Victoria Park Nature Reserve

The Victoria Park Nature Reserve is a protected nature reserve that is located in the Northern Rivers region in the state of New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The sub-tropical jungle remnant is located an undulating high rainfall plain near Alstonville. The red-brown soil is derived from a basaltic flow from the nearby Mount Warning. Of the total land in the reserve, 8 hectares (20 acres) is original rainforest; and the other areas are being re-vegetated.

Features and location

The reserve is one of a few small nature reserves including the Andrew Johnston Big Scrub, Hayters Hill, Davis Scrub, Boatharbour and Wilsons Peak flora and nature reserves that conserve rainforests typical of the once extensive Big Scrub. The Big Scrub comprised 75,000 hectares (190,000 acres) of lowland subtropical rainforest which was largely cleared for agriculture in the late 19th century.^[2]

Victoria Park is a popular area for picnics and barbecues. There is wheelchair access, a wooden boardwalk, pit toilets, tables, gas barbecues and information boards.

In this small area, a large diversity of flora exists. 82 tree species are included amongst the 152 plant species.^[3][4] Many types of vines, smaller plants and fungi grow here. Most of the animals are nocturnal, though red-legged pademelons are sometimes seen on the edges of the grassy area. Rainforest pigeons such as the wompoo fruit dove are often heard, but rarely seen. Land mullets may be heard crawling on the rainforest floor.

Significant

Re-vegetation of the previously cleared farmland is under progress. However, the removal of original jungle vegetation has caused a lack of soil nutrients. Despite this, wildlife corridors are slowly being created to link other nearby rainforest remnants.

See also

• Protected areas of New South Wales

References