Australian Capital Territory
Heritage (Decision about Registration of Button Wrinklewort Habitat) Notice 2011  -
Notifiable Instrument NI 2011 - 128
made under the
Heritage Act 2004 section 42 Notice of Decision about Registration

1.	Revocation
This instrument replaces NI 2010 - 331

2.	Name of Instrument
This instrument is the Heritage (Decision about Registration for the Button Wrinklewort Habitat, Yarralumla and Majura) Notice 2011 - 

3.	Registration details of the place
Registration details of the place are at Attachment A: Register entry for the Button Wrinklewort Habitat, Yarralumla and Majura.

4.	Reason for Decision
The ACT Heritage Council has decided that the Button Wrinklewort Habitat, Yarralumla and Majura meets one or more of the heritage significance criteria at s 10 the Heritage Act 2004. The register entry is at Attachment A.

5.	Date of Registration
10 March 2011

	Gerhard Zatschler
	Secretary
	ACT Heritage Council
	10 March 2011

Appendix A

	AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

HERITAGE REGISTER
(Registration Details)

Place No:          

For the purposes of s. 33 of the Heritage Act 2004, an entry to the heritage register has been prepared by the ACT Heritage Council for the following place:

Button Wrinklewort Habitat 

(Comprising two sites located at the Military Training Area at Majura and Stirling Park, Yarralumla)

DATE OF REGISTRATION

Notified: 11 March 2011	 Notifiable Instrument: 2011 - 

Copies of the Register Entry are available for inspection at the ACT Heritage Unit.  For further information please contact:

			The Secretary
			ACT Heritage Council
			GPO Box 158, Canberra, ACT  2601

	Telephone: 13 22 81     Facsimile: (02) 6207 2229

IDENTIFICATION OF THE PLACE

Button Wrinklewort Habitat

Comprising two sites:

Stirling Park, Section 22, Block 4 (part) and Section 128, Blocks 3 and 4 and parts of Blocks 2 and Section 17 part of Blocks 5, 10 and 13 Yarralumla; between Lake Burley Griffin and Yarralumla with Alexandrina Drive, and some areas of exotic vegetation included in the site (map entitled ‘Button Wrinklewort Habitat, Yarralumla’).

Military Training Area, Majura Block 636 District of Majura. The boundaries of this place include a 50 metre buffer around the extent of the existing Button Wrinklewort plant population (see map entitled ‘Button Wrinklewort Habitat Military Training Area, Majura.’).

NB Button Wrinklewort Habitat at the Military Training Area site is also part of the citation for Natural Temperate Grasslands of the ACT.

STATEMENT OF HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE 

Button Wrinklewort is listed as an endangered species in the ACT and NSW and by the Commonwealth; and is listed as a threatened species in Victoria.  The species was once widespread in south-eastern New South Wales and across the western plains of Victoria. The two sites comprising this place are (the Military Training Area, Majura and at Stirling Park, Yarralumla) support the two largest populations of Button Wrinklewort in the ACT and a vast majority of the total plants. 

These two populations contain the most viable populations of the species in the ACT.  Dense colonies of this plant produce more seed per plant.  Small remnant populations have limited reproductive potential and viability due to a low genetic variation (Figures 1 and 2).  

FEATURES INTRINSIC TO THE HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PLACE

The features intrinsic to the heritage significance of the Place and which require conservation comprise: 

•	Two large populations of Button Wrinklewort (Rutidosis leptorrhynchoides) growing in its natural habitat, Natural Temperate Grassland and the fringe of Yellow Box- Red Gum Grassy Woodland. 

•	The large size of both populations of Button Wrinklewort are vital to the viability of the species in the ACT in the long term.

REASON FOR REGISTRATION

Button Wrinklewort Habitat (comprising two sites located at the Military Training Area at Majura and Stirling Park, Yarralumla) has been assessed against the heritage significance criteria and been found to have heritage significance when assessed against one criterion (l) under the ACT Heritage Act.

ASSESSMENT AGAINST THE HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE CRITERIA

Pursuant to s.10 of the Heritage Act 2004, a place or object has heritage significance if it satisfies one or more of the following criteria.  Significance has been determined by research as accessed in the references below.  Future research may alter the findings of this assessment.

(l)	for a place—it is a significant ecological community, habitat or locality for any of the following: 

(i)	the life cycle of native species;
These two populations contain the most viable populations of the species in the ACT.  Denser colonies of this plant produce more seed per plant.  Small remnant populations have limited reproductive potential and viability due to a low genetic variation. 

Stirling Park, and Majura Field Firing Range provide significant habitat for Button Wrinklewort as these are the two largest populations in the ACT; and therefore they contain the most viable populations of the species within the ACT.

(ii)	rare, threatened or uncommon species;
Button Wrinklewort (Rutidosis leptorrhynchoides) has been declared an endangered species in the ACT and NSW and by the Commonwealth; and is listed as a threatened species in Victoria. 

The ACT Flora and Fauna Committee assessed the species as being at risk of premature extinction in the ACT region in the near future, as demonstrated by the following:

•	Current severe decline in population or distribution, from evidence based on:

- direct observation, including comparison of historical and current records.
- severe decline in quality or quantity of habitat.

•	Imminent risk of severe decline in population or distribution from evidence based on severe decline in quality or quantity of habitat.

•	Severely fragmented distribution for a species currently occurring over a small range or having a small area of occupancy within its range.

The following criteria were found not to be applicable: a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i,j,k.l(iii)(iv).

SUMMARY OF THE PLACE
HISTORY AND PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

The Button Wrinklewort (Rutidosis leptorrhynchoides) is a slender perennial forb, 25 – 35 cm tall with up to 30 leafy stems, branching mainly at the base. The leaves are narrow, dark green, ageing to yellow-green and up to 3.5 cm long and 1.5 mm wide, with rolled edges. The stems usually die back in late summer or autumn, and the new basal leaves appear by early winter. The species has bright yellow button flowers (2 cm wide) from December to April.

While Button Wrinklewort is generally considered to be a herb of Natural Temperate Grassland in the ACT (as at Majura), it also occurs on the edges of Yellow Box - Red Gum Grassy Woodland (as at Stirling Park).  There, it occurs with a ground layer of various native grasses and other forbs and extends into nearby native grassland.  Soils are usually shallow stony red-brown clay loams. Occasionally, Apple Box (Eucalyptus bridgesiana) is also present.

Button Wrinklewort cannot compete amongst tall, dense sward-forming grasses.  It is found where the soil is too shallow to support the growth of plants that may rapidly shade it out, or on deeper soils where the vegetation is kept short by regular disturbance.  It may also be found in sparser Themeda triandra growth under trees in woodlands.

It is thought that Button Wrinklewort was once widespread in south-eastern New South Wales and across the western plains of Victoria.  It now has a disjunct distribution with 10 populations known to occur in the ACT (and a further 7 in the surrounding NSW region).  Many of these are small and scattered occurrences that have survived disturbance from rural development.

Stirling Park contains the largest remaining population of Button Wrinklewort in the ACT with some 70,000 plants known to occur.  These occupy open areas of the Yellow Box - Red Gum Grassy Woodland, especially previously disturbed areas and patches with skeletal soils. Stirling Park contains 46 ha of moderately modified woodland between Lake Burley Griffin and Yarralumla, with Alexandrina Drive, State Circle and some areas of exotic vegetation included in the area.  It is largely isolated from other areas of woodland and native vegetation by urban development and Lake Burley Griffin. Research undertaken on the distribution of Button Wrinklewort on Stirling Ridge has identified the invasive perennial grass, Chilean Needle Grass, as a serious threat to the Button Wrinklewort population. The National Capital Authority and the ANU Fenner School have undertaken some weed control, but this will need to be ongoing.

The Military Training Area at Majura contains the next largest remaining population of Button Wrinklewort in the ACT with 30,000 plants known to occur.  This population occurs within Natural Temperate Grassland (primarily Austrodanthonia grassland) but it is particularly vulnerable to damage because it is confined to a small area. The registered area containing the Button Wrinklewort population is also included in a related heritage nomination for Natural Temperate Grasslands of the ACT which extends beyond the boundaries indicated in this citation.

References

ACT Government 2004 Draft ACT Lowland Native Grassland Conservation Strategy.  Action Plan No. 28 (Environment ACT, Canberra).

ACT Government 2004 Woodlands for Wildlife:  ACT Lowland Woodland Conservation Strategy.  Action Plan No. 27.  (Environment ACT, Canberra).

Figure 1. Button Wrinklewort in flower (image by Sarah Sharp)

Figure 2. Button Wrinklewort (image by Murray Fagg, ARBG)