The Five Lakes

The Five Lakes covers five coastal lakes and the surrounding forests and beaches along the coastline between Ulladulla and Bawley Point. It covers vacant crown land and Termeil and Woodburn State Forests. It is an area of extremely high conservation value for reasons of biodiversity, coastal protection and coastal lake protection. Proposals for the area's protection go back to the mid-1970's, and originally attracted the attention of the late Myles Dunphy, who began the process of protecting the Murramarang area in 1940. A large part of the area here named The Five Lakes has consistently been part of national park extension proposals in the past.

The Five Lakes covers 4,148 ha, including 3,861 ha of state forest and 287 ha of vacant crown land. In addition it also covers further coastal land stretching along the beach to Burrill Lake.

The Five Lakes is largely classified as "Coastal Zone" by the NSW Coastal Policy 1997. Coastal environments are fragile, high in biodiversity, and are increasingly rare in a natural state.

The Five Lakes protects all or part of the natural environments for five coastal lakes. These Lakes are Willinga, Meroo, Termeil, Tabourie, and Burrill. Coastal lakes and their streams and marshes support high levels of terrestrial and aquatic wildlife, including abundant fish, birdlife and frogs.

The Five Lakes contains two of only three coastal lakes which still have intact ecosystems between Kiama and Nadgee on the Victorian border, according to the Australian Heritage Commission.

The Five Lakes contains high biodiversity, with ten threatened fauna species recorded there. These species include the Nationally Endangered Green and Golden Bell Frog, with Meroo Lake containing the largest colony of this species in NSW, and the only known Koala population in the district.

The Five Lakes is partly National Estate, Registered as the Benandarah National Estate Place in recognition of its important natural values.

The Five Lakes has significant Aboriginal cultural values, with many Aboriginal sites recorded there.

The Five Lakes contains important JANIS scientific values ­ The Five Lakes must be protected to met the target for Forest Ecosystem 149 (bringing it to 82% of its target), and can meet all the target for Forest Ecosystem 65 and 53% of target for Forest Ecosystem 160, a coastal heath.