NSW WILDERNESS RED INDEX

Published by the Colong Foundation for Wilderness Ltd (September 1999)
2/332 Pitt Street Sydney NSW 2000 ph 02 9261 2400; fax 02 92995713
email keith@colongwilderness.org.au web site colongwilderness.org.au

Wilderness Declared (NSW):

Nadgee Nature Reserve;

Wilderness Not Declared (NSW):

Nadgee Nature Reserve;

Ben Boyd National Park;

Nadgee State Forest;

Wilderness Declared (VIC):

Croajingolong National Park (Cape Howe Wilderness Area);

Wilderness Not declared (VIC):

Croajingolong National Park;

Freehold land;

DESCRIPTION:

Most of the Nadgee area between the granite backdrop hills and the coast is underlain by sedimentary rocks such as sandstone, conglomerate, siltstone and shale. From the hills the sediments dip towards the ocean where they form cliffs. In the north, around the Merrica River and Tumbledown Mountain, the sedimentary rocks have undergone some folding and have hardened into quarzites and slates. The area contains a number of large coastal sand masses. From Cape Howe large hills of sand extend as far as Mallacoota, from whence they continue almost uninterrupted to Wilson's Promontory. In the north, another large sand mass has formed behind Disaster Bay, joining Bay Cliff at the Wonboyn Estuary to the mainland. These dune formations are some of the very few along the NSW coast which remain undisturbed by mineral sand mining or housing developments.

In New South Wales the wilderness includes all of the Merrica and Nadgee River catchments and the upper catchments of Dowell, Harrison and Royds Creeks. Local relief ranges from sea level to 543m on top of Mount Nadgee.

The Nadgee area is considered part of the transition area between cold and warm temperate coastal and estuarine environments. Tidal and sub-tidal fauna species representative of both the southern cold temperate shores of Australia and warm temperate areas are found in the area. Sub-tidally there are fairly rich beds of algae, abalone, cunjevoi and a restricted number of other species.

Over 800 plant species have been recorded from the area and over forty different vegetation associations identified. Six of the plant species found in the Nadgee area are considered rare or endangered.

The largest vegetation community of the area is lowland sclerophyll forest, with the predominant overstorey comprising Silvertop and White Stringybark, although Red Bloodwood, Southern Mahogany and Saw Banksia are also present in some places. These forests graduate into Banksia woodland nearer the coast. In low-lying areas extensive heathlands are to be found. Primary dune scrub is to found along most of the coastline. Although savagely grazed in some areas in the past, much of the resultant coarse grass is slowly being replaced by the original plant communities. Riparian forest grows along many of the streams, with the predominant overstorey comprising Mountain Grey Gum, Yellow Stringybark and River Peppermint. Four types of rainforest have been identified in the area, occurring in sheltered gullies throughout the wilderness. Warm temperate rainforest is to be found in a number of protected river gullies containing communities of Sandpaper Fig and Pinkwood. Mixed and cool temperate rainforest are located in: the southwest corner of the Nadgee Nature Reserve; the upper catchments of the Nadgee River, and Dowell, David and Harrison Creeks; and in Maxwell's Flora Reserve.

Fauna of the area is diverse and corresponds to the various plant associations, with 47 mammal species, 215 bird species, 21 reptile species and 15 amphibian species so far recorded.

Mammals of particular interest in Nadgee include endangered species such as the Long-nosed potoroo, Eastern Pygmy Possum, Tiger Quoll, Koala, Platypus and White-footed Dunnart. It is considered likely that the very rare Long-footed Potoroo also occurs in the area.

Approximately 40% of all bird species known to occur in New South Wales can be found at Nadgee. Birds listed in the Threatened Sepcies Conservation Act 1995 including the Ground Parrot, Eastern Bristlebird, Little Tern and the Hooded Plover is also recorded in the Nadgee Nature Reserve.

LAND USE HISTORY:

HISTORY OF CONSERVATION MEASURES:

THREATS:

Recommendations: The Cape Howe Wilderness Zone should be expanded to incorporate all of the 18,500 ha within the Croajingolong National Park and adjoining Crown Lands proposed as wilderness by the Colong Foundation.

Recommendations: Nadgee is entirely surrounded by State Forest, which obviates the need to burn the Nature Reserve in order to protect adjacent properties. The fire management within the adjoining State Forest should be the only control necessary. Wilderness areas should be subject to fire management that protects wilderness values and the habitats of endangered species, such as the heathland habitat of the Ground Parrot.

Recommendations: Closure, rehabilitation and revegetation of management trails in this wilderness would reduce the occurrence of the above environmental impacts and be consistent with Section 1.10.13 (b) of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NSW) Wilderness Conservation Policy.

Access to fishing places in the Nadgee Wilderness should be by foot. Although excluded from the declared wilderness, controlling vehicle access to the southern end of Disaster Bay (Wonboyn Beach) should ensure the sensitive dune systems, Aboriginal art and burial sites found there are protected. Walking access reduces environmental damage that otherwise arises from off-road vehicle use, car camping and overuse of the small sheltered camp sites amongst the coastal heath.

Following wilderness identification of the proposed site on Mt Nadgee the seaphone proposal was relocated to Mt Imlay, in Mt Imlay National Park. This proposal received vigorous support from local MP's, including Mr Peter Cochran (former State MP for Monaro, National Party) who succeeded in establishing the facility on Mt Imlay in December 1994.

Recommendations : Technological constructions are not compatible with wilderness areas. The NPWS policy opposing any new facilities on "virgin" mountains should be enforced.

The telecommunication industry’s proposed seaphone facilities should be subjected to environmental impact assessment and public review under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Telecommunication companies should employ an environment officer to minimise and avoid environmental impact of facilities in environmentally sensitive areas. The introduction of new telecommunication technology should aim to decrease adverse environmental impacts and be able to utilise existing property.

CONTACT ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS

Colong Foundation for Wilderness Ltd
2/332 Pitt Street
SYDNEY NSW 2000
Contact: Keith Muir (Director) Ph: 02 9261 2400
FAX: 02 9261 2144
e-mail keith@colongwilderness.org.au

South East Forest Conservation Council
PO Box 797
BEGA NSW 2550
Contact: Mark Blecher (President) Ph: 064 92 3385

RELEVANT CORRESPONDENCE:

See Endnotes for other correspondence relating to OTC.

RELEVANT COLONG BULLETIN ARTICLES:

Colong Bulletin, 117, "Nadgee Wilderness Area Nominated".

Colong Bulletin, 127, July 1991, "Wilderness Under Attack", p8.

Colong Bulletin, 133, July 1992, "Support the Wilderness Nominations", p3.

Colong Bulletin, 134, September 1992, "Anti-Conservationists Rampant", p8.

Colong Bulletin 142 January 1994 p10, "Forest Minister Ignores Premier over Wilderness Logging".

Colong Bulletin 147, November 1994, p5, "The Fahey Government’s Wildernesses".

Colong Bulletin 151, July 1995, p6, "Labor’s Wilderness Moratorium".

Colong Bulletin 156, May 1996, p8, "Wilderness Protection - Navigating the way forward".

Colong Bulletin 157, July 1996, p3, "Wilderness Protection Scheme".

Colong Bulletin 159, November 1996, p7, "Major advances in Wilderness and Forest Protection".

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