Castlereagh, Agnes Banks and Windsor Downs Nature Reserves are particularly important because they are located on the Cumberland Plain. The vegetation and soil types of the Cumberland Plain are very different from those of the surrounding sandstone plateaus. The nature reserves protect some of the largest and most ecologically intact remnants of the extensive open forests and woodlands which once covered the Cumberland Plain and dominated western Sydney.
Each nature reserve protects different plant species and associations including a number of threatened and poorly conserved species. Parts of Castlereagh Nature Reserve and Windsor Downs Nature Reserve support Cumberland Plain Woodland, a vegetation association which has been listed as an Endangered Ecological Community under the Threatened Species Conservation Act. The unique and restricted sand deposits of Agnes Banks Nature Reserve support a different woodland community which is not known to occur elsewhere and contains species which are usually found on coastal sand deposits.
The diverse vegetation of the nature reserves provides habitat for a variety of native animals, especially birds. Many of the bird species are more typical of those found on the western slopes and plains of New South Wales than of Sydney. The nature reserves also provide valuable habitat for reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. Part of Castlereagh Nature Reserve is listed on the Register of the National Estate because it provides habitat for a rare jewel beetle.
Photo: Agnus Banks Nature Reserve / Mike Cufer/DPE
