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Site description (2008 baseline):
Site location and context
The IBA is defined by the River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camadulensis) forests of Barmah-Millewa and all land within 10km which may be used by Superb Parrots for foraging whilst nesting in the forest. Barmah-Millewa Forest on the upper Murray River is the largest River Red Gum forest in Australia. It includes the Barmah forest in Victoria and the Millewa and Moira forests in NSW, all of which are listed Ramsar sites. The forests are fed by anabranch systems originating from the Murray River, including the Edward River and Gulpa Creek, but all inflowing rivers are subject to water regulation. Under unmodified flow conditions, floods of 3-6 months duration occurred about 6-8 times each decade. Floods determine vegetation patterns, with rushes and sedges (Juncus spp., Eleocharis acutus) growing in the most frequently flooded areas, moira grass (Pseudoraphis spinescens) plains and red gums growing in the less frequently flooded areas, and black box (Eucalyptus largiflorens) communities existing in the least frequently flooded areas. With less flooding in recent years, common reed (Phragmites australis), cumbungi and moira grass have declined in abundance, red gums are replacing the moira grass plains, and black box is replacing red gums on the margins. Declining health of large red gums may affect the Superb Parrot, which breeds in large mature red gums. However, some environmental flows have been released in recent years, enabling successful waterbird nesting (e.g. 340 gigalitres in 2000/01). The climate is semi-arid with mean temperatures ranging from about 3-16 Celsius in winter and 14-32 Celsius in summer and mean annual rainfall of 408 mm at nearby Deniliquin.
The IBA supports large numbers of breeding waterbirds when it is flooded (e.g. 50,000 birds reported in 2006). These congregations do not regularly meet 1% of the world population of any species but are of regional significance. In 2000/01, there were 5508 pairs of 13 species of waterbirds in Millewa Forest and more than 10,000 pairs of ibis (two species) in Barmah Forest. The floodplain was estimated to support 83,000 birds during 1983-1994 (Kingsford et al. 1997). Brolgas are locally extinct and Glossy Ibis, Little Egrets and Whiskered Terns regularly bred in the forest before the 1970s, but no longer do so (Leslie 1995). Great, Little Black and Little Pied Cormorants, Great Egrets, Intermediate Egrets and Nankeen Night-Herons still breed in the forest but their numbers are declining (Leslie 1995). The vulnerable Painted Honeyeater and near threatened Bush Stone-curlew are occasionally encountered in the IBA (Atlas of Australian Birds database).
Non-bird biodiversity: The IBA supports the globally threatened Trout Cod (Maccullochella macquariensis), Silver Perch (Bidyanus bidyanus), Murray Hardyhead (Craterocephalus fluviatilis) and Flathead Galaxias (Galaxias rostrata).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Environmental water allocations should be sufficient to sustain growth of River Red Gums. The forest should be managed to sustain habitat for Superb Parrot by abolishing harvest of large mature trees. Cease or restrict grazing of livestock within the forest.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
Superb Parrot Project (Co-ordinator: Sue Logie).
Numerous - see separate section.
The forests are mostly NSW State Forest; (Barma State Forest, Deniliquin State Forest, Gulpa Island State Forest, Millewa State Forest, Moira State Forest, Native Dog State Forest, Thornley State Forest, Tuppal State Forest) with about 10% in protected areas in NSW (including Moira Lakes Flora Reserve, Reedbeds Exclosure, Langmans Road Exclosure, Bullatale Flora Reserve, Island Sanctuary Deniliquin, Sand-dune Pine Flora Reserve, Tea Tree Road Exclosure) and Victoria (Barmah State Forest, Echuca Regional Park and Barmah State Park) and several small exclosures, flora reserves, roadsides and other reserves. The farmland is mostly private.
Thanks to Keith Stockwell for drafting the nomination. Sue Logie (northern Vic), Gary Deayton
, Phil Maher (southern NSW), David Read (Wagga), Ric Webster, Tom Wheller, Phil Maher (all of Deniliquin), Keith Ward (Goulburn Broken CMA) and Paul O'Connor (DSE Tatura) were consulted during the process.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Barmah-Millewa (Australia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/barmah-millewa-iba-australia on 23/12/2024.
