Overview

Stringybark Ridge is a part of Berowra Valley National Park and is a very special ecological community. Smith & Smith (2010) map the vegetation on this ridgetop as predominantly Bloodwood-Scribbly Gum Woodland with patches of Scribbly Gum Open-woodland /Heath on the eastern and northern tips. The ridgetop is surrounded by Peppermint-Angophora Forest.

A STEP survey team in 2015 questioned the Bloodwood-Scribbly Gum Woodland classification. Smith & Smith (2008, p32). Their survey considered the dominant species to be Stringybarks with the co-dominant Red Bloodwood.

This area is home to many species of animals and since 2010 the following threatened species have been observed there:

• The Powerful Owl
• Grey-headed Flying Fox
• Tetratheca glandulosa

First Stage Nearing Completion

The smaller oval has been fenced off by NPWS to keep the plants protected from wallabies. The larger oval is required by NPWS for helicopter use during bushfires.

In July 2022 we began planting appropriate plants into the fenced off area including Eucalyptus sparsifolia (Narrow-leaved Stringybark), Eucalyptus oblonga (Sandstone Stringybark), Corymbia gummifera (Red Bloodwood), Eucalyptus haemastoma (Broad-leaved Scribbly Gum) and Allocasuarina littoralis, Hakeas sericea (It has  colonised the compacted soils), Kunzea ambigua (this should be the dominant shrub as it has demonstrated its ability to flourish on the compacted soils), Ozothamnus diosmifolius(also currently thriving in this area), Acacia suaveolens, Banksia serrata, B. spinulosa, Dillwynia retorta, Grevillea buxifolia, Lambertia formosa, Leptospermum trinervium, Petrophile pulchella, Platysace linearifolia and Pultenaea tuberculata.

Since July 2022 there has also been natural regeneration of Kunzea ambigua, Eragrostis brownii, Eucalyptus sparsifolia (Narrow-leaved Stringybark) plus Microtis parviflora (Slender Onion Orchid.) A team of dedicated volunteers and all members of Friends of Berowra Valley, (Karen, Rae, Madeline, Heather, Lynne, Mary, Jenny, Tanya and Rob) have been working on the site.

Before shot July 2022

Site April 2024

Hornsby Shire Council’s Warada Ngurang Community Nursery has very kindly donated many plantings for the project.

Site Story

Background

Political

In 2012 the community rose up to defeat turning this area into a sporting park. The reason that the community won is contained in the Notice of Motion NOM3/12 for the Meeting 16/05/2012 written by Councillor McMurdo.

1. The Berowra Valley Regional Park has exceptionally high habitat values, mainly due to the fact that it is a natural corridor that extends north to the Hawkesbury River. This corridor extends the number of species able to use this area and permits flow of individuals throughout the area. The area is prime habitat for large owls, smaller owls, parrots and possums, plus offers habitat for feathertail gliders and microbat species. The many small seepages offer excellent habitat for frog species, especially the red-crowned toadlet, which is common.
2. Stringybark Ridge currently has records of two threatened plant species found during the course of the December 2011 survey. These are Tetratheca glandulosa and Melaleuca deanei.   The Stringybark Ridge has other threatened plant species in the area including Darwinia biflora, Persoonia nutans, Persoonia hirsuta, Syzygium paniculatum and Galium australe that could potentially be adversely affected.
3. Several threatened fauna species have been recorded in this site. They include the Powerful Owl, the Grey-headed Flying Fox, the Glossy Black Cockatoo, the Gang Gang Cockatoo and Red-crowned Toadlet. In addition, there are several threatened fauna species that have been recorded within a few kilometres of the site and which in fact may also occur on site. These include the Masked Owl, the Grey Falcon, the Superb Fruit Dove, the Regent Honeyeater and the Varied Sitella.
4. The area is currently rich with returning fauna. The survey records that the total of fauna detected along the Stringybark Ridge was 46 bird species, 13 mammal species and 15 reptile and amphibian species.
5. The area has existing Aboriginal Heritage sites and new sites were discovered during the December 2011 survey.

The area has particularly poor road access from the High School onwards, and parking is very difficult or non-existent close to the Park entrance. To provide an appropriate access road and parking at the site would involve the removal of a significant amount of recently regenerated and high-quality bushland. This is apart from the disturbance to the flora and fauna of surrounding areas that accompanies sports grounds and their facilities. Facilities such as toilets, showers, and lighting do not exist and would be expensive to erect and maintain. Further, the impact of lighting is likely to have a detrimental impact on native fauna in the locality.

In April 2006, Council adopted A Sports Facility Strategy – Recommended Strategies and Action Plan which had reviewed potential development sites for sports grounds and which had discounted the site at Stringybark Ridge citing strong community opposition and a Ministerial decision to adopt a Plan of Management which identified future usage to be only of a passive nature. The Plan of Management is still in place for Berowra Valley Regional Park. Council support for the creation of a sports ground in an environmentally sensitive area such as the Berowra Valley Regional Park would be an action in breach of Council’s own Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and so should not be condoned.

We are thankful that the Hornsby Shire Council ultimately understood the need to protect the Bushland Shire from becoming just another nature devastated area of Sydney. Back when this fight raged Hornsby was home to many more wildlife which are now very rare. Ecological literacy is more important than ever.

Geology

The geology is still slightly ambiguous but it is primarily a sandstone ridgetop with possibly some lateritised fine grained sandstone-top transition beds close to the oval. There are both sandstone and shale fragments in the spoil banks around the ovals but the freshness of the shale means it is unlikely to have come from there.

Wildlife Corridor and Habitat

Stringybark Ridge is very valuable as habitat and as a corridor. It is an integral part of the corridor from the Parramatta River to the Hawkesbury River as it the closest point to Lane Cove National Park. Nomadic and migratory fauna, as well as dispersing young, all need safe corridors for survival of the species.

Ridge Topography

The simple fact that it is a ridge makes it of conservation significance. Ridgetops are particularly rare and valuable in the valleys of the Lane Cove River and Berowra Creek. From Parramatta River, the first substantial undeveloped ridgetops in the Lane Cove National Park occur at Pennant Hills (and a large section of this ridge has been cleared for sports fields) and Thornleigh. The nearest undeveloped ridgetop to these is Stringybark Ridge in Berowra Valley. Most of the ridges on the eastern side of Berowra Valley National Park are heavily developed for housing and commercial purposes. On the western side of Berowra Valley National Park, the next ridge north of Stringybark is the tiny Refuge Rock remnant and then Tunks Ridge between Dural and Hornsby

Vegetation

Smith & Smith (2010) map the vegetation on this ridgetop as predominantly Bloodwood-Scribbly Gum Woodland with patches of Scribbly Gum Open-woodland /Heath on the eastern and northern tips. The ridgetop is surrounded by Peppermint-Angophora Forest. A STEP survey team in 2015 questioned the Bloodwood-Scribbly Gum Woodland classification. Smith & Smith (2008, p32). Their survey considered the dominant species to be Stringybarks with the co-dominant Red Bloodwood.

Bloodwood-Scribbly Gum Woodland

Description: Woodland or open-forest, sometimes low woodland or low open-forest, in which Corymbia gummifera (Red Bloodwood) and Eucalyptus haemastoma (Broadleaved Scribbly Gum) are the dominant species or co-dominant with one or more of Allocasuarina littoralis (Black She-oak), Angophora costata, Corymbia eximia (Yellow Bloodwood), Eucalyptus oblonga (Sandstone Stringybark), E. piperita (Sydney Peppermint) and E. sparsifolia (Narrow-leaved Stringybark). Shrub species include Acacia suaveolens, Banksia serrata, B. spinulosa, Dillwynia retorta, Grevillea buxifolia, Lambertia formosa, Leptospermum trinervium, Petrophile pulchella, Platysace linearifolia and Pultenaea tuberculata. Ground layer species include Actinotus minor, Anisopogon avenaceus, Caustis flexuosa, Cyathochaeta diandra, Dampiera stricta, Entolasia stricta and Lomandra glauca.

Scribbly Gum Open-woodland/Heath

 Description: May take the form of closed-heath or closed-scrub without a tree layer, but more typically open-woodland or low open-woodland with a closed-heath or closed scrub understorey. The tree species usually include either or both of Eucalyptus haemastoma (Broad-leaved Scribbly Gum) and E. racemosa (Narrow-leaved Scribbly Gum). Other tree species that may be present include Allocasuarina littoralis (Black She-oak), Banksia serrata (Old Man Banksia), Corymbia gummifera (Red Bloodwood), Eucalyptus oblonga (Sandstone Stringybark), E. punctata (Grey Gum) and E. sparsifolia (Narrow-leaved Stringybark). Shrub species include Angophora hispida, Banksia oblongifolia, B. ericifolia, Boronia ledifolia, Bossiaea scolopendria, Dillwynia retorta, Epacris pulchella, Grevillea buxifolia, G. speciosa, Hakea laevipes, H.teretifolia, Isopogon anethifolius, Kunzea ambigua, Leptospermum trinervium, Leucopogon microphyllus, Petrophile pulchella, Phyllota phylicoides, Platysace linearifolia and Pultenaea tuberculata. Ground layer species include Actinotus minor, Cyathochaeta diandra, Dampiera stricta, Entolasia stricta, Lepyrodia scariosa, Lomandra glauca, Patersonia sericea and Ptilothrix deusta. Cassytha glabella is a common climber. Wetter sites support a closed-heath or closed-scrub of species such as Allocasuarina distyla, Banksia ericifolia, B. oblongifolia, Dillwynia floribunda, Epacris microphylla, Hakea teretifolia and Leptospermum squarrosum. This ‘Wet Heath’ form of the community, which corresponds to Benson and Howell’s (1994) map unit 21g, subunit (v), is rare in Hornsby Shire, but more common further east, closer to the coast. Heath vegetation in Hornsby Shire is generally characterised by species of drier conditions, such as Angophora hispida and Leptospermum trinervium.

Benefits

Three threatened species have been recorded near Stringybark Ridge based on observations from the Atlas of Living Australia from 2010 onwards.

Ninox strenua (Powerful Owl)

Powerful Owls have been heard frequently in this area and an adult with chicks has been seen on the ridge slopes. This species is listed as vulnerable under the Threatened Species Conservation Act.

The main threats are:

• Loss and fragmentation of suitable forest and woodland habitat from land clearing for residential and agricultural development. This loss also affects the populations of arboreal prey species, particularly the Greater Glider which reduces food availability for the Powerful Owl.
• Loss of hollow-bearing trees reduces the availability of suitable nest sites and prey habitat.
• Can be extremely sensitive to disturbance around the nest site, particularly during prelaying, laying and downy chick stages. Disturbance during the breeding period may affect breeding success.
• High frequency hazard reduction burning may also reduce the longevity of individuals by affecting prey availability.
• Road kills.
• Predation of fledglings by foxes, dogs and cats.

 Pteropus poliocephalus (Grey headed Flying Fox)

This species is listed as vulnerable under the Threatened Species Conservation Act and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

The main threats are:

• Loss of roosting and foraging sites.
• Conflict with humans.

Tetratheca glandulosa – small shrub

This species is listed as vulnerable under the Threatened Species Conservation Act and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. For more information see this link: https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10798

NPWS Bush Regen Group

A NPWS volunteer group meets on the 4^th Friday of every month from 10-12pm. So if you have some free time join us at the end of Schofield Parade Pennant Hills.

Let us know if you are interested in joining the group and we will let you know how to sign up as a NPWS volunteer.

Contact us.