1.1.7 Ecology

Summary

The Gloucester subregion lies within the Hunter Local Land Services (LLS) region and within the Karuah-Manning subregion of the NSW North Coast bioregion designated by the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA; SEWPaC, 2012). The Karuah-Manning is largely comprised of coastal barrier sands, estuarine plains and alluvial deposits, and supports significant wetlands and World Heritage areas. Of particular note are the Barrington Tops National Park from which many of the rivers that run through the subregion originate and the Port Stephens estuary into which the Karuah River feeds. Very little of the subregion lies within conservation reserves and the subregion has been extensively cleared for agricultural, horticultural and urban use. A significant nature conservation area lies south of the Gloucester subregion along the eastern edge of the Karuah National Park. There are twelve endangered communities and four endangered species listed under various state and Commonwealth Acts that may be present within the Karuah-Manning subregion and therefore within the Gloucester subregion. Much of the remnant vegetation in the Gloucester subregion lies within areas classified as ‘Other minimal use’ or ‘Water’, and is mainly distributed along the margins of the Gloucester subregion, on or adjacent to hill slopes or along watercourses. No groundwater dependent ecosystems have been identified within the Gloucester subregion.

Last updated:
5 January 2018