Watagans National Park

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Watagans National Park
Giant Spiked Skink in Watagans National Park
Giant Spiked Skink in Watagans National Park
Watagans National Park, New South Wales
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Coordinates: 33 ° 0 ′ 18 ″  S , 151 ° 23 ′ 35 ″  E
Location: New South Wales , Australia
Specialty: Warm temperate rainforest, eucalyptus forest
Next city: Martinsville, Congewai
Surface: 77.51 km²
Founding: January 1, 1999
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The Watagans National Park is a national park in eastern Australian state of New South Wales , 99 km north of Sydney and 40 km south-west of Newcastle . It is located in the hilly Myall Range and Watagan Range . To the southeast of the park is the small town of Martinsville , around 7 km from the Sydney – Newcastle motorway. On the west side of Congewai Creek is the small town of Congewai .

Flora and fauna

The park is home to warm, temperate rainforests and moist and dry eucalyptus forests .

The area of ​​the Watagans National Park is populated by mammals such as wallabies , glide pouches , possums and bats . The bird life with over 150 species also includes endangered owls such as the Powerful Owl , Sooty Owl , Masked Owl and Barking Owl .

Amphibian and reptile species in the park also include endangered frog species and the Stephens Banded Snake .

Deforestation and reforestation

In the early 1820s, the first cedar cutters moved into the forests of the Myall Range and Watagan Range. Settlers followed who cut hardwood, which was needed for the growing coal mining industry . Sawmills, paths and industrial railways were later built to process the wood and get it out of the forest.

After the Forestry Commission was established in 1916, the area was reserved as a state forest. In the 1960s and 1970s, reforestation began with eucalyptus trees ( Blue-leafed Stringy Bark and Blackbutt ).

In 1999 the state forest was declared a national park.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Steve Parish: Australian Touring Atlas . Steve Parish Publishing Pty. Ltd. Archerfield QLD (2007). ISBN 978174193232-4 . P. 23
  2. Watagans National Park - Native vegetation . Office of Environment & Heritage. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
  3. a b Watagans National Park - Native Animals . Office of Environment & Heritage. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
  4. a b Watagans National Park - History since Colonization . Office of Environment & Heritage. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service