Current view: Text account
Site description (2008 baseline):
Site location and context
The Gibraltar Range IBA comprises Gibraltar Range and Barool National Parks, located between Glen Innes and Grafton in northern New South Wales. These protected areas support all suitable high-altitude rainforest in the range of a population of Rufous Scrub-birds. Parts of these national parks have been declared Wilderness Areas and are included in the World Heritage Gondwana Rainforests of Australia. The average winter daytime temperature is 13 Celsius, the average summer daytime temperature is 25 Celsius and rainfall peaks at over 2000 mm on the highest peaks. The area is one of the highest ridges of the Great Dividing Range and supports many ecosystems including warm-temperate rainforest, sclerophyll forest, heathlands and the largest remaining area of coachwood-dominated warm temperate rainforest in the world. Dominant land forms include high ridges and plateaux, the Great Eastern Escarpment, steep sided valleys, creeks, waterfalls, granitic rock formations and outcrops. The adjacent Washpool and Nymboida National Parks could be included in the IBA but neither is believed to currently support Rufous Scrub-birds.
One hundred and seventy-nine species of birds have been recorded in the Gibraltar Range. The New South Wales Wildlife Atlas from 1980 to June 2008 contains two records of the Regent Bowerbird out of 1478 bird records from Gibraltar Range but not recorded in 96 Atlas of Australian Birds surveys conducted in the IBA from 1998 to 2008 (Atlas of Australian Birds database). The near threatened Flame Robin is occasionally encountered in the IBA (Atlas of Australian Birds database).
Non-bird biodiversity: A total of 34 threatened vertebrate species and 29 species of conservation concern are found in the Gibraltar Range including the Parma Wallaby, Spotted-tail Quoll and ten species of fish, including part of the only remaining wild breeding population of Eastern Freshwater Cod, which are found in the Mann River in Nymboida National Park, which lies adjacent to the IBA. Sixty-one rare and threatened plant species have been recorded in the Gibraltar Range including nine that are listed as endangered or vulnerable and 14 endemic species. Some of the plant species found in the IBA include New England Blackbutt, Sydney Blue-gum, Tallowwood and Brush box as well as Coastal Blackbutt and Needle Stringybark, which are both found in this area at distributional or altitudinal limits.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Manage fire in a manner that sustains suitable habitat for key species. Eradicate or otherwise control introduced plants and animals. Undertake scrub-bird surveys before weed control. Investigate cause or causes of decline in Rufous Scrub-bird.
Barool National Park and Gibraltar Range National Park.
NSW State Government.
Peter Ekert (NSW DEC) advised on Rufous Scrub-birds.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Gibraltar Range (Australia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/gibraltar-range-iba-australia on 23/11/2024.
