Commonwealth of Australia

List of Threatened Ecological Communities Amendment (EC183) Instrument 2023

I, TANYA PLIBERSEK, Minister for the Environment and Water, pursuant to paragraph 184(a) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, amend the list referred to in section 181 of that Act by including in the list of threatened ecological communities in the endangered category:

Kurri sand swamp woodland of the Sydney Basin bioregion

as described in the Schedule to this instrument.

This instrument commences the day after registration.

...................................................................................

Tanya Plibersek

Minister for the Environment and Water

Dated ...............27·8·23.........................................

SCHEDULE 1

Kurri sand swamp woodland of the Sydney Basin bioregion

The Kurri sand swamp woodland of the Sydney Basin bioregion ecological community occurs within a type of dry sclerophyll woodland, occasionally heathland or shrubland, with a typically shrubby understory. The Kurri sand swamp woodland is found in the Hunter subregion of the Sydney Basin bioregion, although some patches are found in the adjacent Wyong subregion.

The ecological community is characterised by the following vegetation structure and plant species composition:

·           A tree canopy dominated by Angophora bakeri (narrow-leaved apple), Eucalyptus parramattensis subsp. decadens (Earp’s gum), and/or E. sp. aff. agglomerata (Kurri stringybark). Other eucalypts, for example E. fibrosa (red ironbark), may also be present in the tree canopy but not as dominant species. Melaleuca nodosa (prickly-leaved paperbark) may extend into the tree canopy in some areas.

·           A mid-layer that typically comprises sclerophyllous shrubs or small trees, commonly: Acacia elongata (swamp wattle), Banksia collina (hairpin banksia), Bossiaea spp. Callistemon linearis (narrow-leaved bottlebrush), Dillwynia retorta (eggs and bacon), Hakea sericea (needlebush), Isopogon anemonifolius (broad-leaf drumstick), Lambertia formosa (mountain devil), Leptospermum spp. (tea-tree), Leucopogon virgatus (common beard-heath), Melaleuca nodosa (prickly paperbark), M. thymifolia (thyme honey-myrtle), Monotoca scoparia (prickly broom-heath) and Xanthorrhoea glauca (grasstree).

·           The ground layer is a patchy sparse to mid-dense cover of low shrubs, grasses, sedges, and forbs, typically including Anisopogon avenaceus (oat speargrass), Aristida spp. (wiregrass), Entolasia stricta (wiry panic), and Lomandra spp. (mat-rushes).

The ecological community also includes a variety of fauna species, as well as fungal and microbial species.