Current view: Text account
Site description (2008 baseline):
Site location and context
This IBA consists of an area of woodland remnants south of Bundarra and east of Barraba, inland of Armidale in northern New South Wales. The boundary is defined by recent records of Regent Honeyeater but, in the absence of clear ecological boundaries, it follows roads for clarity and convenience: from Bundarra west to The Basin, then south-east to 5km south of Mount Yarrowyck Nature Reserve, then cross-country due west to Kingstown, south-west to Manilla and Ranagari then north to Barraba and Cobbadah and east to Gulf Creek and Bundarra. This includes remnants of Grassy White Box Woodlands and mugga ironbark woodlands which are mostly preserved as Travelling Stock Routes (TSR). It also includes intervening sections of TSR with different dominant trees, as Regent Honeyeaters occasionally use these other species and are believed to use the TSRs as corridors, including the Borah (200 ha), Black Springs, Mille Creek, Garibaldi, Gwydir Park Road, Coonoor and Tintinhull Travelling Stock Reserves, Ironbark Nature Reserve and Linton Nature Reserve. These TSRs are managed by the Tamworth Rural Lands Protection Board of the Tamworth Regional Council. The northern part of the IBA is dominated by the Nandewar Range of hills, and the south-east by the Namoi River, part of which is in the Warrabah National Park. Warrabah's vegetation is mainly woodland, with white cypress pine, hill red gum and Caley's ironbark. Barraba experiences average maximum temperatures of 16-18°C in winter and 31-32°C in summer with annual rainfall of 860 mm.
The IBA supports populations of a suite of declining woodland species, notably Brown Treecreeper, Hooded Robin, Speckled Warbler, Turquoise Parrot and Black-chinned Honeyeater. The near threatened Flame Robin and biome-restricted Black Honeyeater are rare visitors to the IBA (Atlas of Australian Birds database).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Tamworth Council should continue to follow the recommendations for conservation of these woodlands. The Rural Lands Protection Board should continue to ensure that these woodlands are not over-grazed.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
Regent Honeyeaters are being monitored and colour-banded. Tamworth Regional Council's State of the Environment Report reports the status of the Regent Honeyeaters. Namoi Catchment Management Authority and Tamworth Rural Lands Protection Board have entered into a 10 year agreement to manage 1600 ha of land on six local TSRs for conservation purposes.
See separate listing.
Combination of Leasehold, freehold, nature reserves and Crown Land. Crown Land is managed by The Rural Lands Protection Board and nature reserves by NPWS.
Thanks to Russ Watts as the compiler and the Tamworth Birdwatchers Incorporated for input. We also wish to acknowledge the assistance of Geoff Mitchell, Tamworth Regional Council and Damon Oliver, NPWS in Armidale.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Bundarra-Barraba (Australia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/bundarra-barraba-iba-australia on 22/11/2024.
