Sites - Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

Summary The Goonoo IBA supports an isolated populations of the vulnerable Malleefowl, significant numbers of the near threatened Diamond Firetail and small numbers of the vulnerable Painted Honeyeater.

Ornithological information The New South Wales Wildlife Atlas contains two records of Regent Honeyeater among 2216 total bird records for Goonoo National Park (NSW NPWS 2008). Significant populations of Glossy Black-Cockatoos, Gilbert's Whistlers, various woodland birds and the easternmost isolated population of Yellow-plumed Honeyeater.

Site description This IBA consists of the contiguous forest block around Goonoo National Park, 45 km north of Dubbo. The boundary is taken as the contiguous area of native vegetation as shown on recent satellite images. It excludes the western woodland block of Coolbaggie Nature Reserve and the other isolated blocks of nearby State Forests. The climate is characterised by the temperature and rainfall patterns of Dubbo, with mean maximum temperatures of 15-33 Celsius, mean minimum temperatures of 2-18 Celsius and average rainfall of 585 mm per annum. The eastern block of Coolbaggie Nature Reserve is mallee, whereas Goonoo is predominately box-ironbark-callitris woodland with patches of mallee. Previous forestry management across Goonoo logged many of the larger box trees to promote the growth of ironbark and cypress pine, but the area is now managed primarily for conservation. Much of the area was burned in fires in 2007.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Protected areas

Protected area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
Coolbaggie	Nature Reserve	1,782	protected area overlaps with site	712
Goonoo CCA Zone 1	National Park	9,067	protected area contained by site	9,067
Goonoo CCA Zone 3 State	Conservation Area	53,710	protected area contained by site	53,710

Habitats

Land ownership NSW State government with management by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service; NSW State Forests and some private land.

Land use

Other biodiversity Goonoo National Park and Conservation Area supports one of the few populations of Zieria ingramii, a plant only found in central NSW, from Goonoo to Cobbora Forest.

Management considerations Ensure that fire management adequately considers the location of key bird species. Maintain fox control. Investigate impact of grazing on Diamond Firetail. Investigate opportunities for linking remnant habitat patches in the general region.

Protection status The IBA overlaps Coolbaggie Nature Reserve and contains Goonoo National Park and State Conservation Area.

Conservation response The land previously in State Forest is now protected.

Acknowledgements Andrew Deane and David Geering provided data and comments.

References Department of Environment and Conservation (2005) Zieria ingramii Draft Recovery Plan. Hurstville: Department of Environment and Conservation.

Korn, T. (1988) The Malleefowl of the Goonoo Forest, Dubbo. National Parks Journal 32: 22-24.

NSW NPWS (2008) Atlas of NSW Wildlife. http://www.wildlifeatlas.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/wildlifeatlas/watlas.jsp/accessed 11 June 2008.

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Goonoo. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 24/05/2013

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