Yanga National Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yanga National Park New South Wales
IUCN Category II (National Park)
Murrumbidgee River at the Mamanga campground
Yanga National Park Location in New South Wales
Nearest town or city	Balranald
Established	February 2007
Area	667334 (includes 1,932 hectares (4,770 acres) of Yanga Nature Reserve)
Managing authorities	NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service
See also	Protected areas of New South Wales

The Yanga National Park is a special protected area in south-western New South Wales, Australia. It's located near the town of Balranald. This park is quite new, having been created in 2007.

Yanga National Park covers a huge area of about 66,734 hectares (164,900 acres). It also includes 1,932 hectares (4,770 acres) of the Yanga Nature Reserve. A long part of the park, about 170 kilometres (110 mi), runs along the Murrumbidgee River. Much of the park is on the Lower Murrumbidgee Floodplain, also called the Lowbidgee Floodplain. This area is very important for waterbirds, especially when it floods, as it becomes a great place for them to breed.

History of Yanga National Park

How Yanga Park Was Created

Long ago, in the 1830s, Yanga was a very large farm for raising animals. It was started by an explorer named William Wentworth. Later, it became part of a huge farming business owned by C. B. Fisher.

In 2005, the New South Wales Government bought this big farm. Their plan was to turn it into a national park. On February 28, 2007, Yanga officially became a national park. It also includes the Yanga Nature Reserve, which was set up even earlier in 1974. Today, Yanga National Park is part of the even bigger Murrumbidgee Valley National Park. This larger park was created in 2010. It helps protect one of the world's biggest areas of river red gum forests.

Aboriginal History and Culture

Yanga National Park is on the traditional lands of the Muthi Muthi people. The NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service works to protect important Aboriginal sites here. They have a special list of these sites.

This list includes ancient mounds, trees with special marks, old camp spots, and burial sites. These places are very important to the Muthi Muthi people and to everyone who wants to learn about Australia's past. The park service has a duty to keep these sites safe and preserved.

European History and Buildings

Yanga National Park also has important links to early European settlement. At one time, Yanga Station was the biggest privately owned farm in the southern half of the world. It covered a massive 210,000 acres (85,000 ha).

The main house, called Yanga homestead, was built around 1870. It is still standing today. Before the government bought the land in 2005, most of it was used for grazing animals. Now, it is protected for everyone to enjoy.

Climate in Yanga Park

The weather in Yanga National Park is mostly dry and warm. It's known as a semi-arid climate. This means it doesn't get much rain, only about 320 millimetres (13 in) each year. Summers are very hot, and water evaporates quickly all year round.

Nature and Wildlife

Wetlands and Waterways

Yanga National Park has many different types of wetlands. These include lakes, canals, creeks, and large areas of river red gum forest along the Murrumbidgee River. There are four important lakes: Yanga Lake, Tala Lake, Piggery Lake, and Irrigation Lake.

Most of the park is in the Lowbidgee Floodplain. This area is super important for the environment. It's known as a Nationally Important Wetland. It's one of the best places in eastern Australia for waterbirds. It has even had some of the largest waterbird breeding groups in Australia. The park is also home to the largest known group of the endangered southern bell frog in New South Wales.

Plants of Yanga Park

Scientists have found 17 different types of plant areas in Yanga National Park. More than 300 different kinds of plants grow there! Some of the most important plant areas include:

• River red gum forests and woodlands
• Black box woodlands
• Shrublands with lignum and nitre goosefoot (Chenopodium nitrariaceum)
• Sedgelands where spike rush (Eleocharis spp.) grows a lot

Animals of Yanga Park

Yanga National Park and the nearby floodplain are a safe home for many different animals.

• There are 24 types of reptiles, like geckos, goannas, lizards, snakes, and turtles.
• You can find 18 kinds of fish, though European carp are very common.
• There are 33 types of mammals. Sadly, 7 of these are introduced animals that cause problems. These include foxes, deer, feral cats, hares, rabbits, mice, and destructive feral pigs.

Birds of Yanga Park

Many studies have been done on the birds in the park. The number of birds seen often depends on how much water is in the area. A total of 64 types of waterbirds have been seen in the park.

There are 12 bird species in Yanga National Park that are considered vulnerable. This means they are at risk of becoming endangered. Some of these include the Australasian bittern, freckled duck, and blue-billed duck.

This park is one of the most important wetland homes for waterbirds in eastern Australia. Areas with lignum plants are popular for many waterbirds to breed, like ibis. Flooded red gum forests are great places for egrets, spoonbills, and cormorants to build their nests. Some birds that travel long distances, like the Caspian tern and Latham’s snipe, also use the wetlands here.

Frogs of Yanga Park

The southern bell frog (Litoria raniformis) is an endangered species found in the park.

Not a lot of old information exists about frogs in Yanga National Park. However, recent studies have found 12 different types of frogs living there. This includes the southern bell frog (Litoria raniformis), which is an endangered species.

The southern bell frog used to be common across south-eastern Australia. But since the 1980s, its numbers have dropped a lot. Scientists think this is because their homes are being destroyed or changed. They are also at risk from droughts and from introduced animals like fish, feral pigs, and foxes that eat them.

Challenges and Threats

Changes to Natural Water Flow

One of the biggest problems for the wetlands in Yanga National Park is that the natural flow of water has changed. Dams and weirs on rivers, and taking water away for other uses, have reduced how much water reaches this area.

These changes mean there is less wetland area available. It has also caused plants that need floods to grow to become unhealthy or disappear. Many animals, especially waterbirds, need specific water conditions to breed. When these conditions change, their numbers go down. For example, changes to water flow have reduced wetland areas by 60% and caused waterbird numbers to drop by 80% in some parts of the floodplain.

Loss of Animal Homes

Another big threat is the loss and breaking up of animal homes, or habitats. Much of this happened in the past when the land was used for grazing. But it's made worse by the changes to water flow and the loss of plants that need water.

Studies show that a lot of wetland areas have been lost. About 41% of wetlands in the Lowbidgee area have been turned into developed land. Even though farming stopped when the government bought the park in 2005, the loss of these natural areas has continued to be a problem.

Introduced Species

There are 58 types of introduced plants in Yanga National Park. These plants spread easily because the land was used for farming for so long. When wetlands dry out for a long time, it's easier for these new plants to take over.

Introduced fish species, like European carp, goldfish, and eastern gambusia, are very common in the park's waterways. These fish are a threat to native fish. They compete for food, spread diseases, and change the habitat. European carp might also be causing the southern bell frog population to decline.

Other introduced animals that cause problems include feral pigs, cats, and European red foxes. These animals hunt and eat small native animals like lizards, frogs, and birds that nest on the ground.

Other Human Impacts

Before Yanga became a national park in 2007, people used the land for grazing animals, clearing trees, logging, and burning. Even though these activities have stopped, they have left long-lasting effects on the park's environment.

Protecting Yanga National Park

How the Park is Protected Now

Giving Water to Nature

Since 2005, a lot of water has been sent to the Yanga wetlands on purpose. This is called "environmental water." Both the Australian and NSW governments have provided over 200,000 megalitres (44×10^⁹ imp gal; 53×10^⁹ US gal) of water. In 2010-11, this water reached areas that hadn't seen floods since the late 1980s, like Yanga Lake.

This has been very good for the wetlands. It has helped the wetland plants, black box woodlands, and river red gum forests. It has also supported the endangered southern bell frog and provided nesting spots for many waterbirds.

Laws and Rules

Since Yanga National Park was created in 2007, it is protected by the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NSW). This law aims to:

• Protect New South Wales' natural and cultural heritage.
• Help people learn about and enjoy this heritage.
• Manage protected lands.

Every national park has a plan for how it will be managed and how fires will be handled. These plans include information about the park's nature, Aboriginal history, European history, and things visitors can do. Because Yanga National Park is quite new, its specific management plans are still being developed.

Benefits of Protecting Yanga Park

The new ways of managing and protecting Yanga National Park are helping to save many plants, animals, and natural areas.

Helping Plant and Animal Communities

There are two important plant and animal communities in Yanga National Park that are listed as endangered. These are Myall woodland and a special aquatic (water-based) community in the lower Murray River catchment.

There's about 30 hectares of Myall woodland in the park. This woodland has weeping Myall trees and other shrubs and grasses. In the past, clearing land and too much grazing by wild and farm animals were big threats. Now that the park is protected, land clearing has stopped. However, grazing by wild animals like kangaroos and rabbits can still be a problem.

The aquatic community includes all native fish and water insects in the rivers, creeks, and lakes of the lower Murray and Murrumbidgee rivers. In Yanga National Park, this includes permanent and temporary river channels and billabongs. The biggest threat to this community is the change in natural river flows due to dams. This means less good habitat for fish and other water creatures. Stopping livestock grazing in the park should help this problem.

Protecting Endangered Animals

Twenty-one endangered or vulnerable animal species have been found in Yanga National Park. This includes three birds, one frog, and one reptile that are endangered. Fourteen birds and two mammals are vulnerable. The main reason these animals are at risk is the loss and damage to their homes. Making Yanga a national park means these homes will be better protected.

Supporting Many Waterbirds

Yanga National Park and the nearby Lowbidgee floodplain are very important for waterbirds that nest in groups. This includes threatened species like the Australasian bittern, black-tailed godwit, blue-billed duck, and freckled duck. It's also a key area for migratory birds that travel from other countries.

Even though studies show waterbird numbers have dropped in Australia and worldwide, Yanga National Park is still a vital place for them to breed, feed, and raise their young. Better management in the park, like providing more water to wetlands and protecting these areas, will help waterbirds thrive in the future.

Saving Threatened Plants

Two endangered and two vulnerable plant species have been found in Yanga National Park. More threatened plants might be discovered, as a full plant survey hasn't been done yet. Some plants predicted to be in the area include lanky buttons (Leptorhynchos orientalis) and silky swainson-pea (Swainsona sericea).

Images for kids

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  Southern bell frog (Litoria raniformis)