Beecroft Peninsula

Beecroft Peninsula is the northern headland of Jervis Bay, on Australia's east coast. On the western and southern sides of the peninsula steep sandstone cliffs rise out of the ocean, up to 91 metres at its southernmost point, Point Perpendicular. White sandy beaches are found along the northern, eastern and southern sides interspersed with numerous intertidal reefs. The Beecroft Peninsula encompasses an area of about 5250 hectares just south of the town of Currarong, about 200 kilometres south of Sydney. The historic Point Perpendicular Lighthouse, and its grounds, constructed in 1899 at Point Perpendicular, is the southern tip of the peninsula at the northern entrance to Jervis Bay. A large part of the Beecroft Peninsula, about 4200 hectares, is under the administration of the Australian Defence Force for use as a live firing range called the Beecroft Weapon Range. Access to this weapons range is restricted to the public at certain times.

The whole peninsula is within New South Wales in the state electorate of South Coast, the NSW local government City of Shoalhaven and the federal electorate of Gilmore. The ownership of crown land (which, in Australia refers to all government owned land) on the southern coast of the peninsula was transferred from New South Wales to the federal government in 1909 by the same Act of Parliament that transferred the ownership of the Jervis Bay Territory on the southern side of Jervis Bay. Then in 1915, the jurisdiction over Jervis Bay Territory was transferred to the Commonwealth to be administered by the Australian Capital Territory, but the region on the Beecroft Peninsula was excluded from the transfer. It remains a part of New South Wales. Most of the remaining land on the peninsula has subsequently been purchased by the Commonwealth to be used by the Royal Australian Navy. Because of the association with the nearby Jervis Bay territory and because it is occupied by the Navy, there is sometimes the mistaken belief that the southern strip of the peninsula is either a part of the ACT or a separate federal territory.

The Beecroft Peninsula is the best example of a Permian cliffed coast in New South Wales. The peninsula is a remnant of a Permian sandstone and siltstone plateau, overlain with a patchy veneer of Tertiary and Quaternary sand and gravel deposits. The eastern coast consists of almost continuous cliffs, rising up to 91 metres at Point Perpendicular and erosion processes have created caves, blowholes, small peninsulas, clefts, arches, and stacks such as the Drum and Drumsticks. The western coast dips gently into the bay with several low cliffs and sandy beaches. The peninsula is connected to the mainland at its northern end by the Carama Isthmus, a sand swamp, which is 211 m wide, at its narrowest width, at low water mark. Beecroft Peninsula occurs near the southern boundary of the Hawkesbury Sandstone geological unit. Accordingly, the place has a high number of flora and fauna species at the limit of their distribution.

The vegetation on the Beecroft Peninsula is a complex mosaic of heathland, eucalypt forest, and rainforest, mangroves, saltmarsh and swamps. The most widespread vegetation community is heath and this area of heath is the largest remaining on the south coast of New South Wales. and the magenta lilly pilly (Syzygium paniculatum). Littoral rainforest is a nationally critically endangered ecological community.

Twenty three native mammal species have been recorded on the Beecroft Peninsula. The non flying mammalian community is relatively impoverished in diversity and includes the brown antechinus (Antechinus stuartii), bush rat (Rattus fuscipes), the common ringtailed possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus), the brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), long nosed bandicoot (Parameles nasuta), the sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps), the eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), the red necked wallaby (M. rufogriseus) and the swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolour). There are eight species of bat including the vulnerable large footed myotis (Myotis macropus). One hundred and twenty six bird species have been recorded, including 12 species of honeyeater, the endangered eastern bristlebird (Dasyornis brachypterus), the vulnerable ground parrot (Pezoporus wallicus), two pairs of the vulnerable powerful owl (Ninox strenua), and the vulnerable masked owl (Tyto novaehollandiae). Thirty five bird species are protected by international bird treaties (JAMBA, CAMBA, and the Bonn Convention) including the endangered pied oystercatcher (Haematopus longirostris) and the vulnerable sooty oystercatcher (Haematopus fuliginosus). Nineteen species of terrestrial reptile have been recorded, including six species of skink and six snake species, including the death adder (Acathophis antarcticus), which may be declining in southern NSW. The common scaly foot (Pygopus lepidopodus), a legless lizard, occurs on the peninsula, this species is recognised as the most primitive of the legless lizards and has strong Gondwanic associations. Twelve species of amphibian have been recorded from streams and swampy areas. There is no current management plan for the area.

The nationally critically endangered littoral rainforest community is found on the western side of the peninsula and is a remnant of coastal rainforests that were once extensive in southern Australia. This conclusion is supported is further supported by the retention of most of original vegetation on the peninsula so historical mammal decline was not due to the common cause of habitat destruction.

The eastern bristlebird is a nationally endangered small, brownish bird approximately 200 mm in length, cryptic and ground dwelling living in low dense vegetation cover. In 2000, the eastern bristlebird had not been recorded from the Beecroft Peninsula for over a century and re establishment of extinct populations was identified as an important recovery action for the species. The reintroduction has shown medium term success; in 2012 the Beecroft population had grown to 94 birds. There are 23 weed species on the peninsula and the major species are Senecia Madagascariensis, Protoaparagus aethiopucus and Kalanchoe tubiflora. The Beecroft Peninsula is of particular significance to the Jerrinja and Wreck Bay Village Aboriginal communities as part of their traditions. Their stories describe the movement of ancestral beings, including Bundoola, Spandula, the Bip Bip women and others, as they formed the landscape, people and the law. The Beecroft Hill area, the Devils Hole area, the Drum and Drumsticks area and the Duck Hole area form part of these stories while the southern part of Jervis Bay has strong cultural associations for women. The stories of the activities of ancestral beings create links with neighbouring regions and Aboriginal people with traditional links to the area say that Jervis Bay is the birthplace of the thirteen tribes of the south. There are a large numbers of middens mainly located near the beaches on the southern and western sides of the Peninsular that contain evidence of past patterns of Aboriginal exploitation of marine resources. Other sites providing evidence of past Aboriginal activity in the area include rockshelters with occupation debris, artefact scatters, grinding grooves, ceremonial grounds and rock shelters with paintings and stencils on the walls.