State of THE region
uw R eg i on K
ar i Yaalt ji- yaalt ji Ngaranyi.
State of the Region Introduction
It should be noted that this is the first time an attempt has been made to compile and assess the
The State of the Region report is a starting point for
available information around the Region’s health,
all other parts of the AW NRM Plan. It describes the
trend and NRM-related stewardship. The ratings are
current health, or ‘state’ of ‘people’, ‘country’ and
based on information from several sources—the
‘water’ in the Alinytjara Wilurara Natural Resources
knowledge of the AW NRM Board and its staff; the
Management (AW NRM) Region and identifies
knowledge of Aboriginal community members;
threats to them.
and limited baseline information from government agency staff working in the Region. The ratings
Outlining the health and trend and related
do, however, provide a starting point for future
information allows the Board to develop a strategic
assessment and monitoring of NRM in the Region.
direction and provides a baseline from which
In the future, reporting will be centred around the
to set targets to guide future NRM action and
monitoring and evaluation of key indicators relating
investment. In addition, identifying areas of missing
to health, trend and NRM-related stewardship.
or insufficient knowledge (refer to Appendix B) allows the Board to plan for further research in
Key stakeholders include:
these areas.
•• the AW NRM Board •• regional communities •• investors in natural resources management in the
The State of the Region also provides a tool for engaging people in NRM. By identifying new partnership opportunities, it can help bring capable and interested groups together. In addition, identifying threats to ecological assets can help focus understanding, planning and action on
Region, including social or community projects
•• the Government of South Australia •• the Australian Government •• the broader South Australian and Far West communities.
specific landscapes, ecological communities or species, as well as fine-tune actions related to
The nine landscapes
particular issues or activities. For the purposes of strategic and program planning Importantly, the State of the Region can also help
and reporting, the Alinytjara Wilurara NRM
cultivate a strong regional identity by drawing
Region has been divided into nine landscapes.
together existing information and then presenting
This effectively breaks a huge region into smaller
it in a useful and accessible way.
42 Alinytjara Wilurara Regional NRM Plan
Pl antu ng ura
w i nk
i pa r a ni , k a
ny i a r a g n ya 9 pa
areas with distinct characteristics. Grouping
Landscape descriptions
information by landscape allows for easier
The description of each landscape contains:
organisation of assets, values, threats, areas of
•• a summary that describes the special qualities of
missing knowledge, etc. A landscape approach also aids strategic planning across the Region and reflects the philosophy of working on problems at the landscape-scale considering the whole natural ecosystem.
.
that landscape
•• a people section that discusses people in the landscape
•• a country section that provides information
on soils, habitats, flora and fauna (specifically endemic and threatened species)1
The landscape boundaries are primarily based on:
•• land and sea divide (two ‘seascapes’—Bunda Cliffs, including Merdeyerrah Sandpatch and
•• a water section that provides a summary of
groundwater and surface waters and their usage, if known.
Head of Bight; and Yalata Coast—include coastal lands as well as the marine areas within the
Landscape report cards
Region’s boundaries)
The report card for each landscape contains:
•• the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation of
Australia (IBRA) regions, which provide a logical breakdown based on vegetation ‘bio’ and geography ‘geographic’
•• the soils and landforms of the Region, which
separate out the APY Ranges from the plains to the south and east; and the Nullarbor Plain from the Great Victoria Desert
•• logic for management and reporting of program and project activities.
•• a health rating, which is supported by an evidence table
•• a trend rating, which is supported by an evidence table
•• a helping hand rating, which is supported by an evidence table
•• a cause for concern section which describes the
Patch burning, Walalkara Photo: Kerrynne Liddle
potential threats facing the landscape.
Ratings are presented both visually and in words.
The following page shows a map of the landscapes.
NOTE: In areas that lack baseline information and
Illustrated maps are also included within each
monitoring, this rating is likely to be based only on
landscape section.
expert opinion and anecdotal observations. The Board intends to review and refine these ratings in
State of the landscapes
the future.
Each landscape has its own section in this report.
Explaining the rating system
1. A full list of each landscape’s flora and fauna of conservation significance (that is, those rated at the state and national levels) is provided in Appendix H. 2. The Gippsland report card series provided the basic conceptual framework for the AW NRM Plan State of the Region rating system, <www.ginrf.org.au/reportcard/ list.asp>.
These sections contain baseline information to describe the current condition, or ‘state’, of the
An icon rating system has been developed to make
landscape through a ‘report card’ that rates the
the State of the Region into a visual tool and to
health, trend and level of NRM-related stewardship.
allow for quick referencing2. These ratings are used
They also include photos and animal illustrations
to evaluate the overall health, trend and NRM-
that reflect unique aspects of each particular
related stewardship (helping hand) of each of the
landscape.
landscapes. They are also used to rate the individual aspects that make up the broader categories (for example, the ‘fauna’ aspect of the health rating or the ‘planning’ aspect of the helping hand rating).
Part 2: State of the Region 43
Pl
ya n n n a
ga
9 ku t j u a r u g n u ng k
kut ju arkani, ka t jara manti palya
Figure 2.1: The nine landscapes of the Region [Inset: The Region shown in relation to South Australia]
8
8
9
7
6
3 5 4 2
1
0
80
160
Kilometres
Key 1. Bunda Cliffs (including Merdayerrah Sandpatch) 2. Yalata Coast 3. Nullarbor Plain 4. Yalata Lands (including Colona and Pintumba) 5. Yellabinna and Yumbarra 6. Great Victoria Desert 7. Southern APY 8. APY Ranges 9. Eastern APY and Tallaringa
44 Alinytjara Wilurara Regional NRM Plan
palu t jara kut ju
pa t jing ur u kurakura .
Health rating The health rating provides an indication of environmental health, including the condition of coastal and marine areas, soil, land, water, and biodiversity.
•• marine sediment stability and coverage •• quality of seawater •• pressure from introduced marine pests. The rating for health is related to the rating for
Figure 2.2: Key for health rating icons
Health
trend, and the two are often discussed together as ‘health and trend’.
A Excellent
baseline) for measurement is challenging. This
NOTE: In areas that lack baseline information and
B Good
report card does not try to compare today’s health
monitoring, this rating is likely to be based only on
to the original state before the introduction of
expert opinion and anecdotal observations. The Board
foxes and rabbits. If it did, the health would be
intends to review and refine these ratings in the future.
Given that this is the first health and trend report for the Region, choosing a starting point (i.e. a
D Poor
much lower due to the resultant modifications and the extensive mammal extinctions that have
C Reasonable
A Excellent
occurred across the Region (refer to the feature
An ‘excellent’ rating indicates that the landscape is
topic ‘Where have all the mammals gone?’ in the
considered to be in excellent health, as shown by
Introduction). Nor can it compare today’s health
very high values for indicators and/or low risk levels.
Not rated
with the time prior to changes in traditional practices or movement of people across the Region
B Good
that have occurred over the last couple hundred
A ‘good’ rating indicates that the landscape is
years. Instead, the report simply tries to provide a
considered to be in good health, as shown by high
rating based on current health. (Note: There are
values for indicators and/or moderate risk levels.
few measures and baselines yet developed in South Australia for the indicators below.)
C Reasonable A ‘reasonable’ rating indicates that the landscape
The health rating is based on indicators of a
is considered to be in reasonable health, as shown
healthy landscape, including:
by moderate values for indicators and/or high risk
•• extent, cover, age and structure of native
levels.
vegetation
•• habitat extent and connectivity •• species diversity and distribution •• soil stability and ground cover •• quality and quantity of surface and ground
D Poor A ‘poor’ rating indicates that the landscape is considered to be in poor health, as shown by poor values for indicators and/or very high risk levels.
waters available for flora and fauna
•• level of risk.
Not rated No rating is provided due to insufficient scientific
For those landscapes that are also ‘seascapes’
data, traditional knowledge, anecdotal information,
(Bunda Cliffs and Yalata Coast), additional
expert opinion or very low confidence to report.
indicators could be considered, including:
•• extent, cover, age and structure of marine macro-algae
•• reef health
Part 2: State of the Region 45
M
un
t jup u k u
a ku l u a r k a ni : m a ya
t ja y
a alt
wa n y
j itu
u ng u
ra nya n
g a n t a wa r k a r i n g
i?
Figure 2.3: Key for trend
Trend rating
rating icons
The trend rating provides an indication of change
The health of the landscape has been worsening
in environmental health by considering the past
over the past five years and/or is predicted to worsen
five years and predictions for the forthcoming five
in the next five years.
Trend
Declining
years, based on the current or predicted level of
Declining
risk. Specifically, it looks at whether the landscape’s health is improving, stable or declining (worsening).
Stable
constant over the past five years and/or is predicted A timeframe of five years has been chosen
Improving
Improving
results to date and make resulting comparisons.
The health of the landscape has been improving over
It also matches the frequency of the State of the
the past five years and/or is predicted to improve in
Environment reporting for South Australia and the
the next five years.
Figure 2.4: Key for helping
Australian Government’s Caring for our Country
hand rating icons
Business Plan targets. It should be noted that
Helping hand
to remain stable in the next five years.
because, given the Board’s formation in 2004, it is a reasonable interval to obtain meaningful
Not rated
Stable The health of the landscape has remained relatively
Not rated
variable climatic conditions experienced in arid
No rating is provided due to insufficient knowledge
areas, such as irregular rainfall, may affect our ability
scientific data, traditional knowledge, expert opinion
to monitor and measure trends in health because
or confidence.
the cycles of change may occur over decades rather
Excellent
than annually.
Helping hand rating The helping hand rating evaluates the NRM-related
Good
The trend rating is based on a qualitative assessment
stewardship (or management) of the three assets
of risks relating to:
within each landscape. It is called helping hand after
•• human activities such as making or using tracks or
the ‘country’ goal, ‘healthy country looking after
roads, mining, fishing, cattle grazing and tourism
Reasonable
Room for improvement
Not rated
•• impacts of grazing, particularly pressure from
itself with a helping hand’.
introduced herbivores such as camels, donkeys,
The helping hand rating reflects:
feral horses, rabbits and cattle
•• the collective level, coverage and quantity of
•• impacts of feral carnivores such as foxes and cats •• threatened or rated flora and fauna •• weed invasion, particularly new incursions or
NRM-related stewardship activities, and
•• the difference those activities are likely to make to health and trend.
further spread of high-risk species like buffel grass and Athel Pine.
The helping hand rating is based on information that has been available to the AW NRM Board (including
As mentioned previously, the rating for health is
coverage and quantity of stewardship activities being
related to the rating for trend, and the two are
undertaken across the Region by relevant agencies,
often discussed together as ‘health and trend’.
industries and communities) over the past five years.
NOTE: In areas that lack baseline information and
To make the task of rating easier, information has
monitoring, this rating is likely to be based only on
been divided into ten categories:
expert opinion and anecdotal observations. The Board
•• planning •• baseline information
intends to review and refine these ratings in the future.
46 Alinytjara Wilurara Regional NRM Plan
Ka
K am
ng i i a n p a k a ny i nt j a ku n g n a a y y i ? u i nta l ra n u g u wa n y u m a n i y a a l t j i t n
•• partnerships and cooperation •• strategic investment •• active management of projects and programs •• communication and promotions •• facilitation and support •• education, employment and skill-building •• information and knowledge management •• monitoring, evaluation, reporting and
Room for improvement A ‘room for improvement’ rating indicates minimal stewardship that is unlikely to make a significant difference to health and trend.
Not rated No rating is provided due to insufficient knowledge and information.
improvement (MERI).
The table below gives a summary of the health, For each landscape, the ten categories are assigned
trend and helping hand ratings for each of the
one to four ‘hands’ to indicate the level of NRM-
nine landscapes, which are discussed in more detail
related stewardship over the last five years. These
further on in the report.
ten categories are all considered to come up with an overall ‘helping hand’ rating.
Table 2.1: Summary of health, trend and helping hand ratings for each of the nine landscapes3
Note: This rating does not include traditional
Landscape
Health
and volunteer (unpaid) caring for country by traditional owners, families or individuals. It relates to the caring for country of governments and their agencies, community organisations and non-government organisations as a whole,
1. Bunda Cliffs (including Merdayerrah Sandpatch)
A
2. Yalata Coast
B
3. Nullarbor Plain
B
4. Yalata Lands (including Colona and Pintumba)
C
5. Yellabinna and Yumbarra
B
6. Great Victoria Desert
B
7. Southern APY
B
8. APY Ranges
C
9. Eastern APY and Tallaringa
D
Trend
Helping hand
Pastoral Country APY Lands Photo: AW NRM Board
3. It is recognised that further work is required to confirm these ratings. It is the Board’s intention to build a regional monitoring and evaluation plan that will allow future review and revision of these ratings, as well as to present them in an improved report card document. .
which is known as natural resources management (NRM). The rating does include NRM-funded work undertaken by communities, families and individuals in the Region.
Excellent An ‘excellent’ rating indicates excellent stewardship that will almost certainly make a significant difference to the health and trend of the landscape.
Good A ‘good’ rating indicates high stewardship that is likely to make a significant difference to health and trend.
Reasonable A ‘reasonable’ rating indicates modest stewardship that will possibly make a significant difference to health and trend.
Part 2: State of the Region 47
Bunda Cliffs
D EN
LTH EA
A
Summary
H
hand
the Head of Bight, where the cliffs are replaced by
because, apart from the cliff area, its main focus
the massive Yalata Dune system. Close to the WA
is the marine areas extending three nautical miles
border, the cliffs have been overlain by sand dunes,
offshore.
forming the unique Merdayerrah Sandpatch.
The marine environment out from the Bunda Cliffs
Notable attributes of this landscape include:
is part of the rich pristine marine wilderness of
•• sandy beaches, calcareous reefs, low profile
the Great Australian Bight—the largest stretch of southern-facing coastline in the southern hemisphere. The Bunda cliffs are a unique feature where the Southern Ocean meets the edge of the Nullarbor Plains. The cliffs are 70 m to 90 m high Southern
and feature an impressive 200 km of unbroken cliff line, stretching from Western Australia (WA) to
This landscape could also be called a ‘seascape’
el pi ng
Bunda Cliffs, Nullarbor Photo: AW NRM Board
including Merdayerrah Sandpatch
H
TR
Landscape 1:
Right Whale with calf
granite platforms and benthic (sea floor) environments
•• high marine biodiversity •• habitat for globally-significant threatened marine mammals—such as the Southern Right Whale, endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act
•• rocky fall below the cliffs, which provide haul-out and breeding sites for Little Penguins and the Australian Sea Lion
•• habitat for White-bellied Sea Eagles and Osprey (South Australian stronghold)
48 Alinytjara Wilurara Regional NRM Plan
Debris washed ashore from the Great Australian Bight Photo: S. Kumar, DENR
•• the Head of Bight, a significant Australian
People
geological monument and reference site
for ancient limestone layers of the Region
There are no permanent towns or communities
(description summarised from the monument
in the vicinity of the Bunda cliffs. There are road
nomination of the Geological Society of
houses and accommodation at Border Village on
Australia; file number E40 in YCAP 2008)
the SA/WA border and the Nullarbor Roadhouse
•• Wilson Bluff Limestone and Nullarbor Limestone, examples of ancient limestone at the Head of
inland from the Head of Bight. There is a tourism facility for whale-watching at the Head of Bight.
Bight
•• habitat for White-bellied Sea Eagles and Osprey (South Australian stronghold).
There are many visitors to the coastal area of Nullarbor National Park. Many simply take in the majestic scenery of the Great Australian
Table 2.2: Land tenure in the Bunda Cliffs landscape
Bight, although whale-watching is also popular
Land tenure
Total area*
(particularly at the Head of Bight whale centre,
Great Australian Bight Marine Park (Commonwealth Waters) consists of a Marine Mammal Protection Zone and a Benthic Protection Zone—see map)
20,000 km2
where a large viewing platform provides an
Great Australian Bight Marine National Park (National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972)
124,732 ha
Great Australian Bight Marine Park Whale Sanctuary—Fisheries Act 1982
168,320 ha
Nullarbor National Park
593,000 ha
Yalata Lands
456,000 ha (to high water mark)
Yalata Indigenous Protected Area
(to high water mark)
Nullarbor Wilderness Area
due to be declared in 2011
excellent vantage point). There are native title claims over the coastal area and the inland areas south of the Maralinga Tjarutja Lands (including Yalata and Nullarbor) by the Far West Coast Native Title Claimant Group. This group includes Mirning, Wirangu, Kokatha and Anangu Aboriginal people with traditional associations in the area.
*The sizes given refer to the land parcel as a whole, rather than the section that is within the landscape.
Part 2: State of the Region 49
Figure 2.5: The Bunda Cliffs landscape, shown in relation to the AW NRM Region
50 Alinytjara Wilurara Regional NRM Plan
Part 2: State of the Region 51
Country
•• The vulnerable Australian Sea Lion uses the base of the cliffs to haul out or to breed.
Habitats
Approximately 700 individuals form one of only
Habitats within the Great Australian Bight and
two mainland breeding colonies in Australia (the
Bunda Cliffs landscape include:
other is at Point Labatt on Eyre Peninsula). This
•• reefs that receive medium to high wave intensity •• high cliff-lines with areas of rocky fall at base of
population is thought to form a ‘genetic bridge’
the cliffs
•• no estuaries
•• two unique sand-dune communities on the
populations.
•• The Great Australian Bight is a habitat for unique marine plants and animals, some found nowhere
clifftops, including one at Merdayerrah Sand
else in the world, including large populations of
Patch: Lobe-leafed Daisy Bush shrubland over
sponges (poriferans) and sea slugs (nudibranchs).
Ruby Saltbush
•• Coastal White or Soap Mallee (Eucalyptus over Tall Dryland Tea-tree and Prickly Ground Berry
•• a mosaic of vegetation communities that
extend east and west of Head of Bight and the Merdayerrah Sandpatch.
The uniqueness, diversity and overlap of vegetation Nullarbor Daisy Photo: AW NRM Board
between the South and Western Australian
•• Many of the 200 described species of sea squirts (ascidians) in southern Australian waters are endemic to the Great Australian Bight.
•• Unusual seaweeds of the Sargassum genus are being discovered in the Great Australian Bight marine environment.
•• The marine macro-algal diversity is thought to be among the richest in the world, with over 75%
communities around the Head of Bight and the
endemism in the red algae (Great Australian
Merdayerrah Sandpatch are valuable habitat areas
Bight Marine Plan).
for a variety of fauna (this may become more important with a changing climate).
•• This landscape provides habitat for a number of
birds, including sea birds such as Little Penguins, shore wader birds such as Hooded Plovers and
Flora and fauna
Oystercatchers, and coastal birds of prey such
Important flora and fauna species exist in the Great
as the threatened White-bellied Sea Eagle and
Australian Bight and Bunda Cliffs ecosystems,
Osprey. These birds all interact with the local
including the examples listed below:
marine environment.
•• The endangered Southern Right Whale is found all along the AW NRM Region coast.
•• Rare and endangered marine mammals, such as Blue Whales and Humpback Whales, have
been recorded in the State Waters of the Great Australian Bight.
•• The landscape provides habitat for reptiles such as the Nullarbor Bearded Dragon and Beach Slider.
•• The Great Australian Bight provides habitat for many species of fish, including salmon and a
population of Mulloway thought to be separate from the Coorong population.
•• The Great Australian Bight provides habitat for sharks, including School Sharks and Great White Sharks. A full list of each landscape’s flora and fauna of conservation significance, that is, those rated at the state and national levels, is provided in Appendix H.
52 Alinytjara Wilurara Regional NRM Plan
Soils
Trend rating
The cliffs form the southern edge of the Nullarbor
The trend for this landscape is assumed to be stable
Plain with limestone and skeletal calcareous loamy
and functioning largely under natural processes.
soils in some places extending to the cliff edge.
There is no evidence to suggest that overall health
The cliff-top area in places has been overlain by
is declining or improving.
low-lying braided wind-blown sand-dunes creating
Helping hand rating
a corridor habitat while the Merdayerrah Sandpatch close to the Western Australia border contains
Agencies with coast- or marine-related NRM
dune sands.
roles include the AW NRM Board, the Australian Government (in the Great Australian Bight Marine
Water
Park and Yalata Indigenous Protected Area, or IPA), the Department for Environment and Natural
There is no known permanent fresh surface
Resources (DENR), PIRSA Fisheries, and the Yalata
water in the coastal area. It has been suggested
Community.
This landscape is habitat
anecdotally, but not proven, that freshwater may flow out to sea from the Nullarbor in a freshwater
The existence of the Great Australian Bight Marine
upwelling near the Head of Bight. This may affect
Park, together with planning for the Far West
the marine water properties in the whale sanctuary
Marine Park, has increased the focus, activities and
and affect other marine species such as the
level of interest in the marine environment. These
Mulloway.
activities are supplemented by AW NRM Board and
for unique marine plants and animals, some found nowhere else in the world
Indigenous Protected Areas (IPA) funding.
Report card There are opportunities to increase the
A Health rating
understanding and care of this pristine landscape.
The marine and near-shore environments are pristine compared to other marine areas in South
Cause for concern
Australia and are likely to be in excellent health.
The actual rate of cliff retreat now and in the future
However, open access to the cliff areas is reducing
under climate change is unknown (YCAP 2008).
the nesting success of Osprey and White-bellied
Depending on its magnitude, cliff retreat may affect
Sea Eagles.
flora and fauna living in the vicinity of the cliffs, such as the Nullarbor Daisy.
Evidence summary Evidence tables to support these ratings are provided in Appendix J.
Part 2: State of the Region 53
Yalata Coast
D EN
H
TR
Landscape 2:
LTH EA
B
Summary
system. These dunes stretch from Head of Bight to Wahgunyah Conservation Park. The dunes
H
el pi ng
Yalata coastal landscape Photo: Bill Doyle
hand
This landscape could also be called a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;seascapeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;
lie at right angles to the prevailing wind and are
because it includes coastal lands as well as the
associated with high-energy, windswept beaches.
marine areas extending three nautical miles
These mobile dunes have been estimated to be
offshore.
moving at the rate of four and a half metres per year to the east (Segaran, RR 2006). The landscape
The Yalata Coast landscape includes the area east
also includes cliff areas, swamps and salt-marsh.
of the Nullarbor, where the Bunda cliffs become
Between Wahgunyah and Twin Rocks are low cliffs
a coastline of massive dunes, or the Yalata Dune
that harbour dune vegetation; at Twin Rocks the dune vegetation is over seven kilometres wide.
H
de od
dP
er lov
54 Alinytjara Wilurara Regional NRM Plan
Surveying seaweeds, Yalata coast Photo: A. Loisier, AW NRM Board staff
Notable attributes of the Yalata Coast landscape
People
include:
•• the Yalata Dune system, one of the largest sand
There are no permanent towns or communities
•• unique coastal areas, which are part of the
is private accommodation for the managers at
masses in the state (YCAP 2008)
in the vicinity of the Yalata coast, although there
largest stretch of south-facing coastline in the
Head of Bight. The Yalata people use coastal
southern hemisphere
areas—particularly around Yalata Beach—for
•• vast stretches of relatively undisturbed beach
fishing, swimming and camping. The Yalata
•• habitat for globally significant threatened marine
for recreational fishers and four-wheel drive tourists
•• a mosaic of vegetation communities, which
season in spring to early summer. Access to these
coastline, utilised by shorebirds mammals
extend east and west of Head of Bight
•• habitat for a number of birds, including sea birds
community also have basic campground facilities and campers, utilised mainly during the fishing areas is allowed with a Yalata camping permit.
such as Little Penguins, shore wader birds such as
The Yalata Coast to ‘high-water mark’ is Aboriginal
Hooded Plovers and Oystercatchers, and coastal
Lands Trust Land, leased to the Yalata Community.
birds of prey such as White-bellied Sea Eagles
There are native title claims over the coastal area
and Osprey
and the inland areas south of the Maralinga Tjarutja
•• habitat for many species of fish, including salmon
Lands (including Yalata and Nullarbor) by the Far
and a population of Mulloway thought to be
West Coast Native Title Claimant Group. This group
separate from the Coorong population
includes Mirning, Wirangu, Kokatha and Anangu
•• habitat for sharks, including School Sharks and Great White Sharks.
Aboriginal people with traditional associations in the area.
Table 2.3: Land tenure in the Yalata Coast landscape Land tenure
Area*
Yalata IPA
456,300 ha
*The sizes given refer to the land parcel as a whole, rather than the section that is within the landscape.
Part 2: State of the Region 55
Figure 2.6: The Yalata Coast landscape, shown in relation to the AW NRM Region
56 Alinytjara Wilurara Regional NRM Plan
Part 2: State of the Region 57
Country Yalata coastal areas were grazed widely in the late 19th century. Early records provide an indicator of historic grazing intensity—in 1885, Yalata and Penong recorded 122,318 head of sheep shorn (Cockburn 1927 in YCAP 2008). Grazing on the coast decreased after the rabbit plague of the 1890s and ceased in the 1950s (Yalata IPA Plan of Management).
•• migratory waders of international significance •• Heath Monitor •• reptiles, such as the Nullarbor Bearded Dragon and Beach Slider
•• rare and endangered marine mammals, such as Blue Whales and Humpback Whales, and Southern Right Whales
•• unique marine plants and animals, some found nowhere else in the world, including large
populations of sponges (bryozoans) and sea slugs (nudibranchs)
Habitats and communities Two communities of high conservation value occur in the Head of Bight area. There are also diverse overlapping vegetation communities along the coast which are expected to provide valuable core
•• many of the 200 described species of sea squirts (ascidians)
•• unusual seaweeds of the Sargassum genus, which are being discovered in the Great Australian Bight marine environment.
or dispersal habitat for a variety of fauna. A full list of each landscape’s flora and fauna of
Flora and fauna
conservation significance, that is, those rated at the
Important flora and fauna species exist in the
state and national levels, is provided in Appendix H.
Yalata Coast and marine landscape, including the Pig-face on sand dune Photo: AW NRM Board
examples listed below:
Soils
•• rated plant species, including Pomaderris
Aside from the western end of Yalata Lands which
•• Hooded Plover
consolidated dune sands forming the extensive
forrestiana
•• Osprey and White-bellied Sea Eagle
joins the Nullarbor Plain, the Yalata Coast is largely Yalata Dunes. Yalata swamp is a saline low-lying coastal area with gypsum-containing soils.
Water There is no known permanent fresh surface water in the coastal area. The Yalata Swamp (a coastal saline swamp at the western end of Yalata Lands) is very significant to local Aboriginal groups.
58 Alinytjara Wilurara Regional NRM Plan
Report card
Cause for concern Recent research suggests the Great Australian Bight
B Health rating
population of Mulloway may be sexually mature
A lack of coastal development and exploitation
and most fecund (producing the most eggs) when
or harvesting of coastal resources in the Yalata
they are above the legal size. Some locals have
Coast landscape mean the near shore and coastal
suggested the population is in decline and further
environments are pristine compared to other
investigations will help determine the current status
coastal areas in South Australia and are likely to be
of Mulloway.
in excellent health condition. The only exception is the impact caused to the coast by fishing (including
Due to climate change, it is predicted that sea
shark netting, recreational fishing of species such
level will rise 17â&#x20AC;&#x2030;cm by 2030; thus, it is likely that
as salmon and Mulloway, and by-catch) and
beaches and reefs will be submerged except at
associated four wheel-drive damage.
the lowest tides. Also, dune vegetation will be slower to recover from storm, foredune damage
Trend rating
with an increase in blowout development, and
The Yalata Coast landscape is assumed to be stable
clifftop dunes will have greater potential to develop
and functioning largely under natural processes
instability (Caton et al 2008).
but, in the absence of monitoring, measuring or indicators, the short-term trend has not been rated.
Helping hand rating NRM-related stewardship in the Yalata Coast
Evidence summary
The unique coastal areas
Evidence tables to support these ratings are
of this landscape are part
provided in Appendix J.
of the largest stretch of
landscape is reasonable and growing. The existence
south-facing coastline in
of the Great Australian Bight Marine Park, together
the southern hemisphere
planning for the Far West Marine Park, has increased the focus, activities and level of interest in the marine environment. These activities are supplemented by AW NRM Board and IPA funding. Agencies with coast- or marine-related NRM roles include DENR, the AW NRM Board, PIRSA Fisheries, and Yalata (via IPA funding). There are opportunities to increase the understanding and care of this relatively pristine landscape.
Part 2: State of the Region 59