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Site description (2008 baseline):
Site location and context
Tuggerah Lakes is a coastal lagoon system comprising of three main lakes, Tuggerah, Budgewoi and Munmorah, and some smaller adjacent wetlands including Colongra Lake and Swamp. The IBA includes adjacent floodplain forests, which are suitable for Swift Parrots and Regent Honeyeaters, and extensive sea-grass beds within the lakes. Forest types around the lakes includes Coastal Sand Mahogany, Alluvial Robusta-Paperbark Sedge Swamp Forest, Coastal Sand Littoral Rainforest, Paperbark Swamp Forests, Alluvial Riparian Blackbutt Forest, Melaleuca swamps, Spotted Gum/Ironbark, Scribbly Gum and Bloodwood/Black Oak woodlands.
Occasional records of single Australasian Bitterns and 3-5 pairs of Black Bitterns (Vulnerable in NSW). Up to 20 pairs of breeding Little Egrets on Curly Island. Maximum counts of 3515 Black Swans, 1723 Curlew Sandpipers and 998 Red-necked Stints at 9 counting sites around the lake. A pair of Ospreys are close to their southern range limit in NSW.
Non-bird biodiversity: Most of the forests along the streams and foreshores are categorised as Endangered Ecological Communities under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. Melaleuca biconvexa, a threatened species, is relatively common.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Implementation of Management Plan of Tuggerah Lakes and the Wyong Shire Regent Honeyeater and Swift Parrot Management Plan. Replant foreshores to replace old senescent trees.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
Implementation of Management Plan of Tuggerah Lakes, as adopted by the local council in 2006. The Tuggerah Reserve Trust is undertaking revegetation of waterways, and there are a number of other Landcare projects to stabilise riverbanks and bushlands. The Wyong Shire Regent Honeyeater and Swift Parrot Management Plan is under consideration by the local council. The national Swift Parrot Recovery Plan, the national Regent Honeyeater Recovery Plan and the NSW Little Tern Recovery Plan all make recommendations for management of this site.
The IBA contains the Munmorah State Conservation Area and overlaps the Wyrrabalong National Park.
Wyong Shire Council Open Space and Foreshore Reserve, National Park Service, Tuggerah Reserve Trust, Delta Electricity and freehold residential properties.
The nomination was prepared by Alan Morris. Bird data supplied by Birding NSW Central Coast group. Protected Area data supplied by Glenn Gifford of NSW Parks. Wyong Council commissioned a report which includes bird conservation (Roberts & Dickinson 2005).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Tuggerah (Australia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/tuggerah-iba-australia on 23/11/2024.
