Current view: Text account
Site description (2008 baseline):
Site location and context
The IBA, which is the only breeding site for the Vulnerable Gould's Petrel in Australia, consists of Cabbage Tree and Boondelbah Islands, located approximately 1 km offshore from Yacaaba Head at Port Stephens in New South Wales. The site has a temperate, maritime climate with rain falling both in summer and winter. Both islands are composed of volcanic toscanite dissected by basaltic dykes. Most of Cabbage Tree Island is covered with sub-tropical rainforest containing Cabbage Tree Palm Livistona australis, with non-forested areas of the island dominated by Spiny-headed Mat-rush Lomandra longifolia. Boondelbah Island, which has fewer trees than Cabbage Tree Island, is dominated by Spiny-headed Mat-rush (Priddel & Carlile 2004a,b).
The IBA also supports breeding colonies of Little Penguin (~140 pairs on Cabbage Tree Island and probably less than 100 pairs on Boondelbah Island), Wedge-tailed Shearwater (~1,050 pairs on Cabbage Tree Island and ~13,000 pairs on Boondelbah Island), Sooty Shearwater (~45 pairs on Cabbage Tree Island and ~2,500 pairs on Boondelbah Island), White-faced Storm-Petrel (~140 breeding pairs on Boondelbah Island), Great Cormorant (40 to 50 breeding pairs on Cabbage Tree Island) and Sooty Oystercatcher (one to two pairs on Cabbage Tree Island) (Priddel & Carlile 2004b). Other significant species of bird that breed on the islands include White-bellied Sea-Eagle and Peregrine Falcon.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Eradicate or continue to otherwise control Bird-lime Tree. Continue to cull Pied Currawong and Australian Raven, where necessary, and investigate need for and means of control for other less common avian predators. Maintain no-fly zone around Cabbage Tree and Boondelbah Islands. Prohibit access to Gould's Petrel habitat except where necessary for research or conservation purposes.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
A research and recovery program has been implemented for Gould's Petrel. As part of the recovery effort for Gould's Petrel, the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service undertakes annual culling of Pied Currawong and Australian Raven and removal of Bird-lime Tree seedlings. Rabbits were eradicated from Cabbage Tree Island in 1997. A fire management strategy has been prepared for both Cabbage Tree and Boondelbah Islands.
John Gould Nature Reserve
Boondelbah Nature Reserve
NSW State Government - Department of Environment and Conservation.
Thanks to David Priddel for assistance with the nomination which was compiled by the BIGNET IBA Taskforce.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Cabbage Tree and Boondelbah Islands (Australia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/cabbage-tree-and-boondelbah-islands-iba-australia on 27/12/2024.
