Susan Island Nature Reserve

Susan Island Nature Reserve New South Wales
IUCN category Ia (strict nature reserve)
Susan Island
Susan Island Nature Reserve
Nearest town or city	Grafton
Coordinates
Established	May 1982 (1982-05)
Area	0.23 km2 (0.1 sq mi)
Managing authorities	NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service
Website	Susan Island Nature Reserve
See also	Protected areas of New South Wales

Susan Island

Geography
Location	Clarence River
Country
Australia
State	New South Wales

The Susan Island Nature Reserve is a protected nature reserve containing Susan Island, a river island, that is located in the mouth of the Clarence River, in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales in eastern Australia. The 23-hectare (57-acre) reserve is situated near Grafton. The island and reserve is a rare 16.5-hectare (41-acre) example of sub tropical lowland rainforest.

Features

Much of Australia's lowland sub tropical rainforest was cleared for housing and agriculture, leaving only small patches remaining, such as at Susan Island. The soils are alluvial, derived from the Clarence River. The average annual rainfall is a modest 1,065 millimetres (41.9 in), which is marginal for this type of vegetation community.

Fauna

Currently there are eleven reptile species and fifteen mammal species on the island. However, this is far less than older reports from colonial times. At certain times, the numbers of the three species of flying foxes are in excess of 100,000. The numbers of the grey-headed flying foxes appears to be increasing in recent years. Noteworthy birds occurring here are the osprey and the noisy pitta.

Flora

57 species of rainforest tree are known to grow on the island. Significant tree species include stinging tree, Moreton Bay fig, white walnut, shiny-leaved stinging tree, tulipwood and lacebark tree. The largest known yellow kamala grows up to 30 metres (98 ft) tall with a trunk diameter of 80 centimetres (31 in). And the widespread tropical Asian species white bean grows on the island at its southern most limit of natural distribution. Australian red cedar was logged from the island, and there is no regeneration. Rainforest regeneration programs have been put in place to encourage local rainforest species and suppress the problem of invasive weeds.

Indigenous Australians

It is likely that Indigenous Australians regularly visited the rainforest on the island for varying purposes. Such as the collection of food, medicinal purposes, and the collection of fibres for making bags and nets. The island has spiritual significance to local Indigenous Australians.

See also

• List of islands of New South Wales
• Protected areas of New South Wales