Mount Banda Banda, a

mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher t ...

of the Mid North Coast region of

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

, is situated from

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

within the Willi Willi National Park. Banda Banda can be seen on the north-western horizon from

Port Macquarie Port Macquarie, sometimes shortened to Port Mac and commonly locally nicknamed Port, is a coastal city on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, north of Sydney, and south of Brisbane, on the Tasman Sea coast at the mouth of the ...

, as well as on the south-western horizon 39 km from the town of Kempsey. At it is the highest mountain in the region.

Flora

The stands of Antarctic beech are some of the finest in existence, and the mountain was included in 1986 on the United Nations

World Heritage List World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural heritag ...

New South Wales Rainforests - The Nomination for the World Heritage List, Paul Adam, 1987. as part of Gondwana Rainforests of Australia. Interesting eucalyptus plants occurring on the mountain include the Blue Mountains ash and '' Eucalyptus scias subsp. apoda''. The

endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, inv ...

shrub '' Zieria lasiocaulis'' only occurs at Willi Willi National Park.Willi Willi National Park Draft Plan of Management
/ref> Another endangered plant on Mount Banda Banda is Grevillea guthrieana. The summit of the mountain is remarkably flat, and covered in grasses and the Blue Mountains ash. The isolated occurrence of the Blue Mountains ash is noteworthy, as it is most often seen in the Blue Mountains district, some 300 kilometres to the south west.

Cool temperate rainforest

The main tree species in the rainforest is the Antarctic beech. Associated species include prickly ash, coachwood, sassafras, soft corkwood and yellow carabeen. Walking stick palms are seen in the understorey, though usually not associated with such cooler rainforests. Orange berry is a common ground cover. Despite the impressive 40-metre canopy, the soil is only moderately fertile, being derived from porphyry.(other publication details, included in citation)
/ref> Rainfall on Mount Banda Banda is 2 metres per year, a very high amount for the otherwise arid

Australian Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal Aus ...

continent.

Arboretum

In 1964, the New South Wales Forestry Commission planted various exotic conifers amidst the cool

temperate rainforest Temperate rainforests are rainforests with coniferous or Broad-leaved tree, broadleaf forests that occur in the temperate zone and receive heavy rain. Temperate rainforests occur in oceanic moist regions around the world: the Pacific temperate ...

at Banda Banda.

Arboretum An arboretum (: arboreta) is a botanical collection composed exclusively of trees and shrubs of a variety of species. Originally mostly created as a section in a larger garden or park for specimens of mostly non-local species, many modern arbor ...

species include the monkey puzzle tree, Cunninghamia, Cryptomeria,

Douglas fir The Douglas fir (''Pseudotsuga menziesii'') is an evergreen conifer species in the pine family, Pinaceae. It is the tallest tree in the Pinaceae family. It is native to western North America and is also known as Douglas-fir, Douglas spruce, Or ...

, radiata pine,

Ponderosa Pine ''Pinus ponderosa'', commonly known as the ponderosa pine, bull pine, blackjack pine, western yellow-pine, or filipinus pine, is a very large pine tree species of variable habitat native to mountainous regions of western North America. It is t ...

and the Sierra redwood. The possibility of the spread of exotic seedlings into the natural rainforest is of concern.

Fauna

Rare fauna inhabiting Mount Banda Banda include the Hastings River mouse, Parma wallaby, sphagnum frog, Booroolong frog, giant barred frog, stuttering barred frog, the tree dwelling snail, the olive whistler, and the rufous scrub-bird, which was described by the

International Union for Conservation of Nature The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Founded in 1948, IUCN has become the global authority on the stat ...

as being of "universally outstanding significance to science and conservation". The reptile and invertebrate fauna of the mountain are not yet comprehensively understood. However, as this

Gondwana Gondwana ( ; ) was a large landmass, sometimes referred to as a supercontinent. The remnants of Gondwana make up around two-thirds of today's continental area, including South America, Africa, Antarctica, Australia (continent), Australia, Zea ...

rainforest is in good condition, future surveys should provide a valuable picture of the local ecology.

Gallery

Image:Nothofagus moorei tall Bandabanda.JPG , Antarctic beech, at Mount Banda Banda Image:Yellow Carabeen & Antarctic Beech Banda Banda.jpg, Yellow carabeen (left) and Antarctic beech (right) at Mount Banda Banda Image:Nothofagus moorei log Bandabanda.JPG , Antarctic beech at Mount Banda Banda Image:Eucalyptus scias subsp apoda Mount Banda Banda.jpg, ''Eucalyptus scias subsp. apoda'' at Mount Banda Banda Image:Eucalyptus oreades Bandabanda.jpg , Blue Mountains ash near the summit of Mount Banda Banda Image:Mount Banda Banda summit grasses.jpg, grassy area at 1250 metres above sea level Image:Mount Bandabanda - nameplate.jpg , Nameplate at the summit of Mount Banda Banda, elevation 1258 metres Image:Caldcluvia paniculosa corky bark.JPG, Soft corkwood at Mount Banda Banda Image:Polyosma cunninghamii at Mount Banda Banda.jpg, Featherwood at Mount Banda Banda Image:Understorey plant at Mount Banda Banda.jpg, Drymophila moorei, an understorey plant at Mount Banda Banda Image:Anopterus macleayanus - Banda Banda.jpg, Anopterus growing under tall cool temperate rainforest at Mount Banda Banda Image:Mount Banda Banda seen from Number 1 fire tower.jpg, Mount Banda Banda seen from Bellangry Number One Fire Tower

Flora

Cool temperate rainforest

Arboretum

Fauna

Gallery

See also

References

Further reading