A new environment strategy for the Macedon Ranges
Fact Sheet - Biodiversity
Biodiversity (biological diversity) is the term given to the variety of life on Earth.
It is the variety within and between all species of plants, animals and microorganisms, and the ecosystems in which they live and interact.
Australia is noted as one of the world’s megadiverse countries, due to the large number of species that
it contains, and the high proportion of species that live only in Australia. However, Australia also has
the highest rate of species extinction in the world, having lost 18 mammals and 100 plants since
European settlement.
The shire’s unique vegetation
The range of landforms and soils across the shire means that it is rich in biodiversity, hosting a wide
range of native plants and animals (flora and fauna species). Mt Macedon itself supports vegetation
communities ranging from sub alpine woodlands and mountain ash forests at the higher altitudes to
grassy woodlands at its base.
There are 28 recognised bioregions in Victoria, defined and mapped according to climate, landform,
geology, soils and vegetation. Most of the Macedon Ranges Shire falls within the Central Victorian
Uplands bioregion, with the remainder in the Victorian Volcanic Plains bioregion, except for a small
area in the north west of the shire that falls within the Central Goldfields bioregion.
A total of 33 Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVCs), or local patterns of vegetation diversity, can be
found in the Macedon Ranges. EVCs are based on the type and structure of species that occur in an
area, along with a range of supporting landscape characteristics such as slope, elevation, rainfall and
fire frequency.
Each EVC has been assigned a Biodiversity Conservation Status, to represent its current condition and
distribution compared to its original condition and distribution (pre-1750). Thirteen of the EVCs in the
Macedon Ranges are classified as endangered.
The shire’s special species
The following protected species listed under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (FFG
Act) are known to, or likely to, occur within the shire:
Threatened flora species
Threatened fauna species
Clover glycine
Hairy leaf trigger plant
Large flower crane’s bill
Purple diuris
Matted flax-lily
Black Gum
Growling Grass Frog
Brushtailed phascogale
Spot- tailed quoll
Powerful owl
Swift parrot
Eastern great egret
Yarra pygmy perch
Southern brown bandicoot
The FFG Act is the key legislation in Victoria for protection of biodiversity. It provides statutory
protection for species and communities of threatened flora and fauna, and lists potentially threatening
processes, both requiring ministerial approval. The FFG Act also allows for Action Statements to be
prepared to guide the protection of threatened species or communities, and to address threatening
processes. For example, there is an action statement for each of the fauna species listed above.
Current programs for protecting the shire’s biodiversity
Bushland Reserves
Macedon Ranges Shire Council manages over 20 bushland reserves, which play an important role in
protecting biodiversity and providing habitat for wildlife. The Environmental Management Plans for the
reserves listed below provide direction for protecting and enhancing the conservation values of the
reserves and managing threats to the values.
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Bald Hill Reserve, Kyneton
Woodend Grassland Reserve
Mt Gisborne Reserve
Hobbs Road Bushland Reserve, Bullengarook
Black Hill Reserve (in preparation)
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UL Daly Reserve
Barringo Recreation Reserve, New Gisborne
Stanley Park reserve, Mt Macedon
Sandy Creek Road Bushland Reserve
Hanging Rock (in preparation)
Council also recognises the importance of vegetation corridors along roadsides and waterways in
creating wildlife corridors (or biolinks) across the shire. Some protection is provided to these corridors
through the Macedon Ranges Planning Scheme.
Fauna Monitoring
Council conducts a fauna monitoring program to gather data and improve our understanding about the
native animals living in bushland reserves. A range of survey methods are employed in the program,
including nest boxes, remote cameras, spotlighting surveys, and hair collection traps. A key feature of
the program is the involvement of residents and volunteers, thereby fostering wildlife stewardship.
Kyneton Woodlands
The Kyneton Woodlands Project aims to improve the biodiversity of remnant grassy woodlands across
a 24,000ha area of private land north of Kyneton. It aims to re-establish 610 hectares of woodland
vegetation, and to protect and enhance 950 hectares of remnant woodlands, through providing
guidance and financial assistance to landowners for fencing, weed control, and revegetation. The
project is being managed by the North Central Catchment Management Authority.
Caring for Campaspe
The Caring for the Campaspe project, also managed by the North Central Catchment Management
Authority, works to engage landowners and the broader community in restoring the streamside
vegetation (or riparian zone) along the whole length of the Campaspe River. Activities include fencing,
woody weed control, willow removal, revegetation and community engagement through programs such
as Waterwatch, where schools and community groups monitor water quality in waterways.
Many other programs for biodiversity protection, waterways restoration and land rehabilitation are
undertaken by the many Landcare and Friends groups across the shire, on both private and public
land. Additionally, individual landowners may access financial incentives for conducting works, for
example, through Melbourne Water’s Stream Frontage Management Program to protect waterways,
wetlands and streamside vegetation, through fencing to keep stock away from waterways, weed
control and revegetation, and installing watering points away from waterways.
Threats to biodiversity
There are many threats to the health and viability of the shire’s rich biodiversity, including weeds,
clearing of native vegetation, overgrazing, predation of native wildlife by feral cats and foxes, and
changes to patterns of flow in waterways due to water harvesting and land development.
The challenge of protecting biodiversity across the shire requires a combined effort on behalf of many
land managers adopting good practices, summarised in the diagram overleaf.
Where to from here?
Council is keen to capture your interest in biodiversity to inform the development of a new environment
strategy for the shire. You are invited to complete a survey at mrsc.vic.gov.au/yoursay
Your responses will be considered alongside responses from other community members and
stakeholders, to help shape strategic directions for future work in biodiversity protection.
If you would like further information about the development of the new environment strategy, please
contact Silvana on 5421 9659 or spredebon@mrsc.vic.gov.au.
Source: http://www.environment.gov.au/topics/biodiversity/biodiversity-conservation/wildlife-corridors/what-are-wildlife-corridors accessed 30 June 2015)