Terrestrial Vertebrate Fauna of the Greater Southern Sydney Region
VOLUME 4 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas
Summary of findings and recommendations
A joint project between the Sydney Catchment Authority and Parks and Wildlife Group of the Department of Environment and Climate Change. Special Areas Strategic Plan of Management (SASPoM) Research and Data Program: Project No: RD01
Information and Assessment Section Metropolitan Branch Climate Change and Environment Protection Group Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSW) September 2007 Acknowledgments This report has been prepared by the Information and Assessment Section, Metropolitan Branch of the Climate Change and Environment Protection Group, Department of Environment and Climate Change. Information and Assessment Section Julie Ravallion (Section Manager) Daniel Connolly (Coordinator Biodiversity Survey and Data) Peter Ewin (GIS and Database Officer) Project Team Kylie Madden (Fauna Programs Officer) Nick Corkish (Field Team Leader) Helen Achurch (Field Team Leader) Elizabeth Magarey (Field Team Leader) Report Writing and Habitat Mapping Kylie Madden, Daniel Connolly, Peter Ewin Report Editing Martin Schulz, Peter Ewin Map Production Cate Ewin, Bob Wilson, Kylie Madden Technical Assistance Rebecca Allport Cover Design and Formatting Kerry Oakes Special thanks to: Staff of the Sydney Catchment Authority, in particular Alan Benson, George Dodds, Ross Wallis, Tony Kondek, Brian Waldron, Kirk Newport, This report may be referenced as follows: Glen Caparero, Loretta Galleen, Dennis Ashton, DECC (2007) Terrestrial Vertebrate Fauna of the Greater Chris Chafer, Andrew Simson and Martin Krogh and Southern Sydney Region: Volume 4 – The Fauna of the all staff at the Warragamba and Cordeaux Offices. Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas. A joint project between the Sydney Catchment Authority and the Parks and Wildlife Group, particularly Bob Conroy Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSW) and staff from the Kanangra, Nattai, Upper (DECC) under the Special Areas Strategic Plan of Mountains, Illawarra, Royal and Hawkesbury Area Management (SASPoM) by the Information and Assessment offices. Section, Metropolitan Branch, Climate Change and Environment Protection Group, DECC, Hurstville. The many private land holders who allowed access to their properties The hardworking and dedicated volunteers who assisted us throughout the project Other Contributors: All photographs are held by DECC and are copyright Thank you to all contributors to the Atlas of NSW of the photographer. To obtain a copy please contact Wildlife and others who gave data toward this project. the Bioregional Data Group Coordinator, DECC We are indebted to the many wildlife, pest species and Hurstville. land management experts who generously gave advice. Cover Photo For a full list of acknowledgements, please see Maddens Plains in the Cataract Catchment of the Volume One. Metropolitan Special Area. © Kylie Madden/DECC
ISBN 978 1 74122 602 7 DECC 2007/473 Contents
1 Summary ...... 1 1.1 FAUNA SPECIES PRIORITIES ...... 1
1.2 FAUNA HABITAT PRIORITIES,POPULATIONS AND LINKAGES ...... 1
1.3 KEY THREATENING PROCESSES...... 1
1.4 FIRE MANAGEMENT AND FAUNA ...... 2
1.5 RECOVERY PLANNING ACTIONS ...... 2
1.6 AVON/UPPER NEPEAN AND CAMPBELLTOWN KOALA POPULATIONS ...... 2
1.7 PEST SPECIES AND BIODIVERSITY...... 2 2 Introduction...... 3 2.1 BACKGROUND ...... 3
2.2 OBJECTIVES...... 3
2.3 THE WORONORA, O’HARES CREEK AND METROPOLITAN SPECIAL AREAS...... 3 2.3.1 The Metropolitan Special Area...... 3 2.3.2 The O’Hares Creek Special Area ...... 4 2.3.3 The Woronora Special Area...... 4 2.4 HOW TO USE THIS DOCUMENT...... 4 3 Native Fauna ...... 7 3.1 SUMMARY OF SURVEY EFFORT ...... 7
3.2 NATIVE SPECIES INVENTORY ...... 7
3.3 THREATENED SPECIES INVENTORY ...... 10
3.3 PATTERNS IN NATIVE FAUNA DISTRIBUTION ...... 11 4 Species Conservation Status ...... 13 4.1 OVERVIEW ...... 13
4.2 SETTING PRIORITIES FOR CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT ...... 13 5 Priority Fauna Habitats, Populations and Linkages...... 17 5.1 INTRODUCTION...... 17 5.1.1 How can Priority Fauna Habitats be used in conservation management? ...... 17 5.2 PRIORITY FAUNA HABITATS IN O’HARES CREEK,WORONORA AND METROPOLITAN SPECIAL AREAS .17 5.2.1 Priority Habitat One: Upland Swamps...... 17 5.2.2 Priority Habitat Two: Grassy Box Woodlands...... 18 5.2.3 Priority Habitat Three: Alluvial Forests and Woodlands ...... 18 5.3 PRIORITY FAUNA POPULATION:AVON/UPPER NEPEAN AND CAMPBELLTOWN KOALA POPULATIONS .. 19
5.4 FAUNA LINKAGES ...... 19 5.4.1 Bargo Linkage...... 19 6 Managing Native Species and Habitats ...... 23 6.1 INTRODUCTION...... 23
6.2 KEY THREATENING PROCESSES...... 23
6.3 THREAT ABATEMENT PLANS ...... 24
6.4 MANAGEMENT APPROACH FOR THE WORONORA, O’HARES CREEK AND METROPOLITAN SPECIAL AREAS 24
6.5 LAND ACQUISITION STRATEGIES FOR FAUNA ...... 25
6.6 ECOLOGICAL REHABILITATION AND RESTORATION (INCLUDING WEED MANAGEMENT) ...... 25 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas i 6.7 PREVENTING FURTHER DISTURBANCE ...... 26
6.8 FIRE MANAGEMENT AND FAUNA...... 26
6.9 PRIORITY FAUNA HABITATS AND SITES FOR FIRE MANAGEMENT...... 27 6.9.1 Upland Swamps and Fire ...... 27 6.9.2 Priority Fauna Populations and Fire: Koala ...... 28 6.10 RESEARCH AND MONITORING ...... 28
6.11 RECOVERY PLANNING ACTIONS WITHIN THE WORONORA PLATEAU SPECIAL AREAS...... 29 6.11.1 Large Forest Owls ...... 29 6.11.2 Koala ...... 29 6.11.3 Regent Honeyeater and Swift Parrot ...... 30 6.11.4 Unconfirmed or Potentially Extinct Species ...... 30 7 Pest Species Management...... 31 7.1 SPECIES INVENTORY ...... 31
7.2 FERAL PREDATOR DIETS ...... 32
7.3 PRIORITY PEST SPECIES ...... 32 7.3.1 Foxes...... 33 7.3.2 Rusa Deer ...... 34 7.3.3 Feral Cats ...... 34 7.3.4 Wild Dogs (Feral Dogs/Dingoes) ...... 35 7.3.5 Rabbits ...... 35 7.4 POTENTIAL FUTURE PESTS...... 36 7.4.1 Feral Pigs ...... 36 7.4.2 Feral Goats...... 36 7.4.3 Red, Fallow and Sambar Deer ...... 36 7.4.4 Eurasian Blackbird...... 37 7.5 OTHER PEST SPECIES:FISH,INVERTEBRATES AND FUNGUS ...... 37
7.6 PRIORITY SITES FOR PEST CONTROL...... 38 7.6.1 Upland Swamps ...... 38 7.6.2 Grassy Box Woodlands and Alluvial Forests and Woodlands ...... 38 7.7 KOALA IN AVON AND UPPER NEPEAN CATCHMENTS...... 38 8 Future Survey Work and Monitoring...... 40 8.1 THREATENED AND PRIORITY FAUNA ...... 40 8.1.1 Targeted survey and search effort...... 40 8.1.2 Koala population dynamics in Avon/Upper Nepean...... 40 8.1.3 Fox control and Long-nosed Bandicoot populations...... 40 8.1.4 Predator exclusion and/or reintroduction of threatened species - Woronora Plateau ...... 41 8.2 PEST SPECIES/WATER QUALITY ...... 41 8.2.1 Rusa Deer and Cryptosporidium (Water Quality) ...... 41 8.2.2 Eurasian Blackbird...... 41 9 References ...... 42 9.1 REPORTS IN THE SERIES: ...... 42
9.2 OTHER REFERENCES ...... 42 10 List of Acronyms ...... 45 11 Appendices ...... 46
ii The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas List of Maps
Map 1: Features and Elevation of the Woronora, O’Hares and Metropolitan Special Areas...... 5 Map 2: Woronora, O’Hares Creek and Metropolitan Sydney Catchment Authority Special Areas showing Schedule 1 & 2 lands and NPWS Estate...... 6 Map 3: Systematic Fauna Survey Sites in the Woronora, O’Hares Creek and Metropolitan Special Areas...... 8 Map 4: Priority Fauna Habitats in the Woronora, O’Hares and Metropolitan Special Areas...... 21 Map 5: The Bargo Linkage, connecting the sandstone environs of the Woronora, O’Hares Creek and Metropolitan Special Areas with Nattai NP and the Warragamba Special Area...... 22 List of Tables
Table 1: Threatened vertebrate fauna of the Woronora, O’Hares Creek and Metropolitan Special Areas...... 9 Table 2: Species of Conservation Concern in the Woronora, O’Hares Creek and Metropolitan Special Areas ranked as to their conservation priority in the Greater Southern Sydney Region...... 14 Table 3. Number of records of introduced terrestrial vertebrates in the Woronora, O’Hares and Metropolitan Special Areas...... 31 Table 4: Priority vertebrate pest species in the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas...... 33
The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas iii
1 Summary
1.1 Fauna Species Priorities Bandicoot, Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby, Stuttering Frog or Green and Golden Bell Frog should trigger The Long-nosed Potoroo is the highest priority immediate conservation action at a site level. fauna species for the Woronora Plateau. This is the last area it is thought to exist in Greater Pest and weed management, reconstruction and Sydney. It has declined due to historic fire rehabilitation and amelioration of impacts should management, Foxes and Cats but probably focus on Priority Fauna Habitats, fauna linkages remains as a few small, isolated populations that and priority fauna populations. remain vulnerable to wildfire and predation. These Land acquisition (for fauna conservation) in the populations require identification and targeted Special Area should aim to be part of a fauna management if they are to persist. linkage or corridor, and include Priority Fauna Eight species that are probably locally extinct will Habitats and fauna populations. be the highest priorities if remnant populations are discovered: the Ground Parrot, Eastern Bristlebird, Parma Wallaby, Bush Stone-curlew, Southern Brown Bandicoot, Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby, Stuttering Frog and Green and Golden Bell Frog. Some of these species may be suitable for reintroduction programs. These species are all of the highest priority for the Greater Southern Sydney Region but have declined due to prior fire management, Foxes and Cats and/or disease. The Koala population in the Avon/Upper Nepean catchments is probably the best protected colony in NSW, as elsewhere most Koala habitat occurs on private land. Population estimates may prove it to be the largest population remaining south of Sydney. It is a high conservation priority for these reasons. Upland Swamps are a priority fauna habitat for the Special Next are five species of high regional priority Areas © M. Schulz where the Woronora Plateau supports much of their habitat in the region: Broad-headed Snake, 1.3 Key Threatening Processes Littlejohn’s Tree Frog, Spotted-tailed Quoll and Large-footed Myotis. There are 18 Key Threatening Processes, as Following this, there are species of moderate identified on the TSC Act, operating within the regional priority where the Woronora Plateau Woronora, O’Hares Creek and Metropolitan supports much suitable habitat in the region: the Special Areas (Appendix C). Beautiful Firetail, Grey-headed Flying-fox, Habitat alteration due to land subsidence from Southern Emu-wren, Tawny-crowned Honeyeater, longwall mining is currently impacting on the Rosenberg’s Goanna, Giant Burrowing Frog, Red- Special Areas and will be very destructive in the crowned Toadlet, Eastern Pygmy-possum and the future unless measures are taken to protect Sooty Owl. Most of these species are associated sensitive habitats. In particular, Upland Swamp with Upland Swamps. fauna are threatened by this process as it can destroy the Upland Swamps themselves. 1.2 Fauna Habitat Priorities, Populations and Linkages Other important threats are predation by the Red Fox and Feral Cat. Controlling these pests within There are three Priority Fauna Habitats found in priority fauna habitats will benefit multiple the Special Areas. These are (in order of priority) threatened fauna species. Upland Swamps, Grassy Box Woodlands, and Alluvial Forests and Woodlands. Ecological consequences of high frequency fires is a Key Threatening Process that has probably, in An important fauna linkage has been identified in the past, resulted in the loss of fauna species from the Bargo area linking the Metropolitan Special this area. Current fire management aims to avoid Area to the Nattai Plateau and the Warragamba frequent burning. Special Area. One species in the Special Areas may currently be Herbivory and environmental degradation by Feral managed at a population level - the Koala colony Deer is a Key Threatening Process that is active in at Avon/Upper Nepean. Other priority fauna in this the Special Areas and may be more important in area do not require management at this level or do the future. not have discrete populations (and are therefore Collection of bushrock is a Key Threatening better conserved by managing key habitat or Process that has been well controlled in the threats). Discovery of remnant populations of Special Areas by access restrictions. It is Ground Parrot, Eastern Bristlebird, Parma important that this activity is limited in the future to Wallaby, Bush Stone-curlew, Southern Brown
The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 1 protect nationally significant populations of Broad- Land managers and wildlife carer groups should headed Snake and Red-crowned Toadlet. ensure all records of dead, injured or ill Koalas are entered with appropriate detail into the Atlas of 1.4 Fire Management and Fauna NSW Wildlife. Documentation of fatalities will allow for the Fire management should aim for a mosaic of fire identification of the most important threat to the regimes. population: Dogs, Chlamydia or road kill Mosaic burning should retain examples of all ‘blackspots’. fauna habitats in a long unburnt state. Fire planning should recognise the role of unburnt 1.7 Pest Species and Biodiversity refugia in the recolonisation of burnt landscapes particularly after extensive and intense wildfire. Control of feral predators and all other introduced Unburnt refugia should remain unburnt for more species should be focused on sites or habitats of than four years following extensive and intense particular conservation significance. wildfire. Feral predator control is most important where Very important unburnt refugia occur within there are isolated populations of species that are: Cataract catchment between the arms of the a) the highest conservation priority in the Region; reservoir. Spotted-tailed Quoll and Greater Glider and b) considered to be threatened by introduced persist in this area. predators. Another important refugium is the unburnt Grassy In the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Woodland north of Avon Dam Road, where many Special Areas targeted control of introduced Koalas escaped the 2001 fires. predators should be focused on the population Focused fire management should be directed and habitat of the Koala. Any rediscovered toward priority fauna habitats, particularly Upland populations of the Long-nosed Potoroo, Southern Swamps. Brown Bandicoot, Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby, Ground Parrot, Eastern Bristlebird and Bush Carefully considered fire management should be Stone-curlew would also be high priorities for given to isolated populations of rare species, targeted predator control. particularly the Koala colony in Avon/Upper Nepean, and any populations that may be For the conservation of biodiversity, the highest rediscovered of the Long-nosed Potoroo, Ground priority species for control are the Fox, Rusa Deer Parrot or the Eastern Bristlebird. and Feral Cat. 1.5 Recovery Planning Actions Foxes consume a greater range of prey than Wild Dogs (Feral Dogs/Dingoes). Therefore, for the The draft Recovery Plan for the Koala is relevant conservation of biodiversity, Foxes are a higher to these Special Areas. For this species, recovery priority for control than Wild Dogs. planning actions that may be applied include threat identification and amelioration, identification Control of pest species should also be focused on of Koala road-mortality ‘black spots’ and Upland Swamps. This habitat supports a large minimising the loss of vegetation in critical areas. number of threatened species and fauna prone to predation by Foxes and Feral Cats. This action will There is also a Recovery Plan for the Large Forest achieve the maximum benefit for biodiversity. Owls relevant to these Special Areas. The Powerful and Sooty Owls are relatively common Foxes may be baited in Upland Swamps as they and secure within the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek are used infrequently by Spotted-tailed Quolls, and Woronora Special Areas and do not require though baits should be buried more than 7 cm recovery planning actions. below the surface rather than in raised mounds. For all the above species, this project has fulfilled Coordinated Fox and Rabbit control is relatively the recovery plan objective of surveying and unimportant throughout the vegetated mapping the extent of the species range within the environments of these Special Areas. Special Areas. 1.6 Avon/Upper Nepean and Campbelltown The unburnt area in Cataract catchment is a Koala Populations refuge for a number of species including the Spotted-tailed Quoll and a small, isolated Two Koala populations occur within the Special population of Greater Glider. Baiting is not Areas: in the Avon/Upper Nepean catchments and appropriate in this area due to the presence of the the southeastern edge of the Campbelltown Spotted-tailed Quoll, which is nearly extinct in the population on the northwestern boundary of Special Areas. Rather, trapping should be O’Hares Creek Special Area east of the Georges undertaken, perhaps in coordination with a survey River. of the Quoll population. The Koala population centred at Avon/Upper Closing unnecessary tracks and trails, particularly Nepean would benefit from research and those that bisect Upland Swamp or other dense monitoring with regard to population dynamics. vegetation, is an important action for mitigating the Clearing of vegetation identified as high quality impact of Foxes, Feral Cats and Feral Dogs. Koala habitat, or part of the Bargo Linkage, needs Feral predator control is most important in the to be strictly controlled. period following fire when open vegetation affords little cover to native species.
2 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 2 Introduction
2.1 Background lists all vertebrate fauna species recorded in the Special Areas and highlights those listed as The Woronora, O’Hares Creek and Metropolitan threatened under State or Commonwealth Special Areas are an important and interesting area in legislation; terms of wildlife in a statewide context. A total of 335 native terrestrial vertebrates are confirmed to occur, provides a new ranking of priority fauna species with 40 of these listed under the Threatened Species for land managers and planners working in the Conservation Act (1995) (Table 1). A number of Special Areas; species are confined to the Upland Swamps that identifies where habitat exists for species of characterise the headwaters of these catchments. conservation concern; Many threatened or unusual species such as the identifies the most important native fauna habitats Rosenberg’s Goanna, Broad-headed Snake, Beautiful and corridors; Firetail, Tawny-crowned Honeyeater, Giant Burrowing Frog and Red-crowned Toadlet are more common on presents a series of management the Woronora Plateau than anywhere else in the recommendations to guide land management for Greater Southern Sydney Region. the conservation of fauna; reviews pest species issues in the Special Area as they relate to the conservation of biodiversity and in particular examines the diets of feral predators; gives recommendations on the management of feral species. 2.3 The Woronora, O’Hares Creek and Metropolitan Special Areas The Woronora Plateau stretches from Heathcote National Park in the north to the Robertson Plateau in the south. It is bordered to the east by the Illawarra Escarpment, the villages of Bargo and Yerrinbool to the south-west and Campbelltown to the north-west (Maps 1 and 2). There are three Special Areas situated on the Woronora Plateau - the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas.
2.3.1 The Metropolitan Special Area Lake Cataract is one of four reservoirs in the Metropolitan By far the largest of the three, the Metropolitan Special Special Area, situated on a high rainfall, sandstone plateau. Area encompasses the four water storages of the © K. Madden/DECC Nepean, Avon, Cordeaux and Cataract Rivers; comprising an area of 89 900 ha. This document is one of a five-part series from a joint undertaking between DECC and the Sydney A substantial part of the Metropolitan Special Area has Catchment Authority. This project has sought to now been gazetted as the Upper Nepean SCA and is document the fauna values and investigate the jointly managed by the Sydney Catchment Authority management issues concerning the catchments. The and DECC. The Metropolitan Special Area includes following report details the results of this study as they the most extensive areas of taller forests, swamps and pertain to the easternmost Special Areas: the rainforest on the Plateau. Woronora, O’Hares Creek and Metropolitan Special Areas. 2.2 Objectives The Special Areas Strategic Plan of Management (SASPoM) was implemented by the NSW Minister for the Environment in May 2001 (Sydney Catchment Authority and NPWS 2001) and provides a basis for the joint management of the Special Areas by the Sydney Catchment Authority and DECC. The environmental management strategies recognise the information shortfall regarding biodiversity values of the catchments. This project has addressed the vertebrate fauna component of this. The purpose of this document is to summarise the main findings of the fauna survey and data analysis as they apply to the Woronora, O'Hares Creek and Metropolitan Special Areas. The following document: Wet forests surround the Flying Fox arm of the Avon reservoir in Metropolitan Special Area © K. Madden/DECC
The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 3 2.3.2 The O’Hares Creek Special Area 2.4 How to Use This Document The O’Hares Creek catchment is managed as a This document summarises the project findings and separate Special Area, covering around 7400 ha. It is recommendations for the management of vertebrate the only catchment of the Woronora Plateau that has fauna within the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and not been dammed. The majority is managed as Woronora Special Areas. Dharawal Nature Reserve and State Conservation Area. It is characterised by open woodlands with small Fauna species and habitats have been prioritised for patches of high-fertility capping shale that support conservation management. Detail is provided on ‘O’Hares Creek Shale Forest’. O’Hares Creek is issues that require management action for the flanked by deep sandstone gorges that have been conservation of biodiversity and pest species, including largely flooded in the other catchments. the implementation of threatened species recovery plans and threat abatement plans. Detailed information on fauna survey techniques, results, conservation assessment methods, habitat mapping, corridor creation and outcomes are available in Volume 1 – Background Report of this series (DECC 2007a). Comprehensive information on each native species of conservation concern and pest species is provided in Volume 2 – Fauna of Conservation Concern and Priority Pest Species (DECC 2007b). Management reports are also available for the Warragamba Special Area (Volume 3, DECC 2007c) and the Blue Mountains (Woodford Creek, Katoomba and Blackheath) Special Areas (Volume 5, DECC 2007d). O’Hares Creek, Dharawal SCA in the O’Hares Creek Special There is also a volume that summarises key issues Area © H. Jessup pertaining to threatened species and pests for a general audience Threatened and Pest Animals of 2.3.3 The Woronora Special Area Greater Southern Sydney (DECC 2007e). Woronora is the northern-most of Special Areas. It is at a slightly lower elevation than the other catchments This series is accompanied by maps of fauna habitats, and is characterised by low, rocky exposed woodlands corridors and linkages and priority fauna habitats in a and heaths. This is the catchment for Lake Woronora, digital format for use in Geographical Information a reservoir of the Woronora River and Waratah Systems (GIS). Rivulet. It is roughly the same size as the O’Hares Creek Special Area at 7500 ha.
4 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas Map 1: Features and Elevation of the Woronora, O’Hares Creek and Metropolitan Special Areas.
The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 5 Map 2: Woronora, O’Hares Creek and Metropolitan Sydney Catchment Authority Special Areas showing Schedule 1 & 2 lands and NPWS Estate. 6 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 3 Native Fauna
3.1 Summary of Survey Effort Velvet Gecko, Mountain Heath Dragon and the Jacky Lashtail. Although a range of snakes were detected, Systematic and opportunistic survey techniques have most species were only recorded in small numbers, been used to target diurnal birds, nocturnal birds, bats, with the most frequently encountered species being reptiles, arboreal and terrestrial mammals, frogs and the Red-bellied Black Snake and Small-eyed Snake. vertebrate pests. Some groups were well sampled by systematic techniques, such as the diurnal birds, owls, most arboreal mammals, bats and reptiles. Other groups particularly the frogs and large terrestrial mammals (including many vertebrate pests) were primarily recorded opportunistically. For more information on the survey methods undertaken refer to Volume 1 – Background Report. The three Special Areas of the Woronora Plateau have been the focus of a number DECC projects over the last few years. The area was extensively surveyed before the severe 2001 wildfires (e.g. NPWS 2002a,b). Since then, post-fire monitoring (DEC 2004; DECC in prep) and further targeted fauna survey (DECC 2007) have been completed. Prior to this, systematic sampling had been undertaken in small areas of the Metropolitan Catchment during the Comprehensive Regional Assessment Process in 1998 and the Sydney The Broad-tailed Gecko is well adapted to blend into the Catchment Authority contracted some limited fauna rocky sandstone environments of the Special Areas. survey in early 2000. © N. Williams A total of 502 systematic survey sites have been sampled using a range of fauna survey techniques The 42 native mammal species recorded in the Special within the Special Areas. These sites are spread Areas comprised nine arboreal mammals, 15 terrestrial across all three Special Areas (Map 3) and sample the (ground-dwelling) species and 18 species of bats. range of vegetation associations present. Most areas Arboreal species typically rely on tree hollows for have been visited, with only the steep gorges of the shelter (excluding species such as the Koala) and Burke River and its tributaries proving difficult to these are generally in short supply in the stunted access. ridgetop and plateau woodlands. Therefore, arboreal species are generally patchily distributed. The 3.2 Native Species Inventory Common Ringtail Possum, a species that does not require hollows, was the most widespread. In taller A complete species list of all native vertebrate fauna forests on enriched soils, the Greater Glider was the recorded is presented in Appendix A. A tally of records most frequently encountered species. The Koala was is provided as well as the current legal status of the found to prefer distinct areas within the Special Areas, species under the NPW Act (1974) and the TSC Act with the greatest numbers recorded in the Avon/Upper (1995). There are 335 native species currently Nepean area. The most commonly recorded terrestrial confirmed to occur, including 210 species of diurnal mammal species in three Special Areas was the bird (this excludes seabirds and intertidal species), 9 Swamp Wallaby. Other frequently recorded terrestrial nocturnal birds, 42 species of mammal (including 18 mammals included the Common Wombat, Bush Rat species of bats), 25 species of frog and 49 species of and Brown Antechinus; the last two species regularly reptiles. This number represents a high level of trapped or identified from predator scat analysis. The species diversity, attributed to the wide variety of most commonly encountered bat species were the habitats and environments present within the Special Little Forest Bat, Chocolate Wattled Bat and Large Areas. Forest Bat. The composition of the bat fauna is typical of many sandstone hinterlands of the Greater Diurnal birds are the largest and most obvious fauna Southern Sydney Region. group within this habitat. The most commonly recorded species included the Eastern Spinebill, Brown Thornbill Also typical of the Region, the Common Eastern and New Holland Honeyeater (Appendix A). Of the Froglet was by far the most regularly recorded frog – nocturnal species, the most commonly detected was found twice as often as any other frog species. the Southern Boobook. Stream-dwelling frogs are common, such as the Blue Mountains Tree Frog, Lesueur’s Frog, Wilcox’s Frog The diversity of environments present within the and the Northern and Southern Green Stream Frogs. Special Areas supports a diverse array of reptiles, There were also frogs associated with the Upland including 18 species of skinks, 18 snakes, four Swamp environments, including Freycinet’s Frog and geckoes, five dragons, two goannas, one legless lizard Littlejohn’s Tree Frog and pond environments, such as and one freshwater turtle (Appendix A). The most the Striped Marsh Frog, Bullfrog (also known as the abundant skinks recorded were the Dark-flecked Banjo Frog or Pobblebonk), Haswell’s Froglet and Garden Sunskink and Copper-tailed Ctenotus. Other Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog. frequently encountered reptiles included the Lesueur’s The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 7 Map 3: Systematic Fauna Survey Sites in the Woronora, O’Hares Creek and Metropolitan Special Areas.
8 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas Table 1: Threatened vertebrate fauna of the Woronora, O’Hares Creek and Metropolitan Special Areas, showing legal status under the TSC Act (1995) and the total number of records for each species. Potential species are those that have not been recorded but have been observed in nearby areas and potential habitat occurs within the Special Areas.
Common Name Scientific Name Certainty Legal Status No. of records Amphibians
Giant Burrowing Frog Heleioporus australiacus Confirmed Vulnerable 56 Green and Golden Bell Frog Litoria aurea Confirmed, Probably locally extinct Endangered 3 Red-crowned Toadlet Pseudophryne australis Confirmed Vulnerable 58 Littlejohn’s Tree Frog Litoria littlejohni Confirmed Vulnerable 66 Stuttering Frog Mixophyes balbus Confirmed, Probably locally extinct Endangered 2 Reptiles
Broad-headed Snake Hoplocephalus bungaroides Confirmed Endangered 15 Rosenberg's Goanna Varanus rosenbergi Confirmed Vulnerable 22 Diurnal Birds Australasian Bittern Botaurus poiciloptilus Confirmed Vulnerable 1 Black Bittern Ixobrychus flavicollis Confirmed Vulnerable 2 Black-chinned Honeyeater Melithreptus gularis gularis Unconfirmed (potential) Vulnerable 0 Brown Treecreeper Climacteris picumnus victoriae Confirmed Vulnerable 5 Diamond Firetail Stagonopleura guttata Confirmed Vulnerable 2 Eastern Bristlebird Dasyornis brachypterus Confirmed, Probably locally extinct Endangered 2 Freckled Duck Stictonetta naevosa Confirmed Vulnerable 10 Gang-gang Cockatoo Callocephalon fimbriatum Confirmed Vulnerable 93 Glossy Black-cockatoo Calyptorhynchus lathami Confirmed Vulnerable 11 Ground Parrot Pezoporus wallicus wallicus Confirmed, Poss bly locally extinct Vulnerable 39 Hooded Robin Melanodryas cucullata cucullata Confirmed Vulnerable 2 Olive Whistler Pachycephala olivacea Confirmed Vulnerable 1 Regent Honeyeater Xanthomyza phrygia Confirmed Endangered 1 Speckled Warbler Pyrrholaemus sagittatus Confirmed Vulnerable 1 Square-tailed Kite Lophoictinia isura Confirmed Vulnerable 1 Superb Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus superbus Confirmed Vulnerable 1 Swift Parrot Lathamus discolor Confirmed Endangered 1 Turquoise Parrot Neophema pulchella Confirmed Vulnerable 10 Nocturnal Birds
Bush Stone-curlew Burhinus grallarius Confirmed, Probably extinct Endangered 1 Masked Owl Tyto novaehollandiae Confirmed Vulnerable 6 Powerful Owl Ninox strenua Confirmed Vulnerable 37 Sooty Owl Tyto tenebricosa Confirmed Vulnerable 17 Arboreal Mammals Eastern Pygmy-possum Cercartetus nanus Confirmed Vulnerable 45 Koala Phascolarctos cinereus Confirmed Vulnerable 251 Squirrel Glider Petaurus norfolcensis Confirmed Vulnerable 7 Yellow-bellied Glider Petaurus australis Unconfirmed Vulnerable 6 Terrestrial Mammals Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby Petrogale penicillata Unconfirmed, Probably locally extinct Endangered 2 Parma Wallaby Macropus parma Unconfirmed, Probably locally extinct Vulnerable 0 Long-nosed Potoroo Potorous tridactylus Confirmed Vulnerable 1 Southern Brown Bandicoot Isoodon obesulus obesulus Unconfirmed, Probably locally extinct Endangered 7 Spotted-tailed Quoll Dasyurus maculatus Confirmed Vulnerable 8 Bats
The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 9 Common Name Scientific Name Certainty Legal Status No. of records Eastern Bentwing-bat Miniopterus schreibersii Confirmed Vulnerable 73 Eastern False Pipistrelle Falsistrellus tasmaniensis Unconfirmed (ultrasound only) Vulnerable 11 Eastern Freetail-bat Mormopterus norfolkensis Confirmed Vulnerable 19 Greater Broad-nosed Bat Scoteanax rueppellii Confirmed Vulnerable 17 Grey-headed Flying-fox Pteropus poliocephalus Confirmed Vulnerable 18 Large-eared Pied Bat Chalinolobus dwyeri Confirmed Vulnerable 4 Large-footed Myotis Myotis adversus Confirmed Vulnerable 52
never been recorded by DECC surveys over the last 3.3 Threatened Species Inventory 10 years. There is potential habitat for this species on There are recent confirmed records of 32 threatened the western fringe of the Plateau, and there is fauna species listed under the TSC Act (1995) or anecdotal evidence that it may still inhabit this area or EPBC Act (1999) within the Woronora, O’Hares Creek at least inhabited it in the past. and Metropolitan Special Areas (Table 1). There are a One of the most important species in the Special further six threatened species which appear to be Areas is the Koala. Populations of this species are extinct within the Special Areas; five species with centred within the Upper Nepean and Avon unconfirmed records and one species that is likely to Catchments. Additionally, a population occurs in the occur as it has been observed nearby and habitat Wedderburn/Holsworthy area fringing the northwestern exists within the catchments (Table 1). boundary of O’Hares Creek Special Area. These populations are one of a number that persist on enriched sandstone that occurs on the fringes of the Cumberland Plain. The Woronora Plateau Special Areas provide critical or important habitat for a number of other threatened species, including the Littlejohn’s Tree Frog, Gang- gang Cockatoo, Eastern False Pipistrelle, Eastern Freetail-bat, Greater Broad-nosed Bat, Grey-headed Flying-fox and the Large-footed Myotis. A number of species from Table 1 have been recorded less than ten times in the Woronora Plateau Special Areas. Several of these are highly endangered animals that have suffered massive declines across their statewide distribution, such as the Green and Golden Bell Frog and Stuttering Frog. For others however, the Woronora Plateau provides little suitable habitat. This is particularly so for species such as the Diamond Firetail, Brown Treecreeper, Hooded Robin and The Giant Burrowing Frog – a vulnerable species that is typical of Sydney Sandstone environments. © E. Magarey Squirrel Glider. These species are associated with dry, grassy woodlands, with only a few hectares of suitable The Woronora Plateau supports assemblages of habitat on the far western fringe of the Special Areas. threatened species typical of sandstone habitats in the Similarly the Special Areas provide little suitable Sydney Basin Bioregion, including the Red-crowned wetland habitat for some threatened waterbird species, Toadlet, Giant Burrowing Frog, Rockwarbler and such as the Australasian and Black Bittern. However, Broad-headed Snake. Many of these species are the water storage areas may be an important drought habitat specialists that do not occur outside of the refuge for the threatened Freckled Duck when Sydney Sandstone geological formations. Generally, preferred habitat in inland Australia is dry. Other these endemic species have a small geographic species, such as the Regent Honeyeater, are nomadic range, making them susceptible to wide ranging Key and may occasionally use the Special Areas of the Threatening Processes. Notwithstanding their small Woronora Plateau, though no high quality habitat is range, some of these species (in particular the Red- present. The Olive Whistler has been recorded once in crowned Toadlet and Giant Burrowing Frog) are higher elevation moist forest in the far south of the relatively common within the Special Areas. For these Metropolitan Special Area and is suspected to be an species, the Special Areas supports important areas of infrequent winter visitor. None of these species would high quality habitat. be expected to occur in large numbers in the Woronora Plateau Special Areas. Other threatened species such as the Powerful and Sooty Owls are also relatively common. The latter Unfortunately, there are at least six species that were species is found in the deeper gullies and rainforest historically known to occupy the Special Areas, but environments, while the former species can be found have not been located in recent surveys. Two frog across most forested environments. Interestingly, the species, the Green and Golden Bell Frog and the vulnerable Yellow-bellied Glider, which is common in Stuttering Frog, have declined across the Region and the gullies of the Southern Blue Mountains (Volume 3 their disappearance is probably due to an introduced – The Fauna of the Warragamba Special Area), has pathogen - Frog Chytrid Fungus (see Volume 2 – Fauna of Conservation Concern and Priority Pest 10 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas Species). The Bush Stone-curlew was last recorded in These include Rainforests, Tall Open Forests, Heaths the Appin/Wilton area on the western edge of the and Swamps, along with the scrubby Sandstone Special Areas but has not been recorded for a number Woodland that dominates the Special Areas. of decades, with habitat loss and feral predators the likely reasons for its decline. Three other species, the The eastern boundary of the Metropolitan Special Area Ground Parrot, Eastern Bristlebird and Long-nosed lies in a zone of very high rainfall. On the richer Potoroo, are typically associated with Upland Swamps Narrabeen group sediments, warm temperate and have all probably declined due to overly frequent rainforest and tall eucalypt forest dominate, supporting fire and predation by Foxes and Cats. many species typical of such environments. These include birds such as the Brown Gerygone, Black- faced Monarch, Lewin’s Honeyeater, Golden Whistler, Sooty Owl and Rufous Fantail. Better-developed rainforest support fauna that are more typical of the subtropical rainforests of the Illawarra Escarpment, such as the White-headed Pigeon, Logrunner and Green Catbird. These species are uncommon elsewhere through the Special Areas. Taller eucalypt forests are home to a number of arboreal mammals and large forest owls, most notably the Mountain Brushtail Possum, Greater Glider and Powerful Owl. The sandstone plateaux and its associated faunal assemblages are typical of the Sydney coastal hinterland. Rocky outcrops are a feature, supporting a distinctive and diverse suite of reptiles, including the Copper-tailed Ctenotus, White's Rock-skink, Lesueur's Velvet Gecko and Mountain Heath Dragon. Several reptiles are unique to this environment, notably the Broad-headed Snake and the Sydney subspecies of the Cunningham’s Skink. Birds are similarly diverse, Long-nosed Potoroo may have succumbed to predation by with an array of honeyeaters that capitalise on the Foxes and frequent fire. Remnant populations may survive in flowering shrub layer that is typical of this landscape. the O’Hares Creek and Cataract Catchments © R. Williams Common bird species include the Brown Thornbill, Three further species in the Special Areas may now be New Holland Honeyeater, Eastern Spinebill, Little extinct, though these are only known from unconfirmed Wattlebird and Yellow-faced Honeyeater. The records. These are the Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby, Rockwarbler, a species endemic to the Sydney Southern Brown Bandicoot and the Parma Wallaby. Sandstones, is present in small numbers in association There is the remote possibility that the Brush-tailed rocky areas, particularly adjacent to larger Rock-wallaby persists in the gorges along the Upper watercourses. Arboreal mammals are also relatively Nepean, Avon or Bargo Rivers. The status of the diverse but uncommon, with poor soils supporting Southern Brown Bandicoot remains uncertain. Reports stunted woodlands and heaths that have few hollows of a road kill and hair (identified by a Sydney and nutrient-poor foliage. The Common Ringtail Catchment Authority fauna consultant) have not been Possum, which does not rely on hollows, is the most confirmed by trapping, hair analysis or spotlight common species in this environment, followed by the surveys conducted by DECC over the last five years Sugar Glider. The Eastern Pygmy-possum is also (Volume 2). Similarly, for the Parma Wallaby, there relatively common in this environment, though difficulty are no confirmed records of any age from within the detecting this species means it rarely recorded unless Special Areas. It was recorded as verging on extinction pitfall trapping has been undertaken. A number of frog in the Illawarra in 1969 (Robinson 1988) and is now species are also typical of the sandstone plateau, lost from the catchments. If any of these species including the Blue Mountains Tree Frog. remain in the Special Areas, it is likely they occur in extremely low numbers or in isolated populations. More encouragingly, after many years without a confirmed sighting, a Spotted-tailed Quoll was seen near Bellambi Creek in the Cataract Catchment during DECC surveys in 2005. For a full discussion on patterns of decline and extinction in the Region, see Volume 1. Key Threatening Processes acting within the Special Areas will be addressed later in this document (see Section 6). Each of the species listed in Table 1 is discussed individually, along with a map of predicted habitat, in Volume 2. 3.3 Patterns in Native Fauna Distribution The Woronora Plateau is relatively uniform geologically, with small patches of enriched soils surrounded by vast infertile sandstone bedrock. However, the combination and variation in elevation and rainfall gradients means there are a number of The Copper-tailed Ctenotus is associated with the rocky distinctive fauna habitats across the Special Areas. sandstone outcrops of the Special Areas. © N. Williams
The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 11 The most distinctive and characteristic environment Olive Whistler and Flame Robin have generally only within the Woronora, O’Hares Creek and Metropoiltan been recorded in the higher altitude parts of the Special Areas is the moor-like Upland Swamps. There catchments, and Greater Gliders are in higher is over 5000 ha of heath and sedgeland within the densities than elsewhere. catchments - the most extensive example of this habitat type in the Region. The vegetation communities and plants that comprise Upland Swamps are recognised for their conservation value and the faunal assemblages that occupy this habitat are of similar importance. Frog, reptile, bird and mammal fauna are distinctive, with the vulnerable Red-crowned Toadlet and Giant Burrowing Frog regularly found in sites of semi-permanent waterlogging. Of the birds, the Southern Emu-wren, Beautiful Firetail and Tawny- crowned Honeyeater are mostly associated with these habitats, and can be found alongside more widespread species such as the New Holland Honeyeater. In the past, the Ground Parrot and Eastern Bristlebird would also have been typical of the Upland Swamps in this area. The Eastern She-oak Skink and Three-lined Skink are cryptic lizards typical of the Upland Swamps and are rarely recorded elsewhere in the Special Areas. There is also a distinctive group of ground mammals Highlands Copperhead are only found above 600 m in the associated with the dense vegetation of the Upland south of the Metropolitan Special Area. © A. Dudley Swamps. The Swamp Rat can be found making runways through thick sedges. Also, on the Woronora A final distinctive faunal assemblage is found in the Plateau, the Common Dunnart and Dusky Antechinus residual shale soils and shale-enriched sandstones have not been found outside this environment. The that occur along the western edges of the Special Long-nosed Bandicoot can still be found in Upland Areas where it adjoins the Cumberland Plain. Mean Swamp areas and in the past the Long-nosed Potoroo annual rainfall in this area is almost half that of eastern would have been found there as well. boundary and grassy open woodlands replace taller The southern end of the Metropolitan Special Area is mesic forests. These woodlands support fauna typical an intergrade to the Southern Highlands with elevation of the dry rainshadow valleys and plains of the Greater reaching over 700 metres above sea level (asl). These Southern Sydney Region. This habitat supports higher altitudes result in a cooler climate and a fauna declining woodland bird species, such as the Diamond assemblage typical of high altitude areas. Typical Firetail and Speckled Warbler and other birds typical of species in this area are Highlands Copperhead and these environments, such as the Restless Flycatcher, Gippsland Water Dragon which reach their easterly Jacky Winter and Turquoise Parrot. In addition, Koalas and northerly limits respectively. Other reptiles, such are regularly observed and Squirrel Gliders have been as the Warm-temperate Water Skink and White-lipped found in the past. Snake were also only found at higher altitudes. The
12 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 4 Species Conservation Status
4.1 Overview amongst other things, has resulted in the severe depletion or extermination of these populations, Land managers are currently faced with an reflecting a major range retraction across the entire overwhelmingly long list of threatened fauna species. range of this species. A further five species in this However, threatened species do not all warrant equal category are almost certainly locally extinct in the management attention. Furthermore, priorities vary catchments, and they have been highlighted in grey in from one region to another, as does the response Table 2. If any populations of any are rediscovered, required. they will be of the utmost conservation priority. Volume 1 – Background Report of this series reviewed all terrestrial fauna known to occur in the Greater Southern Sydney Region, identifying a preliminary list of Species of Conservation Concern. This list included species listed as threatened under State or Federal legislation; species thought to be declining regionally or locally based on existing literature and observations of field ecologists; species thought to impact on water quality and species of cultural interest, particularly to Indigenous communities. Table 2 lists all Species of Conservation Concern that are known or may potentially occur in the Metropolitan, O’Hares or Woronora Special Areas and gives key threats and key locations within these areas. The importance of these Special Areas to the long- term survival of the species in the Greater Southern Sydney Region has been indicated in the final column. This has generally been derived from the amount of high quality habitat present within the Special Areas compared to that available elsewhere in the Region A significant proportion of the entire range of the endangered (Appendix B). Broad-headed Snake falls within the Special Areas of the Woronora Plateau. © N. Williams Each of the species listed in Table 2 are described in detail, along with maps of distribution, in Volume 2 - Fauna of Conservation Concern and Priority Pest There are three Highest Conservation Priority species Species. with no populations currently known: the Eastern Bristlebird (probably locally extinct), Ground Parrot 4.2 Setting Priorities for Conservation and (possibly locally extinct) and Long-nosed Potoroo Management (extremely rare). These surveys, and subsequent targeted efforts in the O’Hares Creek Special Area, When setting the conservation priorities for the Greater failed to detect these species, however the catchments Southern Sydney Region, including the Woronora, have large amounts of suitable habitat, and dedicated O’Hares Creek and Metropolitan Special Areas, factors survey may yet locate remnant populations, included for consideration were: particularly of the Long-nosed Potoroo. The Eastern the level of decline within the Region; Bristlebird is the least likely to persist and would be a high priority for a reintroduction program. A further two the level of threat to remaining populations; Highest Conservation Priority species, the Regent the total amount of habitat in the Region; Honeyeater and Swift Parrot, are probably little more the importance of the Region to the overall than infrequent autumn and winter visitors due to survival of the species in question; and minimal suitable habitat in the Special Areas. Further monitoring may find the Swift Parrot, in particular, the amount of habitat that has already been lost. makes more regular use of the shale transition forests This process has been described in detail in Volume on the western boundary of the Special Areas. 1. The list of Species of Conservation Concern has For a number of other species, the Woronora Plateau been reviewed and filtered following the survey results Special Areas protect a critical proportion of their and habitat mapping. A prioritised list of species is habitat in the Region (Table 2). These species include presented in Table 2. the Littlejohn’s Tree Frog, Broad-headed Snake, Most of the Highest Conservation Priority fauna for the Koala, Beautiful Firetail, Southern Emu-wren, Tawny- Greater Southern Sydney Region have in the past crowned Honeyeater, Rosenberg’s Goanna, Giant been found within the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek or Burrowing Frog, Red-crowned Toadlet, and Eastern Woronora Special Areas (see Volume 1). Sadly, few Pygmy-possum. These species are therefore reliant on of these species are confirmed to persist; though they habitat found within the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek remain a conservation priority should populations be or Woronora Special Areas for their continued survival rediscovered in the future. For example, the Brush- Region-wide. Therefore, these species are a high tailed Rock-wallaby is known from anecdotal records in priority for conservation management. Many of the the Upper Nepean and Avon catchments, and suitable above species are associated with the Upland habitat exists in these locations. It is likely that Swamps that characterise this area. predation by Foxes and competition from Goats, The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 13 Table 2: Species of Conservation Concern in the Woronora, O’Hares Creek and Metropolitan Special Areas ranked as to their conservation priority in the Greater Southern Sydney Region. The importance of these Special Areas to the regional conservation of a species is given in the last column. Critical = 40% or more high-quality habitat within the Woronora, O’Hares Creek or Metropolitan Special Areas; Important = 10-39%; Limited = 1-9%. Potential = species that have not been recorded in the Woronora Plateau Special Areas although there are either nearby records or the Special Areas contain suitable habitat.
Regional Species Key Threats in the Key locations in the Special Areas Significance of habitat Conservation Region of the Woronora Plateau in the Special Areas to priority of the survival of the species species in the Region (historic) Ground Parrot Feral predators, Maddens Plains, all Upland Swamps Critical, Possibly locally frequent fire extinct Eastern Bristlebird Feral predators, Maddens Plains, all Upland Swamps Critical, Probably locally frequent fire extinct Long-nosed Potoroo Feral predators, Upper Cordeaux tall forest, Upland Critical, Extremely rare frequent fire Swamps and poss bly locally extinct Regent Honeyeater Habitat loss Western periphery of the Special Limited Areas
Highest Swift Parrot Habitat loss Western periphery of the Special Limited Areas
Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby Feral predators, Gorges in the Upper Nepean and Anecdotal records, Feral Goats Avon catchments and Bargo River Probably locally extinct
Parma Wallaby Feral predators, Metropolitan Special Area, Cataract Locally extinct frequent fire catchment Stuttering Frog Disease Rainforests and moist forests. Last Probably locally extinct known from O’Hares Creek Green and Golden Bell Frog Disease O’Hares Creek and Woronora. Last Probably locally extinct known from near Darkes Forest Southern Brown Bandicoot Feral predators, Southern Metropolitan Special Area. No confirmed records, frequent fire Forests with deep soils. Probably locally extinct Bush Stone-curlew Habitat loss, feral Grassy Forests around Avon Dam Probably locally extinct predators Road/Wilton. Last known near Appin Broad-headed Snake Collection, bushrock All Special Areas Critical removal Littlejohn's Tree Frog Disease Woronora, O’Hares Creek, Cataract Critical catchments Koala Habitat loss Avon and Upper Nepean Special Critical Areas Spotted-tailed Quoll Feral predators, Cataract catchment (seen Nov 05) Important 1080 baiting? Large-footed Myotis Habitat loss, water Cataract, Cordeaux and Woronora Important quality Rivers and larger tributaries Large-eared Pied Bat Habitat loss Tall forests in east and grassy Limited woodlands in west of Metropolitan High Special Area Eastern Freetail-bat Habitat loss Dry forests in west of O’Hares Creek Limited and Metropolitan Special Areas Australasian Bittern Habitat loss Riparian areas Limited
Black Bittern Habitat loss Riparian and wetland communities Limited
Black-chinned Honeyeater Habitat loss Western boundary Upper Nepean Limited (Potential) and Cataract catchments Squirrel Glider Habitat loss, feral Upper Nepean catchment Limited predators Masked Owl Habitat loss Upper Nepean and Cataract Limited catchments Green Tree Frog Possibly disease Woronora and western Cataract Limited catchments
14 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas Regional Species Key Threats in the Key locations in the Special Areas Significance of habitat Conservation Region of the Woronora Plateau in the Special Areas to priority of the survival of the species species in the Region (historic)
Beautiful Firetail Habitat loss, O’Hares Creek and southern Avon Critical frequent fire catchments
Grey-headed Flying-fox Habitat loss Woronora; Cataract, Cordeaux, Avon Important and O’Hares Creek catchments; Darkes Forest area Greater Broad-nosed Bat Habitat loss Eastern, southern and western Limited periphery of Metropolitan Special Area Eastern False Pipistrelle Habitat loss Higher elevation forests in Limited Metropolitan Special Area
Brown Treecreeper Habitat loss Avon Dam Road, Upper Nepean Limited catchment Moderately High Diamond Firetail Habitat loss Western edge of Metropolitan Limited Special Area, Wilton
Hooded Robin Habitat loss Appin Limited
Restless Flycatcher Habitat loss Western Nepean and Cataract Limited catchments
Speckled Warbler Habitat loss Appin Limited
Turquoise Parrot Habitat loss Upper Nepean catchment Limited
Southern Emu-wren Frequent fire, Maddens Plains Critical restricted habitat
Tawny-crowned Honeyeater Restricted habitat Woronora and O’Hares Creek Critical catchments
Flame Robin Habitat loss Southern Upper Nepean catchment Important
Moderate Square-tailed Kite Habitat loss Widespread, mostly grassy Limited woodlands
Rosenberg's Goanna Restricted habitat Widespread Critical
Giant Burrowing Frog Restricted habitat Widespread near Upland Swamps Critical
Red-crowned Toadlet Restricted habitat Widespread Critical
Eastern Pygmy-possum Restricted habitat, Heathland areas with Heath-leaved Critical frequent fire Banksia dominant
Sooty Owl Restricted habitat Deeper rainforest gullies in all Important catchments
Rockwarbler Restricted habitat Widespread in sandstone gullies Limited
Long-nosed Bandicoot Probably secure Eastern sections of all Special Areas Critical
Mainland Tiger Snake Secure Eastern sections of all Special Areas Critical Lower Platypus Secure (with Rivers and riparian (Nepean Critical exceptions) catchment)
The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 15 Regional Species Key Threats in the Key locations in the Special Areas Significance of habitat Conservation Region of the Woronora Plateau in the Special Areas to priority of the survival of the species species in the Region (historic)
Olive Whistler Peripheral habitat Closed and tall open forest in higher Critical elevations, southern Metropolitan Special Area Bibron's Toadlet Secure Robertson Plateau Important
Eastern Bentwing-bat Secure (excluding Widespread Important communal roost sites) Eastern Grey Kangaroo Secure Nepean catchment Important
Eastern Snake-necked Turtle Secure Rivers and riparian, all Special Areas Important
Gang-gang Cockatoo Secure Widespread Important
Painted Button-quail Secure Widespread Important
Powerful Owl Secure Widespread Important
Red-browed Treecreeper Secure Metropolitan Special Area Important
Satin Bowerbird Secure Widespread Important
Lower Short-beaked Echidna Secure Widespread Important
Spotted Quail-thrush Secure Widespread Important
Superb Lyrebird Secure Widespread Important
Varied Sittella Secure Widespread Important
Glossy Black-cockatoo Secure Upper Nepean catchment Limited
Greater Glider Secure Woodland and taller forest on higher Limited fertility soil
Highlands Copperhead Secure Robertson Plateau Limited
Tree-base Litter-skink Secure Grassy Woodlands on the western Limited (Potential) boundaries of the Special Areas
White-winged Chough Secure Woodland and open forest on higher Limited fertility soil western Nepean and Cataract catchments Yellow-bellied Glider Secure Western boundary of Metropolitan Limited (Potential) Special Area(
Freckled Duck Peripheral habitat Freshwater Wetlands Limited
Pink Robin Peripheral habitat Dense gullies and moist forest, Limited mostly at higher elevations
16 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 5 Priority Fauna Habitats, Populations and Linkages
5.1 Introduction 5.2 Priority Fauna Habitats in O’Hares Creek, Woronora and Metropolitan A fauna habitat is a broad environment utilised by a suite of fauna with similar habitat requirements. Priority Special Areas Fauna Habitats are fauna habitats that have exceptional importance for the conservation of Three of the four Priority Fauna Habitats of the Greater vertebrate fauna, particularly threatened species. Southern Sydney Region are found within the Special Given limited resources, protection and enhancement Areas of the Woronora Plateau. These are, in order of of priority fauna habitats will generate the maximum priority, Upland Swamps, Grassy Box Woodlands, and benefit to threatened species conservation and to Alluvial Forests and Woodlands (Map 4). For further vertebrate diversity in the region. details on how Priority Fauna Habitats were identified and mapped, see Volume 1 - Background Report. Fauna habitats vary widely in their spatial extent, with some being naturally restricted and others heavily 5.2.1 Priority Habitat One: Upland Swamps depleted due to clearing. They also vary greatly in the level of modification and the number of threatened Upland Swamps contain a unique array of fauna, many fauna. These disparities are largely because of which are of conservation concern. These swamps threatening processes operate unequally across the are key habitat for at least 12 of the most threatened landscape, with habitats that occur on fertile soils and fauna species, including the Ground Parrot, Beautiful in coastal areas experiencing the greatest disruption. Firetail, Eastern Bristlebird and the Giant Burrowing The result of this is that a few environments will Frog (Table 2). provide habitat for a disproportionately large number of threatened species. In the Greater Southern Sydney Within the Greater Southern Sydney Region, over 90% Region, just four Priority Habitats support 32 of the 45 of Upland Swamps occur in the higher rainfall highest priority threatened species. sandstone plateaux of the Woronora Plateau. There is over 6 000 ha of this habitat found across the 5.1.1 How can Priority Fauna Habitats be used in Woronora, O’Hares Creek and Metropolitan Special conservation management? Areas. These swamps range from permanent wet sedgelands through to treeless dense heathlands that Priority Fauna Habitats may be used to guide experience intermittent underground water seepage. conservation efforts toward areas that will have the Maddens Plains, in the O’Hares Creek and Cataract greatest outcomes for fauna. Within the Greater catchments, is the best known and most extensive Southern Sydney Region, the preservation of habitats swamp system. There are other important areas, such identified in this section will have the maximum benefit as Stockyard and North Pole Swamps in the southern to threatened fauna and will help ensure that Avon catchment and Wallandoolla Creek in Cataract vertebrate diversity is maintained in the long-term. catchment.
Identification of Priority Fauna Habitats may inform land management actions, including: land acquisition strategies - by highlighting areas that provide maximum benefit to priority fauna and vertebrate diversity; pest-species management - allow for control programs that are targeted towards areas that will benefit vertebrate diversity and the greatest number of priority fauna; fire management - by highlighting environments that require special attention with regard to appropriate fire regimes; threatened species management - by highlighting areas that are of greatest importance as habitat for species listed under the TSC Act (1995); management of Key Threatening Processes - by highlighting areas that require special attention Upland Swamps, like this one at Madden’s Plain are the with regard to the mitigation of Key Threatening highest Priority Fauna Habitat in the Special Areas of the Processes; and Woronora Plateau. © H. Jessup and off-park conservation – by establishing Upland Swamps are sensitive to changes in hydrology Voluntary Conservation Agreements with and overly frequent fire. Although all Upland Swamps landholders on private land supporting important are potentially important fauna habitat, patches that Koala habitat. are known to be utilised by fauna species listed in
The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 17 Table 2 (e.g. Littlejohn’s Tree Frog, Beautiful Firetail, exotic perennial grasses, which will impact on a Southern Emu-wren, Tawny-crowned Honeyeater, number of the declining woodland birds. Furthermore, Red-crowned Toadlet and the Giant Burrowing Frog) removal of dead wood and dead trees is a key are of the highest conservation value within the Special threatening process of particular significance, Areas of the Woronora Plateau. potentially affecting the Brown Treecreeper, Turquoise Parrot, Squirrel Glider and other Grassy Box Woodland The most important Key Threatening Process that has species. impacted on Upland Swamps in the past is ecological consequences of high frequency fires. Inappropriate fire regimes have been implicated in the decline and local extinction of a number of priority species from this habitat, including the Ground Parrot and Eastern Bristlebird. This Key Threatening Process has probably acted in tandem with two others -- predation by the Red Fox and predation by the Feral Cat. Current fire management aims to minimise the incidence of high frequency fire and the biggest threat facing Upland Swamps today is alteration to habitat following subsidence due to longwall mining.
5.2.2 Priority Habitat Two: Grassy Box Woodlands
Grassy Box Woodland is the highest priority fauna habitat within the Greater Southern Sydney Region (see Volume 1). However on the Woronora Plateau there are fewer than 2 000 ha of this important fauna Grassy Woodland in the Nepean catchment. Although habitat, confined to the western boundary of the restricted to small areas in the west of Metropolitan Special Metropolitan Special Area. Within this area, Grassy Area, this is the second highest priority fauna habitat in the Box Woodland occurs at sites of shale-sandstone Special Areas, providing habitat for Squirrel Gliders, Koalas transition. This woodland is dominated by various and declining woodland birds. © DECC Ironbark species, sometimes with Grey and Coastal Grey Box, a mix of sandstone shrub species and 5.2.3 Priority Habitat Three: Alluvial Forests and extensive grass cover. Locally, this environment is Woodlands often referred to as the ‘Bargo Brush’. These residual shale cap forest and woodlands provide habitat for Alluvial Forests and Woodlands occur along the declining woodland birds, such as the Diamond Firetail creeklines and riverflats of waterways throughout the and Brown Treecreeper. This environment also Greater Southern Sydney Region. These environments provides habitat for the Squirrel Glider and Koala. vary between the coast and tablelands, though all grow on deep, fertile alluvial soils. These types of soil are Most Grassy Box Woodlands have experienced some almost universally impacted by clearing and other degree of disturbance and on the Cumberland Plain factors associated with agriculture. A large number of they are heavily depleted. In these areas, smaller fauna species rely on these environments including at isolated remnants are no longer utilised by species that least four of the most threatened fauna, such as the are sensitive to fragmentation. This project has shown Black Bittern, Large-footed Myotis and Regent that many Grassy Box Woodland species are locally Honeyeater. Rivers and riparian vegetation are also extinct or close to extinction on the Cumberland Plain very important for the Large-eared Pied Bat, which (see Volume 1). For this reason, when defining Grassy uses these environments for foraging and to move Box Woodlands as a priority habitat, a condition filter about the landscape (see Volume 2 – Fauna of was applied in order to isolate the best-quality Conservation Concern and Priority Pest Species). remnants that are most likely to support viable populations of Grassy Box Woodland fauna into the There are only small isolated remnants of Alluvial future. This filter identified all remnants over 50 ha in Woodlands remaining on private land near Mittagong size (core remnants) and any patches greater than 10 in the far south west of the Special Areas. The most ha within 1km of a core remnant. This was based on important Key Threatening Process that impacts on published minimum patch size and connectivity Alluvial Forests and Woodlands is habitat loss due to requirements for declining woodland birds. For further clearing of vegetation. Land clearance has already details on the filtering process (see Volume 1). All removed or fragmented the majority of Alluvial Forests Grassy Box Woodland within the Metropolitan Special and Woodlands in the Region and is the greatest Area is in good condition relative to that which occurs ongoing threat to this Priority Habitat. Another Key throughout the remainder of the Cumberland Plain, Threatening Process is Feral Pigs, which particularly and remnant size is comparatively large. favour these environments (see Volume 2), leading to habitat degradation. Additionally, alteration to the The most important Key Threatening Process that natural flow regimes of rivers, streams, floodplains and impacts on Grassy Box Woodlands is habitat loss due wetlands is highly relevant to this Priority Fauna to clearing of vegetation. Land clearance has already Habitat. removed or fragmented the majority of Grassy Box Woodlands in the Region and remains the greatest ongoing threat to this priority habitat. Another significant Key Threatening Process affecting this habitat is the invasion of native plant communities by
18 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 5.3 Priority Fauna Population: Avon/Upper though these are generally dispersing males rather Nepean and Campbelltown Koala than breeding females. Therefore, the population Populations centred on the Avon/Upper Nepean area is the only site within the Special Areas requiring dedicated The Koala population within the Avon and Upper conservation management actions. Nepean catchments is one of only four that remain in the Greater Southern Sydney Region (see Volume 2). Over 20 new locations of the Koala were recorded during the current survey program. Accurate estimation Koalas have declined significantly throughout NSW, of Koala numbers requires a dedicated research particularly south of Sydney. The population at project. However, it is considered that the Avon/Upper Nepean is possibly the largest remaining Avon/Nepean population is as large as the colony south of Sydney. It is probably the best Campbelltown population (R. Close, University of protected (reserved) population in all of NSW, as Western Sydney, pers. comm.). The frequency of elsewhere most Koala habitat occurs on private land. sightings, particularly after the 2001 fires, suggests For this reason, this population is a high priority for that these fires did not have a major impact, probably targeted conservation management. due to the core habitat left unburnt north of Avon Dam Road and gorges and valleys in this area that act as refugia. These sightings included several Koalas with young. In fact, there is some evidence that this population has been expanding since a population crash in the 1920s (Tilley and Uebel 1988; D. Ashton pers. comm.). 5.4 Fauna Linkages
Fauna Linkages were developed by identifying all species of conservation concern that require linked vegetation of a particular habitat type to assist with their continued survival in the area. These are mostly species that are sensitive to fragmentation and isolation, and whose habitat has already been extensively cleared. Additionally, it includes species that are large-bodied, sparsely distributed and require linkages to retain connectivity and genetic viability between populations. A full description of the process involved in identifying and mapping the Fauna Linkages is given in Volume 1.
There is one Fauna Linkage that is critically important to the Special Areas of the Woronora Plateau. This The Koala colony in the Avon/Upper Nepean catchments is links the sandstone vegetation of the Woronora with a Priority Fauna Population. © P. Madden that of Nattai: the Bargo Linkage. This fauna linkage ultimately connects the Woronora Plateau Special The Avon/Upper Nepean population is centred on the Areas to the Warragamba Special Area. slightly shale-enriched Mittagong formation sandstones along Fire Trails 1 and 2. These areas lie between 5.4.1 Bargo Linkage several large patches of fertile residual shale and basalt soils in the south and thin shale caps along the The Bargo Linkage (Map 5) is the most important western boundary. Koalas are also seen further away vegetative link in Greater Southern Sydney. It connects from this area, particularly young dispersing males. the Metropolitan Special Area with the Warragamba This population extends to the south of the Special Special Area and is likely to be important in Area to the Robertson area and to the south-west maintaining the biodiversity of both. It is the only around Colo Vale. It may be contiguous (or may remaining connection between the Woronora Plateau formerly have been contiguous) with the population in and the Nattai Plateau, and ultimately the entire southern Nattai. southern Blue Mountains. It facilitates the movement of Additionally, the northwestern boundary of the O’Hares migratory and nomadic species between these Creek Special Area is situated east of the Georges plateaux and allows for seasonal and altitudinal River on the edge of the Campbelltown Koala movements between the highlands and the coast. population. This population has slowly been increasing Vegetative links between the hinterland and the coast since the 1980s and the population is estimated at are important insurance against climate change over 300 individuals (R. Close, University of Western impacts. Sydney, pers. comm.). In addition to facilitating fauna movements, the Bargo Koalas once occupied a larger proportion of the Linkage retains connectivity between populations of Metropolitan and O’Hares Creek Special Areas, with sandstone fauna. This is particularly important for suitable habitat predicted on the high fertility soils at naturally rare or large bodied species with large home Upper Cordeaux and Darkes Forest (Volume 2). ranges that would always have made use of this Anecdotal reports suggest that a breeding population connection - such as the top-order predators. was present in these areas (Robinson 1988). Koalas are still occasionally sighted in the Darkes Forest area, The Gang-gang Cockatoo is an example of a species that makes seasonal movements between the The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 19 Warragamba Special Area and the Woronora Plateau. Glossy Black-Cockatoo, and perhaps other species. Both areas, and the Bargo Linkage, are likely to be Populations may be completely reliant on making this important in the long term survival of this species in the crossing under extreme conditions – such as after area. large-scale wildfire. For a full list of species that are likely to use the Bargo Linkage, see Volume 1. The Hume Highway bisects the Bargo Linkage. This wide road probably represents only a minor barrier to many bird species, such as the Powerful Owl and Gang-gang Cockatoo. For other species, traversing this road is far more difficult, such as for the Rosenberg's Goanna and the Koala. While there are numerous anecdotal reports of Koalas successfully crossing the Hume, it is without question a significant barrier. For other species, such as the Eastern Pygmy- possum, the Hume Highway is an almost insurmountable impediment. For such species this road is a significant block to gene flow between populations in the Warragamba Special Area and the Woronora Plateau. However, not all habitat is bisected by the road, with a number of bridges spanning gorges that leave connected habitats below. Some species are likely to use these gorges to traverse the east– west divide. There are a number of measures that should be undertaken to improve the ability of wildlife to traverse The Gang-gang Cockatoo uses the Bargo Linkage to move the Hume Highway along the stretch that intersects the between the Southern Blue Mountains and the Woronora Bargo Linkage. Investigations should be undertaken as Plateau. © K. Madden to the appropriateness and location of floppy-top fencing, underpasses or overpasses. These should be A further suite of species will use the Bargo Linkage installed in areas that are known (or predicted to be via only occasionally, such as the Glossy Black-Cockatoo. habitat modelling) to be key crossing points for priority This bird is typical of the Warragamba Special Area but species. Key threatened fauna species to be was regularly observed in the Woronora Plateau after investigated would be the Koala, Roseberg’s Goanna the 2001 fires, and during the current drought. and Spotted-tailed Quoll. Although only used irregularly, the Bargo Linkage should still be thought of as extremely important to the .
20 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas Map 4: Priority Fauna Habitats in the Woronora, O’Hares Creek and Metropolitan Special Areas.
The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 21 Map 5: The Bargo Linkage, connecting the sandstone environs of the Woronora, O’Hares Creek and Metropolitan Special Areas with Nattai NP and the Warragamba Special Area.
22 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 6 Managing Native Species and Habitats
6.1 Introduction Many approaches may be taken to the conservation of biodiversity. These include: preventing disturbance and clearing of fauna habitats, acquiring private land that contains fauna habitat, rehabilitating fauna habitats, controlling weeds and vertebrate and invertebrate pest species, managing fire and further research and monitoring. The Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas combined are approximately 105000 ha in size, so applying these conservation measures to the entire area is not feasible. Rather, the successful management of biodiversity is achieved by targeting action toward species and habitats that are most unique and the most vulnerable. Some priorities are set by legislative responsibilities under the TSC Act (1995). These have been determined with a statewide perspective via an independent Scientific Committee. This Act also identifies Key Threatening Processes that impact on threatened species. The purpose of this section is to provide a management approach to the fauna specifically for the Fresh streambed cracking on the Waratah Rivulet in the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Woronora Special Area. © DECC Areas. It highlights the most important species and the Some Key Threatening Processes are more significant most serious threatening processes operating in the than others within the Woronora, O’Hares Creek and catchments. Metropolitan Special Areas. The ecological 6.2 Key Threatening Processes consequences of high-frequency fires is a Key Threatening Process that has, in the past, had a A Key Threatening Process is defined under the TSC significant impact on the fauna of the Special Areas. Act (1995) and EPBC Act (1999) as a process that Species that are known to be vulnerable to this threat threatens, or could threaten, the survival or have either disappeared, such as the Ground Parrot evolutionary development of species, populations or and Eastern Bristlebird, or severely declined, like the ecological communities. Such processes represent Long-nosed Potoroo. Current fire management aims to another element used to assess fauna species avoid high frequency fires and this threat is mostly conservation status. Appendix C summarises the Key ameliorated. If populations of Long-nosed Potoroo are Threatening Processes currently listed under the TSC discovered, they should be high priorities for protection Act (1995) that impact on threatened fauna species from high intensity or high frequency fires. known to occur in the Special Areas of the Woronora Plateau. At present, some of the most important threats operating relate to competition and/or predation by the Red Fox and predation by the Feral Cat. These species are considered to have impacted on a number of priority fauna species, and are at least partially responsible for pushing some species to local extinction. Alteration to habitat following subsidence due to longwall mining is the Key Threatening Process with the greatest potential to impact on the Special Areas. This threat is particularly serious for two reasons: 1) the large proportion of the Woronora Plateau that is planned to be undermined in the future; and 2) the number of threatened endemic fauna that occur in Upland Swamps – a habitat that may be irreversibly altered by bedrock cracking and alterations to drainage characteristics. Sub-surface mining has already resulted in significant problems on the Woronora Plateau, such as the cracking of streambeds including the Waratah Rivulet in the Woronora Special Area and Native Dog Creek and the Cataract River in the Metropolitan Special Area. Sandstone rockpools have The Red-crowned Toadlet is a vulnerable frog that is currently been cracked and drained, removing critical breeding well conserved in the Special Areas of the Woronora Plateau – habitat for threatened species such as the Giant a core part of its range. This may change drastically with the Burrowing Frog. Water in these creeks has been increase in longwall mining under the Plateau, should it result in the draining of Upland Swamps and headwater creeks. contaminated by gasses emitted from the mines. © M. Schulz Longwall mining will be the most important Key The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 23 Threatening Process operating in the Special Areas tadpoles infected with Frog Chytrid Fungus (DECC unless better measures are taken to avoid further 2007). All frog surveys or activities that involve contact collapse and destruction of Upland Swamps and with frogs should be undertaken with strict adherence cracking and pollution of creeks. to the frog hygiene protocol (NPWS 2001b). For much of the Special Areas, the Key Threatening 6.3 Threat Abatement Plans Process of clearing of native vegetation is relatively unimportant, except for the freehold land around the There are a number of Threat Abatement Plans fringes of the Metropolitan Special Area and at Darkes relevant for these Special Areas. The first is the Threat Forest. Nevertheless, this threat is highly significant Abatement Plan for predation by the Red Fox (NPWS due to the number of species affected (see Appendix 2001a; DEH 1999a). C) and that one Priority Habitat (i.e. Alluvial Forests Other Threat Abatement Plans are (in order of and Woodland) occurs almost entirely on private land. relevance): In addition to water quality concerns, it is important to prevent loss of native vegetation in order to prevent the Predation by Feral Cats (DEH 1999c). loss of faunal diversity. Infection of amphibians with Chytrid Fungus Another important Key Threatening Process that resulting in chytridiomycosis (DEH 2004a). applies to the Special Areas of the Woronora Plateau Competition and land degradation by the Rabbit is bushrock removal. This process threatens a number (DEH 1999b). of reptile species, in particular the Broad-headed Predation by the Plague Minnow (NPWS 2003a). Snake (Shine et al. 1998). While access and illegal activities are tightly controlled through the Special Beak and Feather Disease affecting endangered Areas, an increasing human population in adjacent psittacine species (DEH 2005a). areas will result in this being an ongoing and Predation, habitat degradation, competition and potentially increasing Key Threatening Process, disease transmission by Feral Pigs (DEH 2005b). particularly on the western edges of the Special Areas. 6.4 Management Approach for the Infection of frogs by amphibian chytrid causing the Woronora, O’Hares Creek and disease chytridiomycosis is a further threatening Metropolitan Special Areas process that appears to have been particularly relevant to the Woronora, O’Hares Creek and Metropolitan Given limited resources, benefits to biodiversity will be Special Areas. There are old records of the Stuttering greatest if conservation actions are implemented in a Frog, Green Tree Frog and Green and Golden Bell strategic way - to the highest conservation value fauna Frog - all known to by affected by Frog Chytrid Fungus habitats and populations in the region (Figure 1). This (see Volume 2 – Fauna of Conservation Concern project has identified habitats, populations and other and Priority Pest Species). Furthermore, Littlejohn’s environments that are priorities for conservation Tree Frog has also declined in abundance in this area management within the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and recent surveys in the Madden’s Plain area found and Woronora Special Areas.
Figure 1: Diagram showing a range of conservation actions (in blue) and where resources are best directed in order to achieve the maximum benefits to biodiversity within the Woronora Plateau Special Areas.
Prevent further Land acquisition disturbance Rehabilitation
Fire management Pest species control
IMPORTANT SITES AND HABITATS
Priority Populations Corridors Koalas in Avon and Nepean Catchments Bargo Linkage Priority Fauna Habitats Upland Swamps Grassy Box Woodlands Alluvial Forests and Woodlands
24 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 6.5 Land Acquisition Strategies for Fauna Alluvial Forests and Woodlands are associated with the riparian flats near Mittagong. These flats only Acquiring land for the reserve system is a key means support small and fragmented remnants that are of protecting important fauna habitats and helping unlikely to suit inclusion within the formal reserve ensure the long-term viability of fauna populations. system. However, they do provide some protection for Acquisitions will maximise the benefits for conservation the catchment headwaters. where they target Priority Fauna Habitats, Corridors and/or Priority Fauna Populations. In these Special 6.6 Ecological Rehabilitation and Areas land that remains in private tenure is situated Restoration (including Weed along the western perimeter, in the south-west Management) between Robertson and Mittagong, around the eastern boundary of Cataract and Cordeaux catchments and at Any rehabilitation and restoration of fauna habitats in Darkes Forest in the O’Hares Creek catchment. Within the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora these lands there are three priority fauna habitats to Special Areas should be focused on Priority Fauna consider for acquisitions: Upland Swamps, Grassy Box Habitats (Upland Swamps, Grassy Box Woodlands Woodlands and Alluvial Forests and Woodlands. and Alluvial Forests and Woodlands), sites that support Priority Fauna Populations (such as the Future development of the reserve system that serves Avon/Upper Nepean Koala Colony), and the Bargo the maximum benefit to biodiversity (and hence Linkage. ecosystem health) should target sites that fulfil as many of the criteria below as possible. Natural regeneration, assisted-regeneration and reconstruction can improve connectivity and/or Potential land acquisitions should be judged against condition of disturbed and fragmented vegetation. The the following criteria: application of these techniques to the Priority Fauna Key Criteria: Habitats, corridors and priority populations of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special 1. The land has been identified as a Priority Areas will achieve the greatest potential gains to Fauna Habitat (Upland Swamp, Grassy fauna. Box Woodland or Alluvial Forests and Woodlands). Priority weed species for control in the Special Areas with regard to fauna conservation include Pampas 2. The land is a site of a priority population Grass, Whisky Grass, Rhodes Grass, African (Avon/Upper Nepean Koala colony). Lovegrass, Gorse, Privet and Serrated Tussock. The first two species will invade Upland Swamps, a Priority Additional Criteria: Fauna Habitat. Privet has fruit that encourage 3. The land includes, or is proximate to, a introduced bird species such as the Eurasian Blackbird watercourse. and Red-whiskered Bulbul that then spread this weed further through the Special Areas. Serrated Tussock is 4. The land is an important link between existing restricted at present to a small infestation around the protected areas. Wongawilli airshaft (Sydney Catchment Authority and 5. The land is part of, or linked to, a large NPWS 2001), though it has the potential to invade remnant (> 50 ha). grassy communities at high elevations. Invasion of Grassy Box Woodlands by this weed is considered to 6. The land is well connected to an area of be a Key Threatening Process for some of the extensive continuous vegetation cover (gaps declining woodland birds. of cleared land no greater than 600 m). 7. The land supports fauna habitats that are relatively undisturbed, including the ground cover and understorey layers. 8. The areas are known to support high quality Priority Fauna Habitat (Table 2). Most Grassy Box Woodlands occur on the western edge of the Metropolitan Special Area. However, some remnants remain on private land east of Bargo and around Yerinbool, as well as at Hanging Rock on the Cordeaux River, south of Wilton. Much of this Grassy Box Woodland is also part of the Bargo Linkage, and is habitat for the Koala population in the Avon/Upper Nepean. Any sites in the above areas that are relatively ecologically intact fulfil multiple criteria above and would be the highest priorities for addition to the reserve system. African Lovegrass. © H. Jessup Most Upland Swamps on the Woronora Plateau fall within Sydney Catchment Authority freehold or DECC Generally, Upland Swamps have relatively few issues lands. However, in the O’Hares Creek catchment there with invasive weeds due the dense native vegetation are a number of sites within the Maddens Plain area and waterlogged soils. However, some species, such that remain as private land. These areas are of high as Pampas and Whisky Grasses have made priority for addition to the reserve system or for off-park incursions in disturbed situations, particularly around conservation agreements. Maddens Plains. Due to the number of threatened and The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 25 conservation priority fauna that occur in this habitat, 6.7 Preventing Further Disturbance any weeds that invade Upland Swamps are high priorities for control. Preventing further disturbance to an environment is an important way of managing land for the conservation of biodiversity. This may take many forms. For example, preventing or mitigating threatening actions resulting in damage such as that caused by illegal access of the Special Areas for trail bike riding and horse riding; overgrazing and erosion caused by stock; land clearance; removal of dead wood and trees (including firewood collection); erosion caused by track formation; rubbish dumping and other pollution; bushrock collection; and sub-surface mining. All of these potential disturbances are widespread and difficult and expensive to control. Maximum benefits for biodiversity will be achieved if resources for these preventative activities are directed toward Priority Fauna Habitats and sites of priority fauna populations. In the Special Areas of the Woronora Plateau, it is most important to direct resources towards the Upland A track that has been deliberately closed in Metropolitan Swamps and Grassy Box Woodlands. In particular, the Special Area using felled trees and rocks. Closing Grassy Box Woodlands, being adjacent to populated unnecessary trails impedes incursions of Foxes and Wild areas west of the Metropolitan Special Area, suffer Dogs (and unauthorised vehicular access) through otherwise particularly from illegal access (for recreation and thick vegetation. © DECC firewood collection) and rubbish dumping. Being part of the Bargo Linkage, and habitat for the Avon/Upper Alluvial Forests and Woodlands and Grassy Box Nepean Koala population, as well as being a Priority Woodlands are much more likely to require weed Fauna Habitat make these woodland areas an control and restoration and reconstruction. These important focus for preventative action. environments have been heavily cleared and fragmented in the past. Both of these Priority Fauna Horse riding within forested areas around Darkes Habitats are susceptible to invasion by exotic perennial Forest is another important threat, requiring control or grasses, a Key Threatening Process that will affect a amelioration of impacts. In particular, damage to number of woodland birds, such as the Diamond Upland Swamps needs to be avoided. Horses have the Firetail. potential to cause severe erosion that can result in the draining of Upland Swamps and the destruction of the Sites in the west of the Metropolitan Special Area are entire ecosystem. Horses may also introduce weed the highest priority for rehabilitation and restoration, species into these areas and impact on water quality being Priority Fauna Habitat, part of the Bargo Linkage by destabilising creek banks and increasing and habitat for the Avon/Upper Nepean Koala sedimentation. population. Additionally, areas on the northwestern fringe of O’Hares Creek Special Area are also important for rehabilitation and restoration as these areas form habitat for the Campbelltown Koala population. Any reconstruction undertaken by the Sydney Catchment Authority, DECC or landholders is probably best directed toward linking existing Alluvial Forests and Woodlands in the Upper Nepean. Potential sites would include Doodles Folly and Chain of Ponds Creeks. Reconstruction along creeklines will have multiple benefits, including linking existing habitat, increasing the area of the most depleted Priority Fauna Habitat in the Special Areas, and improving water quality. Other important areas for reconstruction and rehabilitation are the seismic survey and exploration corridors that occur throughout the Special Areas North Cliff Colliery surrounded by the Special Areas. Coal mining (Sydney Catchment Authority and NPWS 2001). These presents a particular challenge for preventing further disturbance corridors allow for the ready dispersal and movement to the catchments. © J. Edney of pest species such as Foxes, while also present a 6.8 Fire Management and Fauna significant barrier for smaller fauna species. The interruption to water flow can also be problematic for The impact of wildfire and controlled burning on native species such as the Red-crowned Toadlet. For all and introduced fauna remains poorly understood. Post- these reasons, these corridors, and any unnecessary fire monitoring in the Special Areas of the Woronora trails, are a high priority for closure, rehabilitation and Plateau compares fauna in long unburnt vegetation to restoration. that following extensive and severe wildfire. This project is due to be finalised in 2008 and will provide useful insight into the management of fauna in the post
26 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas fire environment. Even more poorly understood is the When only small areas are left unburnt after impact of frequent fire on fauna, though this has been widespread and intense wildfire, these should implicated in the decline of a number of species on the remain in an unburnt state for as long as possible Woronora Plateau such as the Eastern Bristlebird and (greater than four years) in order to provide source Ground Parrot. populations for the recolonisation of burnt areas, and to augment food resources and habitat in burnt areas. Important refugia after the 2001 fires are: 1) Cataract Catchment between the two arms of the reservoir, and around Lodden Falls. This is the only significant area of unburnt Upland Swamp, Sandstone Woodland and Tall Open Forest in the northern part of the Plateau. 2) Grassy Woodland north of Avon Dam Road. This is the only significant area of Koala habitat within the catchments that did not burn. 6.9 Priority Fauna Habitats and Sites for Fire Management Detailed fire management, like most conservation actions, is only tenable when directed to sites or habitats of the highest conservation importance. In the The Woronora Special Area after the 2001 fires. Wildfire in Woronora Plateau Special Areas there are three this environment is often severe and widespread. © D. Priority Fauna Habitats, though only one is of particular Connolly concern when it comes to the management of fire – Upland Swamps. Many species from this habitat are General recommendations for fire management for the thought to have declined due to overly frequent fire conservation of biodiversity within the Metropolitan, (see Volume 1). The other two Priority Habitats, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas are based Grassy Box Woodlands and Alluvial Forests and on preliminary findings from the post-fire study on the Woodlands are open and mostly occur as patches in a Woronora Plateau (DEC 2004; DECC in prep.). In this partially cleared landscape. Therefore, burns are rarely area, research has found that the impact on fauna is widespread or at hot temperatures and they are not a dependent on fire intensity, with high intensity fires priority for fire management for fauna. impacting more severely on fauna assemblages than low or moderate intensity fires. Groups that appeared 6.9.1 Upland Swamps and Fire to be particularly susceptible to high intensity fire were The Woronora, O’Hares Creek and Metropolitan the arboreal mammals, shrub-frequenting birds and Special Areas include the largest and most significant litter-dwelling skinks. For some species, recovery is areas of Upland Swamps in the Region. There have very slow, with little increase in numbers three years already been species extinctions and declines from after the fires. The study on the Woronora Plateau Upland Swamps that have been linked to fire. Two bird highlights the importance of unburnt refugia in the species, the Eastern Bristlebird and the Ground Parrot recolonisation of burnt areas. Unburnt refugia appear have previously been known to occur in these habitats to remain important for many years after the fire as a but have not been seen for over 20 and 40 years population source for recolonisation and for respectively. Furthermore, the Long-nosed Potoroo, a augmenting the food and habitat of individuals species often seen around the Upland Swamps of occupying resource-poor burnt areas. This is evident Barren Grounds Nature Reserve less than 20 km south from the fact that even after four years, some severely of the Special Areas, has also disappeared from this burnt areas have not been recolonised by species environment. The Eastern Pygmy-possum, Southern found there before the fires. Maintaining unburnt refugia is particularly important after hot and extensive wildfire. When few unburnt refugia remain, maintaining these in an unburnt state for many years is particularly important. Recommendations for general Fire Management within the Special Areas include: Fire management should aim for a mosaic of fire regimes in order to maintain a diversity of fauna habitats. Mosaic burning should aim to retain examples of all key fauna habitats in a region in a long unburnt state; for example Tall Open Forests, Sandstone Woodlands, Heaths and Upland Swamps. Fire management should recognise the crucial role that unburnt refugia have in the recolonisation of burnt landscapes, particularly after widespread Unburnt Upland Swamp near Lodden Falls flowering profusely and intense wildfire. in 2002. This area is acting as a refuge for fauna to recolonise burnt areas. © K. Madden/DECC
The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 27 Emu-wren and Beautiful Firetail are additional species backburn with no canopy scorch is preferable to a from Upland Swamps that may be threatened by fire. high intensity wildfire. On the Woronora Plateau, it is unknown exactly why species from Upland Swamps are particularly In the initial years (minimum of four years) susceptible to inappropriate fire regimes. It is certain following a high-intensity wildfire, unburnt parts of that the patchy distribution of Upland Swamps makes the core Koala habitat should be left unburnt (i.e. recolonisation difficult in the event of local extinction. not subjected to fuel-reduction burning), However, widespread fires would have occurred in the particularly if the unburnt area is small. Region prior to European settlement (see Volume 1). Fuel reduction burning should be conducted It is likely that there has been a synergistic effect of fire outside of the spring/summer period when Koalas (particularly inappropriate fire regimes) and the are breeding Additionally, burns outside this introduction of feral predators. It is also likely that the period are more likely to result in reduced intensity diverse assemblage of ground-dwelling species found burns. in Upland Swamps are particularly vulnerable to predation by Feral Cats and Foxes once habitat has Introduced predator control (especially for Foxes) been opened up by fire. In the years following a fire, should be undertaken in the initial years following the density and diversity of native species present is fires, as this is the time when Koalas spend the low and there is limited cover for protection against most time on the ground travelling between feral predators. It would be relatively easy for local feeding areas. extinctions to occur during this period since recolonisation is difficult due to the patchy nature of the swamp system and the fact that some of the fauna restricted to this Priority Habitat have limited dispersal abilities. Fire management of Upland Swamps on Woronora Plateau should: Always aim to leave some of this distinctive and important habitat in an unburnt state, with a plan to create a mosaic of fire histories within the Upland Swamp habitat, not just the general area. Allow at least four years between fires, though it is important that some parts of the Upland Swamp mosaic remain unburnt for much longer (Baker 2000).
6.9.2 Priority Fauna Populations and Fire: Koala Fire management is of great importance when dealing with populations of rare species, as local extinction due to fire would be catastrophic. Of particular interest in the Special Areas of the Woronora Plateau is the Koala population in the Avon/Upper Nepean catchments and on the northwestern fringe of the O’Hares Creek Special Area. Although Koalas are found throughout the Special Koalas were using this severely burnt forest two years after Areas, high quality habitat that is densely occupied by the 2001 fires. This fire burnt the canopy of trees over than 30 breeding females is restricted to the forests and m tall. It is likely that Koalas have recolonised from unburnt forest many kilometres away. © DECC woodlands on higher fertility soils (see Volume 2). A severe fire that burnt all high quality habitat would 6.10 Research and Monitoring severely jeopardise the colony by impacting on the core of the breeding population. Fortunately, in 2001, A core conservation action is research and monitoring. the wildfire that burnt the Metropolitan Special Area left Future research and monitoring in the Metropolitan, a significant proportion of the high quality Koala habitat O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas should be unburnt. This allowed Koalas to quickly expand directed toward: a) high priority fauna species, as outwards from this area and recolonise the heavily identified in this project; b) Priority Fauna Habitats: burnt landscape. Several years later, the Koala Upland Swamps, Grassy Box Woodlands and Alluvial population of Avon/Upper Nepean appears unaffected, Forests and Woodlands and c) Priority Fauna or even larger than it was before the 2001 fires. It is Populations. There are already research and highly likely that the situation would be very different monitoring projects in place studying vegetation and had the 2001 fires burnt the entire colony. fire in the Upland Swamps, coordinated by David Keith (DECC) and a long-term monitoring project following Specific recommendations regarding fire and the Koala the post-fire fauna recovery (DEC 2004; DECC in population in the Avon/Upper Nepean are: prep.). During a wildfire, it is critical to try to ensure a Some further suggested programs for research and proportion of core Koala habitat is left unburnt. monitoring within the Woronora, O’Hares Creek and Backburning should be avoided through high Metropolitan Special Areas are given later in this quality Koala habitat, although a low intensity document (Section 8).
28 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 6.11 Recovery Planning Actions within the Retaining dead and hollow-bearing trees, even in Woronora Plateau Special Areas semi-cleared country and small remnants on private land. There are a number of Recovery Plans for threatened fauna that are relevant to the Woronora, O’Hares Validation or refinement of the existing owl models Creek and Metropolitan Special Areas. using ongoing survey within the Special Areas, particularly for the Masked Owl. 6.11.1 Large Forest Owls The primary threat to the Large Forest Owls across their range is loss of habitat and nesting resources. In addition, the draft Recovery Plan (DEC 2005a) for the Large Forest Owls suggests that fire may negatively affect habitat and prey densities for the Powerful and Sooty Owl, both of which have high quality habitat within the Woronora, O’Hares Creek and Metropolitan Special Areas (see Volume 2). The Powerful Owl has been found to be widespread throughout the Region. It is in higher abundance than previously thought, particularly in the southern sections of the Metropolitan Special Area. Therefore, the loss of individual territories or nesting resources and prey is unlikely to be catastrophic for the regional viability of this species. The Sooty Owl is regionally uncommon as suitable habitat is sparsely distributed. However, this species is regularly found in the moister forests of Metropolitan Special Area, particularly in the deeper gorges in the south west of the Upper Nepean catchment. As this species occupies mesic habitats situated in sheltered gullies that are naturally protected from fire, no specific recommendations or planning are required regarding fire management. Powerful Owls are common and secure in the Special Areas The third large forest owl, the Masked Owl, is rare in and do not require dedicated recovery planning actions. the Region. Suitable habitat is predicted along the © M. Schulz western fringe of the Special Areas in the shale- enriched forests and woodlands, and in the Tall Open Forest around Upper Cordeaux. Masked Owls have 6.11.2 Koala been recorded sporadically in this area, with most The Draft Recovery Plan for the Koala (NPWS 2003b) records collected in 2002; one year after an extensive is the most relevant Recovery Plan for the Woronora wildfire burnt large parts of all three Special Areas. In Plateau Special Areas, particularly the Metropolitan that year, Masked Owls were recorded from small Special Area. This plan states that populations areas of remnant unburnt vegetation. It is possible that remaining on the ranges of the Sydney Basin mostly the fire or drought had concentrated Masked Owl into occupy second class habitat. Habitat within the these unburnt patches or driven them to the coast from O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas fits this further inland. generalisation. however there is high quality (core) habitat around Avon/Upper Nepean and along the One of the core objectives of the Recovery Plan is to western edge of the Metropolitan Special Area. Most model and map owl habitat, validate the modelling with recovery actions are best directed toward the colony surveys, and to undertake a regional assessment of that is centred on this habitat. owl populations. This project has partially fulfilled these objectives for the Woronora Plateau Special Areas Within the Metropolitan Special Area, the key threats finding the Sooty and Powerful Owls to be relatively are road mortalities and high intensity fire (particularly common and secure (Volume 2). if there is no unburnt refuge area). Future threats might include inbreeding depression caused by isolation (if There are no targeted recovery planning actions the Bargo Linkage continues to be degraded), attack required for the long-term survival of the Large Forest by domestic and Feral Dogs (should numbers of dogs Owls in the Woronora, O’Hares Creek and in the Metropolitan Special Area increase). Loss of Metropolitan Special Areas. However, general high-quality Koala habitat outside of the Special Areas management for these species should include: also has the potential to significantly impact on the Retaining a vegetated link between the Woronora population within the catchments. A lesser threat is Plateau and the Nattai Plateau – the Bargo infection by Chlamydia, which at present is thought to Linkage (Map 5). This will allow for seasonal or only afflict old and unwell animals in this population. occasional movements between these areas and For more information on Koalas across the Greater mixing of populations from the two plateaux. Southern Sydney Region (see Volume 2). Avoiding high intensity canopy fires that impact on This project has partially fulfilled several recovery preferred prey populations actions identified in the plan. Particularly Action One: Minimising the loss of native vegetation within the Identification of habitat important for Koala Special Areas, particularly that modelled as high conservation. A map of Koala habitat across the quality habitat for any of the three species. Greater Southern Sydney Region is given in Volume
The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 29 2. This identifies habitat in the Avon/Upper Nepean as potential problems such as Dog attack or very important at a regional scale. The model has been Chlamydia. classed as being of excellent quality, and is based on The use of mosaic patterns in fuel reduction the prevalence of known feed trees, with a slight burns. Such burns should be carried out outside preference for low to mid elevations and higher canopy the spring/summer period when Koalas are cover. In the Metropolitan Special Area this tends to be breeding. Burns should avoid crown scorch and where Grey Gum is in abundance or where Forest Red crown burns. or Ribbon Gums occur. This habitat model identifies core areas for Koala conservation (Specific Objective Preferred feed trees should not be cleared in the 1a) and rehabilitation (Specific Objective 2a). It also construction of fire breaks and fire trails or in mop- aids in the identification of ‘black spots’ on the Hume up operations. Highway, Picton Road and other roads where high The existing model could be further refined using quality habitat intersects roads, and multiple Koala independent data (that is already available). road mortalities have been recorded (Specific Fuel reduction burning should be conducted Objective 1c). This information is fundamental in outside of the spring/summer period when Koalas developing appropriate road design, mitigating one of are breeding the key threats to this population. Introduced predator control (especially for Foxes) should be undertaken in the initial years following fires, as this is the time when Koalas spend the most time on the ground travelling between feeding areas. Mopping up after wild fires and control burns should be conducted as quickly as possible in high quality habitat to minimise the incidence of burns to Koalas that survived the initial fire. Incorporate relevant actions from the Koala Management Plan for the Campbelltown population. All of these recovery planning actions are most relevant to the high density breeding population in Avon/Upper Nepean. However, minimising the loss of all high quality habitat is important across all the Special Areas.
6.11.3 Regent Honeyeater and Swift Parrot There is no high quality habitat predicted for the Regent Honeyeater or Swift Parrot within the Special Areas (Volume 2). For both species there are only A Koala showing signs of Chlamydia – weeping eyes and single records: an old sighting in the western part of a wet rump. Koala deaths should be documented so the the O’Hares Creek Special Area for the former species threats to the Avon/Upper Nepean population can be and a recent record on the western edge of the accurately assessed. © DECC Metropolitan Special Area for the latter. It is likely these Suggested recovery planning actions for the Koala in birds visit this area en-route to more favourable the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora habitat. Therefore, there are no recovery actions Special Areas, include: specific to the Regent Honeyeater (as outlined in the Recovery Plan; Menkhorst et al. 1999) or Swift Parrot Minimising the loss of native vegetation within the (as outlined in the Recovery Plan; Swift Parrot Special Areas, particularly that modelled as high Recovery Team 2001) to be implemented at present. It quality habitat (see Volume 2). is important to note that further monitoring of shale Retention of a link between the Avon/Upper transition forests in the west of the Special Areas may Nepean colony and the Campbelltown and Nattai find they are used more regularly than currently colonies (the Cumberland Koala Linkage – thought. Volume 1). Retention of a vegetated link between the 6.11.4 Unconfirmed or Potentially Extinct Species Woronora Plateau and the Nattai Plateau (and the Recovery Plans are available for a number of species Warragamba Special Area) – the Bargo Linkage. that are either unconfirmed or possibly extinct within Identifying Koala road mortality ‘black spots’ using the Woronora Plateau Special Areas. These species the habitat model and sightings data. are the Green and Golden Bell Frog (DEC2005b), Yellow-bellied Glider (NPWS 2003d), Southern Brown At ‘black spots’, ameliorative measures need to be Bandicoot (DEC 2005c), Bush Stone-curlew (NPWS undertaken such as the installation of exclusion 2003e) and Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby (NPWS 2002c). fencing, such as floppy-top fencing, which has Unless the presence of any of these species is been shown to be effective elsewhere (NPWS confirmed, no actions described in the Recovery Plans 2003b). are relevant to management in the Woronora Plateau Koala sightings, particularly of sick, dead or Special Areas. injured animals, should be documented and submitted to the Atlas of NSW Wildlife. This will refine the threat assessment, and monitor 30 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 7 Pest Species Management
7.1 Species Inventory There is a minimum of 19 introduced terrestrial vegetation is unsuitable or there are inadequate vertebrates confirmed to occur within the Woronora feeding and nesting sites to support these species or Plateau Special Areas (Table 3). This is approximately that aggressive native birds such as honeyeaters half the introduced terrestrial vertebrate fauna species exclude these species. Regardless, they are generally recorded for the Greater Southern Sydney Region. of little conservation concern in sandstone woodland, Some species are considered to be pests, while others Upland Swamp or undisturbed rainforest and moist have a negligible impact on biodiversity, water quality forest. An exception to this is the Eurasian Blackbird. or economic activities. Further information on This species has been recorded well away from human introduced fauna in Region is given in Volumes 1 – habitation and seems to have the ability to survive in Background Report and 2 – Species of undisturbed native vegetation, particularly mesic forest. Conservation Concern and Priority Pest Species along with maps of predicted distribution. There are nine introduced mammal species known from the Special Areas (Table 3). In addition to these, The majority of introduced species in the Special Areas domestic species such as Horses, Goats, Sheep and of the Woronora Plateau are birds, many of which were Cattle occur adjacent to Darkes Forest and in the introduced within the last 100 to 150 years and are still south of the Metropolitan Special Area. Overall, the increasing their range (Volume 1). Nevertheless, the Metropolitan Special Area has a higher proportion of sandstone environments that dominate the Woronora introduced species, and far more records than the Plateau provide little suitable habitat for these other two Special Areas. This result is in large part due introduced birds. Sightings are mostly from cleared to its greater size, though the extent of cleared land is areas in the south and west of the Metropolitan Special also a significant factor. Many of these introduced Area and around Darkes Forest. For instance, species species tend to be more abundant in disturbed such as the House Sparrow, Domestic Pigeon and vegetation, around human habitation or in cleared Common Myna do not appear capable of establishing areas rather than in extensive native bushland, such viable populations within undisturbed sandstone as sandstone vegetation. vegetation in the Region. It is possible that the shrubby Table 3. Records of introduced terrestrial vertebrates in the Woronora, O’Hares Creek and Metropolitan Special Areas.
Common Name Scientific Name Confirmation Status Metropolitan O'Hares Creek Woronora Total Introduced Birds Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Confirmed 10 0 0 10 Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Unconfirmed 1 0 0 1 Domestic Pigeon Columba livia Confirmed 15 25 0 40 Spotted Turtle-Dove Streptopelia chinensis Confirmed 22 24 0 46 Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus Confirmed 28 27 1 56 Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula Confirmed 4 1 0 5 Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis Unconfirmed 1 0 0 1 House Sparrow Passer domesticus Confirmed 37 31 0 68 European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Confirmed 23 2 0 25 European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris Unconfirmed 1 0 0 1 Common Myna Acridotheres tristis Confirmed 35 29 1 65 Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris Confirmed 40 28 0 68 Introduced Mammals Brown Hare Lepus capensis Confirmed 0 1 0 1 Black Rat Rattus rattus Confirmed 11 0 1 12 House Mouse Mus musculus Confirmed 0 0 1 1 Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus Confirmed 19 3 8 30 Feral Pig Sus scrofa Confirmed 3 0 0 3 Feral Goat Capra hircus Confirmed 3 0 0 3 Rusa Deer Cervus timorensis Confirmed 22 14 3 40 Wild Dog (incl. Dingo) Canis lupus Confirmed 83 6 7 67 Fox Vulpes vulpes Confirmed 169 9 20 198 Feral Cat Felis catus Confirmed 19 3 0 22
The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 31 The most commonly recorded introduced mammal is the Fox. While Foxes are readily detected due to their habit of depositing scats on fire trails, this is probably a true reflection of their high abundance on the Plateau. In some areas, the frequency of Fox detection is of serious concern, such as in some Upland Swamps. In contrast, Feral Cats are probably more common than the small number of records suggest due to their habitat of covering faeces and being generally shy and difficult to locate when spotlighting. Feral Goats and Feral Pigs were recorded occasionally, with a small population of Feral Goats present around the start of Fire Trail 15A in the Metropolitan Special Area and another just outside of the Woronora Special Area near Helensburgh. Feral Pigs are sparsely distributed, occasionally occurring on the western boundaries of the Special Area. The Long-nosed Bandicoot was a favoured prey item of Foxes in the Special Areas of the Woronora Plateau. © N. Williams Rusa Deer are being sighted with increasing regularity in the Woronora Special Areas, mostly from the moister environments in the Metropolitan Special Area Bandicoot was found in 13% of scats, a result that and around Madden’s Creek in the O’Hares Creek appears disproportionately high compared to how Special Area. frequently they were detected by other survey techniques. Such a disparity may be related to the 7.2 Feral Predator Diets difficulty of locating this patchily distributed species Volume 1 presented an analysis of the diets of Foxes using conventional survey techniques. It may also and Feral Dogs/Dingoes from the Greater Southern reflect that the Long-nosed Bandicoot is in a size range Sydney Region including the Woronora Plateau. This that is particularly targeted by the Fox, most other analysis firstly compared diet Region-wide, and then mammals in this range already extirpated from the between the different landscapes of the Region. For Special Areas (ie. the bettongs and Long-nosed the analysis the Woronora Plateau included the three Potoroo). Special Areas, as well as the rest of the plateau from Both Feral Dogs/Dingoes and Foxes consumed few the southern Nepean catchment north to Royal NP and Rabbits on the Woronora Plateau compared to the Holsworthy Military Area. elsewhere in the Region. This probably reflects the Across the Greater Southern Sydney Region, Foxes lack of suitable habitat for Rabbits in sandstone were found to consume a greater range of prey than environments. This has implications for the Wild Dogs (Feral Dogs/Dingoes). In particular, a far management of these species. For example, outside greater proportion of the diet of Foxes comprised the cleared environments around Darkes Forest and small- and medium-sized mammals, birds, reptiles and southern Metropolitan Special Area, coordinated Fox insects. Diet was found to vary widely from one and Rabbit control is not an imperative. landscape to another, reflecting prey availability. The high diversity of species consumed by Foxes on On the Woronora Plateau, a number of unusual the Woronora Plateau compared to elsewhere in the species were recorded in predator (mostly Fox) scats. Greater Southern Sydney Region means that they are These included the Eastern Pygmy-possum, a high priority for control. For the conservation of Feathertail Glider, Dusky Antechinus, Long-nosed native fauna diversity in these Special Areas, Foxes Bandicoot and Swamp Rat. These species were never are a higher priority for control than Feral recorded in scats from elsewhere in the Region. This Dogs/Dingoes. indicates that the Woronora Plateau sustains ground- 7.3 Priority Pest Species dwelling mammal fauna not common elsewhere. Pest species control within the Metropolitan, O’Hares Feral Dogs/Dingoes on the Woronora Plateau ate Creek and Woronora Special Areas is a complicated mostly large prey species, particularly the ubiquitous issue. There are overlapping priorities, including the Swamp Wallaby, and this is similar to elsewhere in the maintenance of water quality. Also important is the Region. The remains of Rusa Deer were also found in maintenance of biodiversity, the protection of Feral Dog/Dingo scats along with Brushtail Possums, threatened species and the needs of private Rabbits and Long-nosed Bandicoot. landholders. Here, the management of pests will be Results from the scat analysis indicate that Foxes considered primarily with regards to impacts on target a far greater number of species than Feral biodiversity and threatened species. Priorities for the Dogs/Dingoes. Most vulnerable to predation by the Fox control of vertebrate and invertebrate pests may be set are the ground–dwelling mammals (e.g. Brown in two ways. Firstly, introduced species may be ranked Antechinus, Long-nosed Bandicoot, Bush and Swamp as to their impact on biodiversity or threatened species Rats and Dusky Antechinus) and possums and gliders and priorities established. Secondly, priority sites or (e.g. Common Ringtail Possum, Common and habitats can be selected where control of pests will Mountain Brushtail Possums and Greater Glider). On achieve the maximum benefit for biodiversity. the Woronora Plateau, the Swamp Wallaby comprised Of the introduced terrestrial vertebrates known to occur a significant component of the Fox diet. This high in the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora predation rate is a reflection of the abundance of this Special Areas, just over half are considered to be of wallaby on the Plateau. Interestingly, the Long-nosed serious concern for the protection of biodiversity in
32 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas these areas. Some of these present a current threat, in coordination with survey or monitoring of Spotted- while others have the potential to expand their tailed Quoll numbers. populations and become serious pests in the future. These species have been ranked in Table 4 and each Foxes are a higher priority for control on the Woronora is examined separately in the following sections of this Plateau than any other location in the Greater report. Southern Sydney Region. This is due to the diverse Upland Swamp fauna assemblage that appears Table 4: Priority terrestrial vertebrate pest species in the particularly susceptible to Fox predation; the number of Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora regionally important species that are consumed by Special Areas, showing introduced species that Foxes in this area; and because of the number of are currently recognised as significant threat to species that have already disappeared from this area biodiversity, and species that are expanding due, in part at least, to Fox predation. their range and have the potential to be significant pests in the future. Within this landscape, high priority sites for the control of Foxes are: Upland Swamps, such as Maddens Fox Plains and Stockyard Swamp; and areas Rusa Deer encompassing the Avon/Upper Nepean and Feral Cat Campbelltown Koala populations. Upland Swamps are Priority Pest Species not considered to be regularly used by the Spotted- Wild Dog (not including Dingo) tailed Quoll (Volume 2). For this reason, 1080 baiting Rabbit is recommended as a secondary method of control within Upland Swamps, due to the possibility of the Feral Pig Spotted-tailed Quoll being present. The primary Feral Goat recommended method is shooting, wherever feasible. Potential Future Pests Other Deer species Eurasian Blackbird
7.3.1 Foxes Foxes are listed as a Key Threatening Process under the TSC Act (1995) and EPBC Act (1999) and are also listed as a pest species under the RLP Act (1998) (NSW Scientific Committee 1998). They are known to impact on a range of native species by either preying on them or competing with them for food and other resources. In particular, small- and medium-sized mammals (such as the Koala and Eastern Pygmy- possum), ground-frequenting birds, small reptiles and freshwater turtles are impacted (Dickman 1996; NPWS 2001a). Field surveys have shown that Foxes are very common across a wide range of habitats in the Special An unburnt portion of the Cataract Catchment (that includes Areas, especially around the heaths and Upland Bellambi Creek, above) is a high priority for the control of Swamps (Appendix A). The majority of Foxes were Foxes, though baiting is undesirable due to the presence of recorded during night time survey work or from scats the Spotted-tailed Quoll, a species that is nearly extinct on the Plateau. © DECC deposited on tracks. Another important action for the control of Foxes, Foxes are likely to have been partially responsible for particularly within Upland Swamps, is the closure and the severe decline of a number of species in the rehabilitation of unnecessary tracks. Foxes use tracks Special Areas of the Woronora Plateau, including the and trails to hunt in dense vegetation that would Eastern Bristlebird, Ground Parrot, Long-nosed otherwise be inaccessible. Such an action needs to Potoroo, Parma Wallaby and the Southern Brown include post-fire rehabilitation of mechanical control Bandicoot. They also present an ongoing threat to lines as soon as possible after wild fires have been other mammals such as the Greater and Squirrel extinguished to avoid usage of these lines by Gliders, Eastern Pygmy-possum, Spotted-tailed Quoll introduced predators. The closure of these lines will and ground or shrub-frequenting birds such as the also assist in avoiding the spread of weeds. Beautiful Firetail and Southern Emu-wren. Control of Foxes is most important in the first few years A complicating factor in relation to Fox control is the following fire when the ground layer is open providing presence of the Spotted-tailed Quoll in the Special little refuge for ground-dwelling mammals and birds. It Areas. One individual was recently recorded near the is at this time that native fauna populations are at their Bellambi Creek crossing in the Metropolitan Special lowest densities and most vulnerable to local Area. This area was not burnt in the 2001 fires, and is extinction. an important unburnt refuge for a number of species, including a small and isolated population of Greater In addition to the above, any rediscovered populations Gliders (DEC 2004). Both the Spotted-tailed Quoll and of the Ground Parrot, Eastern Bristlebird, Long-nosed Greater Glider are threatened by the Fox in this area, Potoroo, Bush Stone-curlew, Brush-tailed Rock- though the former species may also succumb to wallaby, Parma Wallaby and Southern Brown poisoning by 1080 baiting for Foxes (Belcher 2004; Bandicoot would be the highest priorities for the control Murray and Poore 2004). It is recommended that of Foxes. control measures other than baiting, such as shooting, be implemented in this area for this reason, potentially The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 33 7.3.2 Rusa Deer Rusa Deer also pose an ongoing threat to motorists Rusa Deer are already a significant problem along the travelling along the F6 Freeway and the Appin and Illawarra Escarpment and within Royal NP. Recent Picton Roads, where serious accidents and fatalities DECC surveys have confirmed that this species also have already resulted from encounters with deer. As occupies a variety of habitats within the Special Areas. Rusa Deer numbers increase in this area traffic They have been observed foraging within Tall Open accidents involving in this species are expected to Forests, Moist Forests and Rainforests along the become more frequent. headwaters of the Cataract, Cordeaux, Avon and O’Hares Creek catchments. They are found in high numbers in the cleared land around Upper Cordeaux and Darkes Forest. In recognition of their impact on threatened species Feral Deer have been listed as a Key Threatening Process under the TSC Act (1995) (NSW Scientific Committee 2004c). The most important impacts of this species are considered to be herbivory and environmental degradation. For example, Rusa Deer are thought to be impacting the endangered population of Black Cypress Pine within the O’Hares Creek catchment through grazing (NSW Scientific Committee 2004c; H. Jessup, DECC, pers. comm.). Following the 2001 wildfires, Rusa Deer targeted regrowth, thereby potentially impacting on the juvenile recruitment of some flora species. The impact of this selective Trampling by Rusa Deer of a creek leading into the Upper grazing on fauna assemblages is unknown. Two Cordeaux reservoir. © DECC species that are considered to be most vulnerable are the Long-nosed Potoroo and the Southern Brown Given the above issues, the sensitivity of Upland Bandicoot, both of which may still occur in the Special Swamp and the potential for this species to impact on Areas of the Woronora Plateau. Trampling by Rusa water quality, Rusa Deer require close monitoring and Deer has been observed in Upland Swamps near cross agency liaison on control strategies. Priority sites Maddens Plains, a priority fauna habitat for the Region. for control would include Maddens Creek, Maddens While the extent that Rusa Deer will use Upland Plains, Lake Cordeaux/Upper Cordeaux and Flying Swamps is not clear, trampling of this sensitive Fox Gully where large groups have also been environment has the potential to cause erosion and observed. adversely impact on water quality. Such impacts may affect species of conservation concern including the 7.3.3 Feral Cats Ground Parrot, Red-crowned Toadlet, Giant Burrowing Predation by Feral Cats is listed as Key Threatening Frog, Littlejohn’s Tree Frog, Beautiful Firetail and Process under the TSC Act (1995) (NSW Scientific Southern Emu-wren. Committee 2000a), and under the EPBC Act (1999). Control of Rusa Deer is an extremely high priority for Additionally, this species has been listed by the World the Special Areas of the Woronora Plateau, particularly Conservation Union as among 100 of the ‘World’s Metropolitan and O’Hares Creek. Habitat modelling Worst Invaders’ (IUCN 2005). Predation by the Feral suggests that this species has the potential to continue Cat has been implicated in the extinction and decline to expand through the Special Areas; reaching very of many species of mammals and birds on islands high densities in the moist forests in the east of the around Australia, and in New South Wales has been catchments (see Volume 2). The epicentre of the linked to the disappearance of thirteen species of population in the Special Areas appears to be around mammal and four species of birds (NSW Scientific Upper Cordeaux #2 reservoir and the upper reaches of Committee 2000a). Lake Cordeaux. In the Special Areas of the Woronora Plateau, the impact of Feral Cats remains poorly understood. Feral Cats are cryptic and rarely detected during surveys. Additionally, the proximity of the urban areas of Wollongong, Helensburgh, Robertson and Campbelltown increase the likelihood of wide-ranging domestic Cats or dumped Cats occurring in or adjacent to the Special Areas. However, like most introduced species, Feral Cats are expected to be more common in disturbed environments, such as in the disturbed grazing land around Upper Cordeaux or where infrastructure is present within the Special Areas. For example, a Feral Cat was observed for several consecutive years along the eastern gas pipeline where it bisects an Upland Swamp. This Priority Habitat is ordinarily extremely dense and impenetrable to predators. This example reiterates the importance of avoiding siting tracks and trails within Upland Swamps, A herd of Rusa Deer on the edges of Lake Cordeaux. Rusa wherever possible. Deer are an emerging problem that could greatly impact on the biodiversity of the Special Areas © DECC 34 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas The control of Feral Cats is most important in the first size or overly frequent fire. As Dingoes are a natural few years following fire when the ground layer is open part of the ecosystem, control is not considered providing little refuge for ground-dwelling mammals, necessary or desirable (for the conservation of birds and reptiles. It is at this same time that native biodiversity) in any of the Special Areas, including fauna populations are at their lowest densities and those of the Woronora Plateau. most vulnerable to local extinction. Wild Dogs (including Dingoes) have been declared a It is likely that Feral Cats have already had substantial pest species throughout NSW under the RLP Act impacts on small and medium-sized mammals and (1998). Although they are not listed as a Key ground-frequenting birds, including species such as Threatening Process they are known to impact on a the Spotted-tailed Quoll, Ground Parrot and Eastern number of threatened mammal and bird species. Wild Bristlebird. Control of this predator is very difficult, and Dogs are also responsible for livestock losses, which at present there are no particular sites that require may be considerable in some areas. It has also been immediate attention. Should any populations of the suggested, and increasingly proven, that Dingoes (and Ground Parrot, Eastern Bristlebird, Long-nosed all Wild Dogs) regulate populations of their prey Potoroo, Bush Stone-curlew, Brush-tailed Rock- species, such as Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Rabbit, wallaby, Parma Wallaby, Southern Brown Bandicoot or Feral Pig, Feral Deer species and Foxes (see other endangered small- or medium-sized mammals or Volumes 1 and 2 for more detail). ground-frequenting birds be rediscovered in the these Special Areas, control of Feral Cats will be paramount. Feral Dogs or Dingoes are present within all three Woronora Plateau Special Areas. Common detection techniques present a challenge for estimating 7.3.4 Wild Dogs (Feral Dogs/Dingoes) densities. Despite the large survey effort, Wild Dogs Until recently, Dingoes were not thought to continue to were seen or heard extremely rarely. This result was exist within the Special Areas of the Woronora Plateau surprising given the proximity of human settlement at (D. Ashton pers. comm.) with the last populations Darkes Forest, Robertson, Helensburgh, Wollongong, disappearing in the 1940s (Robinson 1988). However, Mittagong, Appin and Campbelltown. Over 90% of Wild there are recent reports of sightings and characteristic Dog records on the Woronora Plateau are from scats howling from within the Cataract catchment and a found on tracks and trails. sighting of an individual with characteristic Dingo markings and ear and facial morphology from near Wild Dogs on the Woronora Plateau consume fewer Cordeaux Dam. Scats collected during the current types of species than the Fox, and generally larger, project confirm that Dogs or Dingoes do continue to more common species, such as the Swamp Wallaby. live in this area, though numbers may be small. Therefore, in terms of impacts on overall biodiversity, control of Wild Dogs is less important than the control of Foxes. Nevertheless in other parts of NSW Wild Dogs are a significant problem for isolated Koala populations (NPWS 2003b). These problems are most serious when populations are small and abut urban areas. The population in the Avon/Upper Nepean does not appear to be isolated or very small and there is no evidence that predation by Feral or Domestic Dogs is a significant issue at present. However, as the human populations of Wilton, Bargo and nearby towns continue to grow, predation by Feral or Domestic Dogs may prove to be a serious problem. It is recommended that records of Feral/Domestic Dog attacks on Koalas be documented in order to monitor this potential future threat. If any control of Feral Dogs is undertaken it is best directed toward the Koala population of the Avon and Upper Nepean catchments and on the western boundary of O’Hares Creek Special Area. Control of Feral Dogs is most important in the first few years following fire when Koala populations are at their A young male Dingo from near Cordeaux Dam. Dingoes lowest and most vulnerable to local extinction. Further were once an important part of the ecosystems of the to this, closing and rehabilitating unnecessary tracks catchments © H. Jessup and trails can mitigate the impact of Feral Dogs that use trails to access vegetation that is otherwise too Dingoes may have always persisted in very small dense to easily traverse. numbers, re-established from the southern Blue Mountains where they are relatively common (with recent reports of Dingoes on the edges of the 7.3.5 Rabbits Cumberland Plain) or they may have been released. Rabbits are patchily distributed throughout the Woronora Plateau Special Areas. They principally, The fauna assemblages of the Woronora Plateau have occur around disturbed sites on deeper fertile soils that evolved with the Dingo for around 5000 years have an abundant cover of grass. Typical sites include (Savolainen et al. 2004). Therefore, this species is the cleared shale caps of Darkes Forest, the volcanic expected to have few impacts on native fauna soils of the Cordeaux Valley and the Robertson assemblages except when Dingo predation occurs in Plateau, and residual volcanic soils on Izzards Knob conjunction with other threats such as small population and Cupitt’s Forest.
The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 35 The Rabbit has been listed by the World Conservation ‘World’s Worst Invaders’ (IUCN 2005). Feral Pigs pose Union as among 100 of the ‘World’s Worst Invaders’ a significant threat to native species and ecological (IUCN 2005). Competition and grazing by this species communities through their behaviour and feeding is listed as a Key Threatening Process under the TSC habits. This species consumes a range of birds, Act (1995) (NSW Scientific Committee 2002a), while reptiles, frogs, small mammals and soil invertebrates competition and land degradation by this species is (Pavlov 1995) and competes with native fauna for food listed under the EPBC Act (1999). The Rabbit causes resources (NSW Scientific Committee 2004b). They significant land degradation by altering the structure cause extensive habitat alteration by wallowing, rooting and composition of vegetation communities, removing and foraging, including the destruction and reduced above and below ground plant biomass, preventing regeneration of plants, alteration of soil structure, plant regeneration, ring-barking of trees and shrubs increased spread of weeds, creation of drainage and digging of burrows. All of these impacts in turn channels in swamps, reduction of water quality in contribute to soil erosion. They compete for food streams and pools and spread of disease such as root- and/or shelter with some native fauna species, such as rot fungus (Phytophthora cinnamoni) (DEH 2004b). the Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby and are thought to have contributed to the extinction of several small mammals Feral Pigs have previously been reported to be a (NSW Scientific Committee 2002a). Rabbits form the localised problem near Pheasants Nest (Sydney major component of the diet of Feral Cats and Foxes in Catchment Authority and NPWS 2001) and along the many areas and can maintain populations of these Bargo River to the west of the Metropolitan Special predators at high levels. Sharp declines in Rabbit Area. It is likely that animals will continue to appear in numbers (such as those caused by disease outbreaks) the Special Areas, either as escapees, migrants or can force these introduced predators to switch to from deliberate releases. They have the potential to predominantly indigenous fauna species (Smith and become a problem in any areas highlighted as high Quin 1996). quality habitat in the map shown in Volume 2.
Notwithstanding the above impacts, Rabbits are very 7.4.2 Feral Goats uncommon through most of the Woronora Plateau Feral Goats are uncommon in the Special Areas at Special Areas since preferred habitat is highly present. This species has been sighted in the localised. There is no potential for significant Metropolitan Special Area around the cliffs of the expansion of their range and there are no populations Illawarra escarpment and on the verges of the F6 or habitats that are particularly threatened by this Freeway near Darkes Forest. Additionally, this species species. Therefore the control of Rabbits is of limited has been recorded at a number of localities along the concern in the Special Areas of the Woronora Plateau. Nepean River to the west of the Metropolitan Special The Priority Fauna Habitat that is most likely to be Area. No evidence of Feral Goats has been found by affected by the Rabbit is Grassy Box Woodlands in the the recent surveys along major sandstone precipices far west of the Metropolitan Special Area. O’Hares and gorges of the Cataract, Upper Nepean, Cordeaux Creek Shale Forest may also be impacted where it is and Avon Rivers. However, given the presence of adjacent to cleared land. If Rabbits increase to small localised populations adjacent to the problematic levels in these areas consider the Metropolitan Special Area, the Feral Goat has the introduction of calicivirus into affected areas, combined potential to invade all of these locations. with a coordinated Fox control program and if needed, a Blackberry control program. Feral Goats can have a major impact on native vegetation through soil damage and overgrazing, and 7.4 Potential Future Pests can cause significant habitat degradation by trampling, There are a number of terrestrial vertebrate species deposition of droppings and the introduction of weeds. that have the potential to become serious pests in the Feral Goats also compete with native fauna for food, future in the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek or Woronora water and shelter and have been implicated as a threat Special Areas if mitigation programs are not to the endangered Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby and the implemented. Broad-headed Snake (NSW Scientific Committee 2004a). In addition, this species can degrade 7.4.1 Feral Pigs Aboriginal heritage sites and disturb Large-eared Pied Bat roosts that occur in rock shelters or sandstone At present Feral Pigs are not a significant pest species outcrops (NPWS 2003c). While at present there is little within the Special Areas of the Woronora Plateau. activity by Feral Goats across the Special Areas, any There are only three records of this species, with no populations that come to the attention of land sightings by DECC field survey teams over the last few managers should be a priority for control. years. If they are present they are highly localised, since they do not occupy the rocky and skeletal soils of 7.4.3 Red, Fallow and Sambar Deer the sandstone plateau. Suitable habitat is restricted to deeper more fertile soils found on basalts of the Other important potential pests are deer species other Robertson Plateau, Upper Cordeaux and along the than the Rusa Deer, such as the Red, Fallow and residual shale caps between Bargo and Appin (see Sambar Deer. The first two species are known from Volume 2). the southern Blue Mountains. Sambar Deer have been sighted to the south of the Metropolitan Special Area Nevertheless, Feral Pigs have been declared a pest and have the potential to hybridise with Rusa Deer species throughout NSW under the RLP Act (1998). producing fertile offspring of large body size (C. Predation, habitat degradation, competition and Shephard pers. comm.). These species and their disease transmission by Feral Pigs is listed as a Key hybrids are the most important potential pest species Threatening Process under the TSC Act (1995) and in the Special Areas. Currently, there have been no the EPBC Act (1999). It has also been listed by the definite reports of deer other than Rusa Deer. World Conservation Union as among 100 of the However, recently there has been an unconfirmed
36 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas sighting of two Red Deer (displaying a prominent white and Jackson 1993). Predation by introduced Rainbow rump and small ears) at Flying Fox Gully in the and Brown Trout has been implicated in the decline of Metropolitan Special Area. This site also supports a several native fish species (Wager and Jackson 1993). population of Rusa Deer. Additionally, this species has been recorded from adjacent to the Nepean River near Other than the species mentioned above, introduced Douglas Park to the west of the Metropolitan Special fish may impact on many stream and pond-dwelling Area. It is recommended that all deer species be frog species, the Platypus and Eastern Snake-necked treated as potentially extremely serious pest species Turtle by competition for food, direct predation and for the same reasons as discussed for the Rusa Deer. alteration of microhabitats in the waterways they cohabit. 7.4.4 Eurasian Blackbird There are likely to be many introduced invertebrates The Eurasian Blackbird is a native of Europe and India within the Woronora Special Areas. Additionally, some and has been established in the Sydney area for about native invertebrates also have the potential to be 60 years. This bird is often associated with gardens, pests. Invertebrate pest species can have a range of parks and orchards. However, it has the ability to direct effects, though more typically impacts are survive in relatively undisturbed areas of native indirect. Native species rarely become pests in vegetation; and hence may pose a significant threat to undisturbed environments and are more typically a native species. It may directly compete with species problem in agricultural landscapes, for example the such as Bassian Thrush through preying on native Plague Locust. Sarcoptic Mange is a mite that is invertebrates (Garnett and Crowley 2000). It is thought to have been introduced by domestic dogs implicated in the spread of fruiting weed species, such within the last 200 years and is a problem in some as the Blackberry, Lantana and Large-leafed Privet. Common Wombat populations. The population of These weed species are already problematic within the wombats around the substation on Fire Trail 6 in the Woronora Plateau Special Areas (Sydney Catchment Metropolitan Special Area appears to have recently Authority and NPWS 2001) and are likely to be further undergone a decline as a result of Sarcoptic Mange. spread by the Eurasian Blackbird. There are probably many introduced pathogens that The Eurasian Blackbird is continuing to expand its impact on vertebrate fauna within the Special Areas of range in mainland Australia and impacts may not yet the Woronora Plateau. The most serious is the Frog be fully realised. Evidence over the last five years Chytrid Fungus (NSW Scientific Committee 2003a). indicates that this species is expanding into parts of Frog Chytrid Fungus has the potential to be the Metropolitan Special Area, such as around Flying problematic for many frog species, particularly those Fox Gully. Within the Special Areas of the Woronora that aggregate to breed at ponds or streams, where Plateau, the Eurasian Blackbird is the only introduced transmission is more likely. In the Metropolitan, bird species considered to be a priority pest. At this O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas there are stage, impacts are speculative, though it should be four species that have been identified as being considered to be a potential problem, with control particularly vulnerable: the Stuttering Frog, Green and focused on removing infestations of fruiting weed Golden Bell Frog, Green Tree Frog and Littlejohn’s species. Tree Frog. This study has failed to find any extant populations of the first three species, and it is 7.5 Other Pest Species: Fish, Invertebrates considered that Frog Chytrid Fungus is a primary and Fungus reason behind their declines. Littlejohn’s Tree Frog is only known from a small number of locations around This study has not sought to directly study or map the Maddens Plains and tadpoles of this species were distributions of introduced fish, invertebrates or found to be infected with this disease in 2006 (DECC pathogens. However, they have been considered with 2007). General management recommendations for respect to their impacts on biodiversity and threatened controlling the spread of Frog Chytrid Fungus involve fauna species and populations. There are a number of the implementation of frog hygiene protocol when work introduced fish species in the Metropolitan, O’Hares involves any contact with frogs (NPWS 2001b). Creek and Woronora Special Areas including the Plague Minnow, Rainbow and Brown Trout and the The impact of Feral Honeybees in the area on hollow- European Carp. These fish are a serious threat not dependent fauna is unknown. However, bees may only to native fish, but also to frogs. Predation by the potentially affect some threatened fauna, such as tree- Plague Minnow is listed as a Key Threatening Process dwelling bats or gliders (NSW Scientific Committee affecting the Green and Golden Bell Frog (DEC 2002c). Where possible, hives should be removed, 2005b). Within the Special Areas of the Woronora particularly where they occur within Priority Habitats. Plateau it appears that the Green and Golden Bell Squirrel Glider habitat would be a priority area for hive Frog may already be locally extinct, with the last known removal. This habitat occurs in the grassy shale record from around Darkes Forest. The decline of this transition forests and woodlands in the far west of the frog may be associated with the spread of this fish. Special Areas. It is already deficient in hollows due to The Plague Minnow can reach incredible densities, historic logging activities and the extremely long time often occurring where native fish are unable to survive. that it takes Ironbarks to mature. Therefore, this fish may be problematic for other frog The Koala populations in the Special Area may also be species, particularly Littlejohn’s Tree Frog (G. Daly infected with Chlamydia, a disease that seriously pers. comm.). impacts on Koala populations elsewhere in Australia. European Carp are strongly implicated in increased This project identified an individual most probably turbidity levels and nutrient loads of larger waterways, infected with Chlamydia in the Metropolitan Special as well as the reduction of shallow-rooted and soft- Area. Infection with this disease appears to be leaved species of aquatic vegetation, leading to widespread in the adjacent Wedderburn/Campbelltown increased bank erosion (Fletcher et al. 1985; Wager population, though, as with most healthy Koala
The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 37 populations only sick or old Koalas succumb (R. Close, In Upland Swamps control of Foxes and Feral Cats is University of Western Sydney, pers. comm.). It is likely particularly important after fire when the vegetation that the Koala population in the Metropolitan Special provides little cover and the depleted populations of Area is similar and this disease is not considered to be native species are at their most vulnerable. Fox control a serious threat at present. within Upland Swamps may be conducted using shooting, where possible. 1080 baiting may also be 7.6 Priority Sites for Pest Control used, as this habitat is not considered to be high The general control of pest species is best directed quality habitat for the Spotted-tailed Quoll (Volume 2). toward specific sites or habitats of special concern. All Trail closure is another effective method of controlling three Priority Fauna Habitats of the Metropolitan, the impact of Feral Cats and Foxes on species in O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas should be Upland Swamps. These predators will also use the considered a priority for the control of vertebrate pest footpads and trails created by large mammals, such as species, the most important being Upland Swamps, Rusa Deer, that traverse Upland Swamps. followed by Grassy Box Woodlands then Alluvial While the control of Feral Cats and Foxes in Upland Forests and Woodlands (Map 4). Swamps is of the highest priority, Rusa Deer will traverse this environment and may cause erosion, 7.6.1 Upland Swamps altering the hydrology of this highly sensitive Upland Swamps are the most valuable fauna habitat environment through trampling and overgrazing, and within the Woronora, O’Hares Creek and Metropolitan indirectly provide access to introduced predators in Special Areas. Management of pests in these habitats densely vegetated environments. It is clear that Rusa is particularly important as the fauna assemblage that Deer are well established above the escarpment, and occurs seems highly vulnerable to predation by Foxes their penetration into Upland Swamps needs to be and probably Cats. Upland Swamps are typically closely monitored. Populations that are using parts of dense at ground level and provide habitat for a number Maddens Plains south of Maddens Creek, Flying Fish of ground or shrub-frequenting birds and small to Gully and other areas in Upper Cordeaux, and Fire medium-sized mammals that shelter in this thick Trail 10A in Dharawal NR should be controlled. vegetation. These, of all native species, are among the Feral Pigs can damage Upland Swamps by wallowing most vulnerable to predation by Feral Cats and Foxes. and digging. They are a significant problem in this Furthermore, Upland Swamps are naturally small and environment elsewhere in the Greater Southern fragmented. Therefore, local extinction can readily Sydney Region. At present there is no evidence of occur. Many Upland Swamp fauna are also poor Pigs in any of the Upland Swamps of the Woronora dispersers and for many, recolonisation after local Plateau. extinction is unlikely. For all these reasons, Upland Swamps and fringing swamp woodland are the highest priority habitat for control of Foxes and Feral Cats. 7.6.2 Grassy Box Woodlands and Alluvial Forests and Woodlands Grassy Box Woodlands and Alluvial Forests and Woodlands are high quality habitat for a range of terrestrial vertebrate pest species including the Feral Pig, Rabbit, Common Myna and Common Starling (see Volume 2). As Priority Fauna Habitats, these environments play host to a number of threatened fauna species. Therefore, these environments are prime areas for targeted control of pest species for the conservation of biodiversity. Within the Special Areas of the Woronora Plateau, Grassy Box Woodlands and Alluvial Forests and Woodlands cover a very small area around the south- western fringes of the catchments. Proactive management of these small areas is unlikely to be successful without a coordinated approach that involves adjoining landowners. While there are suggestions that Feral Pigs are increasingly common Rusa Deer have trampled this Upland Swamp in Dharawal outside of the Special Area near Pheasants Nest, the SCA. They have created open areas and trails that expose primary species for control in these environments are swamp-dwelling fauna to predation by giving easy access to the Fox, Feral Dog and Feral Cat. Foxes and Cats. © DECC The Ground Parrot and Eastern Bristlebird, and 7.7 Koala in Avon and Upper Nepean possibly the Long-nosed Potoroo have already Catchments disappeared from these habitats. Other species that The Koala in the Metropolitan Special Area is one of display similar characteristics, being ground or shrub the most significant fauna populations in the Greater dwellers with poor dispersal and recolonisation Southern Sydney Region. This species has declined capabilities, would be similarly susceptible. For throughout most of NSW and this is probably the example, the Eastern Pygmy-possum, Beautiful largest and best protected colony remaining south of Firetail, Long-nosed Bandicoot, Southern Emu-wren, Sydney. For these reasons, this population is a priority Dusky Antechinus, Common Dunnart, Swamp Rat and for conservation actions and monitoring with regard to New Holland Mouse. All of these mammal species the impacts of feral predators. have been found within Fox scats from the Woronora Plateau (see Volume 1). 38 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas Koalas have successfully coexisted with the Dingo for significant Wild Dog population exists on the Woronora approximately 5000 years. Attacks by Wild and Plateau. For these reasons, targeted Wild Dog control Domestic Dogs are only likely to be problematic when: is not considered to be necessary at this point. a) Koala populations are small and isolated; b) when However, there is a need for vigilance, particularly after other perturbations are involved, such as disease, fire, wildfires that afford greater ease of access for feral road deaths; or c) when habitat is fragmented and predators at a time when Koala populations are low. In Koalas spend more time on the ground moving addition, the Koala population at Avon/Upper Nepean between trees. Foxes and Feral Cats are considered to will become increasingly isolated as the urban areas of be less problematic with regard to Koalas, though Wilton, Bargo and nearby towns expand. Therefore, deaths attributed to both have been recorded. this Koala population will come into increased contact with Domestic Dogs. In order to monitor the potential impacts of feral predators on Koalas, land managers (and local wildlife carer groups) need to record specific details about Koala deaths and injuries for entry into the Atlas of NSW Wildlife. At present, records of Koala in the Atlas mostly have insufficient details to gauge the impacts of wild or domestic Dogs. With recording of Dog, Fox or Feral Cat attacks (in addition to records of roadkills and Chlamydia infected individuals) a picture should emerge of the most serious threats, the nature of those threats and if those threats are changing over time. In addition to the above, it is proposed that feral predator scat searches are undertaken on a quarterly basis along Avon Dam Road and Fire Trails 1 and 2 in order to monitor predator activity within high quality Koalas regularly move about on the ground exposing habitat for this Koala population. The number of scats them to attacks by Dogs, Foxes or Feral Cats. © A. collected can give some indication of the size of the Dudley predator population. However, the amount of scats At this point, there is little evidence that feral predators found is dependent on the amount of recent rain. are having a significant impact on the Koala population Analysis of scat contents will show if predators are in the Avon/Upper Nepean. There is only a single taking a significant number of Koalas in this area. The record in the Atlas of NSW Wildlife of a Koala from this deployment of sand pads across trails for the analysis population having been killed by a Dog, a male from of footprints is a more accurate way of gauging the near Appin. Analysis of over 600 Feral Dog, Dingo and activity of feral predators and this may be undertaken Feral Cat scats from across the Greater Southern in the same area. Further research of this Koala Sydney Region did not find any evidence of Koala population by academic institutions should be strongly remains. Additionally, there is no indication that a encouraged.
The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 39 8 Future Survey Work and Monitoring
8.1 Threatened and Priority Fauna Rare Frogs (in particular the Stuttering Frog, Littlejohn’s Tree Frog, Green Tree Frog and Green There are many potential conservation programs that and Golden Bell Frog): targeted frog searches are could be undertaken in the Metropolitan, O’Hares needed across the Woronora Plateau Special Creek and Woronora Special Areas to further Areas under suitable weather conditions in the understand threatened fauna. Here we present some appropriate season (depending on species). ideas about potential further targeted survey, Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby: dedicated effort to monitoring and research, and provide some detail as to confirm the presence of this endangered species how these programs might be approached. Some is recommended. Although there is little hope that projects mentioned here may be suitable as university this species persists in the Metropolitan Special research topics while others may be best implemented Area, a targeted search of the gorges of the Avon, by DECC regional staff and Sydney Catchment Nepean and Bargo catchments is recommended. Authority in consultation with DECC threatened Rare Nectarivorous Birds (e.g. Black-chinned and species officers. Regent Honeyeaters and Swift Parrot): targeted survey of flowering eucalypt stands in Grassy Box Woodland and adjacent sandstone transition forest in the autumn and winter months to provide a better understanding of the usage of this habitat by these species on the western fringes of the Special Areas (especially the Metropolitan Special Area). Rare Grassy Box Woodland species (e.g. Brown Treecreeper, Diamond Firetail, Hooded Robin, Speckled Warbler, Swift Parrot, Turquoise Parrot, Bush Stone-curlew and Squirrel Glider): targeted searches to provide a greater understanding of the importance of the Grassy Box Woodlands and adjacent transition forests for these species and determine whether additional species such as the Black-chinned Honeyeater occur in suitable habitat on the western fringes of (primarily) the Metropolitan Special Area. Does the Ground Parrot still exist somewhere in the Upland Yellow-bellied Glider: dedicated effort to confirm Swamps of the Woronora Plateau Special Areas? © P. the presence of this vulnerable species is Fullagar recommended.
8.1.1 Targeted survey and search effort 8.1.2 Koala population dynamics in Avon/Upper Nepean The following species would benefit from dedicated further survey and search efforts. Habitat identified The Koala population at Avon/Upper Nepean is a high during this project should be used to target these priority for further research and monitoring. The current searches. Most of these species are poorly sampled project has mapped the extent of the population within using systematic methods. Groups of animals that the Special Areas and highlighted the high quality could be targeted simultaneously have been habitat available for this species. This information recommended. could be used as a baseline for a detailed study of the Possibly/Probably Extinct Upland Swamp birds population, particularly aspects relating to population (Ground Parrot and Eastern Bristlebird): targeted dynamics. Of particular interest to the conservation of searches of Upland Swamps and heaths using call this population are questions such as: Is the population playback where appropriate to confirm presence definitely expanding? What is the most significant or absence of these species. threat to this population (Dogs, disease or road kill)? What is the best way to ensure this population does Rare medium-sized mammals (Long-nosed not become isolated in the future? Where should Potoroo, Southern Brown Bandicoot and Spotted- potential road underpasses or barriers to dispersal be tailed Quoll): extended cage trapping (for at least located? seven consecutive nights) and hair tube (using species-specific hair tubes, such as for the Long- 8.1.3 Fox control and Long-nosed Bandicoot nosed Potoroo) placement in areas identified as populations potential or known high quality habitat during this project. A research project might consider monitoring Long- Rare Wetland Birds (Australasian and Black nosed Bandicoot populations before and after Fox Bitterns and Lewin’s Rail): targeted searches of control, while also monitoring 'control' sites where Fox habitat identified in this project, including call control is not being undertaken. Preliminary analyses playback where appropriate in this report suggest that where Long-nosed Bandicoot occur, they are regularly taken by Foxes, being found in 13% of scats from the Woronora 40 Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas Plateau. This appears disproportionately high in 8.2 Pest Species/Water Quality relation to how frequently they are encountered in this area, and it is possible that Foxes favour this species 8.2.1 Rusa Deer and Cryptosporidium (Water as a food source. Research into this issue might help Quality) further understand the impact that Foxes may (or may not) have had on the medium-sized mammals of the Rusa Deer have colonised parts of the Metropolitan, O'Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas and have Woronora Plateau, the majority of which have already become locally extinct. the potential to expand their range into the Warragamba Special Area (see Volume 2 – Fauna of Conservation Concern and Priority Pest Species). 8.1.4 Predator exclusion and/or reintroduction of It is recommended that a population monitoring threatened species - Woronora Plateau program be established. The Woronora Plateau would be a good location for a predator-exclusion and/or threatened species Rusa Deer have great potential to impact on water reintroduction program. A predator exclusion area quality (see Volume 1 – Background Report). This could link with recovery plans and potentially aid in the species is regularly found along creeklines and recovery of several highly threatened species that modelled habitat shows these environments to be appear to have disappeared from this area including amongst the most preferred of all areas. They will also the Eastern Bristlebird, Ground Parrot and possibly the commonly deposit faeces close to reservoirs and Long-nosed Potoroo. These three species once vegetated watercourses. In the current drought, Rusa inhabited the Upland Swamps, heaths and woodlands Deer have reached high numbers around some of the area and continue to persist just to the south at reservoirs where the retreating water has exposed Barren Grounds NR and on the Budderoo Plateau. All grassy flats, such as Lake Cordeaux. It is of these species have declined in this area due to recommended that their impacts on vegetation and inappropriate fire regimes coupled with predation by water quality be documented. Where appropriate as a Foxes and Cats. These species have poor capacity to result of the proposed monitoring program, trials recolonise an area once they are locally extinct. The should be undertaken to reduce numbers in selected re-establishment of populations of any of these species areas, such as Upper Cordeaux. on the Woronora Plateau Special Areas would Additionally, as a placental mammal they have a significantly reduce the chances of regional extinction higher probability of carrying strains of of these species. Cryptosporidium that are transmissible to humans. Rusa Deer also have a significant potential to impact on water quality via erosion, particularly as they will dig soil in a similar fashion to Feral Pigs. For these reasons, Rusa Deer are a high priority for further investigation, particularly as to the strains of Cryptosporidium carried, and the potential for human infection.
8.2.2 Eurasian Blackbird The identification of breeding populations of the Eurasian Blackbird is a priority, particularly in the Metropolitan Special Area. An investigation into the potential impacts of this species, such as aiding the spread of noxious weeds and competition with native species is recommended.
Can the locally extinct Eastern Bristlebird be re-established in the Metropolitan Special Area? © M. Todd
Suggested localities for reintroduction include the Stockyard Swamp complex in the south of the Metropolitan Special Area, as this displays a variety of post-fire seral stages. Also potential is the Cataract catchment (7 fire trails) where the two arms of the reservoir provide good protection from eastward progressing wildfire. The relatively low level of illegal visitation in this area is also a benefit.
The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 41 9 References
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(2004) The largest surviving marsupial Heritage, Canberra. carnivore on mainland Australia: the Tiger or Spotted- http://www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/publicati tailed Quoll Dasyurus maculatus, a nationally ons/tap/amphibians/index.html Accessed 25/11/05. threatened, forest-dependent species. Pp. 612-23. In: Lunney, D. (ed.) Conservation of Australia’s Forest DEH (2004b) The feral pig (Sus scrofa). Species Fauna. Royal Zoological Society of NSW, Mosman. profile. Department of the Environment and Heritage, Canberra. Davies, C.M., Ferguson, C.M., Kaucner, C., Krogh, M., http://www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/invasive/publication Altavilla, N., Deere, D.A., Ashbolt, N.J. (2004) s/pig/index.html Accessed 13/05/05. Dispersion and transport of Cryptosporidium oocysts
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44 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 10 List of Acronyms
ASL Above sea level DEC Department of Environment and Conservation, New South Wales (now part of DECC) DECC Department of Environment and Climate Change, New South Wales EPBC Act Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1988) IUCN International Union for the Conservation of Nature NP National Park NPWS National Parks and Wildlife Service (now part of DECC) NR Nature Reserve RLP Act Rural Lands Protection Act (1998) SASPoM Special Areas Strategic Plan of Management SCA State Conservation Area TSC Act NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act (1995)
The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 45 11 Appendices
Appendix A: Complete terrestrial vertebrate fauna list (including the number of records) for the Woronora Plateau Special Areas
Common Name Scientific Name Confirmation Legal Metro O'Hares Woronora Total Status Status Frogs Bibron's Toadlet Pseudophryne bibronii Unconfirmed P 0 2 1 3 Blue Mountains Tree Frog Litoria citropa Confirmed P 52 25 58 135 Broad-palmed Frog Litoria latopalmata Confirmed P 1 2 2 5 Bullfrog Limnodynastes dumerilii Confirmed P 25 33 57 115 Common Eastern Froglet Crinia signifera Confirmed P 219 81 61 361 Dainty Tree Frog Litoria gracilenta Probable error P 0 1 0 1 Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog Litoria fallax Confirmed P 8 3 1 12 Freycinet's Frog Litoria freycineti Confirmed P 4 29 70 103 Giant Burrowing Frog Heleioporus australiacus Confirmed V 20 12 24 56 Green and Golden Bell Frog Litoria aurea Confirmed E1 0 1 2 3 Green Stream Frog Litoria phyllochroa Confirmed P 77 15 19 111 Green Tree Frog Litoria caerulea Confirmed P 0 4 9 13 Green-thighed Frog Litoria brevipalmata Probable error V 0 0 2 2 Haswell's Froglet Paracrinia haswelli Confirmed P 10 3 17 30 Jervis Bay Tree Frog Litoria jervisiensis Confirmed P 1 2 5 8 Keferstein's Tree Frog Litoria dentata Confirmed P 22 13 55 90 Lesueur's Frog Litoria lesueuri Confirmed P 57 20 10 87 Littlejohn's Tree Frog Litoria littlejohni Confirmed V 3 1 62 66 Marbled Toadlet Uperoleia marmorata Probable error P 0 0 2 2 Naked-fingered Stream Frog Litoria nudidigita Confirmed P 8 0 0 8 Peron's Tree Frog Litoria peronii Confirmed P 77 24 52 153 Pobblebonk Limnodynastes dorsalis Error P 1 0 0 1 Red-crowned Toadlet Pseudophryne australis Confirmed V 33 12 13 58 Smooth Toadlet Uperoleia laevigata Confirmed P 7 17 8 32 Southern Brown Tree Frog Litoria ewingii Unconfirmed P 6 0 0 6 Spotted Marsh Frog Limnodynastes tasmaniensis Confirmed P 8 0 0 8 Striped Marsh Frog Limnodynastes peronii Confirmed P 17 9 20 46 Stuttering Frog Mixophyes balbus Confirmed E1 0 0 2 2 Tyler's Toadlet Uperoleia tyleri Confirmed P 1 0 0 1 Tyler's Tree Frog Litoria tyleri Confirmed P 5 2 0 7 Verreaux's Tree Frog Litoria verreauxii Confirmed P 21 8 129 158 Victorian Smooth Froglet Geocrinia victoriana Error P 0 0 1 1 Reptiles Alpine Meadow-skink Eulamprus kosciuskoi Probable error P 1 0 0 1 Bar-sided Forest-skink Eulamprus tenuis Confirmed P 9 1 1 11 Black Crevice-skink Egernia saxatilis Confirmed P 14 0 0 14 Blackish Blind Snake Ramphotyphlops nigrescens Confirmed P 18 4 0 22 Broad-headed Snake Hoplocephalus bungaroides Confirmed E1 6 4 5 15 Broad-tailed Gecko Phyllurus platurus Confirmed P 22 5 2 29
46 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas Common Name Scientific Name Confirmation Legal Metro O'Hares Woronora Total Status Status Casuarina Skink Cyclodomorphus michaeli Confirmed P 3 1 0 4 Common Bluetongue Tiliqua scincoides Confirmed P 9 1 7 17 Copper-tailed Ctenotus Ctenotus taeniolatus Confirmed P 129 24 16 169 Cream-striped Shinning-skink Cryptoblepharus virgatus Confirmed P 11 4 4 19 Cunningham's Spiny-tailed Skink Egernia cunninghami Confirmed P 10 4 0 14 Dark-flecked Garden Sunskink Lampropholis delicata Confirmed P 205 20 13 238 Diamond Python Morelia spilota spilota Confirmed P 5 5 1 11 Eastern Bandy-bandy Vermicella annulata Confirmed P 0 1 3 4 Eastern Bearded Dragon Pogona barbata Confirmed P 1 1 0 2 Eastern Brown Snake Pseudonaja textilis Confirmed P 6 2 1 9 Eastern Brown Tree Snake Boiga irregularis Confirmed P 0 0 1 1 Eastern Snake-necked Turtle Chelodina longicollis Confirmed P 3 1 0 4 Eastern Stone Gecko Diplodactylus vittatus Confirmed P 0 3 4 7 Eastern Water Dragon Physignathus lesueurii Confirmed P 34 13 5 52 Eastern Water-skink Eulamprus quoyii Confirmed P 76 19 13 108 Gippsland Water Dragon Physignathus lesueurii howittii Confirmed P 1 0 0 1 Golden Crowned Snake Cacophis squamulosus Confirmed P 6 0 1 7 Green Tree Snake Dendrelaphis punctulata Confirmed P 1 1 0 2 Highlands Copperhead Austrelaps ramsayi Confirmed P 5 0 0 5 Highlands Forest-skink Nannoscincus maccoyi Confirmed P 13 0 0 13 Jacky Lashtail Amphibolurus muricatus Confirmed P 64 14 18 96 Lace Monitor Varanus varius Confirmed P 7 3 2 12 Lesueur's Velvet Gecko Oedura lesueurii Confirmed P 81 28 10 119 Mainland Tiger Snake Notechis scutatus Confirmed P 7 1 0 8 Marsh Snake Hemiaspis signata Confirmed P 2 2 1 5 Mountain Heath Dragon Tympanocryptis diemensis Confirmed P 100 8 1 109 Mustard-bellied Snake Drysdalia rhodogaster Confirmed P 7 1 1 9 Pale-flecked Garden Sunskink Lampropholis guichenoti Confirmed P 82 5 1 88 Red-bellied Black Snake Pseudechis porphyriacus Confirmed P 47 6 8 61 Red-naped Snake Furina diadema Confirmed P 1 0 2 3 Red-throated Cool-skink Bassiana platynota Confirmed P 84 13 10 107 Robust Ctenotus Ctenotus robustus Unconfirmed P 1 1 0 2 Rosenberg's Goanna Varanus rosenbergi Confirmed V 10 9 3 22 Small-eyed Snake Rhinoplocephalus nigrescens Confirmed P 25 0 2 27 South-eastern Slider Lerista bougainvillii Probable error P 1 0 0 1 Southern Death Adder Acanthophis antarcticus Confirmed P 0 1 0 1 Southern Scaly-foot Pygopus lepidopodus Confirmed P 1 1 0 2 Thick-tailed Gecko Underwoodisaurus milii Confirmed P 0 1 1 2 Three-lined Skink Acritoscincus duperreyi Confirmed P 0 1 0 1 Three-toed Earless Skink Hemiergis decresiensis Unconfirmed P 1 2 0 3 Tussock Cool-skink Pseudemoia entrecasteauxii Unconfirmed P 0 1 0 1 Variable Black-naped Snake Suta spectabilis dwyeri Unconfirmed P 1 0 0 1 Warm-temperate Water-skink Eulamprus heatwolei Confirmed P 48 0 0 48 Weasel Shadeskink Saproscincus mustelinus Confirmed P 32 0 0 32 White's Rock-skink Egernia whitii Confirmed P 18 8 10 36 White-lipped Snake Drysdalia coronoides Confirmed P 1 0 0 1 Yellow-bellied Three-toed Skink Saiphos equalis Confirmed P 38 0 0 38 Yellow-faced Whipsnake Demansia psammophis Confirmed P 4 1 2 7
The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 47 Common Name Scientific Name Confirmation Legal Metro O'Hares Woronora Total Status Status Diurnal Birds Australasian Bittern Botaurus poiciloptilus Confirmed V 1 0 0 1 Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae Confirmed P 23 0 0 23 Australasian Shoveler Anas rhynchotis Confirmed P 4 0 0 4 Australian Brush-turkey Alectura lathami Confirmed P 2 0 0 2 Australian Hobby Falco longipennis Confirmed P 6 0 0 6 Australian King-Parrot Alisterus scapularis Confirmed P 80 3 0 83 Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen Confirmed P 81 35 2 118 Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus Confirmed P 28 4 0 32 Australian Pipit Anthus australis Confirmed P 23 10 0 33 Australian Raven Corvus coronoides Confirmed P 127 57 11 195 Australian Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus australis Confirmed P 10 0 0 10 Australian Shelduck Tadorna tadornoides Confirmed P 2 0 0 2 Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca Confirmed P 22 2 0 24 Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata Confirmed P 45 9 0 54 Azure Kingfisher Alcedo azurea Confirmed P 23 2 0 25 Bassian Thrush Zoothera lunulata Confirmed P 10 0 0 10 Beautiful Firetail Stagonopleura bella Confirmed P 32 15 1 48 Bell Miner Manorina melanophrys Confirmed P 6 0 0 6 Black Bittern Ixobrychus flavicollis Confirmed V 2 0 0 2 Black Swan Cygnus atratus Confirmed P 20 0 0 20 Black-faced Cuckoo-shr ke Coracina novaehollandiae Confirmed P 111 32 9 152 Black-faced Monarch Monarcha melanopsis Confirmed P 64 14 0 78 Black-fronted Dotterel Elseyornis melanops Confirmed P 10 1 0 11 Black-shouldered Kite Elanus axillaris Confirmed P 33 15 0 48 Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Confirmed P 4 0 0 4 Blue-breasted Fairy-wren Malurus pulcherrimus Error P 1 0 0 1 Brown Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia amboinensis Confirmed P 36 9 0 45 Brown Falcon Falco berigora Confirmed P 19 1 1 21 Brown Gerygone Gerygone mouki Confirmed P 51 19 0 70 Brown Goshawk Accipiter fasciatus Confirmed P 16 5 0 21 Brown Quail Coturnix ypsilophora Confirmed P 0 3 0 3 Brown Songlark Cincloramphus cruralis Confirmed P 1 0 0 1 Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla Confirmed P 628 49 15 692 Brown Treecreeper Climacteris picumnus Confirmed V 4 1 0 5 Brown-headed Honeyeater Melithreptus brevirostris Confirmed P 64 11 5 80 Brush Bronzewing Phaps elegans Confirmed P 17 1 2 20 Brush Cuckoo Cacomantis variolosus Confirmed P 21 1 0 22 Budgerigar Melopsittacus undulatus Confirmed P 0 1 0 1 Buff-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza reguloides Confirmed P 32 6 2 40 Caspian Tern Sterna caspia Confirmed P 9 0 0 9 Cattle Egret Ardea ibis Confirmed P 16 1 0 17 Channel-billed Cuckoo Scythrops novaehollandiae Confirmed P 21 1 0 22 Chestnut Teal Anas castanea Confirmed P 10 0 0 10 Chestnut-rumped Heathwren Calamanthus pyrrhopygius Confirmed P 19 6 1 26 Cicadabird Coracina tenuirostris Confirmed P 27 3 0 30 Collared Sparrowhawk Accipiter cirrocephalus Confirmed P 13 0 1 14 Common Bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera Confirmed P 12 4 0 16
48 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas Common Name Scientific Name Confirmation Legal Metro O'Hares Woronora Total Status Status Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia Confirmed P 6 0 0 6 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos Confirmed P 2 0 0 2 Crescent Honeyeater Phylidonyris pyrrhoptera Confirmed P 2 0 1 3 Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes Confirmed P 8 2 0 10 Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans Confirmed P 263 59 22 344 Darter Anhinga melanogaster Confirmed P 9 0 0 9 Diamond Firetail Stagonopleura guttata Confirmed V 2 0 0 2 Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis Confirmed P 11 5 0 16 Double-barred Finch Taeniopygia bichenovii Confirmed P 6 0 0 6 Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa Confirmed P 34 0 0 34 Dusky Woodswallow Artamus cyanopterus Confirmed P 38 1 0 39 Eastern Bristlebird Dasyornis brachypterus Confirmed E1 1 1 0 2 Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis Confirmed P 16 0 0 16 Eastern Rosella Platycercus adscitus eximius Confirmed P 46 6 0 52 Eastern Shrike-tit Falcunculus frontatus Confirmed P 20 4 0 24 Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris Confirmed P 1292 73 27 1392 Eastern Whipbird Psophodes olivaceus Confirmed P 169 45 9 223 Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis Confirmed P 341 44 15 400 Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica Confirmed P 3 0 0 3 Eurasian Coot Fulica atra Confirmed P 25 0 0 25 Fairy Martin Petrochelidon ariel Confirmed P 12 0 0 12 Fan-tailed Cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis Confirmed P 233 38 31 302 Flame Robin Petroica phoenicea Confirmed P 4 0 0 4 Fork-tailed Swift Apus pacificus Confirmed P 0 2 0 2 Freckled Duck Stictonetta naevosa Confirmed V 10 0 0 10 Fuscous Honeyeater Lichenostomus fuscus Confirmed P 3 0 0 3 Galah Eolophus roseicapillus Confirmed P 31 21 1 53 Gang-gang Cockatoo Callocephalon fimbriatum Confirmed V 81 11 1 93 Glossy Black-cockatoo Calyptorhynchus lathami Confirmed V 8 3 0 11 Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus Unconfirmed P 2 0 0 2 Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis Confirmed P 226 33 14 273 Golden-headed Cisticola Cisticola exilis Confirmed P 15 3 0 18 Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Confirmed P 25 22 0 47 Great Egret Ardea alba Confirmed P 22 0 0 22 Green Catbird Ailuroedus crassirostris Confirmed P 6 5 0 11 Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus Confirmed P 88 24 6 118 Grey Currawong Strepera versicolor Confirmed P 28 8 4 40 Grey Fantail Rhipidura albiscapa Confirmed P 367 52 27 446 Grey Goshawk Accipiter novaehollandiae Confirmed P 11 1 0 12 Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola Unconfirmed P 1 0 0 1 Grey Shrike-thrush Colluricincla harmonica Confirmed P 230 50 25 305 Grey Teal Anas gracilis Confirmed P 25 0 0 25 Ground Parrot Pezoporus wallicus wallicus Confirmed V 0 39 0 39 Hardhead Aythya australis Confirmed P 14 0 0 14 Hoary-headed Grebe Poliocephalus poliocephalus Confirmed P 14 0 0 14 Hooded Robin Melanodryas cucullata Confirmed V 2 0 0 2 Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo Chalcites basalis Confirmed P 29 0 1 30 Intermediate Egret Ardea intermedia Confirmed P 5 0 0 5
The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 49 Common Name Scientific Name Confirmation Legal Metro O'Hares Woronora Total Status Status Jacky Winter Microeca fascinans Confirmed P 30 3 0 33 King Quail Coturnix chinensis Unconfirmed P 0 2 0 2 Large-billed Scrubwren Sericornis magnirostris Confirmed P 10 3 0 13 Latham's Snipe Gallinago hardwickii Confirmed P 5 1 0 6 Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae Confirmed P 165 43 5 213 Leaden Flycatcher Myiagra rubecula Confirmed P 50 2 1 53 Letter-winged Kite Elanus scriptus Unconfirmed P 1 0 0 1 Lewin's Honeyeater Meliphaga lewinii Confirmed P 102 34 2 138 Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus Confirmed P 1 0 0 1 Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris Confirmed P 30 8 0 38 Little Corella Cacatua sanguinea Confirmed P 1 1 0 2 Little Eagle Hieraaetus morphnoides Confirmed P 11 1 0 12 Little Egret Egretta garzetta Confirmed P 13 0 0 13 Little Friarbird Philemon citreogularis Confirmed P 1 0 0 1 Little Grassbird Megalurus gramineus Confirmed P 3 0 0 3 Little Lorikeet Glossopsitta pusilla Confirmed P 5 0 0 5 Little Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax melanoleucos Confirmed P 36 19 0 55 Little Wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera Confirmed P 135 55 30 220 Logrunner Orthonyx temminckii Confirmed P 7 3 0 10 Long-billed Corella Cacatua tenuirostris Confirmed P 2 0 0 2 Magpie-lark Grallina cyanoleuca Confirmed P 41 33 1 75 Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles Confirmed P 39 13 2 54 Masked Woodswallow Artamus personatus Confirmed P 4 0 0 4 Mistletoebird Dicaeum hirundinaceum Confirmed P 35 12 1 48 Musk Duck Biziura lobata Confirmed P 14 0 0 14 Nankeen Kestrel Falco cenchroides Confirmed P 27 19 0 46 Nankeen Night Heron Nycticorax caledonicus Confirmed P 7 2 0 9 New Holland Honeyeater Phylidonyris novaehollandiae Confirmed P 570 61 41 672 Noisy Friarbird Philemon corniculatus Confirmed P 61 10 0 71 Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala Confirmed P 46 0 0 46 Olive Whistler Pachycephala olivacea Confirmed V 1 0 0 1 Olive-backed Oriole Oriolus sagittatus Confirmed P 37 3 2 42 Pacific Baza Aviceda subcristata Confirmed P 3 0 0 3 Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa Confirmed P 44 4 0 48 Pacific Koel Eudynamys orientalis Confirmed P 2 0 0 2 Painted Button-quail Turnix varia Confirmed P 5 1 1 7 Pallid Cuckoo Cuculus pallidus Confirmed P 35 1 4 40 Peaceful Dove Geopelia placida Confirmed P 8 1 0 9 Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus Confirmed P 15 4 0 19 Pheasant Coucal Centropus phasianinus Confirmed P 3 3 0 6 Pied Butcherbird Cracticus nigrogularis Unconfirmed P 1 1 0 2 Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax varius Confirmed P 10 5 0 15 Pied Currawong Strepera graculina Confirmed P 204 42 9 255 Pilotbird Pycnoptilus floccosus Confirmed P 42 10 0 52 Pink-eared Duck Malacorhynchus membranaceus Confirmed P 2 0 0 2 Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio Confirmed P 32 0 0 32 Rainbow Bee-eater Merops ornatus Confirmed P 3 0 0 3 Rainbow Lor keet Trichoglossus haematodus Confirmed P 14 3 1 18
50 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas Common Name Scientific Name Confirmation Legal Metro O'Hares Woronora Total Status Status Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata Confirmed P 40 11 6 57 Red-browed Finch Neochmia temporalis Confirmed P 224 26 4 254 Red-browed Treecreeper Climacteris erythrops Confirmed P 21 2 0 23 Red-capped Robin Petroica goodenovii Confirmed P 1 0 0 1 Red-kneed Dotterel Erythrogonys cinctus Confirmed P 3 0 0 3 Red-rumped Parrot Psephotus haematonotus Confirmed P 4 1 0 5 Regent Honeyeater Xanthomyza phrygia Confirmed E1 0 1 0 1 Restless Flycatcher Myiagra inquieta Confirmed P 14 1 0 15 Rockwarbler Origma solitaria Confirmed P 48 21 0 69 Rose Robin Petroica rosea Confirmed P 20 5 0 25 Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia Confirmed P 16 0 0 16 Rufous Fantail Rhipidura rufifrons Confirmed P 72 9 1 82 Rufous Songlark Cincloramphus mathewsi Confirmed P 1 1 1 3 Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris Confirmed P 238 36 44 318 Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus Confirmed P 68 7 2 77 Satin Bowerbird Ptilonorhynchus violaceus Confirmed P 112 19 0 131 Satin Flycatcher Myiagra cyanoleuca Confirmed P 4 0 0 4 Scarlet Honeyeater Myzomela sanguinolenta Confirmed P 6 0 0 6 Scarlet Robin Petroica boodang Confirmed P 26 7 2 35 Shining Bronze-Cuckoo Chalcites lucidus Confirmed P 80 8 5 93 Silver Gull Larus novaehollandiae Confirmed P 27 27 0 54 Silvereye Zosterops lateralis Confirmed P 235 38 7 280 Southern Emu-wren Stipiturus malachurus Confirmed P 33 13 2 48 Spangled Drongo Dicrurus bracteatus Confirmed P 2 0 0 2 Speckled Warbler Pyrrholaemus sagittatus Confirmed V 1 0 0 1 Spectacled Monarch Monarcha trivirgatus Unconfirmed P 1 0 0 1 Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater Acanthagenys rufogularis Unconfirmed P 1 0 0 1 Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus Confirmed P 234 41 16 291 Spotted Quail-thrush Cinclosoma punctatum Confirmed P 53 12 2 67 Square-tailed Kite Lophoictinia isura Confirmed V 0 1 0 1 Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis Confirmed P 10 0 0 10 Striated Heron Butorides striatus Confirmed P 2 0 0 2 Striated Pardalote Pardalotus striatus Confirmed P 40 1 0 41 Striated Thornbill Acanthiza lineata Confirmed P 463 19 9 491 Stubble Quail Coturnix pectoralis Unconfirmed P 1 0 0 1 Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita Confirmed P 94 37 7 138 Superb Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus Confirmed P 160 45 7 212 Superb Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus superbus Confirmed V 1 0 0 1 Superb Lyrebird Menura novaehollandiae Confirmed P 131 21 8 160 Swamp Harrier Circus approximans Confirmed P 15 2 0 17 Swift Parrot Lathamus discolor Confirmed E 1 0 0 1 Tawny-crowned Honeyeater Gliciphila melanops Confirmed P 3 13 6 22 Topknot Pigeon Lopholaimus antarcticus Confirmed P 17 8 0 25 Tree Martin Petrochelidon nigricans Confirmed P 56 7 0 63 Turquoise Parrot Neophema pulchella Confirmed V 9 1 0 10 Varied Sittella Daphoenositta chrysoptera Confirmed P 25 3 0 28 Variegated Fairy-wren Malurus lamberti Confirmed P 111 23 13 147 Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax Confirmed P 27 6 0 33
The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 51 Common Name Scientific Name Confirmation Legal Metro O'Hares Woronora Total Status Status Weebill Smicrornis brevirostris Confirmed P 4 0 0 4 Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena Confirmed P 70 31 0 101 Western Gerygone Gerygone fusca Unconfirmed P 1 0 0 1 Whistling Kite Haliastur sphenurus Confirmed P 13 1 1 15 White-backed Swallow Cheramoeca leucosternus Confirmed P 1 0 0 1 White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike Coracina papuensis Confirmed P 7 1 1 9 White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster Confirmed P 22 13 0 35 White-browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis Confirmed P 349 34 15 398 White-browed Woodswallow Artamus superciliosus Confirmed P 8 1 3 12 White-cheeked Honeyeater Phylidonyris nigra Confirmed P 5 0 2 7 White-eared Honeyeater Lichenostomus leucotis Confirmed P 69 27 13 109 White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae Confirmed P 43 19 0 62 White-fronted Chat Epthianura albifrons Unconfirmed P 7 0 0 7 White-headed Pigeon Columba leucomela Confirmed P 9 0 0 9 White-naped Honeyeater Melithreptus lunatus Confirmed P 38 7 0 45 White-necked Heron Ardea pacifica Confirmed P 25 6 1 32 White-plumed Honeyeater Lichenostomus penicillatus Confirmed P 5 0 0 5 White-throated Gerygone Gerygone olivacea Confirmed P 21 1 0 22 White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus Confirmed P 12 3 0 15 White-throated Treecreeper Cormobates leucophaeus Confirmed P 394 47 14 455 White-winged Chough Corcorax melanorhamphos Confirmed P 14 0 0 14 White-winged Triller Lalage tricolor Confirmed P 9 0 0 9 Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys Confirmed P 35 22 0 57 Wonga Pigeon Leucosarcia melanoleuca Confirmed P 60 4 0 64 Yellow Thornbill Acanthiza nana Confirmed P 26 2 0 28 Yellow-billed Spoonbill Platalea flavipes Confirmed P 10 0 0 10 Yellow-faced Honeyeater Lichenostomus chrysops Confirmed P 394 43 16 453 Yellow-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza chrysorrhoa Confirmed P 24 3 0 27 Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo Calyptorhynchus funereus Confirmed P 92 17 5 114 Yellow-throated Scrubwren Sericornis citreogularis Confirmed P 22 10 0 32 Yellow-tufted Honeyeater Lichenostomus melanops Confirmed P 26 3 0 29 Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata Unconfirmed P 3 0 0 3 Nocturnal Birds Australian Owlet-nightjar Aegotheles cristatus Confirmed P 57 2 11 70 Barn Owl Tyto alba Confirmed P 5 1 3 9 Bush Stone-curlew Burhinus grallarius Confirmed E 1 0 0 1 Masked Owl Tyto novaehollandiae Confirmed V 6 0 0 6 Powerful Owl Ninox strenua Confirmed V 26 5 6 37 Sooty Owl Tyto tenebricosa Confirmed V 17 0 0 17 Southern Boobook Ninox boobook Confirmed P 251 13 10 274 Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides Confirmed P 60 2 8 70 White-throated Nightjar Eurostopodus mystacalis Confirmed P 13 0 5 18 Arboreal Mammals Common Brushtail Possum Trichosurus vulpecula Confirmed P 14 1 4 19 Common Ringtail Possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus Confirmed P 113 27 7 147 Eastern Pygmy-possum Cercartetus nanus Confirmed V 27 3 15 45 Feathertail Glider Acrobates pygmaeus Confirmed P 3 0 0 3 Greater Glider Petauroides volans Confirmed P 136 1 0 137
52 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas Common Name Scientific Name Confirmation Legal Metro O'Hares Woronora Total Status Status Koala Phascolarctos cinereus Confirmed V 238 6 7 251 Mountain Brushtail Possum Trichosurus caninus Confirmed P 3 0 0 3 Squirrel Glider Petaurus norfolcensis Confirmed V 7 0 0 7 Sugar Glider Petaurus breviceps Confirmed P 92 14 16 122 Yellow-bellied Glider Petaurus australis Unconfirmed V 4 2 0 6 Terrestrial Mammals Brown Antechinus Antechinus stuartii Confirmed P 115 18 17 150 Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby Petrogale penicillata Confirmed E1 2 0 0 2 Bush Rat Rattus fuscipes Confirmed P 129 31 19 179 Common Wallaroo Macropus robustus Confirmed P 9 2 1 12 Common Wombat Vombatus ursinus Confirmed P 174 7 10 191 Dusky Antechinus Antechinus swainsonii Confirmed P 7 0 0 7 Eastern Grey Kangaroo Macropus giganteus Confirmed P 25 2 12 39 Long-nosed Bandicoot Perameles nasuta Confirmed P 24 5 11 40 Long-nosed Potoroo Potorous tridactylus Confirmed V 1 0 0 1 Parma Wallaby Macropus parma Unconfirmed V 1 0 0 0 Platypus Ornithorhynchus anatinus Confirmed P 12 0 0 12 Red-necked Wallaby Macropus rufogriseus Confirmed P 9 3 0 12 Short-beaked Echidna Tachyglossus aculeatus Confirmed P 36 4 5 45 Southern Brown Bandicoot Isoodon obesulus obesulus Unconfirmed E1 7 0 0 7 Spotted-tailed Quoll Dasyurus maculatus Confirmed V 8 1 0 8 Swamp Rat Rattus lutreolus Confirmed P 18 2 6 26 Swamp Wallaby Wallabia bicolor Confirmed P 251 26 19 296 Yellow-footed Antechinus Antechinus flavipes Probable error P 89 0 0 89 Bats Chocolate Wattled Bat Chalinolobus morio Confirmed P 192 7 2 201 Eastern Bentwing-bat Miniopterus schreibersii oceanensis Confirmed V 66 1 6 73 Eastern Broad-nosed Bat Scotorepens orion Confirmed P 23 2 0 25 Eastern False Pipistrelle Falsistrellus tasmaniensis Unconfirmed V 5 3 3 11 Eastern Freetail-bat Mormopterus norfolkensis Confirmed V 13 1 5 19 Eastern Horseshoe-bat Rhinolophus megaphyllus Confirmed P 9 0 2 11 Gould's Long-eared Bat Nyctophilus gouldi Confirmed P 111 4 4 119 Gould's Wattled Bat Chalinolobus gouldii Confirmed P 126 13 5 144 Greater Broad-nosed Bat Scoteanax rueppellii Confirmed V 15 2 0 17 Grey-headed Flying-fox Pteropus poliocephalus Confirmed V 10 2 6 18 Large Forest Bat Vespadelus darlingtoni Confirmed P 163 2 2 167 Large-eared Pied Bat Chalinolobus dwyeri Confirmed V 4 0 0 4 Large-footed Myotis Myotis adversus Confirmed V 47 4 1 52 Lesser Long-eared Bat Nyctophilus geoffroyi Confirmed P 3 1 0 4 Little Forest Bat Vespadelus vulturnus Confirmed P 216 8 5 229 Little Mastiff-bat Mormopterus planiceps Confirmed P 1 0 0 1 Little Northern Freetail-bat Mormopterus loriae Error P 0 0 1 1 Southern Forest Bat Vespadelus regulus Confirmed P 54 1 0 55 Undescr bed mastiff-bat Mormopterus sp 1 Confirmed P 22 4 3 29 White-striped Freetail-bat Nyctinomus australis Confirmed P 100 2 5 107 Introduced Species Brown Hare Lepus capensis Confirmed U 0 1 0 1 Common Myna Acridotheres tristis Confirmed U 35 29 1 65
The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 53 Common Name Scientific Name Confirmation Legal Metro O'Hares Woronora Total Status Status Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Unconfirmed U 1 0 0 1 Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris Confirmed U 40 28 0 68 Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula Confirmed U 4 1 0 5 Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis Unconfirmed U 1 0 0 1 European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Confirmed U 23 2 0 25 European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris Unconfirmed U 1 0 0 1 House Sparrow Passer domesticus Confirmed U 37 31 0 68 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Confirmed U 10 0 0 10 Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus Confirmed U 28 27 1 56 Rock Dove (Domestic Pigeon) Columba livia Confirmed U 15 25 0 40 Spotted Turtle-Dove Streptopelia chinensis Confirmed U 22 24 0 46 Black Rat Rattus rattus Confirmed U 11 0 1 12 Feral Cat Felis catus Confirmed U 19 3 0 22 Wild Dog (incl. Dingo) Canis lupus Confirmed U 83 5 8 96 Fox Vulpes vulpes Confirmed U 169 9 20 198 Feral Goat Capra hircus Confirmed U 3 0 0 3 House Mouse Mus musculus Confirmed U 0 0 1 1 Feral Pig Sus scrofa Confirmed U 3 0 0 3 Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus Confirmed U 19 3 8 30 Rusa Deer Cervus timorensis Confirmed U 20 10 1 31 Unidentified Deer Cervus sp. U 2 4 3 9
Legal Status Confirmation Status
P= Protected (NPW Act,1974) Confirmed = Definitely recorded in Study Area
E1=Endangered (TSC Act, 1995) Unconfirmed = Unable to confirm definite records, but possible (includes vagrants)
V= Vulnerable (TSC Act, 1995) Probable Error = Probable misidentification, location error or database coding error
U= Unprotected Error – Definite error in the Atlas of NSW Wildlife
E4 = Extinct (TSC Act 1995)
54 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas Appendix B: Area of high quality habitat (HQH) within the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas for Species of Conservation Concern.
Species of Conservation Concern (ha) (ha) (ha) (ha) (ha) litan Total Creek/ Total % Woronora Study area Study area Area of HQH % in O'Hares % iWoronora Metropolit-an % in Metropo- O'Hares Creek/ 47620 20876 44 3409 7 5093 11 29378 62 Red-crowned Toadlet 55298 22993 42 4675 8 4896 9 32564 59 Beautiful Firetail 42437 16522 39 3599 8 4628 11 24749 58 Eastern Pygmy-possum 25621 11151 44 2253 9 1538 6 14942 58 Southern Emu-wren 77593 33517 43 5670 7 5227 7 44414 57 Giant Burrowing Frog 28640 12357 43 2109 7 1821 6 16286 57 Mainland Tiger Snake 45194 17283 38 3686 8 3593 8 24562 54 Rosenberg's Goanna 88636 36643 41 4343 5 6722 8 47708 54 Long-nosed Bandicoot 22640 5937 26 1729 8 3137 14 10803 48 Tawny-crowned Honeyeater 216181 65174 30 5580 3 6499 3 77254 36 Grey-headed Flying-fox 241161 54703 23 7047 3 7191 3 68941 29 Painted Button-quail 67510 16322 24 62 0 126 0 16510 24 Koala 160863 35415 22 2397 1 1308 1 39120 24 Spotted Quail-thrush 341874 64949 19 6085 2 7094 2 78128 23 Short-beaked Echidna 16614 2444 15 272 2 1022 6 3739 23 Broad-headed Snake 181987 33889 19 3000 2 2291 1 39180 22 Varied Sittella 231201 43820 19 2870 1 1915 1 48606 21 Gang-gang Cockatoo 120785 22366 19 398 0 1197 1 23960 20 Satin Bowerbird 208733 30886 15 1839 1 2490 1 35215 17 Powerful Owl 15259 2035 13 36 0 2 0 2073 14 Sooty Owl 359246 43716 12 2020 1 2717 1 48453 13 Superb Lyrebird 56725 6970 12 6 0 70 0 7046 12 Greater Broad-nosed Bat 45940 4697 10 234 1 473 1 5404 12 Eastern Snake-necked Turtle 7599 593 8 175 2 41 1 809 11 Platypus 214084 21056 10 762 0 552 0 22370 10 Bibron's Toadlet 140182 14158 10 50 0 98 0 14305 10 Red-browed Treecreeper 194466 18990 10 179 0 0 0 19170 10 Squirrel Glider 138823 13224 10 31 0 0 0 13255 10 Flame Robin 15298 987 6 426 3 0 0 1414 9 Rockwarbler 244592 20921 9 32 0 0 0 20953 9 Masked Owl 34142 2454 7 68 0 29 0 2551 7 Stuttering Frog 49680 2789 6 298 1 108 0 3195 6 Turquoise Parrot 289315 16641 6 452 0 585 0 17677 6 Eastern Grey Kangaroo 271357 13792 5 282 0 282 0 14356 5 Large-eared Pied Bat 141449 6565 5 2 0 0 0 6567 5 White-winged Chough 174532 5741 3 0 0 1 0 5742 3 Greater Glider
The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 55 Species of Conservation Concern (ha) (ha) (ha) (ha) (ha) litan Total Creek/ Total % Woronora Study area Study area Area of HQH % in O'Hares % iWoronora Metropolit-an % in Metropo- O'Hares Creek/ 71250 2062 3 0 0 0 0 2062 3 Highlands Copperhead 98372 2430 2 0 0 0 0 2430 2 Eastern Freetail-bat 40072 824 2 0 0 0 0 824 2 Restless Flycatcher 29997 265 1 0 0 0 0 265 1 Brown Treecreeper 72237 522 1 10 0 0 0 531 1 Glossy Black-cockatoo 6318 21 0 0 0 0 0 21 0 Diamond Firetail 132764 0 0 0 0 12 0 12 0 Green Tree Frog 56254 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Tree-base Litter-skink 23404 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hooded Robin 33545 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Speckled Warbler 4407 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby 65537 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Yellow-bellied Glider 1918 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Blue Mountains Water skink
56 The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas Appendix C Key Threatening Processes that impact upon threatened species known to occur within the Woronora, O’Hares Creek and Metropolitan Special Areas
Key Threatening Process - Final Reference1 Threatened fauna from the Woronora, O’Hares Creek and Metropolitan Listings Special Areas that are potentially affected Alteration to habitat following subsidence 2005a Australasian Bittern, Black Bittern, Broad-headed Snake, Eastern Bristlebird, due to longwall mining Eastern Pygmy-possum, Giant Burrowing Frog, Green and Golden Bell Frog, Grey-headed Flying-fox, Ground Parrot, Large-footed Myotis, Littlejohn's Tree Frog, Long-nosed Potoroo, Red-crowned Toadlet, Rosenberg's Goanna, Southern Brown Bandicoot, Stuttering Frog.
Alteration to the natural flow regimes of 2002b Australasian Bittern, Black Bittern, Freckled Duck, Giant Burrowing Frog, rivers, streams, floodplains and wetlands Green and Golden Bell Frog, Large-footed Myotis, Littlejohn’s Tree Frog, Stuttering Frog. Bushrock removal 1999a Broad-headed Snake, Red-crowned Toadlet, Rosenberg’s Goanna, Spotted- tailed Quoll. Clearing of native vegetation 2001 All threatened species recorded in the Special Areas.
Competition and grazing by the feral 2002a Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby, Diamond Firetail, Ground Parrot, Speckled European Rabbit Warbler, Turquoise Parrot. Competition and habitat degradation by 2004a Broad-headed Snake, Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby, Large-eared Pied Bat. Feral Goats Competition from Feral Honeybees 2002c Brown Treecreeper, Eastern False Pipistrelle, Eastern Freetail-bat, Gang- gang Cockatoo, Glossy Black-cockatoo, Greater Broad-nosed Bat, Large- footed Myotis, Masked Owl, Powerful Owl, Sooty Owl, Squirrel Glider, Turquoise Parrot, Yellow-bellied Glider. Ecological consequences of high- 2000b Australasian Bittern, Eastern Bristlebird, Glossy Black-cockatoo, Ground frequency fires Parrot, Long-nosed Potoroo, Olive Whistler, Southern Brown Bandicoot, Spotted-tailed Quoll, Squirrel Glider. Predation, habitat degradation, competition 2004b Australasian Bittern, Green and Golden Bell Frog, Littlejohn’s Tree Frog, and disease transmission by Feral Pigs Long-nosed Potoroo, Southern Brown Bandicoot, Stuttering Frog. Herbivory and environmental degradation 2004c Long-nosed Potoroo, Southern Brown Bandicoot. caused by Feral Deer Human-caused climate change 2000c Eastern Bristlebird, Eastern False Pipistrelle, Gang-gang Cockatoo, Ground Parrot, Long-nosed Potoroo, Olive Whistler, Sooty Owl, Southern Brown Bandicoot, Stuttering Frog. Infection by Psittacine circoviral (beak and 2002d Gang-gang Cockatoo, Glossy Black-cockatoo, Turquoise Parrot. feather) disease affecting endangered psittacine species and populations Infection of frogs by amphibian chytrid 2003a Green and Golden Bell Frog, Littlejohn’s Tree Frog, Stuttering Frog. causing the disease chytridiomycosis Invasion of native plant communities by 2003c Australasian Bittern, Brown Treecreeper, Diamond Firetail, Green and exotic perennial grasses Golden Bell Frog, Ground Parrot, Hooded Robin, Masked Owl, Speckled Warbler, Turquoise Parrot. Predation by Feral Cats 2000a Brown Treecreeper, Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby, Diamond Firetail, Eastern Bristlebird, Eastern Pygmy-possum, Green and Golden Bell Frog, Ground Parrot, Hooded Robin, Koala, Long-nosed Potoroo, Olive Whistler, Southern Brown Bandicoot, Speckled Warbler, Turquoise Parrot, Predation by the European Red Fox 1998 Australasian Bittern, Brown Treecreeper, Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby, Diamond Firetail, Eastern Bristlebird, Eastern Pygmy-possum, Green and Golden Bell Frog, Ground Parrot, Hooded Robin, Koala, Long-nosed Potoroo, Olive Whistler, Rosenberg’s Goanna, Southern Brown Bandicoot, Speckled Warbler, Turquoise Parrot., Predation by the Plague Minnow 1999c Giant Burrowing Frog, Green and Golden Bell Frog, Littlejohn’s Tree Frog, (Gambusia holbrooki) Stuttering Frog. Removal of dead wood and dead trees 2003d Barking Owl, Broad-headed Snake, Brown Treecreeper, Diamond Firetail, Eastern False Pipistrelle, Eastern Freetail-bat, Eastern Pygmy-possum, Gang-gang Cockatoo, Greater Broad-nosed Bat, Glossy Black-cockatoo, Hooded Robin, Large-footed Myotis, Masked Owl, Powerful Owl, Red- crowned Toadlet, Rosenberg's Goanna, Sooty Owl, Speckled warbler, Spotted-tailed Quoll, Squirrel Glider, Turquoise Parrot, Yellow-bellied Glider 1 – NSW Scientific Committee
The Fauna of the Metropolitan, O’Hares Creek and Woronora Special Areas 57