Current view: Text account
Site description (2008 baseline):
Site location and context
The IBA comprises three lakes located approximately 35 km north-east of Albany in south-western Western Australia. The system consists of three shallow, near-permanent freshwater lakes about 5 km apart from each other: Lake Pleasant View (201 ha), an unnamed lake 3 km north-east of Lake Pleasant View unofficially termed North Sister East Lake ( about 200 ha) and an unnamed lake 3 km to the north-west of Lake Pleasant View unofficially termed North Sister West Lake (about 150 ha), each of which provides habitat for the Australasian Bittern. The Lake Pleasant View system experiences a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. Mean annual rainfall at nearby Albany is 813 mm. A tall sedge (Baumea articulata) and an unidentified species of low sedge are present in closed communities across most of the three lakes, forming freshwater marshes on peat substrate. The margins of the three lakes support other species of water plants and, in some instances, open scrub of Melaleuca cuticularis or open shrubland of various unidentified species.
Thirty species of bird have been recorded in the Lake Pleasant View system, but the maximum documented count of waterbirds was only 120 in 1984 and 1992. Little Grassbird is abundant at North Sister East Lake (e.g. count of 35 in 1982) (Jaensch et al. 1988; Australian Wetlands Database 2001). The following restricted-range and biome-restricted species have been recorded in surrounding bushland: Western Rosella, Red-capped Parrot, Red-winged Fairy-wren, Western Thornbill, Western Spinebill and Red-eared Firetail.
Non-bird biodiversity: Frogs are abundant in the Lake Pleasant View system. Species identified to date are Slender Tree Frog, Glauert's Froglet, Small Western Froglet and Banjo Frog (Australian Wetlands Database 2001).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Implement a burning regime that maintains suitable habitat for the Australasian Bittern. Monitor nutrient concentrations in the Lake Pleasant View system and investigate measures to mitigate eutrophication if necessary. Bittern numbers need to be monitored.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
The 'health' of the Lake Pleasant View system is monitored by the Department of Environment and Conservation. A total 119 waterbird surveys were conducted in the Lake Pleasant View system by Birds Australia from 1981 to 1988 (Australian Wetlands Database 2001).
Several - see separate section.
Western Australian State Government with management the responsibility of DEC.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lake Pleasant View System (Australia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lake-pleasant-view-system-iba-australia on 23/11/2024.
