The Burrinjuck Nature Reserve is a

protected Protection is any measure taken to guard a thing against damage caused by outside forces. Protection can be provided to physical objects, including organisms, to systems, and to intangible things like civil and political rights. Although th ...

nature reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or ...

on the south west slopes of

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. The reserve is located adjacent to the Burrinjuck Dam, with of the reserve located on the northern side of the reservoir, and the remaining located on the southern side of the reservoir to the northeast of Black Andrew Nature Reserve. It includes land formerly managed as the Burrinjuck State Forest and Burrinjuck State Recreation Area.

History

The reserve was established in 1984. Initially, it consisted of of land, but and about of the former Burrinjuck State Recreation Area were added in 2001 following the passage of the , and a further were added to the western side of the reserve in 2006. The entire reserve has been subject to bushfire, though some parts of the reserve have experienced fire more often than others. A particularly severe fire in the summer of 1972–1973 burnt around of land in the area. Recent work demonstrated that the vegetation communities in the reserve appear to be quite resilient to fire.

Public facilities

The only public facilities in the reserve are the

Hume and Hovell Track The Hume and Hovell Walking Track stretches over between Yass and Albury, in New South Wales, Australia. The track allows walkers to rediscover the route of explorers Hamilton Hume and William Hovell on their expedition to Port Phillip in 1824. ...

and a track that leads to the summit of Mt. Barren Jack from Burrinjuck Waters State Park.

Ecology

Flora

Six different forest ecosystems are recognised in the reserve: * Apple box - Norton's box - moist grass forest. This is the dominant ecosystem in the eastern part of the reserve. Common plant species include Norton's box (''Eucalyptus nortonii''), apple box ('' Eucalyptus bridgesiana''), red stringybark (''

Eucalyptus macrorhyncha ''Eucalyptus macrorhyncha'', commonly known as the red stringybark, is a species of medium-sized tree that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has rough, stringy, grey to brown bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between se ...

''), silver wattle ('' Acacia dealbata''), tick indigo (''Indigofera adesmiifolia''), stinking pennywort (''Hydrocotyle laxiflora''), native geranium (''Geranium solanderi'' var. ''solanderi''), Sheep's Burr ''

Acaena echinata ''Acaena echinata'', commonly known as sheep's burr, is a species of perennial herb, in the Rosaceae family, native to Australia. Description It grows to a height of 25–40 cm and has shiny, green fern-like leaves 60–150 mm long ...

'', native carrot (''

Daucus glochidiatus ''Daucus glochidiatus'', commonly known as Australian carrot, Austral carrot or native carrot, is a species of herb in the flowering plant family Apiaceae. It is native to Australia and New Zealand. Description It grows as an erect annual herb, ...

''), weeping grass (''

Microlaena stipoides ''Microlaena stipoides'', Synonym (taxonomy), synonym ''Ehrharta stipoides'', is a species of Poaceae, grass. It occurs naturally in all states of Australia as well as in New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and the Philippines.

'' var. ''stipoides''), snowgrass ('' Poa meionectes''), Austral bear’s ear (''Cymbonotus preissianus''), and ''Plantago varia''. * Wee Jasper Norton’s box – Poa grass forest. This ecosystem is dominant on steep slopes in the south west of the reserve. Common plant species include Norton's box (''Eucalyptus nortonii''), red stringybark (''Eucalyptus macrorhyncha''), shiny cassinia (''Cassinia longifolia''), hoary guinea flower ('' Hibbertia obtusifolia''), slender tea tree (''Leptospermum brevipes''), daphne heath (''

Brachyloma daphnoides ''Brachyloma daphnoides'', commonly known as daphne heath, is a flowering plant in the family Ericaceae. It is a small upright shrub with dull grey-green leaves and white tubular flowers. Description ''Brachyloma daphnoides'' is a small, upright ...

''), clustered everlasting (''

Chrysocephalum semipapposum ''Chrysocephalum semipapposum'', commonly known as clustered everlasting is a perennial shrub native to Australia. Clustered everlasting belongs to the family Asteraceae. ''C. semipapposum'' produces terminal flowers heads in clusters, mainly be ...

''), ''Gonocarpus tetragynus'' and snow grass (''Poa sieberiana'' var. ''cyanophylla''). * Brittle Gum – Broad-Leaved Peppermint - Poa grass forest. This ecosystem is found on steeper slopes in the southern half of the reserve. Common plant species include brittle gum (''

Eucalyptus mannifera ''Eucalyptus mannifera'', commonly known as the brittle gum or red spotted gum, is a species of small to medium-sized tree that is Endemism, endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has smooth, powdery white bark, lance-shaped to curved adult lea ...

''), broad-leaved peppermint gum ('' Eucalyptus dives''), Robertson's peppermint (''Eucalyptus robertsonii'' ssp. ''robertsonii''), red stringybark (''Eucalyptus macrorhyncha''), pea bush ('' Platylobium formosum'' ssp. ''formosum''), hoary guinea flower (''Hibbertia obtusifolia''), red-stemmed wattle (''Acacia rubida''), ''Monotoca scoparia'', ''Gonocarpus tetragynus'', grass trigger-plant (''

Stylidium graminifolium ''Stylidium graminifolium'', the grass triggerplant, is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the genus '' Stylidium'' (family Stylidiaceae). This species used to belong to the ''Stylidium graminifolium'' complex, but the name was conserved for ...

''), ''Poa tenera'', ''Brachyscome spathulata'', silvertop wallaby grass (''

Joycea pallida ''Rytidosperma pallidum'' (syn. '' Joycea pallida''), commonly known as red-anther wallaby grass, is an Australian species of tussock grass found in Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. The grass has flowers in Decemb ...

'') and snowgrass (''Poa sieberiana'' var. ''sieberiana''). * Dwyer’s Gum heathy low open woodland. This ecosystem is found at the northern edge of the reserve. Common plant species include black cypress pine ('' Callitris endlicheri''), white box (''

Eucalyptus albens ''Eucalyptus albens'', known as the white box, is a common tree of the western slopes and plains of New South Wales and adjacent areas in Queensland and Victoria. It has rough, fibrous bark on the base of its trunk and smooth, white bark above. ...

''), red stringybark (''Eucalyptus macrorhyncha''), inland scribbly gum ('' Eucalyptus rossii''), sticky everlasting ('' Xerochrysum viscosum''), ''Caladenia mentiens'', fringed spider orchid (''Caladenia tentaculata''), native carrot (''Daucus glochidiatus''), ''Gonocarpus elatus'', yellow pennywort (''Hydrocotyle foveolata''), ''Senecio'' species, spoon cudweed (''Stuartina muelleri''), annual bluebell (''Wahlenbergia gracilenta''), snowgrass ('' Poa meionectes'') and wattle mat-rush (''

Lomandra filiformis ''Lomandra filiformis'', commonly known as wattle mat-rush, is a tussock forming perennial herb that is native to Australia. It is sparsely tufted, with strap-like leaves and yellow flowers. It grows in dry sclerophyll forest and grassy wood ...

'' ssp. ''coriacea''). * Long Leaved Box (Black Cypress Pine) heath shrub forest. This ecosystem is scattered throughout the central and western part of the reserve. Common plant species include long-leaved box ('' Eucalyptus goniocalyx''), red stringybark (''Eucalyptus macrorhyncha''), common fringe-myrtle ('' Calytrix tetragona''), lesser guinea flower (''Hibbertia calycina''), varnish wattle (''

Acacia verniciflua ''Acacia verniciflua'', commonly known as varnish wattle, is a shrub or small tree species that is endemic to Australia. It has an erect or spreading habit, growing to between 1 and 6 metres high, The phyllodes are often sticky and lustrous an ...

''), shiny cassinia (''Cassinia longifolia''), grass tree (''

Xanthorrhoea glauca ''Xanthorrhoea glauca'', known as the grass tree, is a large plant in the genus ''Xanthorrhoea'', widespread in eastern Australia. The trunk can grow in excess of 5 metres tall, and may have many branches. It is occasionally seen in large communi ...

'' ssp. ''angustifolia''), green wattle ('' Acacia deanei'' ssp. ''deanei''), woolly grevillea/crimson grevillea cross (''

Grevillea lanigera ''Grevillea lanigera'', commonly known as woolly grevillea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is a spreading shrub with narrowly oblong to more or less linear leav ...

'' x ''polybractea''), ''Daviesia pubigera'', ''

Persoonia rigida ''Persoonia rigida'', commonly known as the rigid-, hairy- or stiff geebung, is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is an erect to low-lying shrub with hairy young branchlets, lance ...

'', spotted doubletail (''

Diuris maculata ''Diuris maculata'', commonly known as the spotted doubletail, is a species of orchid endemic to New South Wales. It has up to two or three folded leaves and a flowering stem with up to eight yellow flowers with brown to blackish markings. It ...

''), '' Dampiera purpurea'' and ''Senecio anethifolius''. * Blue Gum – Broad-Leaved Peppermint dry grass shrub forest. This ecosystem is dominant on gentle slopes in the centre of the reserve. Common plant species include southern blue gum ('' Eucalyptus bicostata''), broad-leaved peppermint (''Eucalyptus dives''), red stringybark (''Eucalyptus macrorhyncha''), Robertson's peppermint (''Eucalyptus robertsonii'' ssp. ''robertsonii''), common bracken ('' Pteridium esculentum''), silver wattle (''Acacia dealbata''), shiny cassinia (''Cassinia longifolia''), ''

Hovea linearis ''Hovea linearis'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is an erect or trailing subshrub with mostly narrowly linear to linear leaves with stipules at the base, and mauve and yellowish- ...

'', honeypots (''Acrotriche serrulata''), '' Platylobium formosum'' ssp. ''formosum'', pale wedge pea (''

Gompholobium huegelii ''Gompholobium huegelii'', commonly known as common wedge-pea is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is an erect or spreading shrub with trifoliate leaves and cream-coloured to yellow ...

''), ''Monotoca scoparia'', twyning glycine (''

Glycine clandestina ''Glycine clandestina'', commonly known as twining glycine or love creeper, is a scrambling plant in the bean family, found in Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country compr ...

''), rough bedstraw (''Galium gaudichaudii''), native geranium (''Geranium solanderi'' var. ''solanderi''), ''Plantago varia'', ''Brachyscome spathulata'', pink fairy orchid (''

Caladenia carnea ''Caladenia carnea'', commonly known as pink fingers, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to eastern and south-eastern Australia, including Tasmania. It has a single thin, green leaf and one to five white or pink flowers w ...

'' var. ''carnea''), kidneyweed (''

Dichondra repens ''Dichondra repens'' is a small, prostrate, herbaceous plant native to New Zealand and many parts of Australia. It is occasionally known as kidney weed in Australia and as Mercury Bay weed in New Zealand. Most commonly called dichondra in Austr ...

''), cudweed (''Euchiton gymnocephalus''), nodding greenhood (''

Pterostylis nutans ''Pterostylis nutans'', commonly known as the nodding greenhood or the parrot's beak orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. Nodding greenhoods have flowers which "nod" or lean forwards strongly, have a deeply notched sinus ...

''), prickly starwort (''Stellaria pungens''), Australian bluebell (''

Wahlenbergia stricta ''Wahlenbergia stricta'', the Australian bluebell, tall bluebell or austral bluebell, is an Australian wildflower from the Campanulaceae family. It is considered the most commonly encountered of the Wahlenbergias. It is found in all Australian s ...

'' ssp. ''stricta''), common wheatgrass (''Elymus scaber'' var. ''scaber''), wattle mat-rush (''Lomandra filiformis'' ssp. ''filiformis'') and snow grass (''Poa sieberiana'' var. ''hirtella'' and ''Poa sieberiana'' var. ''cyanophylla'').

Threatened species

Two species listed on the are known to exist in the reserve. The Yass daisy is listed as vulnerable, and the crimson spider orchid is listed as endangered. There are thought to be about 100 crimson spider orchid plants in the reserve, which constitute one of four known populations of the species in New South Wales. '' Grevillea iaspicula'' meets the criteria for listing as Critically Endangered in NSW under the . Seven sub-populations of the plant are known to occur in the Wee-Jasper–Burrinjuck area; one of these sub-populations is located in the reserve.

Fauna

3 amphibian species, 9 reptile species, 32 mammal species and 179 bird species have been recorded in the reserve since the late 1970s.

Threatened species

16 animal species known to exist in the reserve are listed under the . All are listed as vulnerable. They are the gang-gang cockatoo ('' Callocephalon fimbriatum''), turquoise parrot ('' Neophema pulchella''), superb parrot (''

Polytelis swainsonii The superb parrot (''Polytelis swainsonii''), also known as Barraband's parrot, Barraband's parakeet, or green leek parrot, is a parrot native to south-eastern Australia. It is a dimorphic species and one of three species in the genus ''Polyt ...

''), barking owl ('' Ninox connivens''), powerful owl (''

Ninox strenua The powerful owl (''Ninox strenua''), a species of owl native to south-eastern and eastern Australia, is the largest owl on the continent. It is found in coastal areas and in the Great Dividing Range, rarely more than inland. The IUCNRed List ...

''), brown treecreeper ('' Climacteris picumnus''), speckled warbler ('' Pyrrholaemus sagittatus''), black-chinned honeyeater ('' Melithreptus gularis'' ssp. ''gularis''), hooded robin ('' Melanodryas cucullata''), grey-crowned babbler ('' Pomatostomus temporalis'' ssp. ''temporalis''), olive whistler (''

Pachycephala olivacea The olive whistler (''Pachycephala olivacea'') or olivaceous whistler, is a species of bird in the family Pachycephalidae, the whistlers, that is native to southeastern Australia. Taxonomy and systematics Subspecies Five subspecies are recogni ...

''), diamond firetail ('' Stagonopleura guttata''), spotted-tailed quoll ('' Dasyurus maculatus''), yellow-bellied glider (''

Petaurus australis The genus ''Petaurus'' () contains flying phalangers or wrist-winged gliders, a group of arboreal possums native to Australia, New Guinea, and surrounding islands. There are eight species: the sugar glider, savanna glider, Krefft's glider, sq ...

''), squirrel glider ('' Petaurus norfolcensis'') and the eastern bent-wing bat (''

Miniopterus schreibersii The common bent-wing bat (''Miniopterus schreibersii''), also known as the Schreibers's long-fingered bat or Schreibers's bat, is a species of insectivorous bat. They appear to have dispersed from a subtropical origin and distributed throughout ...

oceanensis'').

References

{{Nature reserves of New South Wales , state=autocollapse Protected areas established in 1984 Nature reserves in New South Wales 1984 establishments in Australia Yass Valley Council

History

Public facilities

Ecology

Flora

Threatened species

Fauna

Threatened species

See also

References