# Wamberal Lagoon

Wamberal Lagoon, an intermittently closed intermediate saline coastal lagoon, is located on the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. Wamberal Lagoon is located between the beachside settlements of Forresters Beach and Wamberal, and adjacent to the Pacific Ocean, about 87 kilometres (54 mi) north of Sydney.

## Features and location

Fed by stormwater runoff that flows into Forresters Creek, the lagoon has a surface area of approximately 50 hectares (120 acres) and a catchment area of 5.8 square kilometres (2.2 sq mi). When full, the Wamberal Lagoon covers an area of around 50 hectares (120 acres). Its outflow is to the Tasman Sea of the South Pacific Ocean that is generally closed, and water levels inside the lagoon are not usually influenced by ocean tides.
The lagoon and the surrounding land comprising 139 hectares (340 acres) form part of the Wamberal Lagoon Nature Reserve, a nature reserve created in 1981, that is under management of the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service.
Terrigal Lagoon and Avoca Lake are located to the south and are a short distance away.

## Wamberal Lagoon Conservation Society

Formed in 1983 and still active, the Wamberal Lagoon Conservation Society (WLCS) was set up to promote conservation of the lagoon and its surrounds in the face of increasing urban development.
The initial charter of the WLCS cited the terms of Section 49(3) of the National Parks and Wildlife Act: lands within a nature reserve shall be deemed to be dedicated for the purposes of:
* (a) The care, propagation, preservation and conservation of wildlife;
* (b) The care, preservation and conservation of natural environments and natural phenomena.
* (c) The study of wildlife, natural environments and natural phenomena; and
* (d) The promotion of the appreciation and enjoyment of wildlife, natural environments and natural phenomena.
To this end the Society engages in education, co-operation with other bodies having a similar interest, and representations to authorities whose responsibilities affect the nature reserve. Members of the WLCS have been active members in bushcare activities over many years, involving removal of rubbish and invasive plants from environmentally sensitive areas, and replanting of native vegetation.
In 2018 and 2019 the WLCS initiated a habitat restoration project aimed at improving water quality in inflows to the lagoon, with the ultimate aim of reintroducing an endangered amphibian species (the green and golden bell frog, Litoria aurea) that once was common in this area but has been extirpated (as it has over most of its former range).
The WLCS is working with management authorities (notably, the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service and the Central Coast Council) to identify practicable methods to reduce pollutant input (e.g., via Gross Pollutant Traps on waterways flowing into the lagoon) and to replace invasive weeds with native vegetation to enhance biodiversity.
As part of the habitat restoration initiative, WLCS assembled a list of vertebrate species that have been recorded to occur within one kilometre of the lagoon, based on unpublished records by WLCS members as well as consultancy reports. That list confirms the highly biodiverse nature of the site, and hence the importance of its conservation. Species lists below.
Amphibians
| Family | Common name | Species |
| Hylidae | Bleating tree frog | Litoria dentata |
| Hylidae | Eastern dwarf tree frog | Litoria fallax |
| Hylidae | Peron's tree frog | Litoria peronii |
| Myobatrachidae | Tusked frog | Adelotus brevis |
| Myobatrachidae | Common eastern froglet | Crinia signifera |
| Myobatrachidae | Striped marsh frog | Limnodynastes peronii |
Birds
| Family | Common name | Species |
| Acanthizidae | Brown thornbill | Acanthiza pusilla |
| Acanthizidae | Striated thornbill | Acanthiza lineata |
| Acanthizidae | Yellow thornbill | Acanthiza nana |
| Acanthizidae | Brown gerygone | Gerygone mouki |
| Acanthizidae | White-browed scrubwren | Sericornis frontalis |
| Accipitridae | Grey Goshawk | Accipiter (Leucospiza) novaehollandiae |
| Accipitridae | Pacific Baza | Aviceda (Aviceda) subcristata |
| Accipitridae | White-bellied Sea Eagle | Haliaeetus leucogaster |
| Accipitridae | Whistling Kite | Haliastur sphenurus |
| Accipitridae | Black Kite | Milvus migrans |
| Accipitridae | Osprey | Pandion haliaetus |
| ACROCEPHALIDAE | Australian Reed Warbler | Acrocephalus (Acrocephalus) australis |
| ALCEDINIDAE | Kookaburra | Dacelo (Dacelo) novaeguineae |
| ALCEDINIDAE | Sacred Kingfisher | Todiramphus (Todiramphus) sanctus |
| ANATIDAE | Mallard Duck | Anas (Anas) platyrhynchos |
| ANATIDAE | Pacific Black Duck | Anas (Anas) superciliosa |
| ANATIDAE | Chestnut Teal | Anas (Nettion) castanea |
| ANATIDAE | Grey Teal | Anas (Nettion) gracilis |
| ANATIDAE | Hardhead | Aythya (Nyroca) australis |
| ANATIDAE | Musk Duck | Biziura lobata |
| ANATIDAE | Australian Wood Duck | Chenonetta jubata |
| ANATIDAE | Black Swan | Cygnus (Chenopis) atratus |
| ANHINGIDAE | Australasian Darter | Anhinga novaehollandiae |
| APODIDAE | Spine-Tailed Swift | Hirundapus caudacutus |
| ARDEIDAE | Eastern Great Egret | Ardea (Casmerodius) modesta |
| ARDEIDAE | Eastern Great Egret | Ardea (Casmerodius) modesta |
| ARDEIDAE | Intermediate Egret | Ardea (Mesophoyx) intermedia |
| ARDEIDAE | Great Egret | Ardea alba |
| ARDEIDAE | Striated Heron | Butorides striatus |
| ARDEIDAE | Little Egret | Egretta garzetta |
| ARDEIDAE | White-Faced Heron | Egretta novaehollandiae |
| ARDEIDAE | Eastern Reef Egret | Egretta sacra |
| ARDEIDAE | Black Bittern | Ixobrychus flavicollis |
| ARDEIDAE | Nankeen Night-Heron | Nycticorax caledonicus |
| ARTAMIDAE | White-Breasted Woodswallow | Artamus (Artamus) leucorynchus |
| ARTAMIDAE | Pied Butcherbird | Cracticus nigrogularis |
| ARTAMIDAE | Australian Magpie | Cracticus tibicen |
| ARTAMIDAE | Grey Butcherbird | Cracticus torquatus |
| ARTAMIDAE | Pied Currawong | Strepera (Strepera) graculina |
| CACATUIDAE | Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo | Cacatua (Cacatua) galerita |
| CACATUIDAE | Little Corella | Cacatua (Licmetis) sanguinea |
| CACATUIDAE | Long-Billed Corella | Cacatua (Licmetis) tenuirostris |
| CACATUIDAE | Gang-Gang Cockatoo | Callocephalon fimbriatum |
| CACATUIDAE | Yellow-Tailed Black-Cockatoo | Calyptorhynchus (Zanda) funereus |
| CACATUIDAE | Galah | Eolophus roseicapillus |
| CAMPEPHAGIDAE | Black-Faced Cuckoo-Shrike | Coracina (Coracina) novaehollandiae |
| CENTROPODIDAE | Pheasant Coucal | Centropus (Polophilus) phasianinus |
| CHARADRIIDAE | Pacific Golden Plover | Pluvialis fulva |
| CHARADRIIDAE | Masked Lapwing | Vanellus miles |
| CICONIIDAE | Black-Necked Stork | Ephippiorhynchus (Ephippiorhynchus) asiaticus |
| COLUMBIDAE | Rock Pigeon | Columba (Columba) livia |
| COLUMBIDAE | White-Headed Pigeon | Columba (Janthoenas) leucomela |
| COLUMBIDAE | Bar-Shouldered Dove | Geopelia humeralis |
| COLUMBIDAE | Crested Pigeon | Ocyphaps lophotes |
| COLUMBIDAE | Common Bronzewing | Phaps (Phaps) chalcoptera |
| COLUMBIDAE | Spotted Dove | Streptopelia (Spilopelia) chinensis |
| CORACIIDAE | Dollarbird | Eurystomus orientalis |
| CORCORACIDAE | White-Winged Chough | Corcorax melanorhamphos |
| CORVIDAE | Australian Raven | Corvus coronoides |
| CUCULIDAE | Fan-Tailed Cuckoo | Cacomantis (Vidgenia) flabelliformis |
| CUCULIDAE | Pacific Koel | Eudynamys orientalis |
| CUCULIDAE | Channel-Billed Cuckoo | Scythrops novaehollandiae |
| DICRURIDAE | Spangled Drongo | Dicrurus bracteatus |
| ESTRILDIDAE | Red-Browed Finch | Neochmia (Aegintha) temporalis |
| FALCONIDAE | Nankeen Kestrel | Falco (Tinnunculus) cenchroides |
| HIRUNDINIDAE | Welcome Swallow | Hirundo neoxena |
| LARIDAE | Whiskered Tern | Chlidonias (Pelodes) hybrida |
| LARIDAE | Silver Gull | Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae |
| LARIDAE | Sooty Tern | Sterna fuscata |
| LARIDAE | Common Tern | Sterna hirundo |
| LARIDAE | White-fronted Tern | Sterna striata |
| LARIDAE | Crested Tern | Thalasseus bergii |
| MALURIDAE | Variegated Fairy-Wren | Malurus (Leggeornis) lamberti |
| MALURIDAE | Superb Fairy-Wren | Malurus (Malurus) cyaneus |
| MEGAPODIIDAE | Australian Brush-Turkey | Alectura lathami |
| MELIPHAGIDAE | Eastern Spinebill | Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris |
| MELIPHAGIDAE | Little Wattlebird | Anthochaera (Anellobia) chrysoptera |
| MELIPHAGIDAE | Red Wattlebird | Anthochaera carunculata |
| MELIPHAGIDAE | Yellow-Faced Honeyeater | Caligavis chrysops |
| MELIPHAGIDAE | Bell Miner | Manorina (Manorina) melanophrys |
| MELIPHAGIDAE | Noisy Miner | Manorina (Myzantha) melanocephala |
| MELIPHAGIDAE | Lewin's Honeyeater | Meliphaga (Meliphaga) lewinii |
| MELIPHAGIDAE | White-Naped Honeyeater | Melithreptus (Melithreptus) lunatus |
| MELIPHAGIDAE | White-Cheeked Honeyeater | Phylidonyris (Meliornis) niger |
| MELIPHAGIDAE | New Holland Honeyeater | Phylidonyris (Meliornis) novaehollandiae |
| MONARCHIDAE | Magpie-Lark | Grallina cyanoleuca |
| NECTARINIIDAE | Mistletoebird | Dicaeum (Dicaeum) hirundinaceum |
| OCEANITIDAE | White-Faced Storm-Petrel | Pelagodroma marina |
| ORIOLIDAE | Olive-Backed Oriole | Oriolus (Mimeta) sagittatus |
| ORIOLIDAE | Australasian Figbird | Sphecotheres vieilloti |
| PACHYCEPHALIDAE | Grey Shrike-Thrush | Colluricincla (Colluricincla) harmonica |
| PACHYCEPHALIDAE | Golden Whistler | Pachycephala (Pachycephala) pectoralis |
| PARDALOTIDAE | Spotted Pardalote | Pardalotus (Pardalotus) punctatus |
| PELECANIDAE | Australian pelican | Pelecanus conspicillatus |
| PETROICIDAE | Eastern Yellow Robin | Eopsaltria (Eopsaltria) australis |
| PHAETHONTIDAE | Red-Tailed Tropicbird | Phaethon rubricauda |
| PHALACROCORACIDAE | Little Black Cormorant | Phalacrocorax sulcirostris |
| PHALACROCORACIDAE | Pied Cormorant | Phalacrocorax varius |
| PHALACROCORACIDAE | Great Cormorant | Phalacrocrorax carbo |
| PODARGIDAE | Tawny Frogmouth | Podargus strigoides |
| PODICIPEDIDAE | Australasian Grebe | Tachybaptus novaehollandiae |
| PROCELLARIIDAE | Sooty Shearwater | Ardenna grisea |
| PROCELLARIIDAE | Wedge-tailed Shearwater | Ardenna pacificus |
| PROCELLARIIDAE | Short-tailed Shearwater | Ardenna tenuirostris |
| PROCELLARIIDAE | Fairy Prion | Pachyptila turtur |
| PROCELLARIIDAE | Great-Winged Petrel | Pterodroma (Pterodroma) macroptera |
| PROCELLARIIDAE | Little Shearwater | Puffinus (Puffinus) assimilis |
| PSITTACIDAE | Australian King-Parrot | Alisterus scapularis |
| PSITTACIDAE | Musk Lorikeet | Glossopsitta concinna |
| PSITTACIDAE | Little Lorikeet | Parvipsitta pusilla |
| PSITTACIDAE | Eastern Rosella | Platycercus (Violania) eximius |
| PSITTACIDAE | Crimson Rosella | Platycercus elegans |
| PSITTACIDAE | Scaly-Breasted Lorikeet | Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus |
| PSITTACIDAE | Rainbow Lorikeet | Trichoglossus haematodus |
| PSOPHODIDAE | Eastern Whipbird | Psophodes (Psophodes) olivaceus |
| PTILONORHYNCHIDAE | Satin Bowerbird | Ptilonorhynchus violaceus |
| PYCNONOTIDAE | Red-Whiskered Bulbul | Pycnonotus (Pycnonotus) jocosus |
| RALLIDAE | Eurasian Coot | Fulica atra |
| RALLIDAE | Dusky Moorhen | Gallinula (Gallinula) tenebrosa |
| RALLIDAE | Banded Rail | Gallirallus philippensis |
| RALLIDAE | Purple Swamphen | Porphyrio (Porphyrio) porphyrio |
| RHIPIDURIDAE | Rufous Fantail | Rhipidura (Howeavis) rufifrons |
| RHIPIDURIDAE | Grey Fantail | Rhipidura (Rhipidura) albiscapa |
| RHIPIDURIDAE | Willie Wagtail | Rhipidura (Sauloprocta) leucophrys |
| SCOLOPACIDAE | Red-necked Stint | Calidris ruficollis |
| SCOLOPACIDAE | Curew Sandpiper | Callidris ferruginea |
| SCOLOPACIDAE | Latham's Snipe | Gallinago hardwickii |
| SCOLOPACIDAE | Bar-Tailed Godwit | Limosa lapponica |
| SPHENISCIDAE | Little Penguin | Eudyptula minor |
| STERCORARIIDAE | Arctic Jaeger | Stercorarius parasiticus |
| STRIGIDAE | Southern Boobook | Ninox (Ninox) novaeseelandiae |
| STRIGIDAE | Powerful Owl | Ninox (Rhabdoglaux) strenua |
| STURNIDAE | Common Myna | Acridotheres tristis |
| STURNIDAE | Common Starling | Sturnus (Sturnus) vulgaris |
| SULIDAE | Australasian Gannet | Morus serrator |
| THRESKIORNITHIDAE | Royal Spoonbill | Oplatalea regia |
| THRESKIORNITHIDAE | Australian White Ibis | Threskiornis molucca |
| TIMALIIDAE | Silvereye | Zosterops lateralis |
| TYTONIDAE | Eastern Barn Owl | Tyto (Tyto) javanica |
FISH
| Family | Species | Common name |
| AMBASSIDAE | Ambassus jacksoniensis | Port Jackson Glassfish |
| ANGUILLIDAE | Anguilla australis | Short-finned Eel |
| ANGUILLIDAE | Anguilla reinhardtii | Long-finned Eel |
| ANTENNARIIDAE | Antennarius striatus | Striated Frogfish |
| ARRIPIDAE | Arripis trutta | Eastern Australian Salmon |
| ATHERINIDAE | Atherinosoma microstoma | Smallmouth Hardyhead |
| ATHERINIDAE | Leptatherina presbyteroides | Silver Side |
| CALLIONYMIDAE | Repomucenus calcaratus | Spotted Stinkfish |
| CARANGIDAE | Pseudocaranx dentex | White Trevally |
| CLUPEIDAE | Herklotsichthys castelnaui | Southern Herring |
| ELEOTRIDAE | Philypnodon grandiceps | Flathead Gudgeon |
| GERREIDAE | Gerres subfasciatus | Silver Biddy |
| GERREIDAE | Girella tricuspida | Luderick |
| GOBIIDAE | Acentrogobius bifrenatus | Bridled Goby |
| GOBIIDAE | Afuragobius tamarensis | Tamar River Goby |
| GOBIIDAE | Callogobius sp. | Goby |
| GOBIIDAE | Favonigobius exquisitis | Exquisite Sand-goby |
| GOBIIDAE | Favonigobius lateralis | Goby |
| GOBIIDAE | Gobiopterus semivestita | Goby |
| GOBIIDAE | Parkraemeria ornata | Goby |
| GOBIIDAE | Pseudogobius olorum | Pseudogobius olorum |
| GONORHYNCHIDAE | Gonorhynchus greyi | Beaked Salmon |
| HEMIRHAMPHIDAE | Hyporhamphus regularis | Eastern River Garfish |
| ISONIDAE | Iso rhothophilus | Surf Sardine |
| LABRIDAE | Achoerodus viridis | Eastern Blue Groper |
| LABRIDAE | Coris sandeyeri | Eastern King Wrasse |
| MUGILIDAE | Liza argentea | Flat-tail Mullet |
| MUGILIDAE | Mugil cephalus | Sea Mullet |
| MUGILIDAE | Myxis elongatus | Sand Grey Mullet |
| PARALICHTHYIDAE | Pseudorhombus jenynsii | Small-toothed Flounder |
| PERCICHTHYIDAE | Macquaria colonorum | Estuary Perch |
| PLATYCEPHALIDAE | Platycephalus fuscus | Dusky Flathead |
| POECILIIDAE | Gambusia holbrooki | Eastern Gambusia |
| POMATOMIDAE | Pomatomus saltatrix | Tailor |
| PSEUDOMUGILIDAE | Pseudomugil signifer | Pacific Blue Eye |
| RHOMBOSOLEIDAE | Ammotretis rostratus | Long-nosed Flounder |
| SILLAGINIDAE | Sillago ciliata | Sand Whiting |
| SPARIDAE | Acanthopagrus australis | Yellowfin Bream |
| SPARIDAE | Rhabdosargus sarba | Tarwhine |
| SYGNATHIDAE | Urocampus carinirostris | Hairy Pipefish |
| TERAPONTIDAE | Terapon jarbua | Crescent Perch |
| TETRAODONTIDAE | Tetractenos glaber | Smooth toadfish |
| TETRAODONTIDAE | Tetractenos hamiltoni | Common Toadfish |
| TETRAROGIDAE | Centropogon australis | Fortescue |
| TRIGLIDAE | Chelidonichthys kumu | Red Gurnard |
MAMMALS
| Family | Species | Common name |
| BALAENIDAE | Eubalaena australis | Southern Right Whale |
| CANIDAE | Vulpes vulpes | Fox |
| DASYURIDAE | Antechinus stuartii | Brown Antechinus |
| FELIDAE | Felis catus | Cat |
| LEPORIDAE | Oryctolagus cuniculus | Rabbit |
| MACROPODIDAE | Wallabia bicolor | Swamp Wallaby |
| MINIOPTERIDAE | Miniopterus australis | Little Bentwing-Bat |
| MINIOPTERIDAE | Miniopterus schreibersii | Bent-Wing Bat |
| MOLOSSIDAE | Austronomus australis | White-Striped Freetail-Bat |
| MOLOSSIDAE | Mormopterus (Ozimops) ridei | Ride's Free-Tailed Bat |
| MURIDAE | Rattus fuscipes | Bush Rat |
| MURIDAE | Rattus lutreolus | Swamp Rat |
| MURIDAE | Rattus rattus | Ship Rat |
| OTARIIDAE | Arctocephalus tropicalis | Subantarctic Fur-seal |
| PERAMELIDAE | Isoodon macrourus | Northern Brown Bandicoot |
| PHALANGERIDAE | Trichosurus vulpecula | Australian Brushtail Possum |
| PHOCIDAE | Hydrurga leptonyx | Leopard Seal |
| PSEUDOCHEIRIDAE | Pseudocheirus peregrinus | Common Ringtail Possum |
| PTEROPODIDAE | Pteropus poliocephalus | Grey-Headed Flying-Fox |
| TACHYGLOSSIDAE | Tachyglossus aculeatus | Short-Beaked Echidna |
| VESPERTILIONIDAE | Chalinolobus gouldii | Gould's Wattled Bat |
| VESPERTILIONIDAE | Chalinolobus morio | Chocolate Wattled Bat |
| VESPERTILIONIDAE | Nyctophilus gouldi | Gould's Long-Eared Bat |
| VESPERTILIONIDAE | Vespadelus darlingtoni | Large Forest Bat |
| VESPERTILIONIDAE | Vespadelus pumilus | Eastern Forest Bat |
| VESPERTILIONIDAE | Vespadelus vulturnus | Little Forest Bat |
| VOMBATIDAE | Vombatus ursinus | Bare-Nosed Wombat |
REPTILES
| Family | Species | Common name |
| AGAMIDAE | Amphibolurus muricatus | Jacky Lizard |
| AGAMIDAE | Intellagama lesueurii | Water Dragon |
| AGAMIDAE | Rankinia diemensis | Mountain Dragon |
| COLUBRIDAE | Dendrelaphis punctulatus | Green Tree Snake |
| ELAPIDAE | Cacophis krefftii | Southern dwarf Crowned Snake |
| ELAPIDAE | Cacophis squamulosus | Golden Crowned Snake |
| ELAPIDAE | Demansia psammophis | Yellow-Faced Whip Snake |
| ELAPIDAE | Hemiaspis signata | Hemiaspis signata |
| ELAPIDAE | Pseudechis porphyriacus | Red-Bellied Black Snake |
| GEKKONIDAE | Phyllurus platurus | Leaf-tailed Gecko |
| PYGOPODIDAE | Pygopus lepidopodus | Common Scaly-Foot |
| PYTHONIDAE | Morelia spilota | Diamond Python |
| SCINCIDAE | Bellatorias major | Land Mullet |
| SCINCIDAE | Ctenotus robustus | Robust Ctenotus |
| SCINCIDAE | Eulamprus quoyii | Eastern Water Skink |
| SCINCIDAE | Lampropholis delicata | Dark-Flecked Garden Sunskink |
| SCINCIDAE | Lampropholis guichenoti | Pale-Flecked Garden Sunskink |
| SCINCIDAE | Saiphos equalis | Three-toed Skink |
| SCINCIDAE | Saproscincus mustelinum | Weasel Skink |
| SCINCIDAE | Tiliqua scincoides | Eastern Blue-Tongue |
| TYPHLOPIDAE | Ramphotyphlops nigrescens | Common Blind Snake |