Goobang National Park

Goobang is a national park located in New South Wales, Australia, Template:Convert northwest of Sydney. It protects the largest remnant forest and woodland in the central west region of the state, where interior and coastal New South Wales flora and fauna species overlap.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Faulkner, Lebreton & Ellis 1997">Template:Cite report</ref> Originally named Herveys Range by John Oxley in 1817, the area was reserved in 1897 as state forest because of its importance as a timber resource, and was designated a national park in 1995.

The park contains a camping ground and a hiking trail, Burrabadine Peak Walking Track, a 3.6 km round trip moderate hike.

Climate

Goobang National Park is in a temperate to semi-arid zone experiencing hot summers and cool winters with temperatures ranging from Template:Convert in winter and Template:Convert in summer. The heaviest rain fall is in the summer and can range from Template:Convert on the east side of the ranges to Template:Convert west of the ranges.<ref name="Goobang National Park plan of management 2001">Template:Cite book</ref>

Flora

There are 459 species recorded in the park, several that are threatened.<ref name="Goobang National Park plan of management 2001"/> Tylophora linearis is listed as vulnerable according to the TCS ACT 1995 and endangered according to the EPBC ACT 1999. Eriostemon ericifolius is vulnerable based on TCS ACT 1995 and Astrotricha linearis only known record west of the Great Dividing Range.<ref>GOOBANG Vegetation Survey, Data from the Atlas of NSW database: VIS flora survey module, Version 11 /2013</ref> Pomaderris queeslandica endangered TSC ACT 1995 and Philotheca ericifoia vulnerable EPBC ACT 1999.<ref>NSW BIONET 2015</ref>

There are 135 ecological communities in the South West Slope bioregion, most are considered poorly protected.(4) There are 11 ecological communities in the park, five of which are only protected at Goobang. These include red stringybark (Eucalyptus macrorhyncha) woodland found on siliceous hillslopes of the Hervey Range. Red stringybark (Eucalyptus macrorhyncha), long leaved box (Eucalyptus goniocalyx) black cypress pine (Callitris endicher), hummock grass (Triodia scariosa), shrubby low woodland found on siliceous volcanic and sedimentary ranges. Red ironbark (Eucalyptus fibrosa) in association with black cypress (Callitris endlicheri) shrubby woodland found on shallow sandy soils derived from sandstone. Red ironbark (Eucalyptus fibrosa), red stringybark (Eucalyptus macrorhyncha) tumbledown gum (Eucalyptus dealbata) heathland found on siliceous ridges and scribbly gum (Eucalyptus rosii) dominated open forest in association with black cypress pine and red ironbark.<ref name="scholar.google.com.au">Benson J.S. (2008) New South Wales Vegetation Classification and Assessment: Part 2 Plant communities of the NSW South-western Slopes Bioregion and update of NSW Western Plains plant communities, Version 2 of the NSWVCA database https://scholar.google.com.au/scholar_url?url=http://publikationen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/files/29346/benson_2008_NSWVCA.pdf&hl=en&sa=X&scisig=AAGBfm3K7I9q9ZaZSfcRUMhUL8ivHEXyaQ&nossl=1&oi=scholarr&ei=3sNiVfW2OYLbmAXOioGoAw&ved=0CBsQgAMoADAA accessed May 2015</ref>

A further four communities that are protected in Goobang are considered to be of significance. Mugga ironbark (Eucalyptus sideroxylon), black cypress, red stringybark, Blakely's red gum (Eucalyptus blakelyi) and red ironbark woodland which are found on hillslopes and in valleys on the ranges. Buloke (Allocasuarina leuhnannii) and white cypress pine (Callitris glaucophylla) woodlandis found on alkaline soils. Riparian Blakely's red gum, apple box (Eucalyptus bridesana), yellow box (Eucalyptus melliodora) and occasionally inland grey box (Eucalyptus macrocarpa), with shrub, sedge and grass tall open forest in valleys. White box (Eucalyptus albens), with black cypress and red gum (Eucalyptus polyanthemos) shrubby woodlands in the hills.<ref name="scholar.google.com.au"/>

Fire

Fires are an intrinsic feature of the Australian bush, to ensure continual biodiversity prescribed burns are carried out at the appropriate times within the park. Wildfires at Goobang have occurred due to dry lightning strikes in the hot summer months. There have been 52 wildfires recorded since 1942.<ref>Goobang national park fire management strategy (2014)</ref>

Fauna

There are 31 species of reptiles, 14 species of frogs and 31 species of mammals recorded in the park including echidnas, wallaby, kangaroos, possums and bats as well as exotics such as rabbits, cats, foxes, goats, sheep and dogs. Threatened species include carpet python (Morelia spilotes), Sloane's froglet (Crinia sloanei), koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), brush tailed rock wallaby (Petrogale pencicllata), grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus), yellow-bellied sheathtail bat (Saccolaimus flaviventris), Corben's long eared bat (Nyetophilus corbeni) and New Holland mouse (Pseudomys novaehollandiae).<ref name="Goobang National Park plan of management 2001"/><ref name="Faulkner, Lebreton & Ellis 1997"/>

Avifauna

It is becoming evident that due to clearing of eucalyptus forests that woodland birds are on the decline.<ref>Reid, J.R.W. 1999,Ford, Hugh A. (2011) Major, Richard E, Fiona J. Christie, Greg Gowing,2001, Food, Hugh A, Geoffrey W Barrett, Denis A Saunders, Harry F Recher,2001</ref> Birds of significance that have been sighted at Goobang are varied sittella (Daphoenositta chrysoptera) painted honeyeater (Grantiella picta), black-chinned honeyeater (Melithreptus gularis), regent honeyeater (Anthochaera phrygia), scarlet robin (Petroica boodang), flame robin (Petrocia phoenice), hooded robin (Melanodryas cucullata), Gilbert's whistler (Pachycephala inornata), diamond firetail (Emblema guttata) grey-crowned babbler (Pomatostomus temporalis), speckled warbler (Chthonicola saggitatus), brown treecreeper (Climacteris picumnus), glossy black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami), superb parrot (Polytellis swainsonii), little lorikeet (Glossopsitta pusilla), turquoise parrot (Neophema pulchella), spotted harrier (Circus assimilis), barking owl (Ninox connivens), black falcon (Falco subniger), and little eagle (Heiraaetus morphnoides).<ref name="Faulkner, Lebreton & Ellis 1997"/>

Environmental threats

Feral animals

Feral animals pose a huge threat to native species due to predation, disease and competition. Feral cats for example have been responsible for reduced numbers and extinction of small mammals and birds.<ref>The problem of feral cats is now so big that experts think that up to 100 species of native animals are on the verge of extinction. [online]. Seven News (SEVEN NETWORK);Phillips, N. (2012, 29 Dec</ref>) Rabbits pose a threat to the survival of tree seedlings competition with native herbivores.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Environmental weeds

Weeds such as blackberry are significant as far as causing havoc within the natural environment forming large thickets blocking creeks suppressing native ground covers and providing a hiding spot for feral animals such as rabbits.<ref name="Goobang National Park plan of management 2001"/> Exotic grasses, pastures and weeds have replaced native undergrowth in most of the scattered white box communities.<ref name="Prober SM, Thiele KR (1995)">Template:Cite journal</ref>

Agriculture practices

Grazing in and around remnant woodlands.<ref name="Prober SM, Thiele KR (1995)"/> Clearing of native vegetation that might act as connective corridors between the park and any other patchy native landscapes.<ref name="Goobang National Park plan of management 2001"/>

Human – induced climate change

Species that require specialized niches and or cannot disperse and effectively colonize suitable habitat will be affected if this current trend of human induced climate change continues. It is estimated that 52% of the already declining population of frogs and 35% of birds will be affected.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Koalas are listed by the IUCN as one of the top 10 species to become extinct. Koala populations are already at risk because of habitat modification and chlamydia. Increasing Template:CO2 levels will affect the nutrient availability of eucalyptus leaves further weakening koala populations, increased frequency of droughts and bushfire will force koalas to seek new habitats, exposing them to the dangers of predation and injury from traffic.<ref>IUCN Species and climate change koala(2010)</ref>

See also

• Protected areas of New South Wales

References

Bibliography

• Template:Cite book
• New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage (2014). GOOBANG Vegetation Survey, Data from the Atlas of NSW database: VIS flora survey module. Version 11 /2013. Persistent Hyperlink: Obtained via ÆKOS Data Portal (http://www.aekos.org.au/), made available by State of New South Wales (Office of Environment and Heritage http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Accessed 05/04/2015.
• NSW BIONET 2015 Office of Environment and Heritage http://www.bionet.nsw.gov.au/18/05/2015Template:Dead link
• Benson J.S. (2008) New South Wales Vegetation Classification and Assessment: Part 2 Plant communities of the NSW South-western Slopes Bioregion and update of NSW Western Plains plant communities, Version 2 of the NSWVCA database accessed May 2015
• Goobang national park fire management strategy (2014) Office of Environment and Heritage http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/firemanagement/GoobangNPfms.htm Retrieved 30 April 2015
• Template:Cite report
• Reid, J.R.W. 1999. Threatened and declining birds in the New South Wales Sheep-Wheat Belt: I. Diagnosis, characteristics and management. Consultancy report to NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. CSIRO Wildlife and Ecology, Canberra. Retrieved 14 May 2015
• Template:Cite journal
• Template:Cite journal
• Template:Cite journal
• The problem of feral cats is now so big that experts think that up to 100 species of native animals are on the verge of extinction.Template:Dead link [online]. Seven News (SEVEN NETWORK); Time: 18:00; Broadcast Date: Sunday, 26 April 2015; Duration: 1 min., 58 sec. Availability: [cited 23 May 15].
• Template:Cite news
• Template:Cite journal
• Template:Cite journal
• Template:Cite book
• IUCN Species and climate change koala(2010)https://web.archive.org/web/20150425210054/http://iucn.org/iyb/about/species_on_the_brink/species_climate/ May 2015