Gilgandra Flora Reserve

Item details


Name of item:	Gilgandra Flora Reserve
Type of item:	Landscape
Group/Collection:	Landscape - Natural
Category:	Flora species site or area
Location:	Lat: S31° 39.751’ Long: E148° 46.328’
Primary address:	Flora Reserve Road, Gilgandra, NSW 2827
Local govt. area:	Gilgandra

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
Flora Reserve Road	Gilgandra	Gilgandra			Primary Address

Statement of significance:


	The Gilgandra Flora Reserve was developed as the result of co-operative community action and is managed by a community-based organisation. It is also a recreation area for people from Gilgandra and others. The Reserve is a managed native woodland featuring a variety of native floral species, including the rare Phebalium nottii. The place has local aesthetic and social significance, and rarity. It has a high degree of integrity.
	Date significance updated: 17 Sep 08
	Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the Department of Premier and Cabinet copyright and disclaimer.

Description


Designer/Maker:	Unknown
Builder/Maker:	Unknown
Construction years:	1963-
Physical description:	The Gilgandra Flora Reserve covers an area of 8.5 hectares of managed native woodland. The reserve is managed to limit re-growth of cypress and casuarina species. The roadside area of the reserve includes walking paths, picnic shelters, a barbecue area and toilet blocks.
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	The reserve is well managed and in very good condition. The site is considered to have low archaeological potential.
	Date condition updated:17 Sep 08


Current use:	Flora Reserve
Former use:	Bushland

History

Historical notes:

The following description of the reserve is located at the site:

“The reserve is an area of 8.5 hectares. It was originally part of two farms. The north side of the road belonged to Eric and Pat Jackson and the south side belonged to Alex and Doss Duncan. The Duncan area was bulldozed, win-rowed and burnt, then after a few years the regrowth was ploughed. There was a regeneration of an abundance of native flowers soon after that.

“A lady named Nell Anderson who lived on a farm several kilometres away loved wildflowers and used to scour the countryside looking for them. Any that she found she would have identified. The pink flowers of the Phebalium growing in the area caught her eye. It was identified as Phebalium nottii, a plant found in only a few places in Australia.

“A public meeting was called, the decision to preserve the area was made, and in 1963 the Duncan family donated land that became the Gilgandra Flora Reserve. A few years later the Jacksons donated land from their farm over the road. Many very old Grasstrees grow in this area. Another farmer, Bert Cooke, and his workers erected the fence. Nell Anderson was the ‘prime mover’ behind the establishment of the Reserve and was always actively involved in caring for it.

“The Gilgandra Shire Council became Trustees for the Reserve, but it has always been cared for by the Native Flora Society. This group of keen volunteers who are usually few in number, and enlist the help of groups like Apex and Lions, and the general public to help from time to time.

“The large shelter was erected in 1973. The Council provided the plan and materials and the Apex members did the work. There is a smaller shelter on the Jackson side which was the work of the Lions Club members.

“Over the years our main activity has been working bees once a month, from March to September. There is always a need to control cypress pine and she-oaks to maintain the bio-diversity of the area. Amenities that were good in 1963 have been replaced in the last few years. The toilets and bbq shelter were built by members and were paid for by their fundraising efforts plus some grant money.

“Many drought years have taken their toll of some species; we expect they will return when conditions are favourable. Some think that if you leave nature completely alone you get the best result. If we did that we would have a mono-culture rather than a wonderful diversity.”

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	(none)-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	(none)-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	The Gilgandra Flora Reserve is a managed native woodland featuring a variety of native floral species, including the rare Phebalium nottii. The reserve has local aesthetic significance.
SHR Criteria d) [Social significance]	The Gilgandra Flora Reserve was developed as the result of co-operative community action and is managed by a community-based organisation. It is also a recreation area for people from Gilgandra and others. It has local social significance.
SHR Criteria f) [Rarity]	The Gilgandra Flora Reserve provides rare habitat for the Phebalium nottii variety.
Integrity/Intactness:	The place has a high degree of integrity.
Assessment criteria:	Items are assessed against the State Heritage Register (SHR) Criteria to determine the level of significance. Refer to the Listings below for the level of statutory protection.

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Local Environmental Plan	Gilgandra Local Environmental Plan 2011	I38	09 Dec 11
Heritage study

Study details

Title	Year	Number	Author	Inspected by	Guidelines used
Gilgandra Shire Community Based Heritage Study	2008		Ray Christison	Ray Christison	Yes

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Written	Curran, June	1991	Gilgandra Shire Council

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

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Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	Local Government
Database number:	1590044

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