Ecosystems of the Hunter Region Botanic Gardens Site

Mesic Forests

These low closed forests are composed mostly of small trees of Ceratopetalum gummifera (Christmas Bush), Glochidion ferdinandii (Cheese Tree), Elaeocarpus reticulatus (Blue Berry Ash) and Cupaniopsis anacardioides (Tuckeroo) as well as Alphitonia excelsa (Red Ash) with scattered ground plants of Smilax glyciphylla (Sweet Sarsaparilla), Eustrephus latifolius (Wombat Berry) and Macrozamia communis (Burrawang). The ground is generally covered by a thick layer of leaf litter. Pseudocheirus pregrinus, the Ring-tailed Possums are commonly associated with this community.

Wetlands

In the deepest part are tall clumps of Eleocharis sphacelata (Spikerush), Lepironia articulata and Gahnia sieberana (Swordgrass). Triglochin procera occurs in the shallow water while large clumps of Gahnia clarkei grow near the waters edge with Baloskion (Restio) tetraphyllum in the damp areas. Melaleuca quinquinervia and M. ericifolia (the Paperbarks) occur in dense stands in some areas of the southern wetland. The northern wetland is fringed with Eucalyptus robusta (Swamp mahogany), Callistemon citrinus (Bottlebrush), Leptospermum juniperinum (Tea Tree), Banksia robur (Swamp Banksia) with an understory of ferns of Blechnum indicum and Gleichenia species. These wetlands are habitat for the Eastern Froglet (Crinia signifera), the Long-necked Tortoise (Chelodina longicollis) and the eastern Water Dragon (Physignathus lesueurii), while the butterfly Hesperilla species has Gahnia as its host food plant.

Blackbutt Forests

In this community, the dominant tree is the Blackbutt (Eucalyptus pilularis) with scattered Banksia (B. serrata). Smooth-barked Apple (Angophora costata) tends to occur where the Blackbutt Forest meets the Bloodwood Forest. A lower layer of shrubs, including Monotoca elliptica, Persoonia linearis and P. levis (Geebungs), Tea Tree (Leptospermum trinervium) and the Hopbush (Dodonaea triquitra) are common. Common ground covers include Bracken fern (Pterideum esculentum), Blady Grass (Imperata cylindrica) and the Burrawang (Macrozamia communis). Less commonly, Sunshine Wattle (Acacia terminalis subsp. longiaxialis), the Grasstree (Xanthorrhoae macranema) and the Wonga Vine (Pandorea pandorana) occur. Inhabitants of both the Blackbutt and Bloodwood Forests include the Koala (Phascolarctus cinereus) which tends to favour the Blackbutt Forest, Swamp Wallabies (Wallabia bicolor), Brush-tailed possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), Sugar Gliders (Petaurus breviceps) and Feather-tailed Gliders (Acrobates pygmaeus), various small forest bats, snakes (Black, Brown and Green Tree), the Goanna (Varanus varius), and numerous birds and ants (including the Myrmecia species - the Bull-dog ants).

Bloodwood Forests

Here the Bloodwood, (Corymbia gummifera) together with Angophora costata and occasionally Sydney Peppermint (Eucalyptus piperita) are the dominant trees. The shrubs of the Blackbutt Forests also occur here but there is a larger number of lower heath-like shrubs, such as Isopogan, Lambertia, Philotheca, Tetratheca and the Pea flowers (fam. Fabaceae), etc. The animal inhabitants are also similar to those in the Blackbutt Forest although the Koala is less frequent here in the Bloodwood Forest.