Newnes Plateau Shrub Swamp in the Sydney Basin Bioregion - profile

Indicative distribution

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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: Newnes Plateau Shrub Swamp in the Sydney Basin Bioregion

Conservation status in NSW: Endangered Ecological Community

Commonwealth status: Not listed

Gazetted date: 15 Jul 2005

Profile last updated: 15 Oct 2024

Description

An ecological community dominated by shrubs and sedges that occurs on sites with impeded drainage in low slope headwater valleys on the Newnes Plateau in the upper Blue Mountains.

The community is characteristically dominated by shrubs, with a variable cover of sedges. Shrubs have a dense to open cover, and include Baeckea linifolia, Grevillea acanthifolia subsp. acanthifolia, Epacris paludosa and Leptospermum species. The cover of sedges varies inversely with shrub cover. Common sedges include Baloskion australe, Empodisma minus, Lepyrodia scariosa and Lepidosperma limicola, while herbs include Patersonia fragilis and Xanthosia dissecta. Gleichenia dicarpa and Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus may occur around drainage lines, while Lomandra longifolia may be prominent around the swamp margins. Floristic composition varies locally in relation to soil moisture gradients within the swamps.

With decreasing altitude, Newnes Plateau Shrub Swamp grades into Blue Mountains sedge swamp communities. The transition occurs around Bell and Clarence at approximately 850-950 m above sea level. Blue Mountains sedge swamps typically have less cover of shrubs and a greater cover of sedges (particularly Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus) than Newnes Plateau Shrub Swamp. Other salient features that distinguish Newnes Plateau Shrub Swamp from Blue Mountains sedge swamps include the presence of species in the former such as Dillwynia stipulifera and Boronia deanei, the absence from the former of a range of shrub species that are not found at higher altitudes, and the occurrence of the former on subdued terrain, compared with the steep seepage slopes and headwater valleys that typify swamp habitats at lower elevations in the Blue Mountains.

For a full description see the Scientific Committee's Determination.

Distribution

Recorded from the local government areas of Lithgow and Blue Mountains City (within the Sydney Basin Bioregion) but may occur elsewhere in the Bioregion. Vegetation mapping of the entire range of Newnes Plateau Shrub Swamp indicates that it covers less than 650 ha in total. The largest swamp covers about 40 ha, and the average swamp size is less than 6 ha. Approximately 160 ha of Newnes Plateau Shrub Swamp occurs within Blue Mountains and Wollemi National Parks, with the remainder on state forest and freehold land. Approximately 120 ha of the community, including the largest swamp, is adjacent to pine plantations or other cleared land.

Habitat and ecology

Newnes Plateau Shrub Swamp occurs in narrow, elongated swamps formed in low-slope headwaters of the Newnes Plateau, in predominantly sandstone catchments of Triassic Narrabeen Group geology, at approximately 900-1200 m elevation on deep sandy organic sediments that are permanently to periodically waterlogged.

Regional distribution and habitat

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Sydney Basin

Threats

Roadworks, quarrying and periodic timber harvesting from adjacent plantations all leading to incremental clearing, fragmentation, erosion and sedimentation.
Changes to drainage and moisture conditions in some swamps, including the largest example of the community, are caused by damning of swamp watercourses; roading across the swamps; sedimentation and erosion associated with roadways, quarries, mines and plantation harvesting within swamp catchments; and disposal of waste water from underground coal mines.
Hydrological regimes altered by subsidence due to longwall mining
Invasion of exotic species, including species of Pinus, and changes to fire regimes
Drought and heat waves from climate change dehydrating and damaging soils and swamp substrate
Disturbance due to the impact of infrastructure impacting ecological community function
Physical damage and dumping by recreational users impacting ecological community function
Erosion and/or sedimentation altering hydrology of swamps
Habitat invasion and competition by weeds impacting ecological community function
Trampling by invasive pest species impacting ecological community function
Combustion of peat soils impacting ecological community substrate

Recovery strategies

A Saving Our Species conservation project is currently being developed for this species and will be available soon. For information on how you can contribute to this species' recovery, see the Activities to assist this species section below.

Information sources

() Newnes Plateau Shrub Swamp in the Sydney Basin Bioregion - Scientific Committee determination
NSW Scientific Committee (2005) Newnes Plateau Shrub Swamp in the Sydney Basin Bioregion - Endangered ecological community determination - final. DEC (NSW), Sydney.