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Flora and Fauna

South West Campus

ECU South West Campus - Biodiversity Hotspot
Vegetation Types of the South West Bushland

Vegetation

The ECU South West Campus is located in the Drummond Subdistrict of the Southwest Botanical Province which is recognised as one of the world’s top biodiversity hotspots (EPA 2006, Gole 2006).
The campus bushland is part of the Karrakatta Vegetation Complex (Central and South). This complex is dominated by Tuart (Eucalyptus gomphocephala), Jarrah (E. marginata), Marri (Corymbia calophylla) and various species of Banksia.
Five different vegetation associations have been identified on the campus, most of which in good to very good condition (Figure 3).
The western side of the campus contains a low-lying wetland supporting Paperbark woodland dominated by Melaleuca preissiana and M. rhaphiophylla, with some Jarrah and Marri. East of the wetland, the terrain rises into a wide dune ridge that runs north-south across the main part of campus. The eastern and western slopes of the dune ridge support Jarrah and Marri woodland. The majority of the campus, comprising the top of the dune ridge, supports three Tuart woodland associations, each containing a different combination of Jarrah, Marri and Peppermint (Agonis flexuosa). Slender Banksia (Banksia attenuata) occurs throughout the campus, forming an understorey species in each vegetation type.

Conservation Values

The ECU South West Campus bushland is of high conservation value because of the excellent condition of its Tuart woodland associations, its regional significance as an ecological link between other remnant bushland areas, and its potential importance as a habitat for black cockatoos.

There has been a 65% decline in the extent of Tuart dominated communities on the Swan Coastal Plain over the past century, as well as a notable decline in the general health of Tuart trees over this period. In order to guide effective conservation management for the remaining 35% of Tuart dominated communities, Ecoscape (2004) has developed a classification system to identify ‘Indicative High Conservation’ Tuart woodland. Based on these criteria, the Tuart communities on the ECU South West Campus can be classified as Priority Two for future conservation management.

The Tuart woodland associations containing Peppermint (Agonis flexuosa) (Figure 3) may be representative of the conservation listed floristic community type Southern Swan Coastal Plain Eucalyptus gomphocephala - Agonis flexuosa woodlands. This floristic community type is listed by DEC as Priority 3 (Appendix B), and has been recorded from the nearby College Grove bushland).

Golden Whistler

These stunning golden whistlers are males and live in the bushland at the Bunbury campus. This bird has a rich, melodious voice with a whip-cracking ending ‘wi-wi-wi-whit’. The female does not have the bright yellow underbellow as the male. This lovely bird is found in the South West of WA and also along the east coast of Australia.

Scarlet Robin

This pretty female scarlet robin breeds in open forests. Her male partner has an even brighter red chest and is very territorial. Scarlet robins are found in the South West of WA as far north as Geraldton s and also along the East coast from Adelaide around the coast to Sydney. This pair were caught on camera playing in the bushland at the ECU campus in Bunbury.