Indicative distribution
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.
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The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.
Scientific name: Central Hunter Valley eucalypt forest and woodland
Gazetted date:
07 May 2015
Profile last updated:
06 Apr 2022
Description
The name of the ecological community is the Central Hunter Valley eucalypt forest and woodland. It comprises eucalypt woodlands and open forests; typically with a shrub layer of variable density and/or a grassy ground layer. Across its range, one or more of a complex of four eucalypt tree species typically dominate the canopy. The ecological community occurs in the Hunter Valley region (primarily in the Central Hunter). The Hunter Valley region is mostly in the north east of the Sydney Basin IBRA1 Bioregion (SYB). The Hunter Valley region and the ecological community both continue to the north east, into the NSW North Coast IBRA Bioregion (NNC). Within the Sydney Basin Bioregion the ecological community occurs mainly in the Hunter Valley IBRA subregion (SYB02). It also occurs in subregions adjacent to the Hunter Valley IBRA subregion; for example, in the Goulburn Valley in the Kerrabee IBRA subregion (SYB01) and in the Hunter Thrust Zone in the Upper Hunter IBRA subregion (NNC16). The Hunter Valley region is at the intersection of a number of bioregions, where ecosystems from the coast, inland and the north and south all meet. The region is bounded on the north east by the Hunter Thrust fault and on the south by cliffs of Narrabeen Sandstone. It is characterised
by rolling hills and wide valleys, with a meandering river system on a wide flood plain. The geology of the Hunter Valley region’s landscape includes Permian shales, sandstones, conglomerates, volcanics and coal measures. These formations are dissected by unconsolidated alluviums associated with the Hunter River (Nashar, 1964; Tame, 1992; NSW DMR, 1999).
Much of the region (particularly areas with Permian sedimentary bedrock) is underlain with extensively faulted Carboniferous rocks in which coal deposits are targeted for extraction. There are a variety of harsh texture contrast (duplex) soils on the slopes; and deep sandy alluvial loam on the valley floors. Soil salinity is common on some of the bedrock in the upper catchment (Morgan, 2001 in NSW NPWS, 2003). The Central Hunter Valley eucalypt forest and woodland ecological community generally occurs on soils derived from the Permian sedimentary bedrock found on the valley floors and on lower hillslopes and low ridges. The Permian derived soils are dominated by soloths, solodics, yellow podzolics, with limited areas of brown clays and red clays. These soils are typically medium in fertility, relative to nearby Quaternary deep alluvial soils (richer in fertility) and the skeletal soils of the bordering Triassic landscape (poorer in fertility). The Permian sediments are much older than the Triassic sediments; they are finer grained, typically supporting soils with a high clay content (argillaceous), as opposed to the more sandy soils associated with Triassic sediments (Peake, 2015). In order to meet the definition of the TEC sites must satisfy condition criteria stipulated in the Listing Advice and/or Conservation Advice. Typically condition is assessed by reference to patch size and vegetation structure thresholds or species composition metrics.
Distribution
Regional distribution and habitat
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Recovery strategies
Priority actions are the specific, practical things that must be done to recover a threatened species, population or ecological
community. The Office of Environment and Heritage has identified
0 priority actions
to help recover the Central Hunter Valley eucalypt forest and woodland in New South Wales.
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