MARINE BIRD AREAS: New South Wales, Australia
Written as an Appendix for RESEARCH PAPER: Lyme Disease / Borreliosis: An Overview of Lyme and Direction for further Research required in Australia
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Byron Bay is around 100kms south of the Queensland border. On the mainland coast is the “Belongil seabird habitat precinct”, with over eighty species of seabirds, shorebirds, waterbirds and other wetland birds having being identified in the area (1). 200kms south of Byron Bay is CoffsHarbour (540km north of Sydney). A popular destination for hiking in the national parks, or to visit Muttonbird Island (home to thousands of migrating wedge-tail shearwaters) a mere 5km walk from the centre of town (2-4).
Another 150kms south is Port Macquarie, with this area (central coast) being surrounded by a number of nature reserves: “Limeburners Creek Nature Reserve [9,123 ha] is one of a number of moderately sized or small national parks and nature reserves on the mid north coast of NSW. Other regional conservation areas include HatHead National Park (6,446 ha) north of Crescent Head, Sea Acres Nature Reserve (76 ha) within the township of Port Macquarie, Lake Innes Nature Reserve (3,509 ha) immediately south of Port Macquarie, Kattang Nature Reserve (58 ha) east of Laurieton, and CrowdyBay National Park (8,005 ha) north-east of Taree. These six areas protect a range of erosional and depositional landforms and related biological features which demonstrate the evolution of the coastline between the Manning and the MacleayRivers” (5: pg 3). Due to these reserves having borders on the coastline, they have many species of fauna, including land, shore and seabirds (ie: Limeburners (5), Kattang (6), Crowdy Bay (7-8).
A little further down (30kms) the coast from Taree is Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine Park (9-10) which “extends from Cape Hawke Surf Life Saving Club near Forster south to Birubi Beach Life Saving Club at the northern end of Stockton Beach...The park’s diverse marine life includes many species of dolphins, turtles, fish, invertebrates, seabirds…" (11:pg 43).
Sydney area: “The County of Cumberland stretches from Broken Bay to the north, the Hawkesbury River to the north-west, the Nepean River to the west, the Cataract River to the south-west and the northern suburbs of Wollongong to the south” (12). In this area, 441 different species of birds including a variety of seabirds and shorebirds have been recorded (13-14). Situated within Cumberland County is the Cumberland Plain region, “the area west from Parramatta to the Hawkesbury-Nepean River and from Windsor in the north to Thirlmere in the south with a total area of approximately 275,000 hectares (15:pg 1)”. A couple of the numerous sites for marine birds in this region include: The Royal National Park (32kms to the south of Sydney), where more than 300 species of birds have been recorded (16-17) ; The Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan, situated on 400 hectares of land between Campbelltown and Camden, on the south-eastern edge of the Cumberland Plain (18).
Many seabirds can be seen in the harbours and open ocean areas around Sydney (19-21), including at the Five islands Nature Reserve. This nature reserve includes five small islands clustered approximately 0.5 to 3.5 kilometres off the coast of Port Kembla, south of Wollongong. The five islands; Flinders Islet, Bass Islet, Martin Islet, Big Island and Rocky Islet, have a combined area of approximately 26 hectares (22). Further down the coast at Narooma, Montague Island nature reserve is 9km off the coastline (23). These islands all have common factors, they are significant areas for migratory seabird populations, and they are also shared by land birds and other Australian seabirds, such as the silver gull (seagull) which breeds on the islands, then disperse throughout mainland coastlines of Australia (24).
Further Info:
NSW DPI - Fisheries Research Report Series: No. 12. Description of wildlife species that commonly occur in marine & estuarine waters in NSW. November 2005. ISSN 1449-9959 http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/137152/output-643.pdf
Another 150kms south is Port Macquarie, with this area (central coast) being surrounded by a number of nature reserves: “Limeburners Creek Nature Reserve [9,123 ha] is one of a number of moderately sized or small national parks and nature reserves on the mid north coast of NSW. Other regional conservation areas include HatHead National Park (6,446 ha) north of Crescent Head, Sea Acres Nature Reserve (76 ha) within the township of Port Macquarie, Lake Innes Nature Reserve (3,509 ha) immediately south of Port Macquarie, Kattang Nature Reserve (58 ha) east of Laurieton, and CrowdyBay National Park (8,005 ha) north-east of Taree. These six areas protect a range of erosional and depositional landforms and related biological features which demonstrate the evolution of the coastline between the Manning and the MacleayRivers” (5: pg 3). Due to these reserves having borders on the coastline, they have many species of fauna, including land, shore and seabirds (ie: Limeburners (5), Kattang (6), Crowdy Bay (7-8).
A little further down (30kms) the coast from Taree is Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine Park (9-10) which “extends from Cape Hawke Surf Life Saving Club near Forster south to Birubi Beach Life Saving Club at the northern end of Stockton Beach...The park’s diverse marine life includes many species of dolphins, turtles, fish, invertebrates, seabirds…" (11:pg 43).
Sydney area: “The County of Cumberland stretches from Broken Bay to the north, the Hawkesbury River to the north-west, the Nepean River to the west, the Cataract River to the south-west and the northern suburbs of Wollongong to the south” (12). In this area, 441 different species of birds including a variety of seabirds and shorebirds have been recorded (13-14). Situated within Cumberland County is the Cumberland Plain region, “the area west from Parramatta to the Hawkesbury-Nepean River and from Windsor in the north to Thirlmere in the south with a total area of approximately 275,000 hectares (15:pg 1)”. A couple of the numerous sites for marine birds in this region include: The Royal National Park (32kms to the south of Sydney), where more than 300 species of birds have been recorded (16-17) ; The Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan, situated on 400 hectares of land between Campbelltown and Camden, on the south-eastern edge of the Cumberland Plain (18).
Many seabirds can be seen in the harbours and open ocean areas around Sydney (19-21), including at the Five islands Nature Reserve. This nature reserve includes five small islands clustered approximately 0.5 to 3.5 kilometres off the coast of Port Kembla, south of Wollongong. The five islands; Flinders Islet, Bass Islet, Martin Islet, Big Island and Rocky Islet, have a combined area of approximately 26 hectares (22). Further down the coast at Narooma, Montague Island nature reserve is 9km off the coastline (23). These islands all have common factors, they are significant areas for migratory seabird populations, and they are also shared by land birds and other Australian seabirds, such as the silver gull (seagull) which breeds on the islands, then disperse throughout mainland coastlines of Australia (24).
Further Info:
NSW DPI - Fisheries Research Report Series: No. 12. Description of wildlife species that commonly occur in marine & estuarine waters in NSW. November 2005. ISSN 1449-9959 http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/137152/output-643.pdf
REFERENCES: Marine Bird areas - New South Wales
(1) Belongil Estuary Seabird and Shorebird Management Plan. Prepared on behalf of Byron Bird Buddies. http://www.byronbirdbuddies.com.au/docs/byronbirdbuddies.com.au/SeabirdPrecinctManagementPlan_Adopted.pdf
(2) Coffs Harbour:Muttonbird Island: http://www.coffscoast.com.au/Places-to-Visit/National-Parks-and-Forests/Pages/Muttonbird-Island-NR.aspx
(3) Coffs Harbour Australia: http://www.realaustraliatravel.com/coffs-harbour-australia.html
(4) Coffs Region Beach Assessment:
http://www.coffsharbour.nsw.gov.au/places-for-living/our-coast/Documents/Coastal%20Processes%20and%20Hazard%20Defintion%20Study%20Section_4.pdf
(5) Limeburners Creek Nature Reserve: Plan of Management. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service: May 1998
ISBN: 0 7310 7653 2 http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/parks/pomfinallimeburners.pdf
(6) Kattang Nature Reserve: Draft Plan of Management. NSW National Parksand Wildlife Service September 2002.
ISBN 0 7313 6958 0 http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/parks/pomdraftkattang.pdf
(7) Crowdy Bay Fauna List: http://www.harrington-crowdy.com/HarringtonCrowdyBayNPFaunaList.html
(8) NSW National Parks and Wildlife: CrowdyBay National Park: http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/nationalparks/parkhome.aspx?id=N0009
(9) NSW National Parks and Wildlife: PortStephens-Great LakesMarine Park: http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/nationalparks/parkHome.aspx?id=M0005
(10) Port Stephens: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Stephens
(11) North Coast NSW: http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/parks/brochures/100902VGNthCst.pdf
(12) Cumberland County: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumberland_County,_New_South_Wales
(13) Bird Watching in Sydney, Cumberland Bird Observers' Club: http://www.cboc.org.au/database.html
(14) Cumberland County bird list: http://www.cboc.org.au/CBOCcountybirdlist.pdf
(15) National Biodiversity Audit Biodiversity Strategy Case Study: Cumberland Plain Subregion, Sydney Basin Bioregion New South Wales. SB8: Cumberland NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service May 2002 http://www.anra.gov.au/topics/vegetation/pubs/case_studies/sb8_casestudy.pdf
(16) Royal Coast Walks: http://www.royalcoastwalks.com.au/sydney-coastal-walk-royal-national-park
(17) Royal Coast Walks, Bird Tour/info: http://www.royalcoastwalks.com.au/tours
(18) The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust: http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/annan/the_garden/wildlife/birds
(19) Sydney Pelagics Ocean Watch Adventure: http://www.sydneypelagics.info/
(20) Southern Oceans Seabird Study Association Inc (SOSSA):
http://www.sossa-international.org/forum/content.php?388-20th-August-2011-SOSSA-PELAGIC-TRIP-WOLLONGONG-NSW-AUSTRALIA.&s=2ed414f3f17ffee2e4c333ab78e0c057
(21) SOSSA Seabird List: http://www.sossa-international.org/forum/content.php?186-Seabird-Species-List-Wollongong
(22) Five Islands Nature Reserve: Plan of Management. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service October 2005
ISBN 1 74122 051 3 http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/parks/POMFinalFiveIslandsNR.pdf
(23)Montague Island Nature Reserve Plan of Management. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. November 1995.
ISBN 0 7310 0852 9 http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/parks/pomfinalmontague.pdf
(24) Montague Island NSW: http://www.montagueisland.com.au/birdlife.htm
Further Info:
NSW DPI - Fisheries Research Report Series: No. 12. Description of wildlife species that commonly occur in marine & estuarine waters in NSW. November 2005. ISSN 1449-9959 http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/137152/output-643.pdf
(2) Coffs Harbour:Muttonbird Island: http://www.coffscoast.com.au/Places-to-Visit/National-Parks-and-Forests/Pages/Muttonbird-Island-NR.aspx
(3) Coffs Harbour Australia: http://www.realaustraliatravel.com/coffs-harbour-australia.html
(4) Coffs Region Beach Assessment:
http://www.coffsharbour.nsw.gov.au/places-for-living/our-coast/Documents/Coastal%20Processes%20and%20Hazard%20Defintion%20Study%20Section_4.pdf
(5) Limeburners Creek Nature Reserve: Plan of Management. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service: May 1998
ISBN: 0 7310 7653 2 http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/parks/pomfinallimeburners.pdf
(6) Kattang Nature Reserve: Draft Plan of Management. NSW National Parksand Wildlife Service September 2002.
ISBN 0 7313 6958 0 http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/parks/pomdraftkattang.pdf
(7) Crowdy Bay Fauna List: http://www.harrington-crowdy.com/HarringtonCrowdyBayNPFaunaList.html
(8) NSW National Parks and Wildlife: CrowdyBay National Park: http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/nationalparks/parkhome.aspx?id=N0009
(9) NSW National Parks and Wildlife: PortStephens-Great LakesMarine Park: http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/nationalparks/parkHome.aspx?id=M0005
(10) Port Stephens: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Stephens
(11) North Coast NSW: http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/parks/brochures/100902VGNthCst.pdf
(12) Cumberland County: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumberland_County,_New_South_Wales
(13) Bird Watching in Sydney, Cumberland Bird Observers' Club: http://www.cboc.org.au/database.html
(14) Cumberland County bird list: http://www.cboc.org.au/CBOCcountybirdlist.pdf
(15) National Biodiversity Audit Biodiversity Strategy Case Study: Cumberland Plain Subregion, Sydney Basin Bioregion New South Wales. SB8: Cumberland NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service May 2002 http://www.anra.gov.au/topics/vegetation/pubs/case_studies/sb8_casestudy.pdf
(16) Royal Coast Walks: http://www.royalcoastwalks.com.au/sydney-coastal-walk-royal-national-park
(17) Royal Coast Walks, Bird Tour/info: http://www.royalcoastwalks.com.au/tours
(18) The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust: http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/annan/the_garden/wildlife/birds
(19) Sydney Pelagics Ocean Watch Adventure: http://www.sydneypelagics.info/
(20) Southern Oceans Seabird Study Association Inc (SOSSA):
http://www.sossa-international.org/forum/content.php?388-20th-August-2011-SOSSA-PELAGIC-TRIP-WOLLONGONG-NSW-AUSTRALIA.&s=2ed414f3f17ffee2e4c333ab78e0c057
(21) SOSSA Seabird List: http://www.sossa-international.org/forum/content.php?186-Seabird-Species-List-Wollongong
(22) Five Islands Nature Reserve: Plan of Management. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service October 2005
ISBN 1 74122 051 3 http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/parks/POMFinalFiveIslandsNR.pdf
(23)Montague Island Nature Reserve Plan of Management. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. November 1995.
ISBN 0 7310 0852 9 http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/parks/pomfinalmontague.pdf
(24) Montague Island NSW: http://www.montagueisland.com.au/birdlife.htm
Further Info:
NSW DPI - Fisheries Research Report Series: No. 12. Description of wildlife species that commonly occur in marine & estuarine waters in NSW. November 2005. ISSN 1449-9959 http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/137152/output-643.pdf