Cell Descriptions - South East Natural Resources Management Board

SE3 – Cape Douglas
98% of coastal dunes are vegetated with Leucopogon parviflorus, Acacia longifolia var. sophorae, Olearia
axillaris tall shrubland over Lepidosperma gladiatum, Isolepsis nodosa over ground covers. Rushland/
sedgeland backing dunes at mid-Umpherstone Bay has shrub Melaleuca halmatororum over Gahnia
filum.
205 bird species have been recorded in this cell, including the EPBC listed endangered Orangebellied
Parrot (Neophema chrysogaster) and State endangered Eastern Osprey (Pandion cristatus), and
Little (Sternula albifrons) and Fairy (Sternula nereis) Terns. 7 butterflies, 11 mammals, 5 reptiles and 3
amphibians have also been recorded.
Land Use/ Land Ownership
Most of this cell is privately owned; however 14.3% is Crown land, and the tiny Cape Douglas
CP makes up 3% of the cell. SA Water Corporation controls 2 headland areas as wastewater
treatment plant reserve at Finger Point and the next small headland to the west. A narrow
unallotted Crown Land reserve exists between Cape Northumberland and Cape Douglas.
Values/ Uses (Field visits and local reports)
Highly utilised scenic drive between Cape Northumberland and Finger Point. Aboriginal
Heritage values throughout.
Threats (Field visits and local reports)
McLaren et al 1980 report that domestic rubbish from Port MacDonnell was dumped into the
sea at Cape Northumberland, via a metal chute, (then dispersed by wave action along the shore);
however this practice ceased in the early 1980s, leaving only traces of polished glass along the
shore. Excessive ORV activity between Finger Point and Cape Douglas.
Opportunities
Middle Point Swamp, otherwise known as Pascoe’s swamp, is an area of coastal wetland that has
been drained for agricultural use. The site was partially hydrologically restored in 2005 (Taylor,
2006) and is undergoing further restoration through regulation of a second drain in 2010. An
action plan for the restoration of the site is being prepared by DENR.
Conservation Analysis (GIS)
Sum of conservation layer means is 126.29, an average total. This small cell shows good
connection between intact and partially cleared dune vegetated areas; together with the coastal
wetlands, these support a variety of coastal habitats for plants and animals. As a result average to
good total conservation layer scores are spread across 2/3 of the cell. Small high value areas are
found at Middle Point Wetland and the small wetland west of the intersection of Hut Bay Road
and Thompsons Lane. The northern end of Umpherstone Bay shows notably low conservation
values.
High total layers for the whole cell are vegetation metrics – shape, connectivity, and size;
however total number of species is not high. The Middle Point wetlands score highly for habitat
of focal species Swamp skink, Southern Bell Frog and Yellow Sedge Skipper; habitat for the
Orange-bellied Parrot is found extensively through the dunes and cobble ridges.
The entire foreshore,