Biodiversity Strategy - Gosford City Council - NSW Government

Gulls (Larus novaehollandiae); Pied Oystercatchers (Haematopus longirostris); Australian
Ravens (Corvus coronoides); Australian Magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen); and Pied Currawongs
(Strepera graculina).
Mullet Creek
Mullet Creek extends north and east from Alison and Cogra Points on the Hawkesbury River.
Narrow sandstone rubble foreshores backed by steep sloping hillsides dominate the fringing
terrestrial topography on the eastern shores of the creek. Western foreshores along the entire
length of the creek are wider, and there are artificial rock rubble seawalls along the main
northern railway line. A thin strip of weedy riparian vegetation occurs between the waters edge
and the railway line. Hillside vegetation on the banks consists mainly of eucalypts and she-oaks,
interspersed with wattle and grass trees, and the occasional banksia. Intertidal rocks, both
artificial and natural, are encrusted with oysters above low water levels and scattered mussels
occur below. Periwinkles are common higher in the intertidal zone, whilst sargassum is often
attached to subtidal rocks. Grapsid crabs (Sesarma erythrodactyla) can occasionally be seen
crawling over the rocky foreshore on the natural eastern banks.
Birds observed in Mullet creek include the common estuarine forms listed in the previous
section, as well as: White-Bellied Sea-eagles (Haliaetus leucogaster); wrens (Family Maluridae);
and Glossy Black Cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus lathami). Fishes commonly seen include: mullet
(Family Mugilidae); yellowfin bream (Acanthopagrus australis) toadfish (Family Tetraodontidae);
garfish (Family Hemiramphidae); and sting rays (Family Dasyatididae). Jellyfishes (Aurelia sp.)
are also spotted occasionally.
Tucked into the backs of most bays along the eastern foreshore are small stands of mangroves
ranging from thirty square metres at the head of Mullet Creek to approximately eighty square
metres at bays near the mouth. Mangrove stands at the head of Mullet Creek comprise both
grey mangroves and river mangroves, whilst those at the mouth comprise only grey mangroves.
Where both species occur small, river mangroves less than 2 m tall are backed by large grey
mangroves up to 10 m tall. Stands of grey mangroves consist of scattered juvenile plants
fronting mature trees.
An extensive bed of patchy seagrass occurs over the sand shoal at the head of Mullet Creek.
Eelgrass dominates this bed, and some paddleweed (Halophila sp.) also occurs. In shallow
areas, eelgrass is sparse with short shoots, whilst deeper areas have a more consistent cover
of plants with longer shoots and high epiphyte loads. Eelgrass also occurs within the adjacent
two bays to the south and east of the head of Mullet creek, as narrow bands of scattered plants
along the subtidal edge of mudflats.
Oyster leases extend south from Wondabyne Station along both sides of the creek. Oyster
stacks appear to have between one and six sticks of oysters indicating both depot leases and
catch leases respectively. The largest areas of oyster leases occur around the mouth of Mullet
Creek where there is no foreshore development. Less than a dozen private residencies occur
along the entire length of Mullet Creek. These are concentrated mainly around the area of
Wondabyne Station where there is a wharf, a grassy park with stone statues, and some
dumped rubbish. Associated with the private foreshore properties are occasional sandstone
seawalls, jetties and moorings.
Mooney Mooney Creek and Spectacle Island
Mooney Mooney Creek extends upstream from Cogra Point and Peats Ferry Bridge on the
Hawkesbury River, and includes Spectacle Island. As in other areas, narrow sandstone rubble
foreshores backed by steep sloping hillsides dominate the shoreline. Sandstone boulders and
rocky outcrops are common in intertidal and subtidal areas between embayments, whilst within
bays extensive intertidal mudflats are more common. Typical hillside vegetation does not differ
Biodiversity - Technical Report Page 138