Current view: Text account
Site description (2008 baseline):
Site location and context
The IBA is identical to New England National Park, which is located 75 km east of Armidale and 50 km west of Coffs Harbour in New South Wales. The park includes the high eastern escarpment of the Great Dividing Range and consists of high cliffs, rugged ridges and streams which converge into two main river systems, the Bellinger and the Macleay. Average annual rainfall is 1514 mm at a station at 1060 m altitude, average maximum summer temperatures here are 24 Celsius and minimum winter temperatures are 2 Celsius. Palaeozoic sedimentry and metamorphic rocks of slate, phylitte and greywake dominate the landscape, and on the plateau these are covered by the volcanic basalt, trachyte and tuff. These different rock types produce very different soils which, along with the high altitudinal range, support a diversity of flora and fauna. The park plays host to around 60,000 visitors a year and has walking tracks, camping grounds and other facilities to accommodate them. New England National Park is World Heritage listed and has a substantial area that fits the criteria for a Wilderness Park. This area stretches through the rugged gullies and ridges of the Bellinger River and Five Day Creek.
One hundred and thirteen species of birds have been recorded in the park, including 24 of a possible 36 NSW rainforest dependent birds.
Non-bird biodiversity: The park supports a wide range of fauna including Platypus, Echidna, Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Wallaroo, Swamp Wallaby, Red-necked Wallaby, Red-necked Pademelon, Parma Wallaby, Potoroo and Dingo. Arboreal marsupials are also abundant and include Brush-tailed Possum, Greater Glider, Ring-tailed Glider, Feather-tailed Glider, Koala and Phascogale. Smaller mammals include Tiger Quoll, Brown Antichinus, Bush Rat, Bridled Bandicoot, Swamp Rat and Dusky Antechinus. There is a colony of Bent-winged Bats in the park and occasionally the Little Red Flying Fox and Grey-headed Flying Fox can be seen in the area. Over 500 species of plants can be found.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Monitor Rufous Scrub-bird population especially in relation to fire, logging or other forest disturbances. Monitor and manage feral dogs and other invasive species.
New England National Park.
NSW state government with management the responsibility of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Thanks to Greg Clancy for assistance with this nomination.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: New England (Australia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/new-england-iba-australia on 23/11/2024.
