Ulupna Island, a river island, lies at the eastern end of Barmah National Park which is a part of the largest river red gum forest in Victoria, Australia. The island is bounded by the Murray River and its anabranch, Ulupna Creek.[1] Ulupna Island is part of the flood plain of the Murray River.[2]

Location and features

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Ulupna Island is located in Northern Victoria, with the nearest town being Strathmerton. The island is popular as a camping destination and is rich in wildlife, with many goannas, eastern grey kangaroos and koalas visible all year.

Ulupna Island Flora Reserve

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In 1991, 340 hectares (840 acres) of the western part of the island was heritage listed as Ulupna Island Flora Reserve, a place of natural significance on the former Register of the National Estate.[3] In 2010, the Ulupna Island Flora Reserve became part of Barmah National Park.[1]

The vegetation of the reserve is mainly river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) open forest.[2]

This area is very rich in plant species, including two rare or threatened species - the Mueller daisy (Brachyscome muelleroides) and Reader's daisy (Brachyscome readeri).[2][4] Ulupna is important for the Mueller daisy because of its restricted distribution in Victoria.[3]

Ulupna also provides important habitat for two threatened woodland birds, the grey-crowned babbler (Pomatostomus temporalis) and the superb parrot (Polytelis swainsonii). The grey-crowned babblers are a species that was once common in the woodlands of south-eastern Australia, Ulupna also provides habitat for superb parrots at the southern end of their range.[3]

Unlike most of the Barmah forest, Ulupna Reserve has not been extensively grazed or logged,[3] and provides an important reference area for studies of the impacts of these activities on other red gum forests in the region.[3] Ulupna also contains an excellent example of river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) open forest.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b Parks Victoria (2014). "Barmah National Park Visitor Guide" (PDF). Retrieved 2 May 2019. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. ^ a b c Muir, T. B. (1972). "The flora of Ulupna Island reserve" (PDF). Muelleria. 2: 169–179.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Ulupna Island Flora Reserve. "Australian Heritage Database". www.environment.gov.au. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  4. ^ DELWP (2014), Advisory List of Rare or Threatened Plants in Victoria - 2014 (PDF), Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning
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35°50′S 145°28′E / 35.83°S 145.46°E / -35.83; 145.46