Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00006:reg:3:p10
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00006
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 3 (pt 10/58)
Character Range: 29241–32220

declines have occurred at Barren Grounds/Budderoo (78% decline; unburnt habitat) and Nadgee (81% decline; burnt habitat) indicating >30% overall population decline (D Bain pers. comm. 2022;
 IUCN Red List Forum 2022). This new information has important implications for the status of the Eastern Bristlebird. The Barren Grounds/Budderoo subpopulation was one of the largest so a decline of 78% in the last three generations (11 years) from unknown causes (since the area was not burnt), combined with losses from Nadgee/Howe Flat from the 2020 fires is significant (IUCN Red List Forum 2022).
 There are estimated to be 6 (range 5–7) subpopulations. Subpopulations at Nadgee and Howe Flat are separate and genetically distinct from those at Jervis Bay, Red Rock, Budderoo/Barren Grounds and Cataract, all of which are thought to be relatively isolated from each other (Bain et al. 2021). The largest subpopulation is estimated to have 1,250 (range 1,200–1,300) mature individuals.

 There were estimated to be up to 2,700 mature central and southern
 Eastern Bristlebirds (combined) in 2010 including 1,250 at Barren Grounds/Budderoo, 1,100 at Jervis Bay, 50 at Cataract, about ten at Red Rocks and 300 at Nadgee and
 Howe Flat (NESP 2019) with 140–160 birds at Howe Flat in 2020 (Clarke et al. 2020; M Bramwell unpublished cited in Bain et al. 2021). An unknown number occur on the Beecroft Peninsula, but they are at all 40 monitoring sites established there (Lindenmayer et al. 2016). Until recently, the population at Nadgee had increased steadily to about 400 (NESP 2019) before fire in 2020 burnt most of the suitable habitat (Oliver & Malolakis 2020).

 Elsewhere in New South Wales, annual monitoring demonstrated steady increases at Cataract and Budderoo, probable increases at Beecroft Peninsula, stability at Jervis Bay and fluctuations at Barren Grounds (OEH 2018, 2019). Average densities of
 bristlebirds detected along transects in Booderee National Park during annual spring surveys since 2015 have been fairly constant across years, though with a sharp drop in 2018 followed by the highest density so far recorded in 2019 (Director of National Parks unpublished). At Beecroft Peninsula, they were detected at 337 times on
 152 surveys, at least twice the detection rate of any other species except New Holland Honeyeaters Phylidonyris novaehollandiae, with effects of bombardment during military training having no impact on detection frequency (Lindenmayer et al. 2016). In Victoria, numbers at Howe Flat in 2008 (120–160; Bramwell 2008) differed little from those in 2020.

                 2.6                  Cultural and community significance

           Eastern Bristlebird populations and their habitat occur across areas of cultural significance to numerous Traditional Owner groups. The landscape, and the plants, animals and physical features within the landscape, are all an integral part of Aboriginal cultural heritage. The small areas occupied by