Natural Area Survey - Flora and Fauna 

Warringah Council's 2005 Natural Area Survey of its flora and fauna recorded over 408 species of native animals, 914 native plants and 37 different vegetation communities. The survey highlighted that the Warringah area supports a diverse range of biodiversity and of the species recorded, many are threatened and must be protected to ensure their future survival.

Warringah Council is committed to protecting its flora and fauna. The Natural Area Survey is an important tool in effectively managing our natural environment.

• Biodiversity
• Plants
• Wildlife
• Vegetation Communities
• Natural Area Survey

Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth and includes different plants, animals and ecosystems. Warringah is home to a wide range of plants and animals due to a variety of landscapes - from the hilltops of Terrey Hills to the coastline of Dee Why. Changes in topography, geology and soil lead to variations in plant species and vegetation structure. More on biodiversity.

Plants

Warringah has many plant species that are of particular conservation value including 15 species threatened within NSW or nationally, 15 rare or poorly known species, 176 species threatened in northern Sydney, 17 species threatened in Warringah, and 26 biogeographically significant species. More on Warringah's flora.

Wildlife

Warringah is home to over 407 species of native animals including mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs. Marine mammals comprise 17% of Warringah’s fauna including turtles, sea snakes, seabirds, seals, whales, dolphins and dugong. More on Warringah's fauna.

Vegetation Communities

Warringah has 37 different vegetation communities.  Each contains a different mix of flora and provides potential habitat for a range of fauna. These vegetation communities are broadly grouped into 12 main vegetation units. More on Warringah's vegetation communities.

Natural Area Survey - A Guide to Warringah's Flora and Fauna

• Contents, Introduction, Table 1. Native Vegetation Communties (PDF, 1.4MB)
• Vegetation community descriptions pages 7-18 (PDF, 1.8MB)
• Vegetation community descriptions pages 19-33 (PDF, 2.4MB)
• Vegetation community descriptions pages 34-45 (PDF, 1.5MB)
• Corresponding communities in Ku-ring-gai Chase and Garigal National Parks (PDF, 53KB)
• Appendix 1. Native plant species recorded in the Warringah LGA outside the national parks (PDF, 146KB)
• Appendix 2. Significant plant species recorded in the Warringah LGA outside the national parks (PDF, 26KB)
• Warringah Natural Area Survey - Fauna (PDF, 453KB)
• Warringah Natural Area Survey - Vegetation History and Wildlife Corridors (PDF, 1.85MB)

A Summary of the Results

• A summary of the results of the 2005 Warringah Natural Area Survey (PDF, 4.3MB)