loss and fragmentation of nativetemperate grasslands and grassy woodlands due to the expansion of agriculture(predominantly grazing and broad-acre cropping), the Golden Sun Moth is nowknown from only 42 sites in New South Wales, approximately 12 sites in theAustralian Capital Territory (Edwards 1994) and 8 sites in Victoria (Dear 1997).

In the Boorowa area the moth has been recorded at Wolverhampton Travelling StockReserve, Rye Park Common, Flakeney Creek Travelling Stock Reserve and TarengoTravelling Stock Reserve. It is likely to occur elsewhere in the Shire.


Major threats to the species include clearing for agriculture, as well as degradation ofDanthonia grasslands and woodlands with a wallaby grass understorey by weedinvasion and grazing.

4.5.17 Perunga Grasshopper (Perunga ochracea)

Female adults of this rare grasshopper are about 26-35mm in length the males from15-20mm. The species is distinctive in having the pronotum (the upper surface of thefirst segment below the neck) wrinkled. The wings are reduced, are shorter than themiddle body segment and possess many raised longitudinal veins. It is flightless but astrong jumper and can cover distances of a metre. When disturbed, the species appearsto actively seek shelter, jumping once or twice before burying itself into a grasstussock. Adults are variable in colour, ranging from brown to grey and often withgreen.

Conservation Status

There are historic records for the grasshopper from the vicinity of Boorowa. It wasprobably naturally restricted to the Themeda-Bothriochloa grassland/open woodland.


Loss or degradation of its grassy habitat is a major threat to Perunga. Movementbetween habitat fragments or recolonisation after local extinction are likely to belimited because the adults are flightless. If the species still occurs in the Shire,retention of high quality grassland/open woodland sites will be vital for its survival.

4.6 Threatened Species Management in Boorowa Shire

There are no reserves within Boorowa Shire currently managed solely for theconservation of flora, fauna and/or endangered ecological communities. The future ofpopulations of threatened species and endangered communities in Boorowa Shire is


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thus dependant on suitable management of habitats on private properties, roadsidesand public lands such as travelling stock reserves and cemeteries.

The most important legislation applying to the management of threatened species andendangered ecological communities in NSW is the Environmental Planning andAssessment Act 1979, the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 and the NationalParks and Wildlife Act 1973. These acts provide for various mechanisms for themanagement of threats to threatened species and endangered ecological communities.However, most activities on agricultural lands are exempt from restrictions appliedunder the TSC Act 1995. Thus outcomes towards the management of threatenedspecies and endangered ecological communities is largely reliant on action fromBoorowa Shire Council and local landholders. The NPWS would like to support theconservation efforts of these parties. This could either be formally through such thingsas Joint Management Agreements, Voluntary Conservation Agreements or declarationof Wildlife Refuges or informally through the provision of information orconservation management advice.

A critical issue in the conservation of fauna and flora is awareness within thecommunity. Although the level of awareness of environmental issues in BoorowaShire is high, understanding of specific issues such as the conservation andmanagement of endangered ecological communities and threatened species will needto be further developed. It is hoped that this report is of assistance to the people ofBoorowa gaining greater understanding of flora and flora issues across the Shire.


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5 References

Austin, M. F., Cawsey, E. M., Baker, B. L., Yialeloglou, M. M., Grice, D. J., &Briggs, S. V. (2000) Predicted Vegetation Cover in the Central Lachlan Region.CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Canberra.

Cox S.J. and Goldney D.C. (1998) Boorowa Shire Koala Survey – Implications forSepp 44. Environmental Studies Unit, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst.

Gellie N.J.H, P. Gilmour, V. Thomas, and M. Doherty (2001). Native Vegetation ofthe Southern Forests Region, New South Wales. Manuscript in preparation -Cunninghamia.

Gibbons, P. & Boak, M. (In press). The Role of Paddock Trees for RegionalConservation in the Agricultural Landscape. Ecological Management andRestoration.

Greening Australia (2001). Bringing Birds Back – A Glovebox Guide for Birdidentification and Habitat Restoration in ACT and SE NSW. Greening Australia ACT& SE NSW publication.

Harden G. (1990). Flora of New South Wales. Volume 1. University of New SouthWales Press: Kensington




Hibberd, J. and Taws, N. (1993) The Long Paddock Revisited 15 Years on: AComparative Study of the Condition and Use of Travelling Stock Reserves in theSouthern Tablelands 1977-1993. Unpublished report for the Nature ConservationCouncil of New South Wales

NPWS (1996). Interim Forest Agreement Process Preparation of Data andDatabases Volume II: Pre 1750 vegetation and forest disturbance mapping for theTumut study area. Unpublished report prepared by NPWS for the Resource andConservation Assessment Council.

NPWS (2000). Unpublished survey data. Southern CRA vegetation surveys 1997 –2000.

Thackway, R. & Cresswell, I. D. An interim biogeographic regionalisation forAustralia. A framework for setting priorities in the national reserves systemcooperative program. Version 4.0. 1995. Canberra, Australian Nature ConservationAgency.

Swift ParrotBrown Treecreeper

Tarengo Leek Orchid

THREATENED SPECIES OF BOROOWA SHIRE

Yass Daisy

Grey-Crowned Babbler

Golden Sun Moth

Diamond Firetail


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6 Appendix 1 – Plant Species as Recorded in Vegetation TypeSpecies Common Name Red Gum

Yellow BoxCallitrisendlicheri –Red Stringy

Red StringyJoyceaTussock

Red StringyDry ShrubForest

River RedGum Forest

TablelandWoodland/ Forest

Themeda –BothriochloaGrassland

White BoxWoodland

Acacia buxifolia Box-leaved Wattle XAcacia acinacea Gold-dust Wattle X XAcacia dealbata Silver Wattle X X X X X XAcacia deanii Deane's Wattle X X XAcacia decora Western Golden Wattle X X XAcacia doratoxylon Currawang XAcacia genistifolia Early Wattle X X X XAcacia gunnii Ploughshare Wattle X X XAcacia implexa Hickory Wattle X X X X X XAcacia lanigera Hairy Wattle XAcacia paradoxa Kangaroo Thorn X X X X XAcacia penninervis Mountain Hickory XAcacia ulicifolia Prickly Moses X XAcacia uncinata Gold-dust Wattle XAcacia verniciflua Varnished Wattle X X XAcacia vestita Weeping Boree XAcaena novae-zelandiae Bidgee Widgee XAcaena ovina Sheep's Burr X X X X X XAcianthus sp. Mosquito Orchid XAcrotriche serrulata Honeypots XAdiantum aethiopicum Common Maidenhair X


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Species Common Name Red GumYellow Box

Callitrisendlicheri –Red Stringy



River RedGum Forest



White BoxWoodland

Agrostis avenacea Blown Grass XAjuga australis Austral Bugle X X XAllocasuarina diminuta Sheoak X XAllocasuarina distyla Sheoak XAllocasuarina verticillata Drooping Sheoak X X XAlternanthera nana Hairy Joyweed XAmmobium craspedioides Yass Daisy X XAmyema miquelii Mistletoe XAmyema sp. Mistletoe X X XAristida behriana Bunch Wiregrass X XAristida jerichoensis var.jerichoensis

Jericho Wiregrass X

Aristida ramosa Purple Wire Grass X X X X X X XAristida vagans Threeawn Speargrass X X X X

Arthropodium milleflorum Vanilla Lily X XAsperula conferta Comon Woodruff X X X XAsperula scoparia Prickly Woodruff X X XAsplenium flabellifolium Necklace Fern XAstroloma humifusum Native Cranberry XAustrodanthonia caespitosa Ringed Wallaby Grass X XAustrodanthonia eriantha Wallaby Grass X X X X X XAustrodanthonia laevis Wallaby Grass X X X X X X


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River RedGum Forest



White BoxWoodland

Austrodanthonia linkii Wallaby Grass X X X X XAustrodanthonia longifolia Long-leaved Wallaby Grass XAustrodanthonia monticola Wallaby Grass X X X X XAustrodanthonia pilosa Smooth-flowered Wallaby

GrassX X X X X

Austrodanthonia racemosa Wallaby Grass X X X X X X XAustrodanthonia setacea Small-flowered Wallaby

GrassX X X

Austrodanthonia tenuior Wallaby Grass X X X XAustrostipa aristiglumis Plains Grass X X XAustrostipa bigeniculata Tall Speargrass X X XAustrostipa densiflora Brushtail Speargrass XAustrostipa mollis Speargrass X X XAustrostipa scabra Corkscrew X X XBillardiera scandens Apple Berry XBlechnum cartilagineum Griste Fern XBossiaea buxifolia Bossiaea XBossiaea prostrata Creeping Bossiaea XBothriochloa macra Redleg Grass X X X X XBrachychiton populneus Kurrajong X X X X X XBrachyloma daphnoides Daphne Heath X X X X XBrachyscome spathulata Spoon DaisyBracteantha viscosa Sticky Everlasting X XBurchardia umbellata Milkmaids X X X X X X


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River RedGum Forest



White BoxWoodland

Bursaria spinosa Blackthorn XCallitris endlicheri Black Cypress Pine X X X XCallistemon sieberi River Bottlebush XCalocephalus citreus Lemon Beauty Heads XCalotis cuneata Purple Burr-daisy X XCalotis lappulacea Yellow Burr-dasiy X XCalytrix tetragona Fringe Myrtle X X XCarex appressa Tall Sedge X X X X X XCarex inversa Knob Sedge X X X X X XCassinia aculeata Dolly Bush X X X XCassinia arcuata Sifton Bush X X X XCassinia longifolia Long-leaved Cassinia X X XCentipeda cunninghamii Common Sneezeweed XChamaesyce drummondii Caustic Weed X XCheilanthes austrotenuifolia Rock Fern X XCheilanthes sieberi Rock Fern X X X X X XCheiranthera cyanea Finger Flower X X X X XChloris truncata Windmill Grass X X XChrysocephalum apiculatum Common Everlasting X X X X X X XChrysocephalum semipapposum Clustered Everlasting X XConvolvulus erubescens Australian Bindweed X X X X XCraspedia variabilis Billy Buttons X X XCryptandra amara Bitter Cryptandra X X X X X


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River RedGum Forest



White BoxWoodland

Cymbonotus lawsonianus Austral Bears-ear X X X X XCymbopogon refractus Barb-wire Grass XCynodon dactylon Couch Grass X X X XCynoglossum australe Austral Hound's Tongue XCynoglossum suaveolens Sweet Hound's Tongue X XCyperus sanguinolenta Small Sedge XCyperus sanguinolentus Small Sedge X XCyperus sp. Wyangala Dam Sedge XDaucus glochidiatus Native Carrot X XDaviesia genistifolia Broom Bitter-pea X X XDaviesia latifolia Broad-leaved Bitter-pea X XDaviesia leptophylla Slender Bitter-pea X X X XDaviesia mimosoides Narrow-leaved Bitter-pea X XDesmodium varians Slender Tick Trefoil X X X X X XDianella longifolia Smooth Flax Lily X X X XDianella revoluta Black-anthered Flax-lily X X X X XDichelachne micrantha Plumegrass X X X X X XDichelachne sieberiana Plume GrassDichondra repens Kidney Weed X X X X XDichopogon strictus Chocolate Lily X X X XDigitaria brownii Cotton Panic Grass X X X XDillwynia phylicoides Parrot-pea X X XDillwynia sericea Showy Parrot Pea X X X X X X


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River RedGum Forest



White BoxWoodland

Dodonaea boroniifolia Boronia-leaved Hop Bush XDodonaea viscosa subsp.angustifolia

Sticky Hop Bush X X

Dodonaea viscosa subsp.cuneata

Sticky Hop Bush X

Echinopogon caespitosus Hedgehog Grass X XEchinopogon ovatus Forest Hedgehog GrassEinadia nutans Climbing Saltbush X X X XConvolvulus angustissimus Bindweed XElymus scaber Common Wheat Grass X X X X X XEnneapogon nigricans Nineawn Grass XEpilobium billardieranum Willow Herb XEragrostis benthami A Lovegrass X XEragrostis brownii Brown's Lovegrass X XEragrostis elongata Clustered Lovegrass X XEragrostis leptostachya Paddock Lovegrass XEragrostis parviflora Weeping Lovegrass X XEriochilus cucullatus Parson's Bands X X XEryngium rostratum Blue Devil X XEucalyptus albens White Box X X X X X XEucalyptus blakelyi Blakely's Red Gum X X X X X X XEucalyptus blakelyi/dealbata Red Gum X X X XEucalyptus bridgesiana Apple Box X X X XEucalyptus camaldulensis River Red Gum X


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River RedGum Forest



White BoxWoodland

Eucalyptus cinerea Argyle Apple XEucalyptus dealbata Tumbledown Gum X X XEucalyptus goniocalyx Long-leaved Box X X X X X X XEucalyptus macrorhyncha Red Stringybark X X X X X XEucalyptus mannifera Brittle Gum X X X XEucalyptus melliodora Yellow Box X X X X X X XEucalyptus polyanthemos Red Box X X X X X XEucalyptus rossii Scribbly Gum X X XEucalyptus rubida Candlebark X X XEucalyptus sideroxylon Mugga Ironbark X X X X XEuchiton gymnocephalus Creeping Cudweed X XEuchiton involucratus Star Cudweed XEuchiton sphaericus Common Cudweed X X X X XExocarpos cupressiformis Cherry Ballarat XGenoplesium rufum Red Midge Orchid XGenoplesium sp. Midge Orchid XGenoplesium sp. Rye Park Midge Orchid XGeranium solanderi Native Geranium X X X X X XGlycine clandestina Twining Glycine X X X X XGlycine tabacina Vanilla Glycine X X X XGompholobium huegelii Pale Wedge Pea XGompholobium minus Small Gompholobium XGonocarpus elatus Raspwort X X X


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River RedGum Forest



White BoxWoodland

Gonocarpus tetragynus Common Raspwort X X X X X X XGoodenia bellidifoliasubsp.bellidifolia

Daisy-leaved Goodenia X

Goodenia hederacea Ivy Goodenia X X X X X X XGoodenia pinnatifida Scrambled Eggs Goodenia X X XGrevillea lanigera Grevillea XGrevillea ramosissima Grevillea X XHakea decurrens Hakea XHaloragis heterophylla Swamp Raspwort X X X XHardenbergia violacea Hardenbergia X X X X X XHibbertia obtusifolia Grey Guinea Flower X X X X X XHibbertia riparia Guinea Flower X X X X XHovea linearis Creeping Hovea X X X X X XHovea longifolia Long-leaved Hovea XHydrocotyle laxiflora Stinking Pennywort X X X X X XHydrocotyle pedunculata/algida Pennywort XHypericum gramineum Small St John's Wort X X X X X XHypoxis vaginata Yellow Star XIndigofera australis Austral Indigo X X XIsotoma axillaris Showy Isotome XIsotoma fluviatilis Swamp Isotome XJoycea pallida Red-anther Wallaby Grass X X X X X XJuncus articulatus Rush X


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River RedGum Forest



White BoxWoodland

Juncus holoschoenus Rush XJuncus subsecundus Rush species X X X X XJuncus vaginatus Rush XKunzea ericoides Burgan X XKunzea parvifolia Violet Kunzea X X XLaxmannia gracilis Slender Wire-lily X X X X XLepidosperma laterale Lepidosperma X X X X XLeptorhynchos squamatus Scaly Buttons X XLeptospermum continentale Tea Tree X X XLeptospermum multicaule Tea Tree X XLeucopogon fletcheri Beard Heath X X X XLeucopogon virgatus Common Beard Heath X XLinum marginale Native Flax XLissanthe strigosa Peach Heath X X X X XLomandra filiformis Wattle Mat-rush X X X X X X XLomandra longifolia Spiny Mat-rush XLomandra multiflora Many-flowered Mat-rush X X X X X X XLuzula sp. Woodrush X X X X X X XLythrum hyssopifolia Hyssop Loosestrife X XMaireana microphylla Bluebush XMelichrus urceolatus Urn Heath X X X X X X XMicrolaena stipoides Weeping Grass or

MicrolaenaX X X X X X X


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River RedGum Forest



White BoxWoodland

Microseris lanceolata Yam Daisy X XMicrotis sp. Onion Orchid X X X X XMirbelia oxyloboides Mountain Mirbelia XMonotoca scoparia Prickly Broom Heath XOlearia microphylla Small-leaved Daisy Bush X XOlearia ramulosa Twiggy Daisy Bush XOpercularia aspera Coarse Stinkweed X X X XOpercularia diphylla Stinkweed X X XOpercularia hispida Hairy Stinkweed X XOreomyhrris eriopoda Native Carraway XOxalis perennans Wood Sorrel X X X X XOzothamnus diosmifolius White Dogwood XPanicum effusum Hairy Panic X X X X X XPatersonia sericea Silky Purple-flag XPennisetum alopecuroides Swamp Foxtail XPersoonia rigida Geebung XPhyllanthus hirtellus Thyme Spurge X X XPimelea curviflora Curved Rice-flower X X X XPimelea linifolia Slender Rice-flower X XPlantago gaudichaudii Narrow Plantain XPlantago varia Variable Plantain X X X X XPlatylobium formosum Handsome Flat-peaPlatysace ericoides Platysace X


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River RedGum Forest



White BoxWoodland

Poa labillardieri River Tussock X XPoa meionectes Snowgrass X XPoa sieberiana Poa Tussock X X X X X X XPodolepis jaceoides Showy Copper-wire Daisy XPolygala japonica Dwarf Milkwort XPomax umbellata Pomax XPoranthera microphylla Small Poranthera X XPseudognaphalium luteoalbum Jersey Cudweed XPteridium esculentum Bracken X XPterostylis parviflora Tiny Greenhood XPterostylis revoluta Greenhood XPterostylis sp. Greenhood X X X XPultenaea cunninghamii Grey Bush-pea XPultenaea subspicata Low Bush-pea X X XPultenaea subternata Bush-pea XPultenea microphylla Spreading Bush-pea X XPultenea procumbens Bush-pea X X X X X X XRanunculus lappaceus Common Buttercup X X XRubus parvifolius Native RaspberryRumex brownii Swamp Dock X X XRumex dumosus Wiry Dock XSchoenus apogon Common Bog Sedge X XScleranthus biflorus Twin-flowered Knawel X


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River RedGum Forest



White BoxWoodland

Scutellaria humilis Dwarf Skullcap X XSenecio hispidulus Hill Fireweed XSenecio quadridentatus Cotton Fireweed X X XSenecio species E Fireweed X XSenecio tenuiflorus Fireweed X X X XSolanum cinereum Narrawa Burr X XSolenogyne dominii Snooth Solenogyne X X X XSolenogyne gunnii Hairy Solenogyne XSorghum leiocladum Wild SorghumSporobolus creber Slender Rat's Tail Grass X X XStackhousia monogyna Creamy Candles X X X X XStellaria pungens Prickly Starwort X XStylidium graminifolium Grass Trigger-plant XStypandra glauca Nodding Blue Lily X X X XStyphelia triflora Five-corners X X X XThelymitra/Pterostylis sp. Sun Orchid/Greenhood X XThemeda australis Kangaroo Grass X X X X X X XTricoryne elatior Yellow Rush Lily X X X X XTripogon loliiformis Five-minute Grass X X XTypha domingensis Narrow-leaved Cumbungi XUrtica incisa Stinging Nettle XVelleia paradoxa Spur Velleia XVeronica calycina Hairy Speedwell X X


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River RedGum Forest



White BoxWoodland

Veronica plebeia Trailing Speedwell XViola betonicifolia Purple Violet X XVittadinia cuneata Fuzzy New Holland Daisy X X X XVittadinia gracilis New Holland Daisy X X XWahlenbergia communis Tufted Bluebell X X X X XWahlenbergia gracilis Australian Bluebell XWahlenbergia graniticola Granite Bluebell XWahlenbergia luteola Yellowish Bluebell X X X XWahlenbergia stricta Tall Bluebell X X X X X X XWurmbea dioica Early Nancy XXanthorrhoea australis Grass Tree X X

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The Native Vegetation of Boorowa Shire

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