South Wales North Coast Research Articles

Mitigative translocation of Singleton Mint Bush (Prostanthera cineolifera) on the NSW North Coast: Effects of soil texture, horticultural practice and bushfire on the translocation outcome

SummaryTranslocation of the threatened species Singelton Mint Bush (Prostanthera cineolifera R.T.Baker & H.G.Sm.) was carried out for a highway project on the New South Wales North Coast to mitigate development impact on this species. The translocation aimed to augment an existing population with propagated plants to compensate for cleared plants and conduct field research to better understand the effects of soil properties, horticultural practices and a wildfire on translocation results. A novel soil seedbank and fire method applied ex‐situ was used to propagate plants for introduction. After an initial attempt at site‐wide introduction resulted in widespread mortality of seedlings from a wilt disease, three plot‐based experiments were carried out to examine how disease incidence was related to spatial variation in soil properties and horticultural practices. The experiments showed that relatively subtle changes in the clay and sand content of soil strongly affected susceptibility of Singelton Mint Bush seedlings to wilt disease; 12 month old seedlings performed much better than 6 month old seedlings; plants propagated from seed performed better than cuttings, and most of the recipient site represented unsuitable habitat for Singelton Mint Bush. Sufficient Singelton Mint Bush seedlings were established after 3 years, but after a bushfire, the translocated cohort recruited poorly from seed, so that after 6 years, <10% of the total Singelton Mint Bush population in the recipient site was of translocated origin and >90% of in‐situ (pre‐translocation) origin. Lessons learnt from the translocation project were that: (i) microhabitat is as important as macrohabitat in selecting a translocation recipient site; (ii) short‐term survival may not be a reliable indicator of a self‐sustaining population; (iii) translocation incorporating designed experiments can greatly improve understanding of how certain factors influence species performance and (iv) horticultural practices can be as important as ecology in determining the translocation outcome.

The complex nature of headland shrub encroachment: The case of Headland Zieria (Zieria prostrata)

SummaryHeadland Zieria (Zieria prostrata) is an endangered species restricted to four headlands with a potential population of 1000 individuals. The species also occurs within the endangered ecological community Themeda grassland on sea cliffs and coastal headlands in the New South Wales North Coast, Sydney Basin and South East Corner Bioregions. Shrub encroachment of native species is perceived as a threatening process within these grasslands, and also to the unique species within them, such as Headland Zieria. Suggested management actions for the community and Headland Zieria include the removal of other shrubs by frequent fire or mechanical means. We conducted a survey and correlative analyses to test the validity of these proposed actions. We provide evidence that Headland Zieria is facilitated by a higher density of nearby shrubs which may provide protection from the elements and decrease competition from other understorey species but is eventually out competed by them when the grassland fully transitions to a Banksia shrubland. We suggest that Headland Zieria is an ecotonal specialist that may require an invasion front of shrubs and/or isolated patches. The implementation of fire and/or overstorey shrub removal may be detrimental where populations of Headland Zieria occur. Our study highlights the need to look more closely at interactions before management actions changing vegetation structure and composition are implemented.

Mammographic parenchymal patterns and breast cancer risk in New South Wales North Coast Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.

IntroductionThe objective of the study was to document the distribution of mammographic parenchymal patterns (MPP) of Indigenous Australian women attending BreastScreen New South Wales (NSW) North Coast, to profile breast cancer risk as it relates to breast density and to explore the correlation between MPP, breast size as described by the posterior nipple line (PNL) and age.MethodsEthics was granted from CQUniversity Human Research Ethics Committee, NSW Population Health Services Research Ethics Committee and the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council Ethics Committee. A quantitative retrospective analysis reviewed 502 screening mammograms against the Tabár I–V MPP classification system. The PNL was measured in millimetres (mm) and the age of the patient documented.ResultsA statistically significant variation in the distribution of MPP (P < 0.0001) was demonstrated, with patterns of I (23.9%), II (45.6%), III (10.4%), IV (15.9%) and V (4.2%). Statistically significant differences were noted in the age of subjects between patterns (P = 0.0002). Patterns I and V demonstrated statistically significant lower ages than II, III and IV (all P < 0.05). Pattern V demonstrated a statistically significant lower age than pattern I (P = 0.0393). Pattern V demonstrated a statistically significant lower PNL value than all other patterns (all P < 0.001/P < 0.0002); pattern II was statistically significantly higher in PNL value than all other patterns (P < 0.002/P < 0.001). No significant relationship was noted between PNL and age.ConclusionThe study demonstrated that no identifiable or unique distribution of MPP was noted in this snapshot of Indigenous women. A larger study of Indigenous Australian women is required for validation.

Frogs using cossid moth galleries: an opportunity in Flooded Gum plantations in the New South Wales North Coast bioregion

Surveys of the impact of stem-boring insects were carried out across 14 Flooded Gum Eucalyptus grandis plantations in the New South Wales North Coast bioregion. This paper reports on novel observations made during this work of the Bleating Tree Frog Litoria dentata seeking refuge in cossid moth galleries. On four occasions, frogs were found in Giant Wood Moth Endoxyla cinereus galleries, which occurred in more than 10% of trees in the entire study. The incident of damage caused by a second cossid species, the Culama Wood Moth Culama australis was far lower (0.2%), with only one frog observed in a gallery excavated by this species. These structures make reasonable retreat sites for arboreal frogs because they are generally inaccessible to larger predators by being located off the ground and having narrow entrances.

Achieving primary care integration: Learning from the co-location of community health services and general practice in Northern New South Wales, Australia

Introduction: This paper describes an initiative to incorporate Community Health Services into General Practice based care across the New South Wales North Coast Medicare Local (NCML) region which has arisen as a result of recognised weaknesses in primary health care integration in the region. Short description of practice and context: The project involves 8 demonstration sites exploring the integration of specialist allied health and nursing staff into general practice teams. The teams are based in sites across the Northern New South Wales Local Health District (NNSWLHD). Description of change implemented: The project aimed to achieve the following changes: Improved patient experience in receiving the required multidisciplinary care they need; improved integration of care from the patient and clinician perspectives; facilitate skills transfer between specialist allied health and nursing staff and the general practice team and vice versa; test the feasibility of partnership arrangements for co-location of LHD allied health in private general practice; evaluate these project goals to inform decisions on wider adoption or adaptation of this form of service integration; practice participation in team care plan reviews and case conferencing; establish shared governance between NCML and LHD with Community Allied Health Manager involvement. Objective of the change: This paper describes the contexts, barriers and facilitators for achieving primary care integration in an Australian, regional, primary health care context. Targeted population: The patient population is people with chronic illness. World Congress on Integrated Care 2014, Sydney, November 23-26, 2014. International Journal of Integrated Care – Volume 14, 8 December – URN:NBN:NL:UI:10-1-116608– http://www.ijic.org/ Stakeholders engaged: Stakeholders included clinicians and managers from the host organisations, university partners. Timeline: The pilot project runs from April 2014 until April 2015 Theory/Methods used: The nature and extent of integration between organisations is examined in terms of cooperation, coordination and collaboration, or the “3Cs”, matching the level of relationship, commitment and intervention to suit the purposes sought. The evaluation draws on the principles of realistic evaluation, which explores what works for whom in what circumstances. Highlights (innovation, impact and outcomes): This project unpacks the complexity of integrating services from different jurisdictions and funding models with the goal of optimising access and outcomes for service users. Comments on sustainability / transferability: The context of primary care is likely to change, however we identify a series of principles that can be used to enhance primary care integration in the Australian context. Conclusions (comprising key findings): Primary care service integration required buy-in from general practitioners, change in nursing and allied health practice, and the introduction of new systems to support the integration. There is evidence of increased skill-sharing and case conferencing across practitioners, and better patient-centred models of care. Discussions / Lessons learned: Complex service change requires high level support, but with grass-roots engagement from practitioners.

An Aboriginal shield collected in 1770 at Kamay Botany Bay: an indicator of pre-colonial exchange systems in south-eastern Australia

A bark shield now in the British Museum can be identified from documentary and pictorial evidence as one collected by Captain Cook during his first voyage to Australia in 1770. Such shields often had special value to their Australian Aboriginal owners and hence might have been exchanged over considerable distances. This particular shield is known to have been collected in Kamay Botany Bay but analysis of the bark of which it is made revealed it to be of red mangrove, a tropical species found today more than 500km distant on the New South Wales north coast. It hence bears valuable testimony to the long-distance exchange networks operating in eastern Australia in the period before the disruption caused by European colonisation.

The conservation status of the Black Grassdart ButterflyOcybadistes knightorum:a species at risk from climate change

The Black Grass-dart Butterfly 'Ocybodistes knightorum' has a highly restricted distribution along the New South Wales north coast and is listed as an Endangered species in the State. Recent surveys have dramatically increased the known distribution of the species, warranting a reassessment of its conservation Status. Fine-scale mapping of the entire known habitat of the species enabled a detailed assessment to be conducted that was commensurate with the small size of the butterfly and the fine-grained environmental data available. We evaluate the Status of 'O. knightorum' against IUCN Criteria B (Geographic Range). The butterfly was found to have an extent of occurrence of 312 km2 and an area of occupancy of 76 km2, at three locatlons. A detailed digital elevation model was used to demonstrate the likelihood of continued decline due largely to sea-level rise induced by climate change. An estimated 85% of the current habitat of 'O. knightorum' will become unsuitably saline by 2100 according to the best currently available sea-level rise prediction. Weed invasion and anthropogenic disturbance are also serious threats, contributing to continued decline in some areas. Adopting a precautionary approach, we assess the species as Endangered under IUCN criteria.

The distribution of the endangered Black Grass-dart Butterfly,Ocybadistes knightorum(Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae)

The Black Grass-dart Butterfly, Ocybadistes knightorum is endemic to the New South Wales north coast. The species has a very restricted distribution and a high degree of specificity, feeding as a larva only on Floyd's Grass, Alexfloydia repens. Both species and host-plant are listed as endangered in the State, partly because they were known from only a few localities at the time of listing. We have mapped the entire known habitat of the butterfly at a very fine scale using a hand-held GPS. A total of 293 patches of potential A. repens habitat were mapped and surveyed for O. knightorum. The butterflies were confirmed to occupy 155 of these patches, including all of the large patches (those 30.1 ha). The mapped habitat was found to be highly protected in reserves and environmental protection zones. However, despite the huge increase in known localities and their high degree of protection, serious threats remain that are operating wholly or partly independent of tenure. These include sea-level rise, weed inv...

Community restoration of a degraded wetland in knockrow, New South Wales north coast

Community restoration of a degraded wetland in knockrow, New South Wales north coast

Trouble in Paradise? Governing Australia's multifunctional rural landscapes

Australia's rural lands are undergoing a process of intensive re-evaluation whereby previously unthought of, ignored, and excluded interests are gradually but emphatically asserting themselves. This re-interpretation, which itself reflects a transformation in established relationships between local communities, the three tiers of government in Australia and the private and non-governmental sectors, is being expressed in spatially uneven ways. Neoliberalist governments have ‘rolled out’ new models of so-called locally led, bottom-up entrepreneurialism and community development as the panacea to regional inequality. In this context, this paper critically scrutinises the evolving character of governance in one zone undergoing dramatic change across the spectrum: the high-amenity rural landscapes of New South Wales North Coast. In particular, it seeks to explore whether or not the advent of neoliberalist modes of governing that centre on the ‘active citizen’ and, by extension, the ‘active community’, necessarily produce a genuinely inclusive politics of community participation. Recent land-use disputes in the Mullumbimby region are emblematic of a case of locally led community development in which deeply concerned local citizens build social capital to form factions in defence of their cause but which also generate considerable disunity—antipathy, even—between rival factions.

A nine year survey of the vertebrate fauna of the Bruxner-Ulidarra conservation area in the New South Wales north coast bioregion

Bruxner Park Flora Reserve and the adjoining Ulidarra National Park, on the NSW north coast, comprise a dual-tenure conservation area of 1090 ha dominated by rainforest and old-growth moist eucalypt forest. A field survey of the area's vertebrate fauna over the period 1996-2005 detected 224 native species and nine introduced species. Incorporating records from secondary sources, the Bruxner-Ulidarra conservation area is known to support 230 native vertebrate species (39 mammals, 124 birds, 36 reptiles, 21 frogs and 10 fishes), including 20 species that are currently listed as threatened under NSW legislation. One hundred and ninety vertebrate species (79% of the total) were recorded during a systematic survey, with the remainder of records from opportunistic survey (18%) or secondary sources (3%). The effectiveness of the systematic survey effort in detecting the full inventory of species known from the study area ranged from 100% for freshwater fishes to only 61% for reptiles. Many reptile species were c...

Stand-level management of plantations to improve biodiversity values

As conservation reserves expand, the likelihood that they will capture areas degraded by previous land use increases. Ecological restoration of such areas will therefore play an increasing role in biodiversity conservation. On the New South Wales North Coast, recent expansion in the conservation estate has captured over 300 softwood and hardwood plantations, many with understoreys dominated by exotic weeds. Here we present an overview of the practices we have adopted in managing flooded gum (Eucalyptus grandis) plantations infested with lantana (Lantana camara) to enhance their biodiversity value. Experiments designed to overcome barriers limiting regeneration of native forest in conjunction with measurement of soil and plant responses yielded insights into the management of former timber plantations for biodiversity. Canonical Correspondence Analysis indicated that the level of canopy retention (or logging intensity) within sites consistently explained the greatest amount of variation in plant community composition (32–38% post-treatment). Thinning and burning stimulated regeneration of native species. Retained canopy cover was proportional to the richness or abundance of native woody shrubs, understorey trees and native perennial herbs, indicating that management intensity can be varied to promote a range of conservation values. A state-and-transition model summarising purported management actions and likely outcomes for these plantations is presented. This is the first time plantations have been managed solely for biodiversity. Logging income means that plantation restoration can be cost-neutral, and the positive influence of a cover crop of trees means that plantation management may generally be manipulated to promote biodiversity conservation.

Medical schools can cooperate: a new joint venture to provide medical education in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales

The medical schools at the University of Western Sydney, University of Wollongong and University of Sydney have developed a joint program for training medical students through placements of up to 40 weeks on the New South Wales North Coast. The new partnership agency - the North Coast Medical Education Collaboration - builds on the experience of regional doctors and their academic partners. A steering committee has identified the availability and support requirements of local practitioners to provide training, and has undertaken a comparative mapping of learning objectives and assessments from the courses of the three universities. The goals of the program include preparing doctors who can perform effectively in rural settings and multidisciplinary health care teams, and to advance research in medical education.

Bitou Bush control (after fire) in Bundjalung National Park on the New South Wales North Coast

Bitou Bush has already invaded extensive coastal dunes in subtropical and temperate eastern Australia. Can it be treated at a large enough scale to make a difference? Results to date of a targeted aerial spraying program (applied after wildfire at Bundjalung National Park) are showing strong recovery of high conservation value dunal vegetation along 35 km of the northern New South Wales coastline.

A comparison of five flood rain events over the New South Wales north coast and a case study

One of the most significant forecasting problems facing meteorologists in the Sydney office of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology is the prediction of the heavy to extreme rainfall amounts that occur on the subtropical north coast of New South Wales (NSW). The significance of the problem lies in the great intensity of the rainfall, the difficulty in predicting the formation, location and duration of the rainfall, and the impacts of flooding on both cities and communities. The forecasting difficulties arise because of the small scales often involved, the range of physical mechanisms responsible and the challenge involved in forecasting events of such short duration. In the case of flash floods, the intense rainfall is typically less than 6 h in duration. Operational numerical weather prediction (NWP) has not shown much success, mainly because of the reasons mentioned above, especially given that computational limitations restrict its model resolutions. In this paper, the synoptic situation is presented for the most severe flash flood on record to affect Coffs Harbour, a city which is located on the NSW mid-north coast. The event, which occurred on the evening of 23 November 1996, is rated approximately as a 1 in a 100-year intensity/duration event. A 25-year climatology subset of flood-producing systems that have affected Coffs Harbour is then presented, and is correlated with the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI). Finally, details are given for a numerical modelling case study of the flash flood. The model results reveal that a very accurate prediction of the amount and the spatial distribution of rainfall amounts can be made for an event of this type. The rainfall totals of over 500 mm in 24 h were accurately forecast using coarse resolution archived operational initial analyses. The success of the predictions is most likely owing to the dominance of large-scale dynamical processes, which were further focused by the steep topography. Copyright © 2000 Royal Meteorological Society

A comparison of five flood rain events over the New South Wales north coast and a case study

A comparison of five flood rain events over the New South Wales north coast and a case study

Patterns and correlates of cannabis dependence among long‐term users in an Australian rural area

To examine prevalence and correlates of cannabis dependence among long-term cannabis users. A cross-sectional survey of patterns and experiences of cannabis use and dependence. A snowball sample of 243 long-term cannabis smokers, who were currently smoking 3-4 times a week, were recruited from the New South Wales North Coast, an area long associated with cannabis cultivation and use. A structured interview was administered, incorporating the following dependence measures: an approximation to a life-time DSM-III-R diagnosis, an approximation to a 12-month ICD-10 diagnosis, and the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS). Prevalence of a life-time DSM-III-R diagnosis of cannabis dependence was 57%, while 57% received an ICD-10 dependence diagnosis for the last year. Substantially fewer (15%) of the sample were diagnosed as dependent according to the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS). Only 26% believed they had a problem with cannabis at least sometimes. There was general concordance between DSM-III-R and ICD-10 measures, but not between these and the SDS. ICD-10 and DSM-III-R dependence diagnoses were modestly correlated with age, life-time illicit drug use and quantity of cannabis use. Principal components analyses of the dependence measures provided little evidence for a unidimensional dependence syndrome for ICD-10 and DSM-III-R criteria. There was strong support for unidimensionality of the SDS. Symptoms of cannabis dependence were common among these long-term users but only one-quarter perceived that they had a cannabis problem. There was no strong evidence for a unidimensional cannabis dependence syndrome.

Migration to the New South Wales North Coast 1986–1991 : Lifestyle motivated counterurbanisation

Although Australia's settlement pattern is characterised by a high level of primacy, there is evidence of deconcentration and Counterurbanisation as internal migrants move to attractive coastal regions, often putting a strain on the physical environment and social infrastructure of such regions. Some of the nation's most rapid population growth rates have been recorded on the North Coast of New South Wales. The paper sets this migration flow in an international context and looks in detail at the profile, decision-making, and experience of 150 households who moved to the North Coast in the 1986–1991 intercensal period. Results corroborate earlier findings that many coastal migrants are motivated by non-economic considerations. ‘Pull’ factors are much more important than ‘push’ factors, with the influence of the physical environment, climate and relaxed lifestyle dominant. Many households decided to move without a prior visit to the town in question, suggesting that it was the overall image of life on the North Coast that was important to them. This image, and thus the migration flows, are unlikely to change in the short-term, making Australia's Counterurbanisation experience remarkable in terms of its location (coastal ribbon development), duration (in excess of two decades), and underlying motivation (lifestyle considerations).

Hepatitis C transmission on the north coast of New South Wales: explaining the unexplained.

To determine the routes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission in an Australian community. Questionnaire-based, cross-sectional survey of notified HCV cases. All cases notified to the New South Wales North Coast Public Health Unit between 1 January 1993 and 30 September 1994. Frequency of potential transmission exposures (parenteral and sexual); most likely primary exposure; HCV infection rates in sexual partners and offspring. 467 subjects responded (47% of resident cases). Of these, all but one reported actual or potential blood exposures (injecting drug user [IDU], 85%; IDU with sharing of injection equipment, 76%; pre-1990 blood transfusions, 6%; other blood exposures, 8%). Most subjects reported multiple exposures and none reported sexual contact as the only potential exposure. Of 233 sexual partners tested for HCV, 83 were positive; 54 of these were questioned and all had other parenteral exposures. Only three children out of 91 children tested were positive for HCV (two expressing maternal antibodies). In contrast with previous studies, possible HCV transmission modes were identified for almost all respondents. Most respondents in this community were IDUs. Non-parenteral transmission appeared minimal. Novel approaches to preventing HCV transmission in IDUs are needed.

Satisfaction with Sunbelt Migration

Migration to non‐metropolitan areas of high environmental amenity and low population is a lifestyle choice made by a small percentage of people on or about the age of retirement from the workforce Although the proportion of older people involved is low, their numbers are significant to host towns. An aspect of retirement migration which has received little attention by researchers in Australia is the extent to which such moves realise hoped for benefits for the migrants. This paper reports results of interviews undertaken in 1986 with 146 people who had migrated, on or about retirement, to the New South Wales north coast town of Port Macquarie. Several indicators of life and place satisfaction were used They all showed high absolute and relative levels of satisfaction. Although there was tittle dissatisfaction with the results of moves, search behaviour undertaken prior to moving and a number of personal characteristics of migrants, are analysed to explain some variance in satisfaction levels.