Mulanggari Grassland Nature Reserve is a low lying grassland reserve located in the south west of Gungahlin Valley. The reserve features nationally endangered natural temperate grassland and includes populations of the threatened striped legless lizard, golden sun moth, and perunga grasshopper. Endangered Blakely’s red gum-yellow box grassy woodland occurs on ridge lines and in recent years trees have provided a roosting site for the vulnerable superb parrot. The reserve also protects an Aboriginal chert quarry complex which is valued by the Ngunnawal people and is significant for the information it provides on Aboriginal technology, occupation and resource use. Muggangarri is close to two other major and similar grassland reserves, Crace Grassland Nature Reserve (156 hectares) and Gungaderra Grassland Nature Reserve (281 hectare). Dominant species are Themeda australis, Chrysocephalum apiculatum, Panicum effusum, Poa sieberiana, Vittadinia sp., Lomandra sp., Austrostipa scabra, Austrostipa bigenticulata, Rytidosperma spp.
Located in the centre of Gungahlin Valley and bounded by Gungahlin Drive in the west, the suburb of Franklin to the south and east, Gungahlin town centre to the north and Burgmann Anglican School to the north-west.
Mulanggari Grassland has a small number of walking trails and an equestrian trail.
Environment and Planning Directorate,
GPO Box 158
Canberra City
ACT 2601
Ph 13 22 81
http://www.environment.act.gov.au/
European settlement began in the Gungahlin valley in the 1830s. Mulangari would have been grazed by stock since then, with possibly a small area of cultivation. In 1995 most of the area became a conservation reserve. A low level of cattle grazing, and more recently burning, for fuel reduction purposes and biomass management has continued. This is now a conservation reserve within the Canberra Nature Park network.
Mullanggari is one of the largest conserved grassland areas in the ACT and supports one of the largest known populations of the nationally vulnerable Striped Legless Lizard (Delma impar) (a population of at least 2,000). The reserve also contains a relatively large area of endangered Natural Temperate Grassland of the South Eastern Highlands, the threatened ecological community, Yellow Box–Red Gum Grassy Woodland and threatened species, Hoary Sunray (Leucochrysum albicans), Golden Sun Moth (Synemon plana), and Perunga Grasshopper (Perunga ochracea).
Natural Temperate Grassland of the South Eastern Highlands, White Box - Yellow Box - Blakely's Red Gum Grassy Woodland, Exotic pasture, Native pasture
Look out for the better areas of native grasslands with their variety of native grasses and wild flowers best seen in spring. Likely to see kangaroos. Possibly may spot Striped Legless Lizards but these are cryptic.
Management of grass biomass and fuel load is by grazing and burning. Weed control is by spot spraying. Rabbit control is by warren ripping and fumigation. The main threats are exotic pasture grasses that remain dominant in the lower, wetter and more nutrient rich areas. Active restoration works will be required to rehabilitate these areas. There are currently about 2 kangaroos per hectare, which is a density at which grazing is likely to impact on plant diversity and grass structure and height. Significant weeds such as Chilean Needlegrass and Serrated Tussock occur on the reserve. Much of the reserve has an urban edge, which requires fuel reduction, which in turn can degrade habitat value of Striped Legless Lizard. The following monitoring is undertaken: regular monitoring of grass height, cover and structure; regular monitoring of kangaroo numbers; periodic monitoring of the Striped Legless Lizard population and how local density and abundance relates to grass height, cover and structure; periodic monitoring of other grassland vertebrate species using roof tile grids; mapping of weed infestations and treatment; mapping of rabbit warrens and treated warrens. Research is being undertaken on the impact of grazing on plant diversity and lizard abundance and distribution is being undertaken by ACT Government and as part of a ANU PhD research project. Consideration is being given to a habitat restoration trial to replace Phalaris with native tussock grasses without compromising shelter for Striped Legless Lizards.
No dogs are allowed in the reserve. Do not disturb roof tiles without permission.
Acaena echinata, Acaena ovina, Aphanes australiana, Aristida ramosa, Arthropodium fimbriatum, Asperula conferta, Austrostipa bigeniculata, Austrostipa scabra, Bossiaea buxifolia, Bothriochloa macra, Bulbine bulbosa, Carex inversa, Chloris truncata, Chrysocephalum apiculatum, Convolvulus angustissimus, Crassula sieberiana, Cullen tenax, Cymbonotus lawsonianus, Cynodon dactylon, Cynoglossum suaveolens, Cyperus tenellus, Desmodium varians, Deyeuxia quadriseta, Dianella longifolia, Dichelachne micrantha, Dichondra repens, Diuris chryseopsis, Drosera peltata, Dysphania pumilio, Einadia nutans, Elymus scaber, Enneapogon nigricans, Eragrostis brownii, Eragrostis trachycarpa, Eryngium ovinum, Eucalyptus blakelyi, Eucalyptus melliodora, Euchiton sphaericus, Geranium solanderi, Glycine clandestina, Glycine tabacina, Gonocarpus tetragynus, Goodenia hederacea, Goodenia pinnatifida, Haloragis heterophylla, Hydrocotyle laxiflora, Hypericum gramineum, Isolepis hookeriana, Juncus australis, Juncus filicaulis, Juncus subsecundus, Leptorhynchos squamatus, Lomandra bracteata, Lomandra filiformis, Lomandra multiflora, Luzula densiflora, Lythrum hyssopifolia, Melichrus urceolatus, Mentha diemenica, Microlaena stipoides, Microtis sp., Microtis unifolia, Oxalis perennans, Panicum effusum, Pentapogon quadrifidus, Persicaria prostrata, Plantago varia, Poa labillardierei, Poa sieberiana, Ranunculus papulentus, Rumex brownii, Rumex dumosus, Rytidosperma auriculatum, Rytidosperma caespitosum, Rytidosperma carphoides, Rytidosperma fulvum, Rytidosperma laeve, Rytidosperma racemosum, Schoenus apogon, Sebaea ovata, Solenogyne dominii, Solenogyne gunnii, Stuartina muelleri, Swainsona sericea, Thysanotus tuberosus, Tricoryne elatior, Triptilodiscus pygmaeus, Typha domingensis, Vittadinia cuneata, Vittadinia gracilis, Vittadinia muelleri, Wahlenbergia communis, Wahlenbergia luteola, Wahlenbergia multicaulis, Wurmbea dioica
- A species list may be found on Canberra Nature Map (http://canberranaturemap.org/Community/LocationGuide/36/8).
- Conservation Council ACT Region (2009) Gungahlin’s Treasures; Ecological Australia (2013) Striped Legless Lizard Surveys 2012; Gungahlin Grassland Nature Reserves, Crace, Mulanggari and Gungaderra Report to Conservation Planning and Research by David Hogg (2012); and Mulanggari Nature Reserve, Golden Sun Moth Survey 2011 Report to Conservation Planning and Research.