Cell Descriptions - South East Natural Resources Management Board

SE8 – Rivoli Bay
Biota
There are 7 flora survey sites, 2 opportune flora sites, 22 Herbarium record sites, 1 fauna survey
sites, and 31 opportune fauna survey sites. There 1017 ha. of remnant vegetation – 25.7% of the
cell.
Sand dunes make up 88% of the cell, approximately ¼ of these are vegetated with open coastal
shrubland: Leucopogon parviflorus, Acacia longifolia ssp. sophorae, Olearia axillaris, +/-Myoporum insulare
tall shrubland over Lepidosperma gladiatum, Pimelea serpyllifolia ssp. serpyllifolia, Isolepis nodosa sedges
over Carpobrotus rossii, Clematis microphylla var. microphylla. Small corridors of sedgeland are found in
the inter-dunal troughs. Mullins Swamp is Gahnia filum sedgeland, with Juncus kraussii and
Melaleuca halmaturorum.
95 fauna species have been recorded in the cell including 73 birds, 4 butterflies, 19 mammals, 20
reptiles and 4 amphibians. Listed species include the EPBC listed critically endangered Orangebellied
Parrot(Neophema chrysogaster) .
Benthic Habitat
Bare sand to 200m - 1200m. offshore, then low profile reef and heavy limestone reef. Scattered
seagrass remnants throughout the bay.
Land Use/ Land Ownership
18% of the vegetated cell area is Crown Land Act Reserve (Mullins Swamp) (a total of 7% of
the total cell area is Crown Land Act Reserve). Heritage Agreements 197001 and 197002 (dune
shrubland adjacent Mullins Swamp) cover 15% of the cells vegetated area. Scattered unallotted
Crown land parcels north of Southend and a narrow Crown land coastal reserve along the
shoreline of Rivoli Bay comprise 6% of the total cell area. These scattered unallotted Crown land
parcels are interspersed amongst a patchwork of privately owned allotments covering the dunes
north of Southend. The majority of the unvegetated land in the cell is farmed or grazed.
Mullins Swamp, (with nearby Lake Frome) was included on the Register of the National Estate in
1993 because of its outstanding wetland conservation values.
Values/ Uses (Field visits and local reports)
Much of the dune ridge land has been cleared and grazed. 20 th Century grazing damage initiated
extensive blow out development in the southern half of the cell (stabilised by marram – Cullen &
Bird 1982). Aboriginal Heritage values throughout.
Threats (Field visits and local reports)
ORV use on the beach threatens shorebird activity. In addition, wrack harvesting from within the
bay impacts on shorebirds and the beach and nearshore ecosystems. Drain discharge into Rivoli
Bay has likely led to the loss of extensive seagrass meadows that were recorded in historic records
in proximity to Southend.
Opportunities
Mullins Swamp is an artificially permanent freshwater swamp in the South East and is described
as an invaluable waterbird refuge with high bird habitat diversity (SEWCDB, 1984 in Slater and
Farrington 2010). The site is scored in the mid-high range for biological value and wetland
attributes. It has historically been considered as a single wetland unit incorporating Lake Frome
(SEWC, 1984, Environment Australia, 2001) however, current management recognises Lake
Frome and Mullins Swamp as discrete units. This is due to them having a different topography,
hydrology and grazing regime as well as different tenure. In addition to the less common Crakes
and Rails which frequent the swamp, the area is an important breeding site for Straw-necked Ibis.
It also contains important emergent wetland habitat including fringing Cutting Grass sedgeland
Limestone Coast and Coorong Coastal Action Plan 333