Tumut Grevillea - profile

Indicative distribution

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Key:

known

predicted

The areas shown in pink and/purple are the sub-regions where the species or community is known or predicted to occur. They may not occur thoughout the sub-region but may be restricted to certain areas. ( click here to see geographic restrictions). The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.

Scientific name: Grevillea wilkinsonii

Conservation status in NSW: Critically Endangered

Commonwealth status: Critically Endangered

Gazetted date: 15 May 2020

Profile last updated: 22 Feb 2024

Description

The Tumut Grevillea typically grows to a large spreading shrub up to 2.5 m tall and 2 m wide. The plants at Gundagai, however, are essentially prostrate shrubs with a spread of up to 3 m. The leaves are more or less oblong, to 15 cm long by 2 cm wide, with scalloped edges; each scallop is separated by a small sharp tooth. The leaves are green (sometimes bronze on young foliage) and almost hairless on the upper surface; the lower surface has a silky covering of short silvery-grey hairs. The individual flowers are small and distinctive, with pinkish to purple petals and a lilac-pink, green or yellow tipped style. The flowers form toothbrush-like clusters that are usually 3 - 5 cm long. The fruits are woody capsules to 9 mm long; splitting lengthways to release one (rarely two) ovoid dark-brown seed. The seed is 5-6.5 mm long, 2.5-3 mm in diameter and slightly flattened along one side.

Distribution

The Tumut Grevillea has a highly restricted distribution in the NSW South-west Slopes region. Its main occurrence is along a 6 km stretch of the Goobarragandra River approximately 20 km east of Tumut where about 1,000 plants are known. The other occurrence is a small population that straddles the boundary of two private properties at Gundagai where only eight mature plants survive.

Habitat and ecology

At the Goobarragandra River sites the species generally grows in close proximity to the water, at altitudes between 310 and 340 m. Most healthy adult plants occur in open sunny areas, and those plants found under the canopy of dense vegetation tend to be spindly and are sometimes subject to sooty mould infestations.
The associated native vegetation in the Goobarragandra sites are typically remnant riverine shrub communities adjacent to open-forest, with the most common tree species being Blakely's Red Gum (Eucalyptus blakelyi), Apple Box (E. bridgesiana), Yellow Box (E. melliodora), and Red Stringybark (E. macrorhyncha) and with Kurrajongs (Brachychiton populneus) sometimes growing in nearby paddocks.
The population at Gundagai is growing on the upper slope of a steep hill on Serpentinite rock. The associated native vegetation at this site is a grassy White Box (Eucalyptus albens) woodland with scattered shrubs of Pink Wedding Bush (Ricinocarpos bowmanii) and Hop Bush (Dodonaea viscosa). The groundcover is dominated by Kangaroo Grass (Themeda triandra) and Snow Grass (Poa sieberiana).
Flowers from mid-September to mid October, with individual flower clusters lasting for about two weeks from when the first individual flowers in the cluster open.
Flowers have a strong and rather unpleasant smell, not unlike the smell of mice urine; most species of "toothbrush grevilleas" are adapted to bird pollination, but this species is primarily insect pollinated.
Seedlings usually commence flowering once they are two or three years old.
Most sites contain individuals of varying ages and numerous seedlings have been observed at some sites.
The species recruits most readily where there is some bare ground. Recruitment rarely occurs where there is a dense grass groundcover.
Fruits mature during December and split longitudinally down one side to release the seed.
Individual plants often produce several hundred seeds each year, although in some years much of the ripening seed is eaten by parrots.
The seed in this species has a lengthy dormancy, with germination usually taking between one and two years after sowing.

Regional distribution and habitat

Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.

NSW South Western Slopes

Threats

Grazing (browsing on adults, removal of seedlings) by domestic stock.
Loss and degradation of habitat and/or populations by invasion of weeds, primarily blackberry and woody weeds including Pyracantha and Cotoneaster. Exotic pasture grasses and St John's wort are present at some sites where they inhibit recruitment of the Grevillea seedlings.
Loss or degradation of habitat and/or populations by competition from other native species, particularly Leptospermum spp. (tea tree).
A severe flood event in 2010 followed by a record high flood in 2012 decimated much of the natural population and habitat and also parts of some translocation sites that were within the flood zone. Climate change predictions are for an increased frequency of extreme events such as severe flooding.
Loss and degradation of habitat and/or populations by clearing of habitat for agriculture has been a major threat in the past and continues to be a threat to a few of the remaining populations.
Future changes in private land ownership (private land supports 80% of population) may pose a risk if not sympathetic to the protection of the species.
Inherent risk of loss of small populations from natural or unnatural catastrophic events (e.g. flooding, fire, drought, physical disturbance).
Localised disturbances, e.g. landscaping activity, trampling by pets, to populations close to dwellings and other buildings is a potential threat to two of the smaller populations.

Recovery strategies

A targeted strategy for managing this species has been developed under the Saving Our Species program; click here for details. For more information on the Saving Our Species program click here

Activities to assist this species

Protect known populations from changes to land use that will adversely impact on the species.
Undertake weed control in and adjacent to populations, taking care to spray or dig out only target weeds. Glyphosate herbicide should not be used within a few metres of Grevillea plants as the species is known to be highly sensitive to this herbicide.
Negotiate with landholders where populations are subject to domestic stock grazing to protect sites from continued grazing. Additional fencing may be needed to achieve this.
Erect on-site signs to alert Council maintenance staff to the presence the species where it occurs on road verges.
Undertake enrichment plantings at suitable sites with currently low population sizes and establish new populations in suitable habitat within the range of the species or in close proximity to the known range.
Monitor known populations to determine if management is maintaining or increasing population sizes.
Mark sites and potential habitat onto maps (of the site, shire, region, etc) used for planning (e.g. remnant protection, rehabilitation).
Searches for new populations in potential habitat should be undertaken, although it is thought there is a low probability of discovering any new occurrences.
Undertake seed collection for long term ex-situ storage and for use in propagating plants for the translocation program.

Information sources

Makinson, R.O. (1993) Grevillea wilkinsonii (Proteaceae) a new species from southern NSW. Telopea, 5(2) 351-8.
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (2001) Grevillea wilkinsonii (a shrub) Recovery Plan. NSW NPWS, Hurstville NSW.