The Royal Botanic Gardens of Sydney

Cumberland Plain Woodland

The Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan is a regionally important haven for native wildlife. Managing the native woodlands, grasslands and open space areas is essential to maintain habitat and support healthy fauna populations.

View upwards of a eucalyptus tree, woodland canopy and blue sky

The Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan includes some fine examples of the critically endangered Cumberland Plain Woodland. These woodlands are under threat from the highly invasive African Olive tree, which can shade out native plants and eventually dominate the woodland.

Research into African Olive ecology and control over the past 10 years at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan has led to highly successful control measures. Research is now focused on techniques to restore the original woodland vegetation in areas that have been cleared of olive forest.
 

Bushland

Woodlands at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan

The Conservation Woodland at the Australian Botanic Garden contains around 13 hectares of Cumberland Plains Woodlands.
Austrodanthonia racemosa, or Slender Wallaby-Grass

Ecology of the Woodland

To understand how the Woodland functions we need to look at the life histories of individual woodland species.
Trees in the Cumberland Plain Woodland

Plant species in the Woodland

Cumberland Plain Woodland typically has a canopy of gum trees with a grassy, herbaceous understorey .
two kangaroos in long grass

Wildlife in the Woodland

Seeing animals is always an exciting part of a woodland visit.
Rolling hills and bushland at Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan

Restoring the Woodland after African Olive invasion

See the progress in removing invasive African Olive at The Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan.