Nadgee Nature Reserve
Encyclopedia
Nadgee Nature Reserve is a protected area on the far south coast of New South Wales
, to the immediate south of Ben Boyd National Park
. Its southern border is the state border with Victoria
, where it abuts Croajingolong National Park
. Of its total area of 20671 hectares (51,079.1 acre), 18800 hectares (46,455.8 acre) is declared wilderness. The reserve accommodates a diverse range of activities include bushwalking, cycling, swimming, fishing and sea kayaking.
s have been found along the coastline. Art and burial sites are located at Womboyn Beach within the reserve. The first Europeans to visit the area were the survivors of the Sydney Cove
, who encountered members of the Bidawal tribe on 29 March 1797, en route to Sydney. Since then, the region was impacted little by European settlement, with only two farms and surrounding acreage cultivated. In 1954, Allen Strom, Allan Fox and Charles Witheford proposed the gazetting of a reserve, to which the New South Wales Government responded by naming it the Nadgee Faunal Reserve in 1957. The reserve was enlarged with the addition of the (recently logged) upper catchment of the Nadgee River in the 1970s.
forest, heathland and saltwater wetlands. Much of the vegetation was burnt in bushfires in 1972 (from a lightning strike) and 1980 (from a logging burn-off). A variety of mammal species inhabit the reserve including Swamp Wallaby
, Eastern Grey Kangaroo
, Common Wombat
, Agile
and Dusky Antechinus
and Sugar Glider
.
and endangered Eastern Bristlebird
. The reserve lies within the Nadgee to Mallacoota Inlet Important Bird Area
, so identified by BirdLife International
because it supports populations of Eastern Bristlebirds and Pilotbird
s as well as other significant fauna.
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...
, to the immediate south of Ben Boyd National Park
Ben Boyd National Park
Ben Boyd National Park is a national park in New South Wales, Australia, south of Sydney. It is named after the entrepreneur Ben Boyd who had a variety of interests in the far South Coast of New South Wales including whaling and farming. The park itself was established in 1971...
. Its southern border is the state border with Victoria
Black-Allan Line
The Black-Allan Line is the eastern "straight-edge" portion of the border between the Australian states of New South Wales and Victoria that stretches north-west from Cape Howe on the Tasman Sea to Indi Springs, the headwaters of the Murray River...
, where it abuts Croajingolong National Park
Croajingolong National Park
Croajingolong is a coastal national park in Victoria, Australia, 427 kilometres east of Melbourne.The name is thought to derive from the aboriginal word Krowathunkooloong, the name of the tribe inhabiting that area of Victoria.-Description:...
. Of its total area of 20671 hectares (51,079.1 acre), 18800 hectares (46,455.8 acre) is declared wilderness. The reserve accommodates a diverse range of activities include bushwalking, cycling, swimming, fishing and sea kayaking.
History
The area was inhabited by the Bidawal people, and many shell middenMidden
A midden, is an old dump for domestic waste which may consist of animal bone, human excrement, botanical material, vermin, shells, sherds, lithics , and other artifacts and ecofacts associated with past human occupation...
s have been found along the coastline. Art and burial sites are located at Womboyn Beach within the reserve. The first Europeans to visit the area were the survivors of the Sydney Cove
Sydney Cove (ship)
Sydney Cove was a sailing ship wrecked in 1797 on Preservation Island off Tasmania while on her way from Calcutta to Port Jackson. She was among the first ships wrecked on the east coast of Australia.- Voyage :...
, who encountered members of the Bidawal tribe on 29 March 1797, en route to Sydney. Since then, the region was impacted little by European settlement, with only two farms and surrounding acreage cultivated. In 1954, Allen Strom, Allan Fox and Charles Witheford proposed the gazetting of a reserve, to which the New South Wales Government responded by naming it the Nadgee Faunal Reserve in 1957. The reserve was enlarged with the addition of the (recently logged) upper catchment of the Nadgee River in the 1970s.
Flora and fauna
Vegetation types within the park include dry eucalyptusEucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
forest, heathland and saltwater wetlands. Much of the vegetation was burnt in bushfires in 1972 (from a lightning strike) and 1980 (from a logging burn-off). A variety of mammal species inhabit the reserve including 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...
, 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...
, 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...
, Agile
Agile Antechinus
The Agile Antechinus is a species of small carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae. It is found in Australia.-Taxonomy:...
and Dusky Antechinus
Dusky Antechinus
The Dusky Antechinus , also known as Swainson's Antechinus or the Dusky Marsupial Mouse, is a species of small marsupial carnivore, a member of the family Dasyuridae. It is found in Australia.-Taxonomy:...
and Sugar Glider
Sugar Glider
The sugar glider is a small gliding possum originating from the marsupial family.The sugar glider is native to eastern and northern mainland Australia and is also native to New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago.- Habitat :Sugar gliders can be found all throughout the northern and eastern parts of...
.
Birds
The varied habitats support a wide variety of bird species, 34 of which occur in the heathland areas alone. Species of note include the Sooty Owl, Eastern Ground Parrot, Little TernLittle Tern
The Little Tern, Sternula albifrons or Sterna albifrons, is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae. It was formerly placed into the genus Sterna, which now is restricted to the large white terns . The former North American and Red Sea S. a...
and endangered Eastern Bristlebird
Eastern Bristlebird
The Eastern Bristlebird is a species of bird in the Bristlebird family Dasyornithidae. It is endemic to Australia. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, and temperate grassland...
. The reserve lies within the Nadgee to Mallacoota Inlet Important Bird Area
Nadgee to Mallacoota Inlet Important Bird Area
The Nadgee to Mallacoota Inlet Important Bird Area comprises some 385 km2 of coastal and subcoastal land at the south-eastern corner of the Australian continent, where Cape Howe marks the junction between the Tasman Sea and Bass Strait, as well as the eastern end of the state border between...
, so identified by BirdLife International
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
because it supports populations of Eastern Bristlebirds and Pilotbird
Pilotbird
The Pilotbird is a species of bird in the Acanthizidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Pycnoptilus. The exact taxonomic placement of this species is disputed, as it bears some resemblance to the bristlebirds. The species is endemic to south east New South Wales and east Victoria in...
s as well as other significant fauna.