Castlereagh Nature Reserve

Castlereagh Nature Reserve New South Wales
IUCN category Ia (strict nature reserve)
Castlereagh Nature Reserve
Nearest town or city	Castlereagh
Coordinates	33°40′53″S 150°45′22″E / 33.68139°S 150.75611°E / -33.68139; 150.75611Coordinates: 33°40′53″S 150°45′22″E / 33.68139°S 150.75611°E / -33.68139; 150.75611
Established	December 1995 (1995-12)^[1]
Area	4.95 km² (1.9 sq mi)^[1]
Managing authorities	NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service
Website	Castlereagh Nature Reserve
See also	Protected areas of New South Wales

The Castlereagh Nature Reserve is a protected nature reserve located in the western suburbs of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. The 495-hectare (1,220-acre) reserve is situated 60 kilometres (37 mi) west of the central business district, approximately 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) north-east of Penrith and located near the townships of Castlereagh and Londonderry. In 1960, 266 hectares (660 acres) was reclaimed for use as a Child Welfare Training School, and in 1971, 389 hectares (960 acres) was reclaimed for the establishment of a liquid waste disposal facility.

The boundary of the reserve is marked by The Northern Road to the west, by Llandilo Road to the east, rural properties to the south and by the Castlereagh Waste Management Centre to the north. The nature reserve was formerly Castlereagh State Forest and was managed as a production forest from 1917 to 1988, then as a demonstration forest from 1988 to 1995.^[2]

Features

Geology

The Castlereagh Nature Reserve contains a geographically restricted substrate of Tertiary alluvials producing clays, sand, gravel and shales at depth. Parts of the reserve support Cumberland Plain Woodland vegetation. The nature reserve is between 30 and 40 metres (98 and 131 ft) above sea level and is predominately flat with broad, shallow depressions forming a sparse drainage network. Small, shallow lakes form after wet weather to the north of the reserve where gravels and other alluvials have been extracted when the reserve was a production forest.^[2]

Flora

Open forest occurs on clay soils and is dominated by broad-leaved ironbark Eucalyptus fibrosa sap. Fibrosa with occasional mugga ironbark Eucalyptus sideroxylon, thin-leaved stringybark Eucalyptus enugeniodes, woollybutt Eucalyptus longifolia and Scribbly Gum Eucalyptus sclerophylla. Threatened plant species found in the nature reserve include Dillwynia tenuifolia, Pultenea parviflora, Acacia bynoeana, dwarf casuarina Allocasuarina glareicola, nodding geebung Persoonia nutans and Micromyrtus minutiflora.

The reserve is relatively free of significant weed infestations. A few slash pines Pinus elliotti are found in the northern section of the reserve from when 300 hectares (740 acres) of Castlereagh State Forest was used for trial plantings of pines in the 1920s and 1930s. Heavy harvesting of ironbark during the Second World Ware, illegal timber collection and numerous fires generally thinned the forest, resulting in no mature trees in some areas.

Fauna

The nature reserve is home to a diverse range of mammals including sugar gliders Petaurus breviceps, brush-tailed possum Trichosurus vulpecular and eastern grey kangaroo Macropus giganteus. The eastern brown snake Pseudonaja textilis, red-bellied black snake Psuedechris porphriacus, lace monitor Varanus varius and a number of frog species including the endangered green and golden bell frog Litoria aurea also reside within the reserve.

Environmental impacts

In 1987 the area around the old gravel pits was planted with over 3,000 seedlings but ultimately the plantings were unsuccessful. Due to past logging and other plantings, parts of the reserve are dominated by immature regrowth and has modified species composition and abundance.

An area of 1 hectare (2.5 acres) to the north western boundary of the nature reserve adjacent to the Castlereagh Waste Management Centre was previously used as an area for the disposal of heavy metals including zinc, cadmium and lead. The contaminated soil was removed in 1996 and replaced with clean local fill. Groundwater quality is monitored at six sampling stations by Waste Services.

Fire has been a major factor in shaping the flora in the reserve. The last major fire occurred in 1982 and burnt over 75 percent of the reserve which has altered the understory of the forest and woodland communicates.

Accidents

In 1957 a Vampire fighter jet crashed into Castlereagh State Forest however the Flying Officer was able to eject safely.^[3]

References

1 2 "Castlereagh Nature Reserve". Office of Environment and Heritage. Government of New South Wales. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
1 2 "Castlereagh, Agnes Banks and Windsor Downs Nature Reserves: Plan of Management" (PDF). NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service (PDF). Government of New South Wales. 5 March 1999. ISBN 0-7310-7637-0. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
↑ "Flying Officer Gavin Michael "(Bluey)" Collins". Project Get Out and Walk 1980 - 2014. ejection-history.org.uk. Retrieved 17 September 2014.

Nature reserves of New South Wales, Australia

Central NSW	Abercrombie Caves Arakoola Avisford Barton Binnaway Boomi Boomi West Borenore Caves Boronga Brigalow Park Budelah Careunga Coolbaggie Copperhannia Dapper Donnybrook Dural Eugowra Freemantle Gamilaroi Girralang Jenolan Caves Kemps Creek Kirramingly Koorawatha Kuma Macquarie Marshes Midkin Munghorn Gap Narran Lake Pilliga Planchonella The Rock Tollingo Turallo Wambool Weetalibah Winburndale Woggoon Wongarbon Yaegl Yarringully

Hunter and Mid North Coast	Awabakal Baalijin Back River Bagul Waajaarr Bandicoot Island Bird Island Bollanolla Boonanghi Boondelbah Boorganna Bowraville Bretti Brimbin Bugan Burning Mountain Bushy Island Camels Hump Camerons Gorge Cedar Brush Coocumbac Island Coolongolook Cooperabung Creek Coramba Corrie Island Coxcomb Darawank Fifes Knob Fishermans Bend Gads Sugarloaf Ganay Garby Goonook Hexham Swamp Jaaningga Jagun Jasper John Gould Juugawaarri Karuah Kattang Khappinghat Khatambuhl Killabakh Killarney Kooragang Koorebang Kororo Lake Innes Limeburners Creek Little Broughton Island Macquarie Mernot Mills Island Moffats Swamp Monkerai Monkeycot Moon Island Moonee Beach Mount Seaview Muttonbird Island Ngambaa North Rock One Tree Island Pambalong Pee Dee Pulbah Island Queens Lake Rawdon Creek Regatta Island Running Creek Seaham Swamp Seal Rocks Skillion Snapper Island Stormpetrel Talawahl The Castles The Glen Tilligerry Tingira Heights Tomalla Towibakh Valla Wallabadah Wallamba Wallaroo Wallis Island Weelah Willi Willi Caves Wingen Maid Wingham Brush Worimi Yahoo Island Yarravel Yessabah

New England Tablelands	Aberbaldie Ashford Caves Bluff River Bolivia Hill Booroolong Burnt-Down Scrub Deer Vale Demon Duval Georges Creek Gibraltar Guy Fawkes River Imbota Ironbark Jobs Mountain Linton Little Llangothlin Mann River Melville Range Mother Of Ducks Lagoon Mount Hyland Mount Mackenzie Mount Yarrowyck Muldiva Ngulin Serpentine Severn River Stony Batter Creek The Basin Tuggolo Creek Watsons Creek Yina

Northern Rivers	Andrew Johnston Big Scrub Ballina Banyabba Billinudgel Boatharbour Booyong Broken Head Brunswick Heads Bungabbee Byrnes Scrub Captains Creek Chambigne Chapmans Peak Clarence Estuary Cook Island Couchy Creek Cudgen Cumbebin Swamp Davis Scrub Flaggy Creek Gumbaynggirr SCA Hattons Bluff Hayters Hill Hogarth Range Hortons Creek Iluka Inner Pocket Julian Rocks Koukandowie Limpinwood Little Pimlico Island Marshalls Creek Moore Park Mororo Creek Mount Neville Mount Nullum Muckleewee Mountain Munro Island North-West Solitary Island North Obelisk North Solitary Island Numinbah Richmond River Sherwood Snows Gully South West Solitary Island Split Solitary Island Stotts Island Susan Island Tabbimoble Swamp Tallawudjah Tuckean Tucki Tucki Tweed Estuary Tyagarah Ukerebagh Uralba Victoria Park Waragai Creek Wilson Wilsons Peak Woodford Island Wooyung

Outback NSW	Big Bush Boginderra Hills Buddigower Cocopara Goonawarra Gubbata Ingalba Jerilderie Kajuligah Kemendok Lake Urana Langtree Ledknapper Loughnan Morrisons Lake Mutawintji Narrandera Nearie Lake Nocoleche Nombinnie Pucawan Pulletop Quanda Round Hill Tarawi The Charcoal Tank Yanga Yathong

South Coast and Highlands	Araluen Badja Swamps Bamarang Barren Grounds Barrengarry Bees Nest Bell Bird Creek Belowla Island Bermaguee Bimberi Binjura Black Andrew Black Ash Bobundara Bogandyera Bondi Gulf Bournda Broulee Island Brundee Swamp Brush Island Burnt School Burra Creek Burrinjuck Cambewarra Range Cecil Hoskins Clarkes Hill Comerong Island Coolumbooka Coornartha Courabyra Cullendulla Creek Cuumbeun Dananbilla Dangelong Devils Glen Downfall Eagles Claw Egan Peaks Ellerslie Five Islands Flagstaff Memorial Good Good Goorooyarroo Gungewalla Hattons Corner Illawong Illunie Ironmungy Jerralong Jingellic Joadja Kangaroo River Kybeyan Meringo Merriangaah Montague Island Mount Clifford Mount Dowling Mudjarn Mullengandra Mundoonen Myalla Nadgee Nadgigomar Narrawallee Creek Nest Hill Ngadang Nimmo Numeralla Oak Creek Parma Creek Paupong Queanbeyan Quidong Razorback Robertson Rodway Saltwater Swamp Scabby Range Scott Stony Creek Strike-a-Light Tabletop Tapitallee Tinderry Tollgate Islands Triplarina Ulandra Undoo Wadjan Wanna Wanna Wee Jasper Wiesners Swamp Wogamia Wollondilly River Woollamia Worrigee Wullwye Yanununbeyan Yaouk Yatteyattah

Sydney and surrounds	Agnes Banks Berkeley Bird Island Castlereagh Central Gardens Cockle Bay Dalrymple-Hay Dharawal Evans Crown Gulguer Lion Island Long Island Manobalai Mulgoa Muogamarra Newington Pelican Island Pitt Town Rileys Island Royal National Park Spectacle Island Towra Point Wallumatta Wamberal Lagoon Wambina Windsor Downs

Protected areas of New South Wales

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