Wamberal Lagoon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wamberal Lagoon |
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| Location | Central Coast, New South Wales, Australia |
| Type | Intermittently closed intermediate saline coastal lagoon |
| Primary inflows | Forresters Creek |
| Primary outflows | Tasman Sea of the South Pacific Ocean |
| Catchment area | 5.8 square kilometres (2.2 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | Australia |
| Surface area | 50 hectares (120 acres) |
| Average depth | 1.7 metres (5 ft 7 in) (AHD) |
| Water volume | 880.2 megalitres (31.08×106 cu ft) |
| Surface elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Settlements | Forresters Beach, Wamberal |
Wamberal Lagoon, an intermittently closed intermediate saline coastal lagoon, is located on the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. Wamberal Lagoon is located between the beachside settlements of Forresters Beach and Wamberal, and adjacent to the east coast, about 87 kilometres (54 mi) north of Sydney.
Features and location
Fed by stormwater runoff that flows into Forresters Creek, the lagoon has a surface area of approximately 50 hectares (120 acres) and a catchment area of 5.8 square kilometres (2.2 sq mi). When full, the Wamberal Lagoon covers an area of around 50 hectares (120 acres). Its outflow is to the Tasman Sea of the South Pacific Ocean that is generally closed, and water levels inside the lagoon are not usually influenced by ocean tides.
The lagoon and the surrounding land comprising 139 hectares (340 acres) form part of the Wamberal Lagoon Nature Reserve, a nature reserve created in 1981, that is under management of the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service.
Terrigal Lagoon and Avoca Lake are located to the south and are a short distance away.
Wamberal Lagoon Conservation Society
Formed in 1983 and still active, the Wamberal Lagoon Conservation Society (WLCS) was set up to promote conservation of the lagoon and its surrounds in the face of increasing urban development.
The initial charter of the WLCS cited the terms of Section 49(3) of the National Parks and Wildlife Act: Lands within a nature reserve shall be deemed to be dedicated for the purposes of:
- (a) The care, propagation, preservation and conservation of wildlife;
- (b) The care, preservation and conservation of natural environments and natural phenomena.
- (c) The study of wildlife, natural environments and natural phenomena; and
- (d) The promotion of the appreciation and enjoyment of wildlife, natural environments and natural phenomena.
To this end the Society engages in education, co-operation with other bodies having a similar interest, and representations to authorities whose responsibilities affect the nature reserve. Members of the WLCS have been active members in bushcare activities over many years, involving removal of rubbish and invasive plants from environmentally sensitive areas, and replanting of native vegetation.
In 2018 and 2019 the WLCS initiated a habitat-restoration project aimed at improving water quality in inflows to the lagoon, with the ultimate aim of reintroducing an endangered amphibian species (the Green and Golden Bellfrog, Litoria aurea) that once was common in this area but has been extirpated (as it has over most of its former range ).
The Green and Golden Bellfrog, Litoria aurea, was once abundant on the Central Coast of NSW but is now known from only two small populations, at Avoca Lagoon and Davistown. The species is classed as Endangered under both Federal and State wildlife regulations. Photograph by Matt Greenlees.
The WLCS is working with management authorities (notably, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Central Coast Council) to identify practicable methods to reduce pollutant input (e.g., via Gross Pollutant Traps on waterways flowing into the lagoon) and to replace invasive weeds with native vegetation to enhance biodiversity.
As part of the habitat-restoration initiative, WLCS assembled a list of vertebrate species that have been recorded to occur within one kilometre of the lagoon, based on unpublished records by WLCS members as well as consultancy reports. That list confirms the highly biodiverse nature of the site, and hence the importance of its conservation. Species lists below.
AMPHIBIANS
| Family | Species | Common name |
|---|---|---|
| HYLIDAE | Litoria dentata | Bleating Tree Frog |
| HYLIDAE | Litoria fallax | Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog |
| HYLIDAE | Litoria peronii | Peron's Tree Frog |
| MYOBATRACHIDAE | Adelotus brevis | Tusked Frog |
| MYOBATRACHIDAE | Crinia signifera | Common Froglet |
| MYOBATRACHIDAE | Limnodynastes peronii | Striped Marsh Frog |
BIRDS
| Family | Species | Common name |
|---|---|---|
| ACANTHIZIDAE | Acanthiza (Acanthiza) pusilla | Brown Thornbill |
| ACANTHIZIDAE | Acanthiza (Subacanthiza) lineata | Striated Thornbill |
| ACANTHIZIDAE | Acanthiza (Subacanthiza) nana | Yellow Thornbill |
| ACANTHIZIDAE | Gerygone mouki | Brown Gerygone |
| ACANTHIZIDAE | Sericornis (Sericornis) frontalis | White-Browed Scrubwren |
| ACCIPITRIDAE | Accipiter (Leucospiza) novaehollandiae | Grey Goshawk |
| ACCIPITRIDAE | Aviceda (Aviceda) subcristata | Pacific Baza |
| ACCIPITRIDAE | Haliaeetus leucogaster | White-bellied Sea Eagle |
| ACCIPITRIDAE | Haliastur sphenurus | Whistling Kite |
| ACCIPITRIDAE | Milvus migrans | Black Kite |
| ACCIPITRIDAE | Pandion haliaetus | Osprey |
| ACROCEPHALIDAE | Acrocephalus (Acrocephalus) australis | Australian Reed Warbler |
| ALCEDINIDAE | Dacelo (Dacelo) novaeguineae | Kookaburra |
| ALCEDINIDAE | Todiramphus (Todiramphus) sanctus | Sacred Kingfisher |
| ANATIDAE | Anas (Anas) platyrhynchos | Mallard Duck |
| ANATIDAE | Anas (Anas) superciliosa | Pacific Black Duck |
| ANATIDAE | Anas (Nettion) castanea | Chestnut Teal |
| ANATIDAE | Anas (Nettion) gracilis | Grey Teal |
| ANATIDAE | Aythya (Nyroca) australis | Hardhead |
| ANATIDAE | Biziura lobata | Musk Duck |
| ANATIDAE | Chenonetta jubata | Australian Wood Duck |
| ANATIDAE | Cygnus (Chenopis) atratus | Black Swan |
| ANHINGIDAE | Anhinga novaehollandiae | Australasian Darter |
| APODIDAE | Hirundapus caudacutus | Spine-Tailed Swift |
| ARDEIDAE | Ardea (Casmerodius) modesta | Eastern Great Egret |
| ARDEIDAE | Ardea (Casmerodius) modesta | Eastern Great Egret |
| ARDEIDAE | Ardea (Mesophoyx) intermedia | Intermediate Egret |
| ARDEIDAE | Ardea alba | Great Egret |
| ARDEIDAE | Butorides striatus | Striated Heron |
| ARDEIDAE | Egretta garzetta | Little Egret |
| ARDEIDAE | Egretta novaehollandiae | White-Faced Heron |
| ARDEIDAE | Egretta sacra | Eastern Reef Egret |
| ARDEIDAE | Ixobrychus flavicollis | Black Bittern |
| ARDEIDAE | Nycticorax caledonicus | Nankeen Night-Heron |
| ARTAMIDAE | Artamus (Artamus) leucorynchus | White-Breasted Woodswallow |
| ARTAMIDAE | Cracticus nigrogularis | Pied Butcherbird |
| ARTAMIDAE | Cracticus tibicen | Australian Magpie |
| ARTAMIDAE | Cracticus torquatus | Grey Butcherbird |
| ARTAMIDAE | Strepera (Strepera) graculina | Pied Currawong |
| CACATUIDAE | Cacatua (Cacatua) galerita | Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo |
| CACATUIDAE | Cacatua (Licmetis) sanguinea | Little Corella |
| CACATUIDAE | Cacatua (Licmetis) tenuirostris | Long-Billed Corella |
| CACATUIDAE | Callocephalon fimbriatum | Gang-Gang Cockatoo |
| CACATUIDAE | Calyptorhynchus (Zanda) funereus | Yellow-Tailed Black-Cockatoo |
| CACATUIDAE | Eolophus roseicapillus | Galah |
| CAMPEPHAGIDAE | Coracina (Coracina) novaehollandiae | Black-Faced Cuckoo-Shrike |
| CENTROPODIDAE | Centropus (Polophilus) phasianinus | Pheasant Coucal |
| CHARADRIIDAE | Pluvialis fulva | Pacific Golden Plover |
| CHARADRIIDAE | Vanellus miles | Masked Lapwing |
| CICONIIDAE | Ephippiorhynchus (Ephippiorhynchus) asiaticus | Black-Necked Stork |
| COLUMBIDAE | Columba (Columba) livia | Rock Pigeon |
| COLUMBIDAE | Columba (Janthoenas) leucomela | White-Headed Pigeon |
| COLUMBIDAE | Geopelia humeralis | Bar-Shouldered Dove |
| COLUMBIDAE | Ocyphaps lophotes | Crested Pigeon |
| COLUMBIDAE | Phaps (Phaps) chalcoptera | Common Bronzewing |
| COLUMBIDAE | Streptopelia (Spilopelia) chinensis | Spotted Dove |
| CORACIIDAE | Eurystomus orientalis | Dollarbird |
| CORCORACIDAE | Corcorax melanorhamphos | White-Winged Chough |
| CORVIDAE | Corvus coronoides | Australian Raven |
| CUCULIDAE | Cacomantis (Vidgenia) flabelliformis | Fan-Tailed Cuckoo |
| CUCULIDAE | Eudynamys orientalis | Pacific Koel |
| CUCULIDAE | Scythrops novaehollandiae | Channel-Billed Cuckoo |
| DICRURIDAE | Dicrurus bracteatus | Spangled Drongo |
| ESTRILDIDAE | Neochmia (Aegintha) temporalis | Red-Browed Finch |
| FALCONIDAE | Falco (Tinnunculus) cenchroides | Nankeen Kestrel |
| HIRUNDINIDAE | Hirundo neoxena | Welcome Swallow |
| LARIDAE | Chlidonias (Pelodes) hybrida | Whiskered Tern |
| LARIDAE | Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae | Silver Gull |
| LARIDAE | Sterna fuscata | Sooty Tern |
| LARIDAE | Sterna hirundo | Common Tern |
| LARIDAE | Sterna striata | White-fronted Tern |
| LARIDAE | Thalasseus bergii | Crested Tern |
| MALURIDAE | Malurus (Leggeornis) lamberti | Variegated Fairy-Wren |
| MALURIDAE | Malurus (Malurus) cyaneus | Superb Fairy-Wren |
| MEGAPODIIDAE | Alectura lathami | Australian Brush-Turkey |
| MELIPHAGIDAE | Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris | Eastern Spinebill |
| MELIPHAGIDAE | Anthochaera (Anellobia) chrysoptera | Little Wattlebird |
| MELIPHAGIDAE | Anthochaera carunculata | Red Wattlebird |
| MELIPHAGIDAE | Caligavis chrysops | Yellow-Faced Honeyeater |
| MELIPHAGIDAE | Manorina (Manorina) melanophrys | Bell Miner |
| MELIPHAGIDAE | Manorina (Myzantha) melanocephala | Noisy Miner |
| MELIPHAGIDAE | Meliphaga (Meliphaga) lewinii | Lewin's Honeyeater |
| MELIPHAGIDAE | Melithreptus (Melithreptus) lunatus | White-Naped Honeyeater |
| MELIPHAGIDAE | Phylidonyris (Meliornis) niger | White-Cheeked Honeyeater |
| MELIPHAGIDAE | Phylidonyris (Meliornis) novaehollandiae | New Holland Honeyeater |
| MONARCHIDAE | Grallina cyanoleuca | Magpie-Lark |
| NECTARINIIDAE | Dicaeum (Dicaeum) hirundinaceum | Mistletoebird |
| OCEANITIDAE | Pelagodroma marina | White-Faced Storm-Petrel |
| ORIOLIDAE | Oriolus (Mimeta) sagittatus | Olive-Backed Oriole |
| ORIOLIDAE | Sphecotheres vieilloti | Australasian Figbird |
| PACHYCEPHALIDAE | Colluricincla (Colluricincla) harmonica | Grey Shrike-Thrush |
| PACHYCEPHALIDAE | Pachycephala (Pachycephala) pectoralis | Golden Whistler |
| PARDALOTIDAE | Pardalotus (Pardalotus) punctatus | Spotted Pardalote |
| PELECANIDAE | Pelecanus conspicillatus | Australian pelican |
| PETROICIDAE | Eopsaltria (Eopsaltria) australis | Eastern Yellow Robin |
| PHAETHONTIDAE | Phaethon rubricauda | Red-Tailed Tropicbird |
| PHALACROCORACIDAE | Phalacrocorax sulcirostris | Little Black Cormorant |
| PHALACROCORACIDAE | Phalacrocorax varius | Pied Cormorant |
| PHALACROCORACIDAE | Phalacrocrorax carbo | Great Cormorant |
| PODARGIDAE | Podargus strigoides | Tawny Frogmouth |
| PODICIPEDIDAE | Tachybaptus novaehollandiae | Australasian Grebe |
| PROCELLARIIDAE | Ardenna grisea | Sooty Shearwater |
| PROCELLARIIDAE | Ardenna pacificus | Wedge-tailed Shearwater |
| PROCELLARIIDAE | Ardenna tenuirostris | Short-tailed Shearwater |
| PROCELLARIIDAE | Pachyptila turtur | Fairy Prion |
| PROCELLARIIDAE | Pterodroma (Pterodroma) macroptera | Great-Winged Petrel |
| PROCELLARIIDAE | Puffinus (Puffinus) assimilis | Little Shearwater |
| PSITTACIDAE | Alisterus scapularis | Australian King-Parrot |
| PSITTACIDAE | Glossopsitta concinna | Musk Lorikeet |
| PSITTACIDAE | Parvipsitta pusilla | Little Lorikeet |
| PSITTACIDAE | Platycercus (Violania) eximius | Eastern Rosella |
| PSITTACIDAE | Platycercus elegans | Crimson Rosella |
| PSITTACIDAE | Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus | Scaly-Breasted Lorikeet |
| PSITTACIDAE | Trichoglossus haematodus | Rainbow Lorikeet |
| PSOPHODIDAE | Psophodes (Psophodes) olivaceus | Eastern Whipbird |
| PTILONORHYNCHIDAE | Ptilonorhynchus violaceus | Satin Bowerbird |
| PYCNONOTIDAE | Pycnonotus (Pycnonotus) jocosus | Red-Whiskered Bulbul |
| RALLIDAE | Fulica atra | Eurasian Coot |
| RALLIDAE | Gallinula (Gallinula) tenebrosa | Dusky Moorhen |
| RALLIDAE | Gallirallus philippensis | Banded Rail |
| RALLIDAE | Porphyrio (Porphyrio) porphyrio | Purple Swamphen |
| RHIPIDURIDAE | Rhipidura (Howeavis) rufifrons | Rufous Fantail |
| RHIPIDURIDAE | Rhipidura (Rhipidura) albiscapa | Grey Fantail |
| RHIPIDURIDAE | Rhipidura (Sauloprocta) leucophrys | Willie Wagtail |
| SCOLOPACIDAE | Calidris ruficollis | Red-necked Stint |
| SCOLOPACIDAE | Callidris ferruginea | Curew Sandpiper |
| SCOLOPACIDAE | Gallinago hardwickii | Latham's Snipe |
| SCOLOPACIDAE | Limosa lapponica | Bar-Tailed Godwit |
| SPHENISCIDAE | Eudyptula minor | Little Penguin |
| STERCORARIIDAE | Stercorarius parasiticus | Arctic Jaeger |
| STRIGIDAE | Ninox (Ninox) novaeseelandiae | Southern Boobook |
| STRIGIDAE | Ninox (Rhabdoglaux) strenua | Powerful Owl |
| STURNIDAE | Acridotheres tristis | Common Myna |
| STURNIDAE | Sturnus (Sturnus) vulgaris | Common Starling |
| SULIDAE | Morus serrator | Australasian Gannet |
| THRESKIORNITHIDAE | Oplatalea regia | Royal Spoonbill |
| THRESKIORNITHIDAE | Threskiornis molucca | Australian White Ibis |
| TIMALIIDAE | Zosterops lateralis | Silvereye |
| TYTONIDAE | Tyto (Tyto) javanica | Eastern Barn Owl |
FISH
| Family | Species | Common name |
|---|---|---|
| AMBASSIDAE | Ambassus jacksoniensis | Port Jackson Glassfish |
| ANGUILLIDAE | Anguilla australis | Short-finned Eel |
| ANGUILLIDAE | Anguilla reinhardtii | Long-finned Eel |
| ANTENNARIIDAE | Antennarius striatus | Striated Frogfish |
| ARRIPIDAE | Arripis trutta | Eastern Australian Salmon |
| ATHERINIDAE | Atherinosoma microstoma | Smallmouth Hardyhead |
| ATHERINIDAE | Leptatherina presbyteroides | Silver Side |
| CALLIONYMIDAE | Repomucenus calcaratus | Spotted Stinkfish |
| CARANGIDAE | Pseudocaranx dentex | White Trevally |
| CLUPEIDAE | Herklotsichthys castelnaui | Southern Herring |
| ELEOTRIDAE | Philypnodon grandiceps | Flathead Gudgeon |
| GERREIDAE | Gerres subfasciatus | Silver Biddy |
| GERREIDAE | Girella tricuspida | Luderick |
| GOBIIDAE | Acentrogobius bifrenatus | Bridled Goby |
| GOBIIDAE | Afuragobius tamarensis | Tamar River Goby |
| GOBIIDAE | Callogobius sp. | Goby |
| GOBIIDAE | Favonigobius exquisitis | Exquisite Sand-goby |
| GOBIIDAE | Favonigobius lateralis | Goby |
| GOBIIDAE | Gobiopterus semivestita | Goby |
| GOBIIDAE | Parkraemeria ornata | Goby |
| GOBIIDAE | Pseudogobius olorum | Pseudogobius olorum |
| GONORHYNCHIDAE | Gonorhynchus greyi | Beaked Salmon |
| HEMIRHAMPHIDAE | Hyporhamphus regularis | Eastern River Garfish |
| ISONIDAE | Iso rhothophilus | Surf Sardine |
| LABRIDAE | Achoerodus viridis | Eastern Blue Groper |
| LABRIDAE | Coris sandeyeri | Eastern King Wrasse |
| MUGILIDAE | Liza argentea | Flat-tail Mullet |
| MUGILIDAE | Mugil cephalus | Sea Mullet |
| MUGILIDAE | Myxis elongatus | Sand Grey Mullet |
| PARALICHTHYIDAE | Pseudorhombus jenynsii | Small-toothed Flounder |
| PERCICHTHYIDAE | Macquaria colonorum | Estuary Perch |
| PLATYCEPHALIDAE | Platycephalus fuscus | Dusky Flathead |
| POECILIIDAE | Gambusia holbrooki | Eastern Gambusia |
| POMATOMIDAE | Pomatomus saltatrix | Tailor |
| PSEUDOMUGILIDAE | Pseudomugil signifer | Pacific Blue Eye |
| RHOMBOSOLEIDAE | Ammotretis rostratus | Long-nosed Flounder |
| SILLAGINIDAE | Sillago ciliata | Sand Whiting |
| SPARIDAE | Acanthopagrus australis | Yellowfin Bream |
| SPARIDAE | Rhabdosargus sarba | Tarwhine |
| SYGNATHIDAE | Urocampus carinirostris | Hairy Pipefish |
| TERAPONTIDAE | Terapon jarbua | Crescent Perch |
| TETRAODONTIDAE | Tetractenos glaber | Smooth toadfish |
| TETRAODONTIDAE | Tetractenos hamiltoni | Common Toadfish |
| TETRAROGIDAE | Centropogon australis | Fortescue |
| TRIGLIDAE | Chelidonichthys kumu | Red Gurnard |
MAMMALS
| Family | Species | Common name |
|---|---|---|
| BALAENIDAE | Eubalaena australis | Southern Right Whale |
| CANIDAE | Vulpes vulpes | Fox |
| DASYURIDAE | Antechinus stuartii | Brown Antechinus |
| FELIDAE | Felis catus | Cat |
| LEPORIDAE | Oryctolagus cuniculus | Rabbit |
| MACROPODIDAE | Wallabia bicolor | Swamp Wallaby |
| MINIOPTERIDAE | Miniopterus australis | Little Bentwing-Bat |
| MINIOPTERIDAE | Miniopterus schreibersii | Bent-Wing Bat |
| MOLOSSIDAE | Austronomus australis | White-Striped Freetail-Bat |
| MOLOSSIDAE | Mormopterus (Ozimops) ridei | Ride's Free-Tailed Bat |
| MURIDAE | Rattus fuscipes | Bush Rat |
| MURIDAE | Rattus lutreolus | Swamp Rat |
| MURIDAE | Rattus rattus | Ship Rat |
| OTARIIDAE | Arctocephalus tropicalis | Subantarctic Fur-seal |
| PERAMELIDAE | Isoodon macrourus | Northern Brown Bandicoot |
| PHALANGERIDAE | Trichosurus vulpecula | Australian Brushtail Possum |
| PHOCIDAE | Hydrurga leptonyx | Leopard Seal |
| PSEUDOCHEIRIDAE | Pseudocheirus peregrinus | Common Ringtail Possum |
| PTEROPODIDAE | Pteropus poliocephalus | Grey-Headed Flying-Fox |
| TACHYGLOSSIDAE | Tachyglossus aculeatus | Short-Beaked Echidna |
| VESPERTILIONIDAE | Chalinolobus gouldii | Gould's Wattled Bat |
| VESPERTILIONIDAE | Chalinolobus morio | Chocolate Wattled Bat |
| VESPERTILIONIDAE | Nyctophilus gouldi | Gould's Long-Eared Bat |
| VESPERTILIONIDAE | Vespadelus darlingtoni | Large Forest Bat |
| VESPERTILIONIDAE | Vespadelus pumilus | Eastern Forest Bat |
| VESPERTILIONIDAE | Vespadelus vulturnus | Little Forest Bat |
| VOMBATIDAE | Vombatus ursinus | Bare-Nosed Wombat |
REPTILES
| Family | Species | Common name |
|---|---|---|
| AGAMIDAE | Amphibolurus muricatus | Jacky Lizard |
| AGAMIDAE | Intellagama lesueurii | Water Dragon |
| AGAMIDAE | Rankinia diemensis | Mountain Dragon |
| COLUBRIDAE | Dendrelaphis punctulatus | Green Tree Snake |
| ELAPIDAE | Cacophis krefftii | Southern Dwarf Crowned Snake |
| ELAPIDAE | Cacophis squamulosus | Golden Crowned Snake |
| ELAPIDAE | Demansia psammophis | Yellow-Faced Whip Snake |
| ELAPIDAE | Hemiaspis signata | Hemiaspis signata |
| ELAPIDAE | Pseudechis porphyriacus | Red-Bellied Black Snake |
| GEKKONIDAE | Phyllurus platurus | Leaf-tailed Gecko |
| PYGOPODIDAE | Pygopus lepidopodus | Common Scaly-Foot |
| PYTHONIDAE | Morelia spilota | Diamond Python |
| SCINCIDAE | Bellatorias major | Land Mullet |
| SCINCIDAE | Ctenotus robustus | Robust Ctenotus |
| SCINCIDAE | Eulamprus quoyii | Eastern Water Skink |
| SCINCIDAE | Lampropholis delicata | Dark-Flecked Garden Sunskink |
| SCINCIDAE | Lampropholis guichenoti | Pale-Flecked Garden Sunskink |
| SCINCIDAE | Saiphos equalis | Three-toed Skink |
| SCINCIDAE | Saproscincus mustelinum | Weasel Skink |
| SCINCIDAE | Tiliqua scincoides | Eastern Blue-Tongue |
| TYPHLOPIDAE | Ramphotyphlops nigrescens | Common Blind Snake |
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Wamberal Lagoon Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.