The Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub, which also incorporates Sydney Coastal Heaths, is a remnant sclerophyll scrubland and heathland that is found in the eastern and southern regions of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 as and endangered vegetation community and as 'critically endangered' under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016, the Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub is found on ancient, nutrient poor sands either on dunes or on promontories.[1] Sydney coastal heaths are a scrubby heathland found on exposed coastal sandstone plateau in the south.[2]
It was once present as an almost uninterrupted band near the coastal perimeter of Sydney, where it covered 5,300 hectares of land between North Head and Botany Bay, but now there are very few parts left in Sydney, with only around 5-10% of the original area present. It mainly occurs on senescent and nutrient poor sands either on dunes, sandplains or on headlands.[1]
It is now recorded in the local government areas of Botany, Randwick, Waverley, and Manly Councils.[3] The heathlands are recorded in the coastal sandstone plateau, which grade into dry sclerophyll forests.
Ecology
A walking track surrounded by heath and scrub in Botany Bay
The community generally features sclerophyllous heath or scrub species on coastal sandstone highland with infertile, shallow, somewhat moist soils, although small residue of woodland and low forest may occur.
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