Monga-Buckenbowra

Monga-Buckenbowra is a unique section of the eastern escarpment - it is the wettest place, harbours the greatest biodiversity, and contains the most rainforest of any section of the escarpment on the NSW South Coast or South East regions. It is the only place where two waratah species co-exist in Australia. It is the only place where a river runs for 40km along the top edge of the escarpment without falling down it, instead turning inland. Monga-Buckenbowra is unique.

Monga-Buckenbowra lies above, on and below this remarkable stretch of escarpment. Monga-Buckenbowra covers most of Monga and Buckenbowra State Forests, between Braidwood and Batemans Bay. It also covers all of Quart Pot State Forest and part of Wandera State Forest along with a small block of vacant crown land. It lies between Deua and Budawang National Parks.

Monga-Buckenbowra covers 29,852 ha, with 88 ha being vacant crown land and the other 29,764 ha being state forest.

Some of the conservation values of Monga-Buckenbowra are listed below:

Monga-Buckenbowra is essential for reserve design as a major corridor for the region, as it links the four largest National Parks in the South Coast ­ joining Morton and Budawang in the north to Deua and Wadbilliga in the south.

Monga-Buckenbowra is one of the most important areas in the region for conserving rainforest. It contains the largest contiguous area of rainforest on the South Coast, and harbours some of the best remaining areas of Pinkwood rainforest, an ancient Gondwanan relic, in existence, as well as some of the best warm-temperate rainforest in southern NSW.

Monga-Buckenbowra contains some of the most significant stands of giant fertile old-growth forest in southern NSW, providing a refugia and core habitat for an abundance of wildlife and plants, and containing extremely high levels of biodiversity. Over 7,000 ha of old-growth have been identified in Monga-Buckenbowra, making over quarter of this area old-growth forest.

Monga-Buckenbowra contains at least 17 threatened species, including the nationally threatened Macquarie Perch, making it a biodiversity hot spot.

Monga-Buckenbowra is largely National Estate, listed in recognition of its exceptional environmental values.

Monga-Buckenbowra is largely Commonwealth - identified Wilderness (National Wilderness Inventory level 12 Wilderness), and the Wandera section along with much of Monga, Buckenbowra and Quart Pot, is also nominated as Wilderness.

Monga-Buckenbowra protects the catchments for the pristine Mongarlowe and Buckenbowra Rivers. The unique Mongarlowe River valley lying atop the eastern escarpment captures rain and clouds to make it the wettest place in a region stretching from Kiama down the coast to southern Victoria, and inland to the edge of the Snowy Mountains. This feature makes it a refugia of enormous importance for rainforest and other wet forest communities and their biodiversity.

Monga-Buckenbowra is essential for achieving JANIS scientific targets. It is a major contributor to all rainforest types, and is the only place to find rainforest types 77 and 82. It also makes the largest contributions of any area for the targets of forest ecosystems 4, 44, 50 and 159, and contains all of forest ecosystems 2, 96, and 110.