Wamberal Lagoon

Wamberal Lagoon, an intermittently closed intermediate saline coastal lagoon,[1] is located on the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. Wamberal Lagoon is located between the beachside settlements of Forresters Beach and Wamberal, and adjacent to the east coast, about 87 kilometres (54 mi) north of Sydney.

Wamberal Lagoon
Wamberal Lagoon
Wamberal Lagoon
LocationCentral Coast, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates33°26′S 151°27′E
TypeIntermittently closed intermediate saline coastal lagoon[1]
Primary inflowsForresters Creek
Primary outflowsTasman Sea of the South Pacific Ocean
Catchment area5.8 square kilometres (2.2 sq mi)[2]
Basin countriesAustralia
Surface area50 hectares (120 acres)[2]
Average depth1.7 metres (5 ft 7 in) (AHD)[2]
Water volume880.2 megalitres (31.08×10^6 cu ft)[2]
Surface elevation0 m (0 ft)
SettlementsForresters Beach, Wamberal
References[3]

Features and location

Fed by stormwater runoff that flows into Forresters Creek, the lagoon has a surface area of approximately 50 hectares (120 acres) and a catchment area of 5.8 square kilometres (2.2 sq mi).[2] When full, the Wamberal Lagoon covers an area of around 50 hectares (120 acres).[3] Its outflow is to the Tasman Sea of the South Pacific Ocean that is generally closed, and water levels inside the lagoon are not usually influenced by ocean tides.[4]

The lagoon and the surrounding land comprising 139 hectares (340 acres) form part of the Wamberal Lagoon Nature Reserve, a nature reserve created in 1981, that is under management of the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service.[5]

Terrigal Lagoon and Avoca Lake are located to the south and are a short distance away.

Wamberal Lagoon Conservation Society

Formed in 1983 and still active, the Wamberal Lagoon Conservation Society (WLCS) was set up to promote conservation of the lagoon and its surrounds in the face of increasing urban development.

The initial charter of the WLCS cited the terms of Section 49(3) of the National Parks and Wildlife Act: Lands within a nature reserve shall be deemed to be dedicated for the purposes of:

  • (a) The care, propagation, preservation and conservation of wildlife;
  • (b) The care, preservation and conservation of natural environments and natural phenomena.
  • (c) The study of wildlife, natural environments and natural phenomena; and
  • (d) The promotion of the appreciation and enjoyment of wildlife, natural environments and natural phenomena.

To this end the Society engages in education, co-operation with other bodies having a similar interest, and representations to authorities whose responsibilities affect the nature reserve. Members of the WLCS have been active members in bushcare activities over many years, involving removal of rubbish and invasive plants from environmentally sensitive areas, and replanting of native vegetation.

In 2018 and 2019 the WLCS initiated a habitat-restoration project aimed at improving water quality in inflows to the lagoon, with the ultimate aim of reintroducing an endangered amphibian species (the Green and Golden Bellfrog, Litoria aurea) that once was common in this area but has been extirpated (as it has over most of its former range [6][7]).

The Green and Golden Bellfrog, Litoria aurea, was once abundant on the Central Coast of NSW but is now known from only two small populations, at Avoca Lagoon and Davistown. The species is classed as Endangered under both Federal and State wildlife regulations. Photograph by Matt Greenlees.

The WLCS is working with management authorities (notably, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Central Coast Council) to identify practicable methods to reduce pollutant input (e.g., via Gross Pollutant Traps on waterways flowing into the lagoon) and to replace invasive weeds with native vegetation to enhance biodiversity.

As part of the habitat-restoration initiative, WLCS assembled a list of vertebrate species that have been recorded to occur within one kilometre of the lagoon, based on unpublished records by WLCS members as well as consultancy reports.[8][9][10] That list confirms the highly biodiverse nature of the site, and hence the importance of its conservation. Species lists below.

AMPHIBIANS

FamilySpeciesCommon name
HYLIDAELitoria dentataBleating Tree Frog
HYLIDAELitoria fallaxEastern Dwarf Tree Frog
HYLIDAELitoria peroniiPeron's Tree Frog
MYOBATRACHIDAEAdelotus brevisTusked Frog
MYOBATRACHIDAECrinia signiferaCommon Froglet
MYOBATRACHIDAELimnodynastes peroniiStriped Marsh Frog

BIRDS

FamilySpeciesCommon name
ACANTHIZIDAEAcanthiza (Acanthiza) pusillaBrown Thornbill
ACANTHIZIDAEAcanthiza (Subacanthiza) lineataStriated Thornbill
ACANTHIZIDAEAcanthiza (Subacanthiza) nanaYellow Thornbill
ACANTHIZIDAEGerygone moukiBrown Gerygone
ACANTHIZIDAESericornis (Sericornis) frontalisWhite-Browed Scrubwren
ACCIPITRIDAEAccipiter (Leucospiza) novaehollandiaeGrey Goshawk
ACCIPITRIDAEAviceda (Aviceda) subcristataPacific Baza
ACCIPITRIDAEHaliaeetus leucogasterWhite-bellied Sea Eagle
ACCIPITRIDAEHaliastur sphenurusWhistling Kite
ACCIPITRIDAEMilvus migransBlack Kite
ACCIPITRIDAEPandion haliaetusOsprey
ACROCEPHALIDAEAcrocephalus (Acrocephalus) australisAustralian Reed Warbler
ALCEDINIDAEDacelo (Dacelo) novaeguineaeKookaburra
ALCEDINIDAETodiramphus (Todiramphus) sanctusSacred Kingfisher
ANATIDAEAnas (Anas) platyrhynchosMallard Duck
ANATIDAEAnas (Anas) superciliosaPacific Black Duck
ANATIDAEAnas (Nettion) castaneaChestnut Teal
ANATIDAEAnas (Nettion) gracilisGrey Teal
ANATIDAEAythya (Nyroca) australisHardhead
ANATIDAEBiziura lobataMusk Duck
ANATIDAEChenonetta jubataAustralian Wood Duck
ANATIDAECygnus (Chenopis) atratusBlack Swan
ANHINGIDAEAnhinga novaehollandiaeAustralasian Darter
APODIDAEHirundapus caudacutusSpine-Tailed Swift
ARDEIDAEArdea (Casmerodius) modestaEastern Great Egret
ARDEIDAEArdea (Casmerodius) modestaEastern Great Egret
ARDEIDAEArdea (Mesophoyx) intermediaIntermediate Egret
ARDEIDAEArdea albaGreat Egret
ARDEIDAEButorides striatusStriated Heron
ARDEIDAEEgretta garzettaLittle Egret
ARDEIDAEEgretta novaehollandiaeWhite-Faced Heron
ARDEIDAEEgretta sacraEastern Reef Egret
ARDEIDAEIxobrychus flavicollisBlack Bittern
ARDEIDAENycticorax caledonicusNankeen Night-Heron
ARTAMIDAEArtamus (Artamus) leucorynchusWhite-Breasted Woodswallow
ARTAMIDAECracticus nigrogularisPied Butcherbird
ARTAMIDAECracticus tibicenAustralian Magpie
ARTAMIDAECracticus torquatusGrey Butcherbird
ARTAMIDAEStrepera (Strepera) graculinaPied Currawong
CACATUIDAECacatua (Cacatua) galeritaSulphur-Crested Cockatoo
CACATUIDAECacatua (Licmetis) sanguineaLittle Corella
CACATUIDAECacatua (Licmetis) tenuirostrisLong-Billed Corella
CACATUIDAECallocephalon fimbriatumGang-Gang Cockatoo
CACATUIDAECalyptorhynchus (Zanda) funereusYellow-Tailed Black-Cockatoo
CACATUIDAEEolophus roseicapillusGalah
CAMPEPHAGIDAECoracina (Coracina) novaehollandiaeBlack-Faced Cuckoo-Shrike
CENTROPODIDAECentropus (Polophilus) phasianinusPheasant Coucal
CHARADRIIDAEPluvialis fulvaPacific Golden Plover
CHARADRIIDAEVanellus milesMasked Lapwing
CICONIIDAEEphippiorhynchus (Ephippiorhynchus) asiaticusBlack-Necked Stork
COLUMBIDAEColumba (Columba) liviaRock Pigeon
COLUMBIDAEColumba (Janthoenas) leucomelaWhite-Headed Pigeon
COLUMBIDAEGeopelia humeralisBar-Shouldered Dove
COLUMBIDAEOcyphaps lophotesCrested Pigeon
COLUMBIDAEPhaps (Phaps) chalcopteraCommon Bronzewing
COLUMBIDAEStreptopelia (Spilopelia) chinensisSpotted Dove
CORACIIDAEEurystomus orientalisDollarbird
CORCORACIDAECorcorax melanorhamphosWhite-Winged Chough
CORVIDAECorvus coronoidesAustralian Raven
CUCULIDAECacomantis (Vidgenia) flabelliformisFan-Tailed Cuckoo
CUCULIDAEEudynamys orientalisPacific Koel
CUCULIDAEScythrops novaehollandiaeChannel-Billed Cuckoo
DICRURIDAEDicrurus bracteatusSpangled Drongo
ESTRILDIDAENeochmia (Aegintha) temporalisRed-Browed Finch
FALCONIDAEFalco (Tinnunculus) cenchroidesNankeen Kestrel
HIRUNDINIDAEHirundo neoxenaWelcome Swallow
LARIDAEChlidonias (Pelodes) hybridaWhiskered Tern
LARIDAEChroicocephalus novaehollandiaeSilver Gull
LARIDAESterna fuscataSooty Tern
LARIDAESterna hirundoCommon Tern
LARIDAESterna striataWhite-fronted Tern
LARIDAEThalasseus bergiiCrested Tern
MALURIDAEMalurus (Leggeornis) lambertiVariegated Fairy-Wren
MALURIDAEMalurus (Malurus) cyaneusSuperb Fairy-Wren
MEGAPODIIDAEAlectura lathamiAustralian Brush-Turkey
MELIPHAGIDAEAcanthorhynchus tenuirostrisEastern Spinebill
MELIPHAGIDAEAnthochaera (Anellobia) chrysopteraLittle Wattlebird
MELIPHAGIDAEAnthochaera carunculataRed Wattlebird
MELIPHAGIDAECaligavis chrysopsYellow-Faced Honeyeater
MELIPHAGIDAEManorina (Manorina) melanophrysBell Miner
MELIPHAGIDAEManorina (Myzantha) melanocephalaNoisy Miner
MELIPHAGIDAEMeliphaga (Meliphaga) lewiniiLewin's Honeyeater
MELIPHAGIDAEMelithreptus (Melithreptus) lunatusWhite-Naped Honeyeater
MELIPHAGIDAEPhylidonyris (Meliornis) nigerWhite-Cheeked Honeyeater
MELIPHAGIDAEPhylidonyris (Meliornis) novaehollandiaeNew Holland Honeyeater
MONARCHIDAEGrallina cyanoleucaMagpie-Lark
NECTARINIIDAEDicaeum (Dicaeum) hirundinaceumMistletoebird
OCEANITIDAEPelagodroma marinaWhite-Faced Storm-Petrel
ORIOLIDAEOriolus (Mimeta) sagittatusOlive-Backed Oriole
ORIOLIDAESphecotheres vieillotiAustralasian Figbird
PACHYCEPHALIDAEColluricincla (Colluricincla) harmonicaGrey Shrike-Thrush
PACHYCEPHALIDAEPachycephala (Pachycephala) pectoralisGolden Whistler
PARDALOTIDAEPardalotus (Pardalotus) punctatusSpotted Pardalote
PELECANIDAEPelecanus conspicillatusAustralian pelican
PETROICIDAEEopsaltria (Eopsaltria) australisEastern Yellow Robin
PHAETHONTIDAEPhaethon rubricaudaRed-Tailed Tropicbird
PHALACROCORACIDAEPhalacrocorax sulcirostrisLittle Black Cormorant
PHALACROCORACIDAEPhalacrocorax variusPied Cormorant
PHALACROCORACIDAEPhalacrocrorax carboGreat Cormorant
PODARGIDAEPodargus strigoidesTawny Frogmouth
PODICIPEDIDAETachybaptus novaehollandiaeAustralasian Grebe
PROCELLARIIDAEArdenna griseaSooty Shearwater
PROCELLARIIDAEArdenna pacificusWedge-tailed Shearwater
PROCELLARIIDAEArdenna tenuirostrisShort-tailed Shearwater
PROCELLARIIDAEPachyptila turturFairy Prion
PROCELLARIIDAEPterodroma (Pterodroma) macropteraGreat-Winged Petrel
PROCELLARIIDAEPuffinus (Puffinus) assimilisLittle Shearwater
PSITTACIDAEAlisterus scapularisAustralian King-Parrot
PSITTACIDAEGlossopsitta concinnaMusk Lorikeet
PSITTACIDAEParvipsitta pusillaLittle Lorikeet
PSITTACIDAEPlatycercus (Violania) eximiusEastern Rosella
PSITTACIDAEPlatycercus elegansCrimson Rosella
PSITTACIDAETrichoglossus chlorolepidotusScaly-Breasted Lorikeet
PSITTACIDAETrichoglossus haematodusRainbow Lorikeet
PSOPHODIDAEPsophodes (Psophodes) olivaceusEastern Whipbird
PTILONORHYNCHIDAEPtilonorhynchus violaceusSatin Bowerbird
PYCNONOTIDAEPycnonotus (Pycnonotus) jocosusRed-Whiskered Bulbul
RALLIDAEFulica atraEurasian Coot
RALLIDAEGallinula (Gallinula) tenebrosaDusky Moorhen
RALLIDAEGallirallus philippensisBanded Rail
RALLIDAEPorphyrio (Porphyrio) porphyrioPurple Swamphen
RHIPIDURIDAERhipidura (Howeavis) rufifronsRufous Fantail
RHIPIDURIDAERhipidura (Rhipidura) albiscapaGrey Fantail
RHIPIDURIDAERhipidura (Sauloprocta) leucophrysWillie Wagtail
SCOLOPACIDAECalidris ruficollisRed-necked Stint
SCOLOPACIDAECallidris ferrugineaCurew Sandpiper
SCOLOPACIDAEGallinago hardwickiiLatham's Snipe
SCOLOPACIDAELimosa lapponicaBar-Tailed Godwit
SPHENISCIDAEEudyptula minorLittle Penguin
STERCORARIIDAEStercorarius parasiticusArctic Jaeger
STRIGIDAENinox (Ninox) novaeseelandiaeSouthern Boobook
STRIGIDAENinox (Rhabdoglaux) strenuaPowerful Owl
STURNIDAEAcridotheres tristisCommon Myna
STURNIDAESturnus (Sturnus) vulgarisCommon Starling
SULIDAEMorus serratorAustralasian Gannet
THRESKIORNITHIDAEOplatalea regiaRoyal Spoonbill
THRESKIORNITHIDAEThreskiornis moluccaAustralian White Ibis
TIMALIIDAEZosterops lateralisSilvereye
TYTONIDAETyto (Tyto) javanicaEastern Barn Owl

FISH

FamilySpeciesCommon name
AMBASSIDAEAmbassus jacksoniensisPort Jackson Glassfish
ANGUILLIDAEAnguilla australisShort-finned Eel
ANGUILLIDAEAnguilla reinhardtiiLong-finned Eel
ANTENNARIIDAEAntennarius striatusStriated Frogfish
ARRIPIDAEArripis truttaEastern Australian Salmon
ATHERINIDAEAtherinosoma microstomaSmallmouth Hardyhead
ATHERINIDAELeptatherina presbyteroidesSilver Side
CALLIONYMIDAERepomucenus calcaratusSpotted Stinkfish
CARANGIDAEPseudocaranx dentexWhite Trevally
CLUPEIDAEHerklotsichthys castelnauiSouthern Herring
ELEOTRIDAEPhilypnodon grandicepsFlathead Gudgeon
GERREIDAEGerres subfasciatusSilver Biddy
GERREIDAEGirella tricuspidaLuderick
GOBIIDAEAcentrogobius bifrenatusBridled Goby
GOBIIDAEAfuragobius tamarensisTamar River Goby
GOBIIDAECallogobius sp.Goby
GOBIIDAEFavonigobius exquisitisExquisite Sand-goby
GOBIIDAEFavonigobius lateralisGoby
GOBIIDAEGobiopterus semivestitaGoby
GOBIIDAEParkraemeria ornataGoby
GOBIIDAEPseudogobius olorumPseudogobius olorum
GONORHYNCHIDAEGonorhynchus greyiBeaked Salmon
HEMIRHAMPHIDAEHyporhamphus regularisEastern River Garfish
ISONIDAEIso rhothophilusSurf Sardine
LABRIDAEAchoerodus viridisEastern Blue Groper
LABRIDAECoris sandeyeriEastern King Wrasse
MUGILIDAELiza argenteaFlat-tail Mullet
MUGILIDAEMugil cephalusSea Mullet
MUGILIDAEMyxis elongatusSand Grey Mullet
PARALICHTHYIDAEPseudorhombus jenynsiiSmall-toothed Flounder
PERCICHTHYIDAEMacquaria colonorumEstuary Perch
PLATYCEPHALIDAEPlatycephalus fuscusDusky Flathead
POECILIIDAEGambusia holbrookiEastern Gambusia
POMATOMIDAEPomatomus saltatrixTailor
PSEUDOMUGILIDAEPseudomugil signiferPacific Blue Eye
RHOMBOSOLEIDAEAmmotretis rostratusLong-nosed Flounder
SILLAGINIDAESillago ciliataSand Whiting
SPARIDAEAcanthopagrus australisYellowfin Bream
SPARIDAERhabdosargus sarbaTarwhine
SYGNATHIDAEUrocampus carinirostrisHairy Pipefish
TERAPONTIDAETerapon jarbuaCrescent Perch
TETRAODONTIDAETetractenos glaberSmooth toadfish
TETRAODONTIDAETetractenos hamiltoniCommon Toadfish
TETRAROGIDAECentropogon australisFortescue
TRIGLIDAEChelidonichthys kumuRed Gurnard

MAMMALS

FamilySpeciesCommon name
BALAENIDAEEubalaena australisSouthern Right Whale
CANIDAEVulpes vulpesFox
DASYURIDAEAntechinus stuartiiBrown Antechinus
FELIDAEFelis catusCat
LEPORIDAEOryctolagus cuniculusRabbit
MACROPODIDAEWallabia bicolorSwamp Wallaby
MINIOPTERIDAEMiniopterus australisLittle Bentwing-Bat
MINIOPTERIDAEMiniopterus schreibersiiBent-Wing Bat
MOLOSSIDAEAustronomus australisWhite-Striped Freetail-Bat
MOLOSSIDAEMormopterus (Ozimops) rideiRide's Free-Tailed Bat
MURIDAERattus fuscipesBush Rat
MURIDAERattus lutreolusSwamp Rat
MURIDAERattus rattusShip Rat
OTARIIDAEArctocephalus tropicalisSubantarctic Fur-seal
PERAMELIDAEIsoodon macrourusNorthern Brown Bandicoot
PHALANGERIDAETrichosurus vulpeculaAustralian Brushtail Possum
PHOCIDAEHydrurga leptonyxLeopard Seal
PSEUDOCHEIRIDAEPseudocheirus peregrinusCommon Ringtail Possum
PTEROPODIDAEPteropus poliocephalusGrey-Headed Flying-Fox
TACHYGLOSSIDAETachyglossus aculeatusShort-Beaked Echidna
VESPERTILIONIDAEChalinolobus gouldiiGould's Wattled Bat
VESPERTILIONIDAEChalinolobus morioChocolate Wattled Bat
VESPERTILIONIDAENyctophilus gouldiGould's Long-Eared Bat
VESPERTILIONIDAEVespadelus darlingtoniLarge Forest Bat
VESPERTILIONIDAEVespadelus pumilusEastern Forest Bat
VESPERTILIONIDAEVespadelus vulturnusLittle Forest Bat
VOMBATIDAEVombatus ursinusBare-Nosed Wombat

REPTILES

FamilySpeciesCommon name
AGAMIDAEAmphibolurus muricatusJacky Lizard
AGAMIDAEIntellagama lesueuriiWater Dragon
AGAMIDAERankinia diemensisMountain Dragon
COLUBRIDAEDendrelaphis punctulatusGreen Tree Snake
ELAPIDAECacophis krefftiiSouthern Dwarf Crowned Snake
ELAPIDAECacophis squamulosusGolden Crowned Snake
ELAPIDAEDemansia psammophisYellow-Faced Whip Snake
ELAPIDAEHemiaspis signataHemiaspis signata
ELAPIDAEPseudechis porphyriacusRed-Bellied Black Snake
GEKKONIDAEPhyllurus platurusLeaf-tailed Gecko
PYGOPODIDAEPygopus lepidopodusCommon Scaly-Foot
PYTHONIDAEMorelia spilotaDiamond Python
SCINCIDAEBellatorias majorLand Mullet
SCINCIDAECtenotus robustusRobust Ctenotus
SCINCIDAEEulamprus quoyiiEastern Water Skink
SCINCIDAELampropholis delicataDark-Flecked Garden Sunskink
SCINCIDAELampropholis guichenotiPale-Flecked Garden Sunskink
SCINCIDAESaiphos equalisThree-toed Skink
SCINCIDAESaproscincus mustelinumWeasel Skink
SCINCIDAETiliqua scincoidesEastern Blue-Tongue
TYPHLOPIDAERamphotyphlops nigrescensCommon Blind Snake

See also

References

  1. Roy, P. S; Williams, R. J; Jones, A. R; Yassini, I; et al. (2001). "Structure and Function of South-east Australian Estuaries". Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 53: 351–384. doi:10.1006/ecss.2001.0796.
  2. "Estuaries of NSW: Wamberal Lagoon". Office of Environment and Heritage. Government of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 24 June 2014. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  3. "Map of Wamberal Lagoon, NSW". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  4. "Wamberal Lagoon" (PDF). Environmental fact sheets: W11. Gosford City Council. January 2005. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  5. "Wamberal Lagoon Nature Reserve". NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service: Office of Environment and Heritage. Government of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 5 April 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  6. White, A.W. and Pyke, G.H. 1996. Distribution and conservation status of the Green and Golden Bell Frog Litoria aurea. Australian Zoologist 30, 177-189.
  7. Mahony, M.J., Hamer, A.J., Pickett, E.J., McKenzie, D.J., Stockwell, M.P., Garnham, J.I., Keely, C.C., Deboo, M.L., O'Meara, J., Pollard, C.J. and Clulow, S. 2013. Identifying conservation and research priorities in the face of uncertainty: a review of the threatened bell frog complex in eastern Australia. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 8, 519-538.
  8. BMT WBM. 2013. Gosford Coastal Lagoons Coastal Zone Management Study.
  9. BMT WBM. 2015. Coastal Zone Management Plan for Gosford Lagoons.
  10. Cardno. 2010. Gosford Coastal Lagoons Processes Study, prepared for Gosford City Council, July 2010
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