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Norfolk Island Flora & Fauna Society

Freshwater resources: A review

Updated on date by author


Emeritus Professor Angela Arthington visited the Island in 2025. She consulted widely with residents and experts including CSIRO – including Society President Margaret Christian – about the freshwater resources of the Island and coordinated the preparation of a scientific paper which was published in February 2026 in the prestigious international journal Frontiers in Environmental Science. The full citation is:

Arthington A.H., Christian M., Coyne P., Edwards G., Greenwood D., Mills K., Petheram C., Prior S. and Vanderzalm J.L. (2026). “Norfolk Island’s freshwater ecosystems: a case history and exemplar of freshwater biodiversity inventory, threat assessments, ecological recovery and conservation planning.” Front. Environ. Sci., 19 February 2026 Sec. Freshwater Science Volume 13 – 2025. The paper is available free of charge online (open access) from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1688368.

The DOI reference is https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1688368. (DOI references are enduring links to scholarly articles via an international registry). Co-authors marked in red are current residents of the Island.

Abstract

Norfolk Island is a small remote island in the Southwest Pacific Ocean distinguished by its volcanic origins, topographic, pedological and hydrological complexity, and endemic biodiversity. This review presents Norfolk Island as a case history and exemplar of freshwater biodiversity inventory, threat assessments, ecological recovery and conservation planning on a neglected Pacific Island. It makes the case that the procedural steps and learnings of this review can be applied to the recovery and conservation of freshwater biodiversity and ecosystems of any island, but especially islands in the Pacific Ocean. The review collates information on the biodiversity of the island’s freshwater ecosystems and the processes that threaten them, for the first time. It finds that Norfolk Island’s freshwater biodiversity is patchily documented and seriously threatened by water quality issues, habitat disturbance, introduced species (woody weeds, aquatic plants, freshwater snails and live-bearing fishes) and a drying climate. The review sets out methods and options for restoring Norfolk Island’s creek and wetland habitats in conjunction with planning to protect and conserve freshwater biodiversity and threatened species at catchment scale based on ecological principles and systematic conservation planning. These methods and recovery options can guide similar investigation and restoration/conservation actions on other islands, but especially islands in the Pacific Ocean. The paper calls for a program of comparative Pacific Island freshwater science, management and conservation, similar to the procedural steps and processes presented for Norfolk Island, to protect unique repositories of freshwater species that risk being lost forever.

 

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https://www.linkedin.com/posts/angela-h-arthington-25718626_frontiers-norfolk-islands-freshwater-ecosystems-activity-7430468612928458752-V43c?

 

Posted in Freshwater, Water Management |

Morepork

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Latest on the Morepork

In 2019 scientist Flossy Sperring commenced a doctoral research project focusing on population genetics, ecology and conservation management of the Norfolk Island Morepork. This 1hr video is a recording of Flossy’s recent talk given to the community in January 2024. The first half summarises the key findings from her PhD studies. The second half focuses on the genetics of the current owl population and potential future steps the national park may take to protect this species.

Access the video file directly (678 MB).

Posted in Birds, Endemic Fauna |

Land snails – vital components of forest ecosystems

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Norfolk Island’s largest native land snail Advena campbellii is one of the three Critically Endangered species

Land snails are underappreciated but play essential roles in recycling nutrients in soils and as food for many animals. Around 60 unique land snail species call Norfolk and Phillip Islands home. They come in a remarkable variety of shapes and colours but are facing threats from predators like rats and flatworms, and habitat loss. Currently, two species have become extinct while three species are Critically Endangered. Following the footsteps of Australian Museum researchers, PhD candidate Junn Kitt Foon of Western Sydney University is undertaking a three-year project to study:
(1) How are the last populations of these threatened snails genetically connected to each other?
(2) What habitats are best for native snails?
(3) How much are these snails affected by non-native predators?
(4) How might climate change affect these snails?

Answering these questions will hopefully help secure the long-term survival of these unique Norfolk and Phillip Island species. If you are keen to volunteer in future fieldwork or if you are a landowner interested to know what land snails can be found in the scrub on your land, please contact Junn by email: 22078036 AT SYMBOL student.westernsydney.edu.au or Junn.Foon AT SYMBOL Australian.Museum

We thank Junn Toon for this account of this important research.

Posted in Snails |

Bee survey 2022

Updated on date by author

The honey bee population on Norfolk Island is unique from a pest and disease perspective. No other honey bee population in the world has fewer pests and pathogens. This important finding was confirmed in 2022 by a survey by Dr John Roberts of CSIRO. The report recommended that ongoing surveillance in Norfolk Island as part of the National Bee Pest Surveillance Program be resourced. Read the report here. The report can also be found on the Department’s website: Norfolk Island bee pest survey 2021–2022. The Department has summarised the results as follows:

 

“Honey bees are an important part of the ecosystem and culture of Norfolk Island. Honey bees support food security through reliable pollination services as well as producing honey and hive products. Having access to up-to-date information on bee pests and diseases is critical to maintaining the Island’s bee biosecurity.

In December 2022 and April 2023, Dr John Roberts visited Norfolk Island to conduct surveys of the honey bee population. Under the guidance of Norfolk Island’s beekeepers, Dr Roberts collected samples from bees, honey and hives to test for pests and diseases. He sampled 67 bee colonies (approximately 50% of all managed colonies) and inspected and tested for 16 pests and diseases.

The key findings of the survey are:

  • Since the last 2012–14 survey, no new honey bee pests or diseases were detected in Norfolk Island honey bees.
  • All previously reported pests and diseases were detected, including
    • high prevalence and infection levels of the gut parasite, Nosema ceranae
    • high prevalence of Lake Sinai virus, a common bee virus group with no known disease
    • low detection of the lesser wax moth (Achroia gresella), a minor hive pest.
  • The honey bee population on Norfolk Island is unique from a pest and disease perspective. No other honey bee population in the world has fewer pests and pathogens.

The report made three recommendations:

  • Permit only commercial importation of certified irradiated honey into Norfolk Island.
  • Resource ongoing surveillance in Norfolk Island as part of the National Bee Pest Surveillance Program.
  • Registration for all Norfolk Island beekeepers and encouraging beekeepers to perform regular hive inspections in line with Australia’s Honey Bee Industry Biosecurity Code of Practice.

 

Posted in Insects, Invasive Species, Weak Biosecurity |

The Conservation of Norfolk Island

Updated on date by author

In 1968, the Australian Conservation Foundation, Australia’s peak environmental community organisation, published a 50-page booklet, The Conservation of Norfolk Island (4.5 MB). The booklet was reprinted in 1969 and 1975. The PDF file has been optimised for web use. A scanned version with greater resolution is available (111 MB).

Along with justification for an ethic of conservation, the report includes descriptions of local areas, recommendations about conservation and appendices with lists of the species of plants and animals.

Posted in Fauna, Flora, Natural History, Publications by Others |

Quarantine (pests and diseases) Survey 2012-14

Updated on date by author

In 2012-2014 the Department of Agriculture conducted a comprehensive survey of the plant and animal pests and diseases of the Island, coordinated by resident Glynn Maynard. The report is publicly available.

Supporting data

The data amassed during the survey have been published open access as appendices to the following paper:

Maynard, G V, B J Leschi and S F Malfroy. 2018. “Norfolk island quarantine survey 2012-2014 – a comprehensive assessment of an isolated subtropical island“. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales Vol. 140: 7-243.

 

Posted in Introduced Flora, Invasive Fauna, Invasive Species, Publications by Others, Weak Biosecurity |