South West Woodland Nature Reserve

South West Woodland Nature Reserve is a protected nature reserve, located in the South Western Slopes, Riverina, and Murray Darling Depression regions of New South Wales, in eastern Australia.[1] The 13,840 ha (34,200-acre) reserve consists of 27 separate precincts spread from Peak Hill in the north to Berrigan in the south, a distance of approximately 400 km (250 mi).[1]

South West Woodland Nature Reserve
Map showing the location of South West Woodland Nature Reserve
Map showing the location of South West Woodland Nature Reserve
South West Woodland Nature Reserve
LocationNew South Wales
Coordinates33°03′53″S 148°42′54.9″E / 33.06472°S 148.715250°E / -33.06472; 148.715250
Area138.4 km2 (53.4 sq mi)[1]
Established1 January 2011 (2011-01-01)[1]
Governing bodyNSW National Parks & Wildlife Service
WebsiteOfficial website

History

edit

The reserve lies within Wiradjuri and Ngiyampaa country.[1] Some parts of the reserve have been surveyed and have registered Aboriginal sites, however further study and engagement with Aboriginal communities is required to fully understand its historic significance to Aboriginal people.[1]

South West Woodland Nature Reserve was reserved as part of the National Park Estate (South Western Cypress Reservations) Act (2010).[1] Prior to reservation the various precincts were state forests, with the previous state forest names continuing to be used for each precinct.[1]

The various precincts of the reserve were gazetted as State Forests between 1913 and 1977[2] and managed by the Forestry Commission of NSW for logging and timber harvesting activities.[1] The state forests were reclassified as a nature reserve on 1 January 2011.[1]

State Forests incorporated into the South West Woodland Nature Reserve
Order Name Area[1] Gazetted
as a state forest[2]
LGA Location
ha acre
1Banandra*19448018 February 1914Murrumbidgee, Narrandera34°42′46.4″S 146°13′19″E / 34.712889°S 146.22194°E / -34.712889; 146.22194
2Berrigan30776023 March 1917Berrigan35°41′06.5″S 145°55′50.2″E / 35.685139°S 145.930611°E / -35.685139; 145.930611
3Blow Clear12731020 October 1916Bland33°44′47.5″S 147°14′47.1″E / 33.746528°S 147.246417°E / -33.746528; 147.246417
4Blow Clear West1,4423,5602 March 1917Parkes32°59′21.4″S 147°51′34.4″E / 32.989278°S 147.859556°E / -32.989278; 147.859556
5Blue Mallee2837003 May 1957Bland33°55′21.6″S 147°06′09.9″E / 33.922667°S 147.102750°E / -33.922667; 147.102750
6Booroorban1,4023,4602 March 1917Edward River34°56′55.6″S 144°49′41.5″E / 34.948778°S 144.828194°E / -34.948778; 144.828194
7Buddigower4231,05016 August 1940Bland34°03′35.8″S 147°06′00.9″E / 34.059944°S 147.100250°E / -34.059944; 147.100250
8Buggajool3819405 January 1917Bland34°10′32.6″S 147°13′20.4″E / 34.175722°S 147.222333°E / -34.175722; 147.222333
9Cadow531302 March 1917Lachlan33°16′07.5″S 147°27′05.7″E / 33.268750°S 147.451583°E / -33.268750; 147.451583
10Cookamidgera5471,35010 December 1913Forbes33°13′57″S 148°16′21.8″E / 33.23250°S 148.272722°E / -33.23250; 148.272722
11Coradgery7651,8903 November 1916Parkes32°48′49.9″S 147°56′07.9″E / 32.813861°S 147.935528°E / -32.813861; 147.935528
12Edgar5931,47010 February 1915Edward River35°05′02.2″S 145°16′38″E / 35.083944°S 145.27722°E / -35.083944; 145.27722
13Goolgowi1012505 September 1958Carrathool33°59′18″S 145°46′09.1″E / 33.98833°S 145.769194°E / -33.98833; 145.769194
14Hiawatha7781,92028 January 1915Bland33°50′22.6″S 147°13′19.6″E / 33.839611°S 147.222111°E / -33.839611; 147.222111
15Killonbutta1,5153,7406 August 1920Cabonne33°03′53″S 148°42′54.9″E / 33.06472°S 148.715250°E / -33.06472; 148.715250
16Kulki17243015 June 1917Murrumbidgee34°56′42.8″S 145°46′40.7″E / 34.945222°S 145.777972°E / -34.945222; 145.777972
17Lake Urana21954020 July 1917Federation35°16′18.6″S 146°13′14.2″E / 35.271833°S 146.220611°E / -35.271833; 146.220611
18Little Blow Clear5714020 October 1916Bland33°44′15.9″S 147°14′01.5″E / 33.737750°S 147.233750°E / -33.737750; 147.233750
19Mairjimmy4831,19013 July 1917Murrumbidgee35°29′25.4″S 145°42′57.8″E / 35.490389°S 145.716056°E / -35.490389; 145.716056
20Mandagery1,5143,74010 December 1913Cabonne35°29′25.4″S 145°42′57.8″E / 35.490389°S 145.716056°E / -35.490389; 145.716056
21Merriwagga1563904 November 1977Carrathool33°47′50.4″S 145°38′14.5″E / 33.797333°S 145.637361°E / -33.797333; 145.637361
22Narraburra6316017 November 1916Temora34°20′24.5″S 147°38′20.6″E / 34.340139°S 147.639056°E / -34.340139; 147.639056
23Puckawidgee4121,02027 February 1917Edward River35°04′36.7″S 145°13′51.8″E / 35.076861°S 145.231056°E / -35.076861; 145.231056
24Stackpoole7511,86019 November 1976Carrathool33°49′38.8″S 145°50′02.1″E / 33.827444°S 145.833917°E / -33.827444; 145.833917
25Steam Plains3087609 March 1917Edward River35°05′33.7″S 145°18′40.2″E / 35.092694°S 145.311167°E / -35.092694; 145.311167
26West Cookeys Plains6251,54020 October 1916Parkes33°02′33.8″S 147°36′57.4″E / 33.042722°S 147.615944°E / -33.042722; 147.615944
27Yeo Yeo17944023 August 1918Cootamundra–Gundagai34°32′06.5″S 147°59′59.8″E / 34.535139°S 147.999944°E / -34.535139; 147.999944
*A further 547 ha (1,350-acre) of Banandra State Forest was incorporated into Murrumbidgee Valley National Park.[2]

About 470 ha (1,200-acre) of Blow Clear West remains as State Forest.

Environment

edit

Flora

edit

Plant communities that exist within the reserve include woodlands and forests dominated by grey box, mugga ironbark, white cypress pine, bimble box, and red mallee.[1] Other native plant species recorded within the reserve include pine donkey orchid, Wakool spear-grass,[1] and Inland red box.[3]

Introduced weed species found in the reserve include African boxthorn, white horehound, prickly pear, Noogoora and Bathurst burrs, Patterson's curse, and thistles.[1]

Fauna

edit

Seven bird species listed under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 have been recorded within the reserve, including swift parrot, little eagle, brown treecreeper, pink cockatoo, speckled warbler, grey-crowned babbler, and varied sitella.[1] Other birds recorded in the reserve include white-browed babbler, apostlebird,[3] superb parrot, barking owl, black-chinned honeyeater, diamond firetail, little lorikeet, hooded robin, and shy heathwren.[4]

Mammal species listed under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 which have been recorded in the reserve include yellow-bellied sheath-tailed bat and little pied bat.[1]

Introduced pest species found within the reserve include European fox, feral pig, European rabbit, feral goat, and feral cat.[1]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Statement of Management Intent: South West Woodland Nature Reserve (PDF) (PDF). Government of New South Wales. May 2006. ISBN 978 1 74359 535 0. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 "National Park Estate (South-western Cypress Reservations) Act 2010 - Schedule 1". New South Wales Consolidated Acts. Australasian Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  3. 1 2 Schultz, Mike; Valenzisi, Tracey (2010). "Bird trails of the Riverina and South West Slopes of NSW" (PDF) (PDF). Riverina and South West Slopes Nature-Based Tourism Group. ISBN 978-0-646-53816-7. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  4. "Regional Forest Assessment: South-western cypress state forests" (PDF). Natural Resources Commission. Retrieved 10 July 2024.