Ginini Flats Wetlands Ramsar Site
Encyclopedia
The Ginini Flats Wetlands Ramsar Site, also known as the Ginini Flats Subalpine Bog Complex, is a wetland
in the Australian Capital Territory
(ACT) that has been recognised as being of international importance by designation under the Ramsar Convention
. It was listed on 11 March 1996 as Ramsar site 793, and is the only such site in the ACT. It lies in the Australian Alps
, close to the boundary of the ACT with New South Wales
.
society by white settlers from 1825, many Aboriginal groups throughout the southern tablelands
and slopes moved to the high country above 1,300 m in early summer to harvest Bogong Moth
s, hold ceremonies and conduct trade. The region, including the area around the site, was subsequently used for livestock
grazing
and peat
extraction. It is now protected within Namadgi National Park
. Current human use of the area is largely limited to bushwalking
and ski touring
.
, spring-fed Sphagnum
bog
s, wet grassland
and heath
, with ephemeral pools and permanent streams, within a complex of interconnected flats known as the Ginini Flats and Cheyenne Flats. Its bogs include some of the largest, deepest and best preserved in mainland south-eastern Australia. The site lies at an altitude of between 1,500 and 1,600 m asl
in the Brindabella Ranges
,close to Mount Ginini
and within the catchment of the Cotter River
. The total area of wetland is about 50 ha, with the local catchment covering about 410 ha.
The area has an annual average rainfall of about 1,250 mm, with a mean minimum temperature of 4.2°C and mean maximum at 13.4°C. Snow falls from June to September, and freezing conditions, with temperatures falling to -20°C, occur from about 1,450m asl upwards. Most summer days are mild to warm, though series of hot days with temperatures of 35°C and over can occur. Periods of drought sometimes dry out the Flats, and fires
may be caused by lightning strikes.
woodland
with a mixed grass, herb and shrub understorey. Permanently wet areas are colonised by Sphagnum bog, mixed with wet herbfield
, and wet heath dominated by Swamp Heath. Carex sedgelands develop on the edges of open water. Dry heath of Leafy Bossiaea
and Alpine Shaggy-pea
adjoins the woodlands in drier areas. On more permanently moist sites it is replaced by tall wet heath, dominated by Woolly Tea-tree
.
The Ginini Flats support rare or endemic vertebrates and invertebrates, with many species at the northern limit of their range. The site is particularly important for the conservation of the Northern Corroboree Frog
(Pseudophryne pengilleyi), an endangered endemic frog
, with a limited distribution, found only at altitudes over 1000 m asl. It also provides feeding and refuge habitat for transient Latham’s Snipe during drought conditions. Broad-toothed Rats inhabit the hummock grasslands, wet heath and bog complex. Large mammals include the Eastern Grey Kangaroo
, Swamp Wallaby
, Red-necked Wallaby
, Short-beaked Echidna
, Mountain Brushtail Possum
, Common Ringtail Possum
and Common Wombat
.
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
in the Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
(ACT) that has been recognised as being of international importance by designation under the Ramsar Convention
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
. It was listed on 11 March 1996 as Ramsar site 793, and is the only such site in the ACT. It lies in the Australian Alps
Australian Alps
The Australian Alps are the highest mountain ranges of mainland Australia. They are located in southeastern Australia and straddle the Australian Capital Territory, south-eastern New South Wales and eastern Victoria...
, close to the boundary of the ACT with New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
.
History
Before the disruption of traditional AboriginalIndigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
society by white settlers from 1825, many Aboriginal groups throughout the southern tablelands
Southern Tablelands
The Southern Tablelands is a geographic area of the State of New South Wales, Australia. This area is located west of the Great Dividing Range.The area is characterised by flat country which has generally been extensively cleared and used for grazing purposes...
and slopes moved to the high country above 1,300 m in early summer to harvest Bogong Moth
Bogong moth
The Bogong moth is a temperate species of night-flying moth notable for appearing in large numbers around major public buildings in Canberra, the capital city of Australia, during spring as it migrates to the High Plains. The moth's name 'Bogong' is the same as the mountain ranges on the High...
s, hold ceremonies and conduct trade. The region, including the area around the site, was subsequently used for livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
grazing
Grazing
Grazing generally describes a type of feeding, in which a herbivore feeds on plants , and also on other multicellular autotrophs...
and peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
extraction. It is now protected within Namadgi National Park
Namadgi National Park
Namadgi National Park is located in the southwestern part of the Australian Capital Territory, bordering Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales. It lies approximately 40 km southwest of Canberra, and makes up approximately 46% of the ACT's land area....
. Current human use of the area is largely limited to bushwalking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
and ski touring
Ski touring
Ski touring is a form of backcountry skiing involving traveling over the winter landscape on skis under human power rather than through the assistance of ski lifts or snow vehicles. It can take place in terrain ranging from perfectly flat to extremely steep...
.
Description
The site comprises a group of subalpineSubalpine
The subalpine zone is the biotic zone immediately below tree line around the world. Species that occur in this zone depend on the location of the zone on the Earth, for example, Snow Gum in Australia, or Subalpine Larch, Mountain Hemlock and Subalpine Fir in western North America.Trees in the...
, spring-fed Sphagnum
Sphagnum
Sphagnum is a genus of between 151 and 350 species of mosses commonly called peat moss, due to its prevalence in peat bogs and mires. A distinction is made between sphagnum moss, the live moss growing on top of a peat bog on one hand, and sphagnum peat moss or sphagnum peat on the other, the...
bog
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
s, wet grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
and heath
Heath (habitat)
A heath or heathland is a dwarf-shrub habitat found on mainly low quality acidic soils, characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation, often dominated by plants of the Ericaceae. There are some clear differences between heath and moorland...
, with ephemeral pools and permanent streams, within a complex of interconnected flats known as the Ginini Flats and Cheyenne Flats. Its bogs include some of the largest, deepest and best preserved in mainland south-eastern Australia. The site lies at an altitude of between 1,500 and 1,600 m asl
Above mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
in the Brindabella Ranges
Brindabella Ranges
The Brindabella Range is a mountain range located on the border between New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. The ranges rise to the west of Canberra, the capital city of Australia, and include the Namadgi National Park in the A.C.T. and Bimberi Nature Reserve and...
,close to Mount Ginini
Mount Ginini
Mount Ginini is a mountain on the border between the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales. It is located in Bimberi Nature Reserve and Namadgi National Park. At 1762 m it is one of the highest mountains in the ACT. It is often climbed by bushwalkers from Corin Dam, as it is a few hours...
and within the catchment of the Cotter River
Cotter River
The Cotter River is a fresh water river in the Australian Capital Territory. It is a tributary of the Murrumbidgee River and part of Murray-Darling Basin. The Cotter River is one of two rivers—the Queanbeyan River is the other—that meet the water supply needs of the Canberra and...
. The total area of wetland is about 50 ha, with the local catchment covering about 410 ha.
The area has an annual average rainfall of about 1,250 mm, with a mean minimum temperature of 4.2°C and mean maximum at 13.4°C. Snow falls from June to September, and freezing conditions, with temperatures falling to -20°C, occur from about 1,450m asl upwards. Most summer days are mild to warm, though series of hot days with temperatures of 35°C and over can occur. Periods of drought sometimes dry out the Flats, and fires
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
may be caused by lightning strikes.
Flora and fauna
The bogs lie at the northern limit of Sphagnum in the Australian Alps. The wetlands are surrounded by low open SnowgumEucalyptus pauciflora
The Snow Gum is a small tree or large shrub native to eastern Australia.-Habitat:It is usually found in the subalpine habitats of eastern Australia. Snow Gums also grow in lowland habitats where they can reach heights of up to 20 metres. Lowland Snow Gum is sometimes known as White Sallee, Cabbage...
woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
with a mixed grass, herb and shrub understorey. Permanently wet areas are colonised by Sphagnum bog, mixed with wet herbfield
Herbfield
Herbfields are plant communities dominated by herbaceous plants, especially forbs and grasses. They are found where climatic conditions do not allow large woody plants to grow, such as in subantarctic and alpine tundra environments...
, and wet heath dominated by Swamp Heath. Carex sedgelands develop on the edges of open water. Dry heath of Leafy Bossiaea
Bossiaea foliosa
Bossiaea foliosa, commonly known as Leafy Bossiaea, is a species of flowering plant in the pea family found in eastern Australia. It is a shrub that grows to 1.5 metres high with small rounded glossy green leaves which are about 3 wide. Yellow flowers appear between November and January in the...
and Alpine Shaggy-pea
Podolobium alpestre
Podolobium alpestre is a shrub which is native to south-eastern Australia . The species is a member of the family Fabaceae and of the genus Podolobium. It grows up to 1.3 metres high The leaves are 10 to 40 mm long, 3 to 10 mm wide...
adjoins the woodlands in drier areas. On more permanently moist sites it is replaced by tall wet heath, dominated by Woolly Tea-tree
Leptospermum lanigerum
Leptospermum lanigerum is a shrub, commonly called the Woolly Tea-tree, which is endemic to Australia. Plants are found growing in montane eucalypt forest and coastal areas in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria....
.
The Ginini Flats support rare or endemic vertebrates and invertebrates, with many species at the northern limit of their range. The site is particularly important for the conservation of the Northern Corroboree Frog
Corroboree frog
The Corroboree frogs are two species of small, ground dwelling frogs, native to Southern Tablelands of Australia. The two species are the Southern Corroboree Frog and the Northern Corroboree Frog .-Taxonomy:'Corroboree' is an Indigenous Australian word for a gathering or meeting where...
(Pseudophryne pengilleyi), an endangered endemic frog
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
, with a limited distribution, found only at altitudes over 1000 m asl. It also provides feeding and refuge habitat for transient Latham’s Snipe during drought conditions. Broad-toothed Rats inhabit the hummock grasslands, wet heath and bog complex. Large mammals include the Eastern Grey Kangaroo
Eastern Grey Kangaroo
The Eastern Grey Kangaroo is a marsupial found in southern and eastern Australia, with a population of several million. It is also known as the Great Grey Kangaroo and the Forester Kangaroo...
, Swamp Wallaby
Swamp Wallaby
The Swamp Wallaby is a small macropod marsupial of eastern Australia. This wallaby is also commonly known as the Black Wallaby, with other names including Black-tailed Wallaby, Fern Wallaby, Black Pademelon, Stinker , and Black Stinker...
, Red-necked Wallaby
Red-necked Wallaby
The Red-necked Wallaby is a medium-sized marsupial macropod, common in the more temperate and fertile parts of eastern Australia, including Tasmania.- Description :...
, Short-beaked Echidna
Short-beaked Echidna
The short-beaked echidna , also known as the spiny anteater because of its diet of ants and termites, is one of four living species of echidna and the only member of the genus Tachyglossus...
, Mountain Brushtail Possum
Mountain Brushtail Possum
The Mountain Brushtail Possum, or Southern Bobuck , is a nocturnal, semi-arboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae native to southeastern Australia...
, Common Ringtail Possum
Common Ringtail Possum
The common ringtail possum is an Australian marsupial. It lives in a variety of habitats and eats a variety of leaves of both native and introduced plants, as well as flowers and fruits. These dietary factors have, over time, aided burgeoning introduced populations in New Zealand...
and Common Wombat
Common Wombat
The common wombat , also known as the coarse-haired wombat or bare-nosed wombat, is a marsupial, one of three species of wombats and the only one in the genus Vombatus. The common wombat grows to an average of long and a weight of .- Taxonomy :The common wombat was first described by George Shaw...
.