Balmattum Nature Conservation Reserve Interim Management Statement

DESCRIPTION

The Balmattum Nature Conservation Reserve consists of 221 hectares on the corner of the Old Euroa and Maher’s Road to the north east of Euroa in the Parish of Balmattum (Map 1). The property is rectangular and includes four allotments, CA 80 (129 ha), CA 93A (40 ha), CA 93b (32 ha), CA 93C (19 ha). It is bordered on the north and west sides by public roads, on the east side by an unlicensed unused road reserve and on the southern side by an unused road reserve, part of which is licensed to the adjoining landholder. Access to the land is via two gates on Old Euroa Road. The boundary is fully fenced; the fences are in generally fair to good condition although some sections have been recently damaged.

The land is mostly level with slight rises occurring across the site. A minor creek begins east of the northeast corner of the property and flows northwest into Lambingunyah Creek. A second creek flows through the southwest corner of the property roughly parallel to the southern boundary.
The land has been partly cleared, as indicated by the many tree stumps, but still retains an open tree cover of River Red Gum and Grey Box across much of the property (see Map 2).
Balmattum Reserve is on the Riverine Plains of Northern Victoria within the Victorian Riverina Bioregion. The landscape is predominantly flat, older alluvial plains. The surrounding landscape has been extensively cleared and modified for agriculture with remnant vegetation largely restricted to roadsides and creeklines, bushland reserves and occasional small areas on private land. Much of the remnant native vegetation in this district is highly degraded, especially in the understorey. Public land close to Balmattum Reserve that supports significant native vegetation is shown in Map 1.
Soils are finely textured clay loams and fertile self-mulching clays that develop a gilgai, profile and are seasonally inundated. Average annual rainfall is approximately 650mm with the majority of rain falling between May and October. Mean daily temperatures are probably similar to those recorded at Benalla, where the mean daily temperature is highest in January (31.1°C) and lowest in July (12.7°C). Mean minimum temperatures vary from 14.7°C to 3.2°C in January and July respectively (Bureau of Meteorology 1994).

4. SUMMARY OF CONSERVATION VALUES

NATURE CONSERVATION
In all regions of southeastern Australia where temperate lowland grasslands and grassy woodlands occurred, less than 1% remains covered in native vegetation. Those areas that remain are often small, degraded and highly fragmented or restricted to roadsides and other linear reserves. All temperate lowland native grassland and grassy woodland communities are now threatened in Victoria with little protected in conservation reserves (Lunt et al 1998; DCE 1992). The Broad Vegetation Type known as Plains Grassy Woodland in Victoria has been reduced from over 4 million hectares to 124,000 ha statewide (2.9%) (Lunt and Bennett, 1999). However, within the Victorian Riverina Bioregion, Plains Grassy Woodlands have been reduced to just 1% of their former extent and 94% of all tree cover has disappeared since European settlement (DNRE 1997).
The Reserve includes areas of two Ecological Vegetation Classes: Plains Grassy Woodland and Plains Grassy Woodland/Gilgai Wetland Mosaic. Full descriptions of these communities from Berwick (in prep) are provided in Appendix 3.
Areas of Plains Grassy Woodland are open woodland with a high species diversity of grasses, sedges, lilies, orchids and herbs. The overstorey is dominated by Grey Box with some River Red Gum, Buloke Allocasuarina luehmannii and White Box Eucalyptus albens (confined to southwest corner). The dense grass layer includes Austrostipa spp., Elymus scabrus, Austrodanthonia spp., Themeda triandra, Chloris truncata, Eryngium ovinum, Dianella revoluta, Schoenus apogon, Isolepis marginata, Carex appressa, Juncus spp., Arthropodium spp. Burchardia umbellata, Bulbine bulbosa, Tricoryne elatior, Lythrum hyssopifolia, Leptorhynchos squamatus, Drosera peltata subsp. peltata, Goodenia pinnatifida, Calocephalus citreus, Hypoxis vaginata and Microtis parvifolia.

Map 2. Balmattum Nature Conservation Reserve

Maher’s Road

Old Euroa Road

Boundary

Unlicenced, unused Road Reserves
0 200m 400m 600m 800m

Areas of Plains Grassy Woodland/Gilgai Wetland Mosaic are open woodland interspersed with scattered small ephemeral wetlands. The overstorey is dominated by River Red Gum Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Grey Box Eucalyptus microcarpa with a variety of forbs (perennial and annual) and grasses common in the understorey. Species present include Austrodanthonia caespitosa, Austrodanthonia setacea, Leptorhynchos squamatus, Convolvulus erubescens, Arthropodium spp., Brachyscome spp., Goodenia gracilis, Calotis anthemoides, Isolepis spp., Carex spp. and Agrostis avenacea. Gilgai wetlands are small, shallow “microwetlands” (generally 2-6 m diameter) that support a rich diversity of wet plants including herbs, rushes and sedges. Common species include Austrodanthonia duttoniana, Amphibromus spp., Triglochin procerum, Myriophyllum crispatum and Craspedia paludicola.

Both Plains Grassy Woodland/Gilgai Wetland Mosaic and Plains Grassy Woodland are regarded as being of very high priority for conservation on the Riverina Plain and endangered within the Riverina Bioregion (DNRE 1997; Todd 1998; Traill & Porter 2001). Plains Grassy Woodland/Gilgai Wetland Mosaic has been reduced to 6% of its former extent in the Goulburn Broken part of the Riverina Bioregion and Plains Grassy Woodland has been reduced to just 1% of its former extent (Goulburn Broken CMA 2000). Both communities are currently very poorly reserved. The addition of the site to the conservation reserve system therefore significantly increases the current reservation status of these communities in the Goulburn Broken part of the Riverina Bioregion.
A total of 99 indigenous vascular plant taxa have been recorded for the reserve and adjoining roadside (Appendix 1). Balmattum Reserve supports three species of State conservation significance (Fragrant Leek-orchid Prasophyllum suaveolens^*, Swamp Billy-buttons Craspedia paludicola and Buloke Allocasuarina luehmannii) and fifteen species of regional significance.
Fifty-five species of native fauna have been recorded at the reserve (Appendix 2). Of these, Bush Stone-curlew and Grey-crowned Babbler are classified as endangered in Victoria. The record of the regionally rare Australian Owlet-nightjar from the Reserve is the first known sighting of this species in the district.
Despite the fact that the Reserve has been partly cleared, the Reserve is a large remnant of woodland vegetation, that has an intact gilgai structure and a diverse and healthy understorey. As a result it retains a number of features that makes it of very high conservation significance in the region. These include:

• 
  It is the largest remnant of woodland/gilgai vegetation in this district and is one of the five largest remnants of woodland vegetation in the Goulburn Broken part of the Riverina Bioregion. Accordingly, it has an exceptional capacity to function as a large patch for those fauna species needing large areas of woodland vegetation
  

• 
  It is set in an area with high landscape connectivity, being connected to several tree-lined roads and one creek system, and close to other patches of Plains Grassy Woodland.
  

• 
  It is centrally located within a district population of the Grey-crowned Babbler and has the potential to provide a source habitat for that population
  

• 
  It contains a considerable number of very large Grey Box and River Red Gums.
  

• 
  It supports a high diversity of plant species many of which are typical of more temperate sites and absent from woodland remnants in lower rainfall areas (e.g. Arthropodium strictum, Tricoryne elatior, Caesia calliantha, Microseris scapigera, Burchardia umbellata, Deyeuxia quadriseta and Austrodanthonia tenuior).
  

• 
  It approaches the southeastern limit of Plains Grassy Woodland/Gilgai Wetland Mosaic vegetation and includes some species that are typically found in drier regions and are at the edges of their range (e.g. Calotis anthemoides, Chamaesyce drummondii and Enteropogon acicularis).
  

In addition to the specific values identified, the status of grassy woodland communities in general, and populations of woodland dependant fauna in particular, are in decline both locally and in the region as a whole (Robinson & Traill 1996). Balmattum Reserve is an important refuge for many species that may become threatened throughout their range in the future. Similarly, the Reserve provides significant habitat for the survival of many species on a regional basis and as potential habitat for the re- introduction of species that have become extinct or declined in grassy woodland habitats.

• 
  Fragrant Leek-orchid Prasophyllum suaveolens has only been recorded, to date, on the roadside of the Old Euroa
  

Road adjoining the Reserve.

HERITAGE CONSERVATION
The Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-operative Ltd. is the local authority for Aboriginal cultural heritage in Balmattum Reserve. All Aboriginal material and sites are protected under the Victorian Archaeological and Aboriginal Relics Preservation Act 1972 and the Commonwealth Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984.
The Reserve includes some features of heritage value including Aboriginal scar trees, and post- European farming structures. In addition to their inherent value, they are of some importance in interpreting the overall conservation values and condition of the Reserve.
An initial investigation of the site’s Indigenous heritage values has identified four scar trees, comprising one coolamon scar and three shield scars (Appendix 7). Two of the shield scar trees and the coolamon scar tree are located in the dense stand of trees near the shearing shed. The third shield scar tree is near the centre of the Reserve. Additionally, a grafted ring tree was located on the opposite side of the Old Euroa Road from the Reserve, within the roadside reserve, towards the northwest corner of the Reserve.
Given the large size of trees in the Reserve, there is high potential for additional scar trees to be identified. There is also a possibility that scattered artefacts, a work site or campsite may also be located.
The Reserve includes a shearing shed with associated infrastructure and a hay shed. Shearing sheds such as this are a common or typical building type in this area and country Victoria generally and hence the building is not likely to be of more than local historic interest. However, it may have some value in interpreting the past landuse of the site and it could be argued that it contributes to the rural landscape character of the area. Its relatively good condition and attractive siting could make it suitable for a new use on the site if appropriate. The hay shed is in poor condition and of considerably less value. Comments on the heritage values of the Reserve are provided in Appendix 6.

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