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WarkworthSandsWoodland-AnEndangeredEcologicalCommunity Distribution,EcologicalSignificanceandConservationStatus Authors:TravisPeake,StephenBell,TerryTame,JohnSimpsonandTimCurran Date:December2002 Preamble InOctober2002,theNSWScientificCommitteemadeapreliminarydeterminationtolistWarkworth SandsWoodlandasanEndangeredEcologicalCommunityontheNSWThreatenedSpecies ConservationAct1995,andon13thDecember2002,afinaldeterminationwasmadetolistthe communityasendangered.Thislistingfollowsalonghistoryofreportsandstatementsrecognising thegeomorphologicalandbotanicalsignificanceofthearea,startingasearlyasthe1960's (eg:Galloway1963;Storyetal1963;Benson1981a).TheHunterRarePlantsCommitteehas preparedthisstatementinresponsetothepreliminaryandfinaldeterminationstoprovide interestedindividualsandorganisationswithfurtherinformationonthecommunity.Thistechnical noteaimstoprovideinformationonthedistribution,ecologicalsignificanceandconservationstatus ofWarkworthSandsWoodlandforusebyresearchers,landmanagers,consultantsandthegeneral public. Background DuringregionalvegetationsurveysrecentlyundertakenintheHunterValley,asmallareaofremnant vegetationnearWarkworthwasidentifiedandclassifiedasaregionallysignificantcommunity(Peake 2000).Itwasalsorecognisedthattheareawasundersignificantandimmediatethreat.Sincethen, theNSWScientificCommitteehasmadeadeterminationtolistthecommunityasendangered. Asacomponentofothervegetationsurveys(eg.Bell2000;NSWNPWS1999;Peakeinprep.) literaturereview,aerialphotographinterpretationandfieldreconnaissancewereundertakento ascertainthespatialdistributionoftheWarkworthSandsWoodland.Subsequently,itwasrevealed thatthisvegetationtypeishighlyrestricted,currentlyoccupyinganareaofapproximately800haina largelyagriculturalandmininglandscapewithinSingletonLGAintheSydneyBasinBioregion.While regionalsurveyandclassificationofthevegetationinthelowerHunterandCentralCoastregionhas recentlybeencompleted(NSWNPWS1999),itwasrealisedthattheWarkworthSandsWoodland didnotreadilyconformtoanyoftheunitsdescribedtherein.Consequently,follow-upinvestigations aspartofothersurveysweredirectedatdeterminingthesignificanceofthiscommunityatalocal andregionallevel. Figure1:LocationofWarkworthSandsWoodland Location&generaldescription WarkworthSandsWoodlandoccupiesasmallareaintheHunterValleynearWarkworth,between SingletonandBulga,intheSingletonLGAofthemidHunterValley(seeFigure1).Thevegetation typeisdistinctinthelocalareaduetothedominanceofcoastbanksia(Banksia integrifoliasubsp.integrifolia),rough-barkedapple(Angophorafloribunda),fern-leavedwattle (Acaciafilicifolia),bracken(Pteridiumesculentum)andbladygrass(Imperatacylindricavar.major) withinalargelygreybox(Eucalyptusmoluccana)-narrow-leavedironbark(E.crebra)andspotted gum(Corymbiamaculata)woodlandlandscape.UnderstoreyvegetationinWarkworthSands Woodlandsupportsspeciesmoretypicalofsandorsandstone-basedenvironments,andinclude bluntbeard-heath(Leucopogonmuticus),Brachylomadaphnoidessubsp.daphnoides,Guineaflower (Hibbertialinearis),slenderriceflower(Pimelealinifoliasubsp.linifolia),bladygrass,brackenand thyme-leavedpaperbark(Melaleucathymifolia).Plates1&2illustratethecommunity. Ithasbeenestimatedthatapproximately800haofanoriginal6020haofthisvegetationtype remains,withthemajorityhavingbeenclearedforagriculturaldevelopment. Plate1:Acaciafilicifolia,Banksiaintegrifolia subsp.integrifoliaandPteridiumesculentumare themostcharacteristicdominantspeciesin WarkworthSandsWoodland. Plate2:HereAngophorafloribundaforms thecanopy,withBreyniaoblongifolia occurringintheshrublayerabovePteridium esculentum. GeomorphologicalSetting ItisbelievedthatthesanddunesatWarkworthformedsome18,000to15,000yearsagofromthe sandyalluviumofWollombiBrook(Galloway1963).Currently,linearsanddunesbetween1and6m high,restonahighriverterrace(Storyetal.1963).ThemaindunedepositisalignedNW-SE;Storyet al.(1963)notethatitisgenerallystablebutissubjecttoblow-outs.Afurthertwosmalldepositsare locatedeastofWattstrigandanothernearthevillageofWarkworthitself,bothofwhichhavebeen largelycleared.Benson(1981a)notesthataswellasthedeepersanddeposits,thereisashallow "veneer"ofsandcontinuingsouthwardfromthenorth-westendofthemainsanddeposit,whichis separatedfromthemaindepositbyanareaofclaysoilsdevelopedonPermiansediments.Anarea ofsimilar"sandyveneer"occurstothenorthoftheintersectionbetweentheGoldenHighwayand LongPointRoad,about2kmnorth-eastofthemaindeposit.Bothareasofsandyveneerwere includedinthecommunitydescribedbythepreliminarydetermination,duetothepresenceof characteristicspeciessuchasBanksiaintegrifoliasubsp.integrifolia,AcaciafilicifoliaandAngophora floribunda,albeitinreducedabundance. SoillandscapemappingpublishedfortheSingleton1:250000mapsheetshowsthreeoccurrencesof theWarkworthsoillandscape(SS-ww)(KovacandLawrie1991);however,noneofthesethree coincideswiththemainsanddepositdescribedbyStoryetal.(1963),Benson(1981a)andPeake(in prep.).TheWarkworthsoillandscapeisthereindescribedasoneoflinearsanddunes1-3mhighon oldriverterraces,generallyalignednorth-westtosouth-west(sic)(KovacandLawrie1991). Description IndefiningWarkworthSandsWoodlandthefollowingcommonspecieswerelistedinthepreliminary andfinaldeterminations,andareherelistedaccordingtowhetherornottheyareabundantand/or characteristic,orlesscommon: Abundantand/orCharacteristicTaxa LessCommonTaxa Acaciafilicifolia Acaciafalcata Allocasuarinalittoralis Ajugaaustralis Amyemapendulumsubsp.pendulum Allocasuarinaluehmannii Angophorafloribunda Aristidaramosavar.speciosa Aristidacalycinavar.calycina Aristidawarburgii Aristidavagans Calotiscuneifolia Banksiaintegrifoliasubsp.integrifolia Cheilanthessieberisubsp.sieberi Brachylomadaphnoidessubsp.daphnoides Chrysocephalumapiculatum Breyniaoblongifolia Desmodiumvarians Callitrisendlicheri DichondraspeciesA Dianellarevolutevar.revoluta Echinopogoncaespitosusvar.caespitosus Entolasiastricta Echinopogonintermedius Eucalyptusblakelyi/tereticornis Einadiatrigonos Exocarposcupressiformis Eucalyptuscrebra Exocarposstrictus Eucalyptusglaucina Hardenbergiaviolacea Hovealinearis Hibbertialinearis Hypoxishygrometricavar.hygrometrica Imperatacylindricavar.major Indigoferaaustralis Jacksoniascoparia Melaleucadecora Leucopogonmuticus Solanumprinophyllum Lomandraglauca Vittadiniasulcata Lomandraleucocephalasubsp.leucocephala Melaleucathymifolia Persoonialinearis Pimelealinifoliasubsp.linifolia Pomaxumbellata Pteridiumesculentum AsnotedbytheNSWScientificCommitteepreliminaryandfinaldeterminations,notallspeciesare presentineverysinglestand,andthetotalspecieslistfromallstandsofthecommunityis considerablylargerthanthatlistedabove,withsome99speciesbeingrecordedtodate.Atanyone time,seedsofsomespeciesmayonlybepresentinthesoilseedbankwithnoaboveground individualspresent.Thespeciescompositionofastandwillbeinfluencedbythesizeofthestand andbyitsrecentdisturbancehistory.Thenumberofspeciesandtheabove-groundcompositionof specieswillchangewithtimesincefire,andmayalsochangeinresponsetoalteredfirefrequencies. WhilstthespecieslistedabovearefoundregularlyinWarkworthSandsWoodland,manyalsooccur inothercommunities.Smalldrainagelineswithinthecommunitymaysupportahigherabundance ofcertainspecies(suchasMelaleucathymifolia)andlessofothers(suchasBanksia integrifoliasubsp.integrifolia).Suchareasareincludedaspartofthiscommunity.Inaddition, adjacentareaswherewoodlandoccursonathin"veneer"ofsandareincludedwiththiscommunity description,despitethepresenceofotherspeciesmoretypicalofsurroundingcommunities. WoodlandoccurringadjacenttothesanddunesonPermianclayssharesmanyspecieswith WarkworthSandsWoodland,butalsohasahigherabundanceofPermiansubstratespecies,such asCorymbiamaculata,Eucalyptusmoluccana,AllocasuarinaluehmanniiandEucalyptuscrebra. Theseareasarenotconsideredtobepartofthiscommunity,exceptinecotoneswherethereisa dominantabundanceofthecommonandcharacteristicspecieslistedabove,particularlywherea thin,"sandyveneer"overliesthePermiansubstrate. WarkworthSandsWoodlandwasnotdescribedinNSWNPWS(1999).However,comparisonsof speciespresentandrelativeabundanceswithothercommunitiesdefinedinthatdocumentconfirm thatWarkworthSandsWoodlandrepresentsadistinctassemblage. DistributionandCondition WarkworthSandsWoodlandisknownonlyfromSingletonLocalGovernmentArea,whereit currentlyoccupiesanareaofapproximately800ha.MappingoflandsystemsbyStoryetal. (1963)includesafurther10locations(inadditiontothetwooccurrencesatWarkworth)withsimilar soils,landformandvegetation,alltermedthe"WarkworthLandSystem".TwooftheseatKurriKurri cannowbeconfirmedtobefloristicallyquitedifferent(Benson1981a).Duetotheextentof vegetationclearingandalterationattheremainingeightothersites,theydonotnowsupporta similarvegetationcommunity.Itislikely,however,thatatleastsomeoftheotheroccurrencesof theWarkworthLandSystemsupportedasimilarvegetationcommunity,somebeingnowsimply dominatedbyAcaciafilicifoliaandPteridiumesculentumwhileothersnowaretotallycleared. Indeed,thelocationofalloccurrences,excepttwonearKurriKurri,adjacentorclosetoexistingor formerriverchannelssuggeststhatmostmaywellhavesupportedabroadlysimilarvegetation communitytothatoccurringatWarkworth. Currently,theWarkworthSandsWoodlandcomprisessome77%oftheextantvegetation(Peakein prep.)onthetenoccurrencesofthelandsystemthatareconsideredtohavesimilarattributes(ie. excludingthetwooccurrencesoftheWarkworthLandSystemnearKurriKurri).Assumingthatthe tenrelevantoccurrencesofthelandsystemwerefullyvegetatedpriortoEuropeansettlement,itis estimatedthatonly13%oftheformerdistributionofthisvegetationcommunityremains.Noneof theknowncommunityoccurswithinconservationreserves.Alargeproportioncouldberegardedto bethreatenedbyproposedopencutcoalmineextensionsandarecently-approvedsandmine, togetherwiththeassociatedinfrastructurenecessarytosupporttheseprojects. ConservationStatusandThreats Basedonaerialphotographicinterpretation,GISmappingandfieldreconnaissance,approximately 800haofWarkworthSandsWoodlandremains.Ofthis,approximatelyhalfismadeupofWarkworth SandsWoodland(asdescribedinthepreliminarydetermination),whiletheotherhalfcontains dominantandcharacteristicspeciesofsurroundingEucalyptuscrebra-Eucalyptusmoluccana- Corymbiamaculataforestsandwoodlands.Bothexpressionsofthecommunitywereincludedinthe preliminarydetermination.Noneofthecommunityoccurswithinanyconservationreserve,anda substantialproportionofitisthreatenedbyproposeddevelopments. OftheremainingWarkworthSandsWoodland,thereisahighpotentialforvegetationclearingfor opencutcoalminingandsandminingduetothetenureofthelandonwhichitoccursandbasedon recentproposeddevelopments,oneofwhich(asandmine)hasalreadybeenapproved(eg.ERM 2002,HLA-Envirosciences2000).Inaddition,arailwaylineassociatedwithanexistingopencutcoal mineisproposedtopassthroughthemiddlesandmass. WarkworthSandsWoodlandiscurrentlysubjecttothreatsfromclearingassociatedwiththe proposedextensionofanopen-cutcoalminetotheeastofWallabyScrubRoad(ERM2002),andby arecently-approvedsandmineadjacenttoWollombiBrookwhichwillrequiretheminingofthevery substratethatthecommunityoccurson(HLA-Envirosciences2000).Itisalsoconsideredthat WarkworthSandsWoodlandislikelytobesubjecttopressuresfromagriculturalclearing,andfrom threatstothecommunity'sstructureandcompositionassociatedwithfirefrequency,weedinvasion andgrazing. PreviousWork-CSIROGeneralReportontheLandsoftheHunterValley Thelandmark1963reportbyCSIROsubdividedtheHunterValley(includingLakeMacquarie)into43 landsystems(Storyetal.1963).Landsystemsweredefinedas"areaseachwithitsown characteristiccombinationoflandforms,soils,andvegetation,andconsequentlyitsownpotential andownreactionunderanygivensetofconditions"basedonworkbyChristianandStewart(1953). Ofthese,theWarkworthlandsystemisdescribedas"lowdunesorthinsandsheets;brownsingle- grainedsandyAeolianregosols;anomalouswoodland,mostlycleared,withwirygrasses,orheath; woodedorshrubbyarea50%;rainfall24-28in"(Storyetal.1963). Theauthorsmapped12occurrencesoftheWarkworthlandsystem,withtenoftheseoccurringclose totheHunterRiverorWollombiBrook,andtheothertwobeingwellawayfromanymajorcreekin theKurriKurriarea.TwooccurringatWarkworthincludeWarkworthSandsWoodland.Theydescribe twodistinctunitsforthelandsystem,onedominatedbywoodland,makingupabout75% ofthelandsystem'sarea,andtheotherdominatedbydenseheath,makinguptheremaining25%. Intotalthelandsystemisrecordedtocover31squaremiles(about8,030ha).Inthesupporting technicalreportonthevegetationofthelandsystems,Story(1963,p.42)notesthat"mostofthe treeshavebeenclearedfromthewoodlandandagrasslandwithscatteredtreesremains." PreviousWork-TheHunterRemnantVegetationProject TheHunterCatchmentManagementTrustiscurrentlyfinalisingitsreportonthis6yearproject.The studyaimedtomapthedistributionofvegetationcommunitiesinthemidHunterValley,andto undertakebotanicalsurveysoftheircompositionandstructure(Peakeinprep.).Thepurposeofthe projectwastodeterminetheconservationstatusofeachvegetationcommunity,andtoassesstheir relativethreatsanddegreeofreservation. 20x20metrefloristicplotsweresampledinandaroundtheWarkworthSandsWoodlandareain 1999aspartofthisprojectandalsobyNSWNPWS(NSWNPWS1999)aspartoftheComprehensive RegionalAssessment(CRA)process.TheHunterTrust'sremnantvegetationstudyhasfoundthat WarkworthSandsWoodlandisthemostrestrictedvegetationcommunityinthe3,200km2 study area,andismostlikelytobeunderthehighestthreatofextinctioninthenext50years(Peakein prep.). ComparisonwithPotentiallySimilarCommunities WarkworthSandsWoodlandoccursonasand-basedsoillandscapeuniqueintheHunterValley. Severalothervegetationcommunitieshavebeendescribedinthescientificliteraturewhichbear someresemblancetotheWarkworthSandsWoodland(includingtenEndangeredEcological Communities).FirsthandexperienceofmostofthoseintheSydneyBasinbioregionhasbeen obtainedbythemembersoftheHunterRarePlantsCommitteewhichhasaidedtheminthe preparationofthistechnicalnote. Table1outlinesthefloristiccompositionofSydneyBasinsand-basedvegetationintheliterature, basedonpublishedandunpublishedreports,aswellasonefurthersanddepositintheBrigalowBelt South,whichbearssomeresemblancetoWarkworthSandsWoodland.Wherepossible,published accountsofvegetationhavebeencited.Standardvegetationsurveyhasyettooccuracrossallsand- basedvegetationtypes,andconsequentlyanalysiscannotyetbeundertakentoclarifyrelationships. Nevertheless,theinformationprovidedinTable1indicatesbasicdifferencesinthefloristic compositionofeachvegetationtype.TheWarkworthSandsWoodlandhasasuiteofdominant speciesthatisdistinctlydifferenttotheothersand-basedvegetationtypeslistedinTable1anddoes notmatchanyotherEndangeredEcologicalCommunities. Alsoofrelevanceisanexaminationofthegeologicalhistoryofeachofthesesanddeposits(Table2). TheWarkworthSandsWoodlandisoneoffourvegetationtypesthataregroupedas"inlandAeolian sanddeposits."ItiscertainthatbothAgnesBanksandWarkworthSandsWoodlandareof Pleistoceneage,whileitisspeculatedthattheMendoorandepositabout16kmwestofMendooran isofsimilarageaswell.TheMarootasandmasscomplexappearstobepossiblyofTertiaryage(Ryan etal.1996).OfthetwoothercommunitieswhichoccuronPleistoceneinlandAeoliansands, (MendooranSandsandAgnesBanks),only14%and23%ofplantspeciesrespectivelyareshared betweenthesesitesandthe99nativeplantspeciesrecordedinWarkworthSandsWoodlandto date. TheEcologicalSignificanceofWarkworthSandsWoodland WarkworthSandsWoodlandoccursonahighlyrestricted,aeoliansandmassderivedfromsand depositsalongthenearbyWollombiBrook.Consequently,itisfloristicallydistinctfromother vegetationinthelocalareawhichispredominantlyvariousassociationsofgreybox(Eucalyptus moluccana),narrow-leavedironbark(E.crebra)andspottedgum(Corymbiamaculata)(Peakein prep.).WarkworthSandsWoodlandhasalsobeenshowntohaveadifferentfloristiccomposition, particularlyasregardsthedominantspecies,toothersand-basedcommunitiesoftheSydneyBasin Bioregion(Table1).ThehighlyrestrictednatureofboththesandysubstrateandtheWarkworth SandsWoodlanditsupportsisfurtherevidencedbythefactthatneitherweredelineatedor describedinrecentregionalvegetationmapping(NSWNPWS1999). TheNSWScientificCommitteehasmadeafinaldeterminationtolistWarkworthSandsWoodlandas anEndangeredEcologicalCommunityontheNSWThreatenedSpeciesConservationAct1995. Underthedraftnationalcriteriausedforassessingthelevelofthreattoecologicalcommunities (Landsberg2000),theWarkworthSandsWoodlandisratedasCriticallyEndangeredundercriteriaA &B.Thisstatusisachievedonthebasisofcriterion"A"(veryseveredeclineingeographic distribution)and"B"(smallgeographicdistributioncoupledwithdemonstrablethreat).Thetotal pre-1750areaofoccupancyisestimatedat6020ha,ofwhichapproximately800ha(13%)remains. Thereiscurrentlynorepresentationofthiscommunitywithindedicatedreserves,despiteprevious considerationbyNPWSfordedicationasanaturereserve(Pavich1992). FourthreatenedfaunaspecieswerelocatedbyERM(2002)onthelandproposedfortheextension oftheWarkworthopen-cutcoalmine,includingsquirrelglider(Petaurusnorfolcensis),speckled warbler(Pyrrholaemussaggitata),browntreecreeper(Climacterispicumnussubsp.victoriae)and grey-crownedbabbler(Pomatosomustemporalissubsp.temporalis).Allofthesearelistedas VulnerableontheNSWThreatenedSpeciesConservationAct1995.O'Brien(1999)recordedthe Vulnerableturquoiseparrot(Neophemapulchella)atthesiteoftheproposedsandmine,and consideredthattheEndangeredregenthoneyeater(Xanthomyzaphrygia)islikelytobepresenton occasionduringmigration.InadditionitishighlylikelythattheVulnerable(TSCAct1995)glossy blackcockatoo(Calyptorhynchuslathami)ispresentinWarkworthSandsWoodland. TheVulnerabletreeEucalyptusglaucinahasbeenrecordedwithinthecommunityduringCRA surveysbyNPWS(NPWS1999),howeverthismayrequireconfirmation. Finally,a1992referencestatementbyNPWSindicatedthattheServicehadsinceatleast1978 "beenconsideringthelongtermprotectionof……WarkworthSands,preferablybydedicationasa NatureReserveifthisprovedpossible"(Pavich1992,p.1).However,noformalprotectionofthe WarkworthSandsWoodlandhasbeenattainedinthattime. Conclusion WarkworthSandsWoodlandisanaturallyrestrictedvegetationcommunitypresentlyoccurringin onlyabout13%ofitsformerpre-Europeandistribution.Itiscurrentlythreatenedbyanumberof landmanagementpractices,andhasbeenrecognisedbytheNSWScientificCommitteeasan EndangeredEcologicalCommunity.Inordertosecurethelong-termviabilityofthiscommunity,the retentionofexistingpatchescoupledwiththerestorationofdegradedcomponentsoftheland systemonwhichitoccurswillbecrucial. Warkworth Sands Woodland - An Endangered Ecological Community Table 1 Floristic Composition of Recognised Sand-based Vegetation Communities Community / Location Floristic Composition Subject Warkworth Sands Woodland Angophora floribunda, Banksia integrifolia, Allocasuarina littoralis, Melaleuca thymifolia, Acacia filicifolia, Pteridium esculentum, Imperata cylindrica var. major, Hibbertia linearis, Brachyloma daphnoides subsp. daphnoides, Exocarpus cupressiformis, Callitris endlicheri, Jacksonia scoparia, Leucopogon muticus, Pimelea linifolia subsp. linifolia Endangered Ecological Communities (TSC Act 1995) Agnes Banks Woodland (Benson 1981b) Eucalyptus sclerophylla, Eucalyptus parramattensis subsp. parramattensis, Angophora bakeri, Banksia serrata, Banksia aemula, Ricinocarpus pinifolius, Dillwynia glaberrima, Leptospermum trinervium, Conospermum taxifolium, Philotheca salsolifolia, Acacia brownii, Leptospermum polygalifolium, Isopogon anemonifolius, Kunzea capitata, Persoonia nutans, Melaleuca thymifolia, Monotoca scoparia, Pteridium esculentum, Callistemon citrinus Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub (NSW Scientific Committee) Banksia aemula, Banksia serrata, Banksia integrifolia, Banksia ericifolia, Pteridium esculentum, Corymbia gummifera, Acacia suaveolens, Acacia terminalis, Allocasuarina distyla, Brachyloma daphnoides, Bossiaea heterophylla, Hakea teretifolia, Kunzea ambigua, Lambertia formosa, Leptospermum trinervium, Leptospermum laevigatum, Monotoca scoparia, Ricinocarpus pinifolius, Persoonia lanceolata, Pimelea linifolia Elderslie Banksia Scrub Forest (NPWS 1997) Eucalyptus botryoides, Eucalyptus baueriana, Banksia integrifolia, Melaleuca decora, Acacia decurrens, Angophora subvelutina, Aotus ericoides, Dillwynia glaberrima, Acacia implexa, Duboisia myoporoides, Ozothamnus diosmifolius, Platysace lanceolata, Pteridium esculentum, Hibbertia diffusa, Clerodendrum tomentosum, Ricinocarpus pinifolius Castlereagh Scribbly Gum Woodland (NPWS 2000a) Eucalyptus parramattensis subsp. parramattensis, Angophora bakeri, Eucalyptus sclerophylla, Melaleuca decora, Banksia spinulosa var. spinulosa, Melaleuca nodosa, Hakea sericea, Hakea dactyloides, Themeda australis, Entolasia stricta, Cyathochaeta diander, Dianella revoluta subsp. revoluta, Stylidium graminifolium, Platysace ericoides, Laxmannia gracilis, Aristida warburgii Castlereagh Swamp Woodland (NPWS 2000a; NSW Scientific Commit.) Eucalyptus parramattensis subsp. parramattensis, Melaleuca decora, Eucalyptus sclerophylla, Angophora bakeri, Eucalyptus sideroxylon, Melaleuca nodosa, Baumea articulata, Callistemon linearis, Kunzea capitata, Leptospermum polygalifolium, Banksia oblongifolia, Melaleuca thymifolia, Melaleuca erubescens, Pultenaea villosa, Lepyrodia muelleri Kurnell Dune Forest (NSW Scientific Committee) Eucalyptus botryoides, Eucalyptus robusta, Endiandra sieberi, Angophora costata, Banksia serrata, Elaeocarpus reticulatus, Monotoca elliptica, Leptospermum laevigatum, Cupaniopsis anacardioides, Glochidion ferdinandi, Banksia ericifolia, Aotus ericoides, Clerodendrum tomentosum, Breynia oblongifolia, Leucopogon parviflorus, Pimelea linifolia Kurri Sand Swamp Woodland (NPWS 2000b) Eucalyptus parramattensis subsp. decadens, Angophora bakeri, Eucalyptus signata, Eucalyptus sparsifolia, Melaleuca nodosa, Banksia spinulosa, Jacksonia scoparia, Hakea dactyloides, Acacia ulicifolia, Lambertia formosa, Pimelea linifolia, Dillwynia retorta, Lissanthe strigosa, Melaleuca thymifolia Low Woodland - Heathland, Norah Eucalyptus camfieldii, Corymbia Head gummifera, Melaleuca sieberi, Melaleuca quinquenervia, Acacia (Payne 1997) longifolia, Acacia suaveolens, Allocasuarina distyla, Callistemon citrinus, Banksia oblongifolia, Grevillea sericea, Hakea teretifolia, Lambertia formosa, Isopogon anemonifolius, Bossiaea ensata, Leptocarpus tenax, Epacris microphylla, Melaleuca thymifolia, Pimelea linifolia, Persoonia levis, Xanthorrhoea fulva, Themeda australis Quorrobolong Scribbly Gum Woodland (Bell and Murray 2001) Eucalyptus racemosa, Eucalyptus piperita, Angophora costata, Eucalyptus resinifera subsp. resinifera, Eucalyptus punctata, Syncarpia glomulifera, Banksia spinulosa, Leptospermum trinervium, Xylomelum pyriforme, Melaleuca nodosa, Persoonia linearis, Acacia ulicifolia, Melaleuca sieberi, Callistemon pinifolius, Leucopogon juniperinus, Breynia oblongifolia, Daviesia ulicifolia, Zieria smithii subsp. smithii, Lomatia silaifolia, Correa reflexa Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland (NSW Scientific Committee) Angophora floribunda, Banksia integrifolia, Eucalyptus botryoides, Eucalyptus paniculata, Melaleuca quinquenervia, Monotoca elliptica, Banksia serrata, Allocasuarina torulosa, Banksia ericifolia, Macrozamia communis, Aotus ericoides, Duboisia myoporoides, Dodonaea triquetra, Elaeocarpus reticulatus, Eriostemon australasius, Xanthorrhoea arborea, Pteridium esculentum, Leptospermum trinervium, Leptospermum polygalifolium, Lomandra longifolia, Platysace lanceolata, Persoonia linearis, Pomax umbellata Other Communities Occurring on Sand Bodies Mellong Woodland (Ryan et al. 1996) Angophora bakeri, Eucalyptus sclerophylla, Leptospermum trinervium, Isopogon anemonifolius, Bossiaea heterophylla, Hakea dactyloides, Banksia spinulosa, Cryptandra spinescens, Monotoca scoparia, Pteridium esculentum, Platysace ericoides, Haemodorum planifolium, Gompholobium latifolium, Lindsaea linearis Mendooran Sand Deposit (Benson 1979) Angophora floribunda, Eucalyptus macrorhyncha, Callitris endlicheri, Hovea lanceolata, Brachyloma daphnoides, Calytrix tetragona, Acacia brownii, Dianella revoluta, Lepidosperma laterale, Schoenus ericetorum, Melaleuca thymifolia, Pultenaea microphylla, Allocasuarina luehmannii, Acacia gladiiformis, Gahnia aspera, Imperata cylindrica var. major Upper Cudgegong Sandslope Woodland (Bell 1998) Eucalyptus rossii, Eucalyptus mannifera, Eucalyptua macrorhyncha, Angophora floribunda, Eucalyptus blakelyi, Eucalyptus punctata, Eucalyptus cannonii, Persoonia myrtilloides, Monotoca scoparia, Leucopogon virgatus, Boronia microphylla, Dillwynia phylicoides, Brachyloma daphnoides, Acacia buxifolia, Petrophile pulchella, Hakea dactyloides, Mirbelia platyloboides, Caustis pentandra, Acacia echinula, Petrophile canescens Maroota Sandmass Complex (Ryan et al. 1996) Eucalyptus haemastoma, Eucalyptus squamosa, Corymbia gummifera, Angophora bakeri, Eucalyptus globoidea, Eucalyptus punctata, Angophora costata Tomago Sand Swamp Woodland (NPWS 2000b) Eucalyptus paramattensis subsp. decadens, Eucalyptus signata, Leptospermum polygalifolium, Melaleuca nodosa, Persoonia lanceolata, Hakea teretifolia, Melaleuca sieberi, Banksia oblongifolia, Dillwynia retorta, Melaleuca thymifolia, Aotus ericoides, Leucopogon ericoides, Lepyrodia scariosa Wilpinjong Scribbly Gum Woodland Eucalyptus rossii, Eucalyptus crebra, Callitris endlicheri, Corymbia (Bell 1995; Hill 1999) trachyphloia subsp. amphistomatica, Eucalyptus dwyeri, Brachyloma daphnoides, Calytrix tetragona, Persoonia myrtilloides subsp. cunninghamii, Bossiaea rhombifolia subsp. rhombifolia, Styphelia triflora, Grevillea sericea, Persoonia linearis, Patersonia sericea, Pomax umbellata, Macrozamia spiralis, Melichrus urceolatus, Leucopogon virgatus, Xanthorrhoea johnsonii Warkworth Sands Woodland - An Endangered Ecological Community Table 2 Geological History of Sandmass Vegetation Community Geological History Warkworth Sands Woodland Agnes Banks Woodland Maroota Sandmass Complex Mendooran Sand Deposit Inland Inland Inland Inland Quorrobolong Scribbly Gum Woodland Kurri Sand Swamp Woodland Deeply Weathered Sandstone (Permian Maitland Group) Deeply Weathered Sandstone (Permian Maitland Group) Aeolian Aeolian Aeolian Aeolian Sands Sands Sands Sands (Pleistocene) (Pleistocene) (Tertiary?) (Pleistocene?) Upper Cudgegong Sandslope Woodland Wilpinjong Scribbly Gum Woodland Mellong Woodland Deeply Weathered Sandstone (Triassic Narrabeen) Deeply Weathered Sandstone (Triassic Narrabeen) Deeply Weathered Sandstone (Triassic Narrabeen) Tomago Sand Swamp Woodland Low Woodland - Heathland, Norah Head Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub Coastal Aeolian Sands (Pleistocene) Coastal Aeolian Sands (Pleistocene) Coastal Aeolian Sands (Pleistocene) Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland Kurnell Dune Forest Coastal Aeolian Sands (Holocene) Coastal Aeolian Sands (?Holocene) Elderslie Banksia Scrub Forest Tertiary Alluvium Castlereagh Scribbly Gum Woodland Tertiary Alluvium Castlereagh Swamp Woodland Tertiary Alluvium