Benson & Fallding, Brisbane Water National Park 
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species in valleys or along creeks (mainly on the Narrabeen Group outcrops), 
mangroves (tall open-scrub) and reedland/rushland along tidal watercourses, coastal 
heath and rock outcrops With pockets of heath. 
The distribution of the plant communities is shown on the map “Vegetation of 
Brisbane Water National Park and Environs” (located in back pocket). 
Description of plant communities 
Each plant community is described in terms of its structure, habitat and dis¬ 
tribution, together with the main species present arranged in life-form groups. Any 
variation in structure or species composition related to variation in geology, topo¬ 
graphy, drainage, aspect, fire history etc. is discussed. A full species list for the 
area, together with species recorded for the different communities is given in Table 1. 
The communities described arc: 
1. CLOSED-FOREST to LOW CLOSED-FOREST with emergent trees 
2A. OPEN-FOREST—dry understorey, Narrabeen group 
2B. OPEN-FOREST—moist understorey, Narrabeen group 
3. OPEN-FOREST—coastal alluvial flats 
4. OPEN-FOREST to LOW OPEN-FOREST—slopes on Hawkesbury 
Sandstone 
4P. OPEN-FOREST to LOW OPEN-FOREST—plateau tops 
4S. OPEN-FOREST—remnant shale outcrops 
5. LOW OPEN-FOREST—coastal 
6. LOW WOODLAND TO LOW OPEN-WOODLAND 
7. TALL OPEN-SCRUB—Mangroves 
8. CLOSED to OPEN-SCRUB 
9. Rocky outcrops with pockets of HEATH 
10. HEATH—coastal 
11. REEDLAND/RUSHLAND with Casuarina glauca and Melaleuca sty- 
phelioides 
12. SEDGELAND 
Community 1 CLOSED-FOREST to LO W CLOSED-FOREST with emergent trees. 
Structure: Emergent trees up to 30 m high; small .trees 8-12 m high with a 
dense canopy cover; moist understorey of small trees, shrubs, ferns and herbs 
(Figure 2). 
Habitat: Deep, moist valleys of varying geology but usually on the Narrabeen 
Group; cool, southern and eastern aspects. 
Distribution: Along many of the watercourses in the area. The most extensive 
examples are at the northern end of Mooney Mooney Creek and in Strickland State 
Forest. The largest examples in the Park are along Piles Creek and near Dillons 
Crater. This community is found as far south as below Warrah Lookout. 
Main species present: 
Emergent trees: Angophora floribunda, Eucalyptus deanei, Syncarpia glomulifera. 
Acacia elata. 
Small trees: Rainforest species such as Backhousia myrtifolia, Acmena smithii, 
Ceratopetalum apetalum, Doryphora sassafras, Livistona australis. 
Shrubs: Trochocarpa laurina, Tristania laurina, Notelaea spp., 1 Vilkieahuegeliana, 
Eupomatia laurina. 
