There are marvellous bushwalks, rare wildflowers, kangaroos, lyrebirds, bowerbirds, owls, lorikeets, cockatoos, wombats. – Arthur Boyd, 1989
On 1,000 hectares, Bundanon hosts over 11 different vegetation communities of native bushland with an abundance of flora species. There are over eleven different vegetation communities, with a diversity of flora species.
The climatic zones are defined through combining average rainfall and temperature with the distribution of rainfall through the year. Bundanon is located in the Sydney Basin Bioregion, in a climate zone which is temperate with no dry season and warm summers. The properties are located in the South East Catchment. NSW contains eight major climate zones.
The growth forms include trees, tree mallee, shrub, mallee shrub, heath shrub, chenopod shrub, tussock grass, hummock grass, sod grass, sedge, rush, forb, fern, moss and vine. Wetlands are generally covered by sedgeland, forbland or rushland but may also include trees and shrubs. The height class depends on the growth-form (Walker & Hopkins 1990). For example, an ‘extremely tall’ tree is >35 m high, while an ‘extremely tall’ tussock grass is 3–6 m high.
The presence of exotic weed species established within agricultural grazing lands on Bundanon and Eearie Park such as Fireweed, Black Nightshade, Paddys Lucerne, St Johns Wort, Bathurst Burr, Thistles, Fleabane, and Cobblers Pegs can be a problem when grazing land is transformed into forest through plantings. Livestock will always favour certain pasture species and sweet areas within a given paddock with resultant increased grazing pressure and reduced competition against colonising weed species. Wet summers also provide ideal conditions for weed species growth and seed production in subsequent years.
The diversity of fauna across the Bundanon is classified in faunal families: Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians, Fish and Ferals.
Surveys on the Bundanon properties have identified a diverse number of bird species. Not always easy to photograph, birds inhabit all the different parts of the landscape. More often heard than seen, birds of the wetlands, the forest and the sky are captivating.
Australia is home to over 900 species of reptiles. Among the reptiles at Bunadanon are snakes, lizards and turtles. On hot summer days, diamond pythons can be seen slowly crossing the road and red bellied black snakes hide in the grass. Summer brings lace monitors out of hiding climbing trees and even buildings. When spring and summer rains fill the semi-permanent lakes, the long-necked turtle comes out of hiding from its mud wallow to swim in the fresh water.
The Shoalhaven River supports a range of fish species. With 12.5 km of rover frontage, Bundanon is a haven for many fish species.
Bio Bliz Fish Finders
Feral animals are a major threat to native species. The European red fox has already decimated populations of small native mammals and is a significant predator of the endangered Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby. Foxes also carry sarcoptic mange which affects wombats and other species, causing painful skin disease, blindness and eventually death. Rabbits, hares, black rats and deer also compete with native fauna and cause erosion of soils and pasture degradation. Baiting programs are the major tool used in the control of foxes and Bundanon works with partners, such as National Parks and Wildlife Service, to assist with the control of feral species.
Broad-headed snake is an endangered species known to inhabit the rocky escarpments found across Bundanon. Shoalhaven Landcare Project: “Habitat Augmentation – False rocks for a real snake” seeks to determine the best type of false rocks to provide habitat for the species which can be affected by habitat modification or destruction.
Shoalhaven Landcare and Bundanon have partnered to reintroduce the locally extinct Stuttering Frog into the Shoalhaven. The project was launched at Riversdale in December 2017.
Stuttering Frog ProjectIn 1985, Kevin Mills was commissioned to conduct a flora and fauna survey by Arthur and Yvonne Boyd. His report Ecological Survey of Proposed Additions: Bundanon Wildlife Refuge: Shoalhaven City is the first known documentation of Bundanon’s flora and fauna.
In May 1996, the Bundanon Fauna and Flora survey by Daly and Leonard was completed. This extensive survey documented hundreds of species and over 11 different vegetation communities. Since then Gary Daly has surveyed the properties as a consultant for the Living Landscape project and other reports. Additional surveys were completed by Total Earth Care as part of the Land Management Plan, 2011.
