Victoria Park Nature Reserve

Last updated

Victoria Park Nature Reserve
New South Wales
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
Victoria Park Nature Reserve with sheds.jpg
A picnic area located in the reserve
Australia New South Wales relief location map.png
Red pog.svg
Victoria Park Nature Reserve
Nearest town or city Alstonville
Coordinates 28°54.1′S153°24.65248′E / 28.9017°S 153.41087467°E / -28.9017; 153.41087467
EstablishedApril 1975 (1975-04) [1]
Area0.18 km2 (0.1 sq mi) [1]
Managing authorities NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
Website Victoria Park Nature Reserve
See also Protected areas of
New South Wales

The Victoria Park Nature Reserve is a protected nature reserve that is located in the Northern Rivers region in the state of New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The sub-tropical jungle remnant is located an undulating high rainfall plain near Alstonville. The red-brown soil is derived from a basaltic flow from the nearby Mount Warning. Of the total land in the reserve, 8 hectares (20 acres) is original rainforest; and the other areas are being re-vegetated.

Contents

Features and location

Rainforest understorey at Victoria Park Nature Reserve, with a juvenile black bean and an illuminated eye of the red-legged pademelon from the camera's flash (bottom right). Victoria Park with Black Bean & Pademelon.jpg
Rainforest understorey at Victoria Park Nature Reserve, with a juvenile black bean and an illuminated eye of the red-legged pademelon from the camera's flash (bottom right).

The reserve is one of a few small nature reserves including the Andrew Johnston Big Scrub, Hayters Hill, Davis Scrub, Boatharbour and Wilsons Peak flora and nature reserves that conserve rainforests typical of the once extensive Big Scrub. The Big Scrub comprised 75,000 hectares (190,000 acres) of lowland subtropical rainforest which was largely cleared for agriculture in the late 19th century. [2]

Victoria Park is a popular area for picnics and barbecues. There is wheelchair access, a wooden boardwalk, pit toilets, tables, gas barbecues and information boards.

In this small area, a large diversity of flora exists. 82 tree species are included amongst the 152 plant species. [3] [4] Many types of vines, smaller plants and fungi grow here. Most of the animals are nocturnal, though red-legged pademelons are sometimes seen on the edges of the grassy area. Rainforest pigeons such as the wompoo fruit dove are often heard, but rarely seen. Land mullets may be heard crawling on the rainforest floor.

Significant rainforest tree species include Moreton Bay fig, strangler fig, long jack, black bean, white booyong, red bean and bumpy ash. Other notable species include White Bean, macadamia, yellow kamala and the rare Baloghia marmorata .

A tourist attraction in the early 20th century was a giant Moreton Bay fig, around 60 metres (200 ft) tall. Allegedly sighted by Captain Cook from HMS Endeavour in 1770. The tree was damaged by a storm in 1970 and died soon afterwards.

Re-vegetation of the previously cleared farmland is under progress. However, the removal of original jungle vegetation has caused a lack of soil nutrients. Despite this, wildlife corridors are slowly being created to link other nearby rainforest remnants.

See also

Related Research Articles

The Big Scrub was the largest area of lowland subtropical rainforest in eastern Australia. It was intensively cleared for agricultural use in the 19th century (1801–1900) by settlers. Less than 1% now remains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moore Park Nature Reserve</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

Moore Park Nature Reserve is a small remnant of "dry" rainforest in Northern New South Wales. It lies at the confluence of Findon Creek and the Richmond River. It was once part of a larger rainforest known as Boyd's Scrub. A colony of Flying Foxes lives in the rainforest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boorganna Nature Reserve</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

The Boorganna Nature Reserve is a protected nature reserve located northwest of Taree on the Comboyne Plateau in New South Wales, Australia. The 396-hectare (980-acre) reserve, managed by the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, was gazetted in 1904 and is the second oldest nature reserve in the state. The reserve features various forest types, including stands of sub tropical rainforest of which the large rosewood, yellow carabeen and small leaf fig are particularly noteworthy. The reserve is a remnant of the former extensive rainforest on the Comboyne Plateau. The plateau was cleared between 1900 and 1925. Australian red cedar was logged in the area in the nineteenth century. Originally proposed to be part of the world heritage rainforest group. The exploration, knowledge, uses and history of this area by Indigenous Australians is not well known in the present day. Boorganna Nature Reserve was proposed, but rejected for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage, due to being geographically isolated from other rainforests in the group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Numinbah Nature Reserve</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

Numinbah Nature Reserve is a protected nature reserve that is located in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The reserve was gazetted in December 1981 with a further addition made in 1989 to make the reserve to its current area of 858 hectares. The reserve is situated north-east of the rural locality of Numinbah, and south of the Queensland town of Springbrook and defines part of the state border between New South Wales and Queensland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilsons Peak Flora Reserve</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

The Wilsons Peak Flora Reserve is a protected nature reserve that is located in the Northern Rivers region in the state of New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The reserve is bounded to the north by the border between New South Wales and the state of Queensland. The nearest town is the Queensland settlement of Killarney.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Davis Scrub Nature Reserve</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

The Davis Scrub Nature Reserve is a protected nature reserve that is located in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. The 13-hectare (32-acre) reserve is a sub tropical rainforest remnant of the Big Scrub and is situated at 170 metres (560 ft) above sea level on an undulating high rainfall plain near Alstonville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gumbaynggirr State Conservation Area</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

The Gumbayngirr State Conservation Area is a protected conservation area located in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The 2,561-hectare (6,330-acre) conservation area is situated west of Nambucca Heads and contains a sub–tropical jungle, known as the League Scrub. Another section of the park, formerly known was the Little Wonder State Forest, was protected from logging by a year long blockade in 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robertson Nature Reserve</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

The Robertson Nature Reserve is a protected rainforest nature reserve that is located in the Southern Highlands region of New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The 5.3-hectare (13-acre) reserve is situated near Robertson on the edge of the Illawarra Escarpment and is a remnant of the Yarrawa Brush, once 2,450 hectares in size.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Susan Island Nature Reserve</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

The Susan Island Nature Reserve is a protected 20-hectare (49-acre) reserve nature reserve located at the western (upstream) end of the 90ha Susan Island, a 3km long x 420m wide river island, that is located in the Clarence River, in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales in eastern Australia near the centre of Grafton. The rainforest of the nature reserve and adjoining crown land is a rare 19-hectare (47-acre) example of sub tropical lowland rainforest on floodplain, and is listed under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act as an Endangered Ecological Community.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coocumbac Island Nature Reserve</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

The Coocumbac Island Nature Reserve is a protected nature reserve located in the mid–north coast region of New South Wales, Australia. The 6-hectare (15-acre) reserve, situated on the Manning River near Taree, is a rare example of a subtropical lowland rainforest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wingham Brush Nature Reserve</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

The Wingham Brush Nature Reserve is a protected nature reserve that is located in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The 8-hectare (20-acre) reserve is a rare example of sub tropical lowland rainforest and is situated on the Manning River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Johnston Big Scrub Nature Reserve</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

The Andrew Johnston Big Scrub Nature Reserve is a protected nature reserve in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. A subtropical jungle remnant of the Big Scrub, the 21-hectare (52-acre) reserve is approximately 19 kilometres (12 mi) northeast of Lismore. Far less than 1% of the original Big Scrub now remains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Booyong Flora Reserve</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

The Booyong Flora Reserve is a protected nature reserve located in Booyong in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. The 13-hectare (32-acre) sub–tropical jungle is situated 18 kilometres (11 mi) northeast of Lismore and is a remnant of the Big Scrub, of which less than one percent of the original Big Scrub remains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hayters Hill Nature Reserve</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

The Hayters Hill Nature Reserve is a protected nature reserve that is located in the Northern Rivers region in the state of New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The 8-hectare (20-acre) forest remnant is located on high ground some 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) southwest of Byron Bay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sea Acres National Park</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

The Sea Acres National Park is a national park that is located in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The 76-hectare (190-acre) park is situated near the town of Port Macquarie. The park is a popular tourist area with a 1.3-kilometre (0.81 mi) long boardwalk through a remnant of seaside rainforest. There is also an education centre and cafe. The park was initially declared as a nature reserve in 1987; and gazetted as a national park in October 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gamilaroi Nature Reserve</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

The Gamilaroi Nature Reserve is a protected nature reserve, part of the southern Brigalow Belt, that is located in the North West Slopes region of New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The 113-hectare (280-acre) reserve is situated 48 kilometres (30 mi) southeast of Moree, and about 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) south of Terry Hie Hie, at an elevation of 340 metres (1,120 ft) above sea level. The reserve is one of seven sites in the state where ooline occurs naturally. For this reason, the reserve is not promoted for recreation; and visits are not encouraged.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brunswick Heads Nature Reserve</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

The Brunswick Heads Nature Reserve is a protected nature reserve located in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. The 221-hectare (550-acre) reserve is situated near Brunswick Heads and contains an intact segment of littoral rainforest. Situated between Brunswick Heads and Ocean Shores townships, it offers a variety of tourism activities. It is popular for school excursions, offers fishing, bird watching, cycling, nature walking, canoeing and picnicing.

The Kangaroo River Nature Reserve, part of the Kangaroo Valley Group of Nature Reserves, is a protected nature reserve that is located on the floor of the Kangaroo Valley in the Southern Highlands and South Coast regions of New South Wales in eastern Australia. The reserve is situated approximately 150 kilometres (93 mi) south of Sydney, 50 kilometres (31 mi) southwest of Wollongong and 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) northwest of Nowra. The reserve has a protective covenant placed upon it with purpose to ensure the protection of the natural heritage of this area. National parks in the area include the Morton National Park and the Budderoo National Park. Other nature reserves in the area include the Barren Grounds Nature Reserve, and the Cambewarra Range, Barrengarry and Rodway nature reserves – the latter three part of the Kangaroo Valley Group of Nature Reserves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ecology of Sydney</span> Geographic aspect of Sydney, Australia

The ecology of Sydney, located in the state of New South Wales, Australia, is diverse for its size, where it would mainly feature biomes such as grassy woodlands or savannas and some sclerophyll forests, with some pockets of mallee shrublands, riparian forests, heathlands, and wetlands, in addition to small temperate rainforest fragments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Limeburners Creek National Park</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

Limeburners Creek National Park is a protected national park on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia. The 91.2 km national park is located 5 km (3.1 mi) to the north of Port Macquarie and exists across both the Kempsey Shire and Port Macquarie-Hastings Council local government areas, but is chiefly managed by National Parks and Wildlife Service. The area was originally erected as a nature reserve but this reservation was revoked when it became formally recognised as a national park in 2010 under the National Parks and Wildlife Act (1974). Many threatened ecological habitats and species of fauna and flora are found within this park, alongside several heritage sites of cultural significance, particularly to the local Birpai and Dunghutti people upon whose land the park exists. The protected status of this national park is largely owing to the ecological and cultural value of the area, in addition to the value of the ecosystems to further scientific research.

References

  1. 1 2 "Victoria Park Nature Reserve: Park management". Office of Environment and Heritage. Government of New South Wales . Retrieved 22 September 2014.
  2. "Victoria Park Nature Reserve: Plan of Management" (PDF). NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (PDF). Government of New South Wales. 29 October 2013. ISBN   978-1-74359-343-1 . Retrieved 21 September 2014.
  3. Floyd, A. G. Australian Rainforests of New South Wales. Vol. 2. p. 8. ISBN   0-949324-32-9.
  4. Victoria Park Nature Reserve - pamphlet NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service 1998