Key Biodiversity Areas within 100km CANBERRA

Visitor Guide Close your eyes and think of the most wonderful places you’ve seen in Australia. A coral cay in the Great Barrier Reef? The raw and rugged beauty of Cradle Mountain? The Ubirr escarpment casting a long shadow over the floodplains of Kakadu at sunrise? The vivid natural palette of Shark Bay? The chances are that wherever it is that you’ve thought of, it’s a Key Biodiversity Area (KBA). KBAs are those wonderful natural places with irreplaceable values that make them special. But they’re not just special to us—they’re also special to a whole host of birds and other wildlife. And they’re not all in such far-flung places. In fact, they’re closer than you think— there are plenty of these unique places right on Canberra’s doorstep. When it comes to wildlife-watching, a bustling city like Canberra isn’t necessarily the first place you’d think of, but there are plenty of places within an hour’s drive of the city that are internationally important sites where precious wildlife awaits. Canberra—sometimes referred to as the ‘Bush Capital’—is covered by the huge South-west Slopes of NSW KBA. You don’t have to venture too far from the city to see some of the key species in this KBA. One of them, the Superb Parrot, is aptly named. Photos of this bird do not do it justice—it’s one of the most spectacularly beautiful birds you’ll ever see. And it’s so close to home. Painted Honeyeaters can be seen in the forests as they forage in the trees, eating the berries of mistletoe that dangle down from the canopy, while dapper Diamond Firetails hop about on the forest floor in search of seeds. Further south is the Australian Alps KBA, whose forests are home to Flame Robins. Though these delightful birds are familiar in the lowlands in winter, during the warmer months they fly to alpine areas where they breed. Pilotbirds are also key species here, and can be seen following Superb Lyrebirds around. But it’s not all just about the bush. Not far to the east of Canberra is the Lake Bathurst KBA. Though it’s one of the smallest of Australia’s KBAs, it is a wetland that provides vital habitat for many waterfowl, especially for the Blue- billed Ducks and Australasian Shovelers that live there. Canberra’s KBAs offer so many opportunities for everyone to experience the wonders of nature. Key Biodiversity Areas within 100km CANBERRA Bird Photos: Superb Parrot, Painted Honeyeater, Flame Robin, Blue- billed Duck, Australasian Shoveler, Australian King Parrot (Andrew Silcocks); Diamond Firetail (Dean Ingwersen) Photo: Kosciuszko National Park, Wikimedia Commons

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Transcript of Key Biodiversity Areas within 100km CANBERRA

Page 1: Key Biodiversity Areas within 100km CANBERRA

Visitor Guide

Close your eyes and think of the most wonderful places you’ve seen in Australia. A coral cay in the Great Barrier Reef? The raw and rugged beauty of Cradle Mountain? The Ubirr escarpment casting a long shadow over the floodplains of Kakadu at sunrise? The vivid natural palette of Shark Bay? The chances are that wherever it is that you’ve thought of, it’s a Key Biodiversity Area (KBA).

KBAs are those wonderful natural places with irreplaceable values that make them special. But they’re not just special to us—they’re also special to a whole host of birds and other wildlife. And they’re not all in such far-flung places. In fact, they’re closer than you think—there are plenty of these unique places right on Canberra’s doorstep.

When it comes to wildlife-watching, a bustling city like Canberra isn’t necessarily the first place you’d think of, but there are plenty of places within an hour’s drive of the city that are internationally important sites where precious wildlife awaits.

Canberra—sometimes referred to as the ‘Bush Capital’—is covered by the huge South-west

Slopes of NSW KBA. You don’t have to venture too far from the city to see some of the key species in this KBA. One of them, the Superb Parrot, is aptly named. Photos of this bird do not do it justice—it’s one of the most spectacularly beautiful birds you’ll ever see. And it’s so close to home. Painted Honeyeaters can be seen in the forests as they forage in the trees, eating the berries of mistletoe that dangle down from the canopy, while dapper Diamond Firetails hop about on the forest floor in search of seeds.

Further south is the Australian Alps KBA, whose forests are home to Flame Robins. Though these delightful birds are familiar in the lowlands in winter, during the warmer months they fly to alpine areas where they breed. Pilotbirds are also key species here, and can be seen following Superb Lyrebirds around.

But it’s not all just about the bush. Not far to the east of Canberra is the Lake Bathurst KBA. Though it’s one of the smallest of Australia’s KBAs, it is a wetland that provides vital habitat for many waterfowl, especially for the Blue-billed Ducks and Australasian Shovelers that live there.

Canberra’s KBAs offer so many opportunities for everyone to experience the wonders of nature.

Key Biodiversity Areas within 100km

CANBERRA

Bird Photos: Superb Parrot, Painted Honeyeater, Flame Robin, Blue-billed Duck, Australasian Shoveler, Australian King Parrot (Andrew Silcocks); Diamond Firetail (Dean Ingwersen)

Photo: Kosciuszko National Park, Wikimedia Commons