Enhancing Biodiversity Hotspots Along Western Queensland Stock ...

The Southern Gulf NRM Region
Introduction
The Southern Gulf NRM region covers an area of 195,000 square kilometres, and
encompasses the catchments of Flinders, Cloncurry, Leichhardt, Gregory and
Nicholson Rivers, Settlement Creek and Morning Inlet, all of which drain into the Gulf
of Carpentaria. The region has five bio-regions: Mount Isa Inlier, Mitchell Grass
Downs, Gulf Plains, Desert Uplands and Einsleigh Uplands, and comprises all or part
of 9 shires including the Doomadgee and Mornington Shires. In the northern part of
the region are the Southern Gulf Aggregation wetlands, which are wetlands of high
significance.
When the project commenced in May 2008, it was decided to make the first visits to
this region in order to avoid the wet season across northern Australia that can make
mobility almost impossible. As it turned out the 2008 – 2009 wet season was one of
the wettest on record with extensive inundation over an exceptionally long period of
time.
A total of 23 site inspections were made throughout the region, of which five were
considered to be biodiversity hotspots using the selection criteria (Table 1 and Map
2).
Site Recommendation Local Government Area
1. Julia Creek Airport Biodiversity Hotspot McKinlay Shire
2. Hell’s Gate Biodiversity Hotspot Burke Shire
3. Gregory River Crossing
(1)
Biodiversity Hotspot Mount Isa City
4. Gregory River Crossing
(2)
Biodiversity Hotspot Burke Shire
5. O’Shannassy River Biodiversity Hotspot Mount Isa City
6. Gregory/O’Shannassy Further Research Burke Shire
Rivers
Table 1. Biodiversity hotspots and sites recommended for further research in the
Southern Gulf NRM Region.
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