A scenic and large reserve that conserves a large sample of the Monaro grassland landscape. There are patches of high floral diversity, especially in the steeper rocky parts of the reserve. The site conserves three of the regions threatened reptiles, and is habitat for a number of other grassland reptiles, birds, mammals and invertebrates.
Monaro Highway, 5.3 south of Cooma
24 hour access from southern gate and style off Old Dangelong Road, which runs off the Monaro Highway to the east.
No facilities. A style enables access from the car-parking area on Old Dangelong Road.
Ranger, NPWS Snowy River Area Office, PO Box 2228, Jindabyne, NSW, 2627; Phone: 02 64505 555.
Contact hours: 9am-12.30pm Monday to Friday. Website: http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/Kuma-Nature-Reserve
Gazetted in 2003, this reserve is the largest area of natural grassland conserved within the NSW Southern Tablelands. The site was identified during assessment work for fauna and flora for construction of a gas pipleine. It was established as an offset area for another, unrelated development, and when the pipeine, was constructed, it was diverted away from the reserve. Prior to gazettal, the reserve had been used for sheep grazing.
A large and diverse site with the nationally listed endangered ecological community, Natural Temperate Grassland of the South Eastern Highlands. The site conserves habitat of three threatened reptile species, the Endangered (Commonwealth & NSW) Grassland Earless Dragon, and Vulnerable (Commonwealth and NSW) Striped Legless Lizard, and the Vulnerable (NSW) Little Whip Snake. Threatened flora are also present: Hoary Sunray (Leucochrysum albicans) and Silky swainson-pea (Swainsona sericea). Other significant and regionally declining flora species occur.
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Spring and summer wildflowers in diverse rocky sections of the reserve, high scenic values with views towards the Kosciuzcko Main range to the west and fauna including grassland and woodland mammals and birds.
Ongoing management activities include: weed control (significant grassland weeds such as African Lovegrass and St John's Wort); ongoing reptile monitoring.
Dog walking and vehicle access are not permitted in the reserve. Please do not handle the monitoring equipment and do not turn rocks in search of threatened reptiles as this has a very deleterious effect on the species.
Acaena echinata, Acaena ovina, Ajuga australis, Asperula conferta, Asperula scoparia, Asplenium flabellifolium, Austrostipa bigeniculata, Austrostipa densiflora, Austrostipa scabra, Bothriochloa macra, Brachyscome dentata, Brachyscome spathulata, Bursaria spinosa, Carex bichenoviana, Carex breviculmis, Carex inversa, Euphorbia drummondii, Cheilanthes spp., Chloris truncata, Chrysocephalum apiculatum, Chrysocephalum semipapposum, Convolvulus angustissimus, Crassula sieberiana, Cullen tenax, Cymbonotus lawsonianus, Cynoglossum suaveolens, Desmodium varians, Dichelachne sp., Dichondra repens, Dichondra sp., Discaria pubescens, Dysphania pumilio, Einadia nutans, Elymus scaber, Enneapogon nigricans, Epilobium billardierianum, Erodium crinitum, Eryngium ovinum, Euchiton involucratus, Galium gaudichaudii, Glycine clandestina, Glycine tabacina, Goodenia pinnatifida, Hovea linearis, Hydrocotyle laxiflora, Leucochrysum albicans, Lomandra sp., Melicytus sp., Microlaena stipoides, Oxalis perennans, Panicum effusum, Pimelea curviflora, Pimelea glauca, Plantago varia, Poa labillardierei, Poa meionectes, Poa sieberiana, Poranthera microphylla, Pteridium esculentum, Rumex dumosus, Rytidosperma caespitosum, Rytidosperma carphoides, Rytidosperma racemosum, Scleranthus diander, Spergularia marina, Stackhousia monogyna, Swainsona behriana, Swainsona monticola, Swainsona sericea, Themeda triandra, Vittadinia cuneata, Vittadinia muelleri and Wahlenbergia communis.
An incomplete list of native species recorded includes: Australian Magpie, Australasian Pipit, Australian Raven, Eastern Copperhead, Flame Robin, Grassland Earless Dragon, Little Whip Snake, Striped Legless Lizard and Stubble Quail.