Conservation significant fauna in the Northern Agricultural Region

For more information about fauna in the NAR visit the fauna theme page, and check out the list of Conservation Significant Fauna.

Swan Coastal Plain subregion (Swan Coastal Plain 2)

The Swan Coastal Plain is located in the southern LGAs. This subregion is dominated by Banksia and Tuart on sandy soils. Dominating the outwash plains of the region are Casuarina obesa, whilst paperbark typically dominates the swampy areas. In the east the Jarrah woodlands are dominant (Mitchell et. al., 2002).

Northern Jarrah Forest subregion (Jarrah Forest 1)

The Northern Jarrah Forrest is located in the southern LGAs. This subregion is characterised by Jarrah- Marri Forest over lateritic gravel. Woodlands of Wandoo – Marri forest over clayey soils in the east. In areas of Mesozoic sediment exists Jarrah forests occurring with a variety of other flora species (Williams and Mitchell, 2001).

Dandaragan Plateau subregion (Swan Coastal Plain 1)

The Dandaragan plateau is located in the southern LGAs of the NAR. This subregion is characterised by low woodlands of Banksia, Jarrah-Marri woodlands and scrub heath on laterite pavement and on gravelly sandplain (Desmond, 2001).

Shrublands and Woodlands on Muchea Limestone

This Endangered community is located within the Shires of Gingin and Chittering, as is described on page 3 of Interim Recovery Report No. 57 as occurring on the heavy soils of the eastern side of the Swan Coastal Plain, with the following native species being common – Casuarina obesa, Eucalyptus decipiens, Eucalyptus foecunda, Melaleuca huegelii, Alyogyne huegelii var. huegelii, Grevillea curviloba ssp. incurva, Grevillea curviloba ssp. curviloba, Grevillea evanescens, Melaleuca acerosa and Thysanotus arenarius – reflecting the unusual mixture of limestone, clay and sandy soils.

The main processes threatening the Muchea Limestone community are clearing (97% of vegetation in the area has been subject to clearing), and mining.

Perth to Gingin Ironstone Association

Threatened Ecological Community – Shrublands and Woodlands on Perth to Gingin Ironstone of the Swan Coastal Plain.

Description from the DoE Interim recovery plan no. 197 (pg 3):

Plant community located on seasonally inundated ironstone and heavy clay soils. The community occurs on the eastern side of the Swan Coastal Plain. Typical and common native species are the shrubs Melaleuca viminea, Dryandra sessilis, Acacia saligna, Grevillea curviloba subsp. incurva, Kunzea aff. recurva, Jacksonia furcellata and the herbs Rhodanthe manglesii, Tribonanthes australis and Isotropis cuneifolia subsp. glabra. The following exotic species are also currently common: Romulea rosea, Briza maxima, Trifolium dubium, Spergula arvensis and Hesperantha falcata.

The Declared Rare Flora Grevillea curviloba var. incurva occurs in the community. Five priority listed taxa also occur in the community, as follows: Isotropis cuneifolia subsp. glabra (Priority 2), Grevillea evanescens (P1), Haloragis tenuifolia (P3), Myriophyllum echinatum (P3) and Stylidium longitubum (P3).

Current Status: Listed as Critically Endangered in WA, Endangered under the EPBC Act.

Melaleuca huegelii – Melaleuca systena shrublands of limestone ridges (SCP 26a)

The Melaleuca huegelii – Melaleuca systena shrublands of limestone ridhes (Swan Coastal Plain Community type 26a) is listed as an Endangered Community that occurs only on shallow soils over limestone within the Shires of Wanneroo, Waroona and Gingin (with some occurrences within Yanchep National Park).

Page 3 of Interim Recovery Plan No. 193 describes the community as comprising of  species rich thickets, heaths or scrubs dominated by Melaleuca huegelii, M. systena (previously M. acerosa), Dryandra sessilis over Grevillea preissii, Acacia lasiocarpa and Spyridium globulosum, occurring on skeletal
soil on ridge slopes and ridge tops (community 26a as described by Gibson et al. 1994).

The most significant threat to the Community is clearing for mining and urban expansion, along with an increase in the frequency of fires.

Banksia Woodlands of the Swan Coastal Plain: a nationally protected ecological community

The Banksia Woodlands ecological community only occurs on or adjacent to the Swan Coastal Plain of Western Australia, which stretches to the north and south of Perth. The broader region—Southwest Australia—is recognised as one of only two global biodiversity hotspots in Australia.

The ecological community provides habitat for many native plants and animals that rely on Banksia Woodlands for their homes and food. Remaining patches of the ecological community provide important wildlife corridors and refuges in a mostly fragmented landscape.

The ecological community was listed as endangered under Australia’s national environment law, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), on 16 September.

For more information about this ecological community visit the Department of Environment website.

Banksia attenuata woodland over species rich dense shrublands (SPC 20a)

The Banksia attenuata woodland over species rich dense shrublands (SPC 20a) is a State listed Floristic Community that is a subgroup of the ‘type 20 woodlands’. SPC 20a is found on sandy soils and is reported to be the richest group of any of the Banksia communities recorded (with an average species richness of 67.4 species per site), low weed frequency, a distinctive diverse shrub layer, and the occurrence of Mesomelaena pseudostygia, Alexgeorgea nitens, Daviesia nudiflora, Synaphea spinulosa, Hibbertia racemosa and  Stylidium calcaratum (DEC, 2012).

*Claypans with mid dense shrublands of Melaleuca lateritia over herbs

Classified as Claypans of the Swan Coastal Plain under EPBC Act.

Category (WA) – Priority 1

For more information see the Clay pans of the Swan Coastal Plain – Interim Recovery Plan No. 354 (DPaW2015).

*Claypans with mid dense shrublands of Melaleuca lateritia over herbs

Classified as Claypans of the Swan Coastal Plain under EPBC Act.

Category (WA) – Priority 1

For more information see the Clay pans of the Swan Coastal Plain – Interim Recovery Plan No. 354 (DPaW2015).

*Claypans with mid dense shrublands of Melaleuca lateritia over herbs

Classified as Claypans of the Swan Coastal Plain under EPBC Act.

Category (WA) – Priority 1

For more information see the Clay pans of the Swan Coastal Plain – Interim Recovery Plan No. 354 (DPaW2015).

Primary and Secondary Coastal Dunes

Primary dunes (from low water mark) and secondary dunes. Valued for recreational, aesthetic and cultural reasons, along with the services provided for storm protection  and habitat.

Seagrass Meadows

Seagrasses are flowering plants that complete their life cycle submerged in seawater. Western Australia has the world’s highest diversity of seagrasses, with 27 species occurring in shallow waters off the coast. Seagrasses form a vital component of marine ecosystems through their services as primary biomass producers, sources of habitat (including breeding and nursery areas) and dissolved oxygen, sediment traps, and nutrient cycling. Seagrass distribution is determined by a combination of shelter, sediment, turbidity, nutrient, temperature, current and tidal influences.

Extensive seagrass meadows occur in protected near-shore areas of the NAR, where clear water, low nutrients and sandy sea floors prevail, and are dominated by the long strap-like Ribbonweed or Strapweed (Posidonia spp) and the thin-stemmed Wireweed (Amphibolis spp).

Seagrass habitats are fragile and susceptible to damage and can take many years to recover from disturbance, such as physical damage/removal and shading due to algal blooms (as a result of increased nutrients), and sedimentation (due to dredging activities and erosion in catchment areas).

More information on seagrasses in Western Australia can be found in the following publications: Flowers of the Ocean: WA’s Expansive Seagrass Meadows; The Wonders of Weed Information Sheet; Fisheries Fact Sheet: Seagrasses; Establishing Reference and Monitoring Sites to Assess a Key Indicator of Ecosystem Health (Seagrass Health) on the central west Coast of Western Australia (see references).

Gnangara Groundwater Area

Gnangara Groundwater System plan area is bounded by the Moore River and Gingin Brook River to the north and the Swan River in the south. The Groundwater Area spans over an area of 2,200 square kilometres. Groundwater replenishment of the Gnangara Area is dependent upon rainfall. The Gnangara groundwater systems is made up of four types of aquifers including the Superficial Aquifer, Mirrabooka Aquifer, Leederville Aquifer and Yarragadee North Aquifer. A study on the current condition of these aquifers indicates that there has been substantial decline in groundwater levels observed between 1998 to 2006 in the coastal areas including Guilderton. The decline in groundwater levels is due to a decline in rainfall, increase uptake of groundwater and the Gnangara Pine plantation (DoW, 2014)

Visit Gnangara Groundwater Systems for more information.

Gingin Groundwater Area

The Gingin Groundwater Area spans over 6,000 km2 of land and has a total groundwater availability of around 207 million m3/year. Usage in the area is high, with 72 per cent of resources allocated (NACC, 2005). Groundwater is generally fresh except in most aquifers along the Darling Scarp in the east, and in the Yarragadee aquifer in the coastal area south of Lancelin. The aquifers containing the largest volumes of accessible groundwater are found within the Superficial, Leederville, Leederville-Parmelia and Yarragadee formations and it is noted that the Leederville and Parmelia formations are currently substantially over allocated (DoW, 2013).

For information on the allocation plan click here.

Moore River

Gingin Brook

Lancelin Defence Training Area

This is part of a regionally significant group, the Bassendean group, and is recognised for its conservational values. Due to its proximity to surrounding nature reserves and national parks and the large area of freshwater wetlands on the site, it is likely to support a relatively high diversity of wetland biota.

Chandala Swamp

This wetland supports forty-two species of waterbirds and ranks in the top 4% of wetlands for number of species