| Photographs: | |
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| List: | Register of the National Estate |
| Class: | Natural |
| Legal Status: | Registered (30/05/1995) |
| Place ID: | 18878 |
| Place File No: | 8/01/000/0423 |
| Statement of Significance: |
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The Belconnen Naval Station has one of the largest remnants in the ACT of DANTHONIA grassland in good condition and this ecological community is recognised as having high conservation value. DANTHONIA grassland formerly had a much wider distribution in the ACT.
This remnant grassland community is representative of original vegetation characteristic of the Limestone Plains of the Canberra area. Natural temperate grassland such as occurs in this place is nationally endangered and endangered in the ACT.
Danthonia sp. grassland is essential habitat for the day-flying, golden sun moth, SYNEMON PLANA which is endangered in the ACT. The golden sun moth has a restricted distribution and is presently only known from 32 sites; five in Victoria, 11 in NSW immediately north of the ACT, and 16 in the ACT. This place has one of the most extensive populations of the golden sun moth. Because of its relatively large size of approximately 100ha and good condition, the place is important for the long term conservation of the golden sun moth. The place is important as a research site for the endangered grassland community and for research about the golden sun moth and a number of other as yet undescribed insect species that inhabit the grassland. |
| Official Values: Not Available |
| Description: |
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The place consists of DANTHONIA grassland which was formerly widespread in the region. Dominant grasses of this grassland community are short wallaby grass (DANTHONIA CARPHOIDES) and DANTHONIA AURICULATA, with herbs and prostrate low bushes scattered throughout the site. Other species present include the common everlasting (CHRYSOCEPHALUM APICULATUM), blue devil (ERYNGIUM ROSTRATUM), pink bindweed (CONVOVULUS ERUBESCENS), LOMANDRA sp, GOODENIA sp, and WAHLENBURGIA sp. The presence of DANTHONIA, CHRYSOCEPHALUM and ERYNGIUM indicate the site is relatively undisturbed. The site is predominantly flat, averaging 600m in altitude. Soils are shallow, skeletal and have developed on a shale base.
The Belconnen Naval Radio Station became operational in 1939. It is surrounded by a cleared strip and a security fence. There is a network of communication aerials through the area. Management of the vegetation on the site includes light grazing by a small resident flock of sheep and the occasional high mechanical slashing. This minimal disturbance has discouraged the invasion of weeds. The place provides suitable habitat for the endangered, day-flying, golden sun moth SYNEMON PLANA. The golden sun moth is about 3.5cm across, with clubbed antennae and wings that are brown, orange and black dorsally, with the ventral surface white. Females have bright orange hind wings (male hind wings are bronze brown) and long ovipositors for inserting eggs into DANTHONIA grass tussocks. Neither females nor males have mouthparts and live only one to two days. Females are poor fliers and are sought out by the stronger flying males soon after emergence. Females attract males by exposing the bright hind wings. After copulation the female begins depositing eggs. Eggs are mature at the time of emergence in November or December. The larval stage is thought to be twenty-one to twenty-two months, during which time the larvae feed on the underground parts of short wallaby grass. The complete life history is unknown. The moth is seen in large numbers during the period of emergence, but approximate figures are difficult to assess and a minimum viable habitat area has not been postulated. Within the family CASTNIIDAE the S PLANA female is unique in having wings smaller than usually required to support the body size. Another unique feature is the different coloration and size of the sexes. The poor flight of the female moth implies past access to an extensive and continuous habitat without the need to colonise disjunct areas. CASTNIIDAE, the family of SYNEMON moths, has species occurring in Central and South America and South East Asia as well as Australia. Indications are that it is a family of Gondwanan origins. In Australia, these moths and their habitats were widespread 200 years ago, based on reliable records from throughout south east Australia. |
| History: Not Available |
| Condition and Integrity: |
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The condition of the site is very good in comparison with other grasslands in the ACT. The number of exotic plant species is low and those that do occur are in low numbers. As well, native plant species richness is high compared with other grasslands.
Persistence of the golden sun moth and various plants such as native grasses, everlastings and blue devils indicates that there has been insignificant modification of the grassland habitat during the fifty years of its use for military communications purposes. DANTHONIA grassland, although encouraged by light grazing, is susceptible to pasture improvement such as has occurred throughout south east Australia since the 1950s. Current major threats include gradual encroachment by colonising vegetation and total loss or major changes due to changes in land use. The smaller grasslands in the ACT are susceptible to inappropriate management, such as short mowing, which could easily destroy the habitat, along with the moth. (June 1992) |
| Location: |
| About 100ha, at Belconnen, comprising the area bounded by straight lines joining the following AMG points consecutively: 89800064, 89459994, 89529990, 89579973, 89819968, 89979980, 90309962, 90520000, 90440008, 90540018, 90800020, 90800037, 90350068, 89940057 and the commencement point, excluding all man made structures. |
| Bibliography: |
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ACT Planning Authority 1991. Draft Territory Plan. Department of the Environment, Land and Planning, ACT Government. Creagh, C. 1991. Rare moth under threat in Canberra. ECOS 69 Spring pp 34-35. Eddy, D., Maillinson, D., Rehwinkel, R. and Sharp, S. 1998. Grassland flora - a field guide for the Southern Tablelands (NSW&ACT). Environment ACT, Canberra. Edwards, E.D. 1990. SYNEMON PLANA: An Endangered Moth in Canberra, CSIRO, Unpublished. Environment ACT 1998. Action Plan No.7: Golden sun moth SYNEMON PLANA. Canberra. Falconer, R. 1991. Synemon's Last Stand - or the Moths that ate Belconnen Naval Station. Bogong 12(1), pp 4-6. Falconer, R. (Ed) 1991. The ACT's Native Grasslands, Proceedings of a Workshop, Febuary 1991. Conservation Council of the South-east Region and Canberra. Hill, L. and Michaelis, F.B. 1988. Conservation of Insects and Related Wildlife - Report on the ANPWS Survey of Insect Conservation Needs, ANPWS Occasional Paper No 13. Moore, M. (Ed) 1970. Australia's Grasslands. ANU Press, p 178. NPA Bulletin 1990. Belconnnen naval station harbours endangered moth. NPA Bulletin, pp 16-17. Rehwinkel, R. 1997. Grassy ecosystems of the South Eastern Highlands (ACT & NSW), Stage 1 Joint biodiversity survey of grassy ecosystems of the South Eastern Highlands project. NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, Unpub. Rep. Woodruff, B. and Florence, R. 1991. Draft City Parks Native Grassland Management Manual. Technical Services Unit. ACT Parks and Conservation Service. |
Report Produced: Wed Feb 10 03:10:41 2010