Southwest Mornington Peninsula (SWMP) Biolink

SWMP biolink properties (shaded dark blue on the map below) are in the Boneo – Fingal – Rosebud West region, in an area bounded by Purves Rd to the East, Browns Rd to the South, and Jetty Rd to the West. The 10 biolink properties are in the catchment of Drum Drum Alloc Creek which runs through 9 of the properties. Peninsula Gardens Bushland Reserve to the West is a key ecological asset in this region containing high-value remnant vegetation. Peninsula Gardens and surrounding bushland is itself a stepping stone biolink between Greens Bush National park and Arthurs Seat State Park. Drum Drum Alloc Creek which runs through this area connects Tootgarook Wetlands (Tootgarook Swamp) and Arthurs Seat State Park via Peninsula Gardens Bushland Reserve. The biolink plan area contains several threatened and endangered EVC’s within the Gippsland Plains Bioregion, within which Mornington Peninsula sits, and contains breeding colonies of several State threatened fauna species. The area has also one of the largest intact stands of Austral Grasstree and Muttonwood within the Mornington Peninsula.

About the SWMP Landcare Catchment

SWMP Landcare’s region begins in the Boneo, Fingal and Rosebud West region and extends south west all the way to the westernmost point of the Peninsula. SWMP Landcare’s activities have focused on the Boneo – Fingal – Rosebud West region and down to St Andrews Beach including projects within the Mornington Peninsula National Park (such as restoring grassy bowls at London Bridge environs) rather than the areas further west. The biolink properties detailed in this Plan are in this Boneo – Fingal – Rosebud West region, in an area bounded by Purves Rd to the East, Browns Rd to the South, and Jetty Rd to the West.

The 381 ha Tootgarook Swamp is the largest example left of a Shallow freshwater marsh in the Port Philip bay region and contains fifteen state, federal, and international protected species of fauna, along with another seven species listed as vulnerable. The swamp is also home to up to 24 bioregional endangered plant communities.