Mount Gibson Sanctuary facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mount Gibson Sanctuary Western Australia
The reserve is home to a population of Mitchell's Hopping Mouse
Mount Gibson Sanctuary Location in Western Australia
Nearest town or city	Dalwallinu
Established	2001
Area	1,305 km2 (503.9 sq mi)
Managing authorities	Australian Wildlife Conservancy
Website	Mount Gibson Sanctuary
Footnotes	Coordinates

Mount Gibson Sanctuary is a huge nature reserve in Western Australia. It covers about 1,305-square-kilometre (504 sq mi) of land. This special place is located about 350 kilometres (220 mi) northeast of Perth. It sits between the Wheatbelt and wilder rangeland areas. The closest big town is Dalwallinu. The Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) owns and takes care of this important sanctuary.

History of Mount Gibson Sanctuary

Mount Gibson was once a large farm, called a pastoral lease. It was first used for farming in 1915. For many years, sheep grazed on its lands. Later, people started to focus on protecting its natural environment. The Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) bought Mount Gibson in 2001. Today, the AWC works hard to protect the sanctuary. They remove and control wild animals that don't belong there. They also help fix damaged areas and manage wildfires.

Landscape and Climate at Mount Gibson

Mount Gibson Sanctuary has many different types of land. You can find rocky hills and wide, flat floodplains. There are also claypans, salt-lakes, and sandy areas. The weather here is mostly dry, with hot summers. Most of the rain falls during winter. On average, the sanctuary gets about 250–300 millimetres (9.8–11.8 in) of rain each year.

Amazing Ecosystems of Mount Gibson

Mount Gibson is a special place for plants. It has plants from both the wet south-west and the dry desert areas. This is because it sits right on the edge of two different plant zones. Much of the sanctuary is covered in eucalypt woodlands. These types of forests used to be common in the Wheatbelt. Now, they are mostly found here. You can see tall salmon gum trees, York gum trees, and gimlet trees.

Wildlife at Mount Gibson Sanctuary

Mount Gibson is home to many interesting animals. You can find both red kangaroos and western grey kangaroos here. This shows how the sanctuary connects different types of habitats. Other mammals include the Mitchell's hopping mouse and the tiny little long-tailed dunnart. Many special birds also live here. These include the malleefowl, Major Mitchell's cockatoo, and regent parrot. Scientists have even found over 100 different kinds of native bees living on the property!

Important Bird Area Status

Mount Gibson Sanctuary is very important for birds. It is part of a larger area called the Mount Gibson and Charles Darwin Important Bird Area (IBA). This IBA covers about 2,335-square-kilometre (902 sq mi). BirdLife International named it an IBA because it protects important bird populations. These include the malleefowl and western corellas. Many other bird species that live in dry or mallee habitats also call this area home.