Enhancing Biodiversity Hotspots Along Western Queensland Stock ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Site 2. Hell’s Gate (Burketown – Borroloola Road) STOCK ROUTE NUMBER: U124 PRIORITY SPECIES: Animals: Carpentaria grasswren (Amytornis dorothea); and, red goshawk (Erythrotriorchis radiatus). RATING: BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOT SHIRE COUNCIL: BURKE SHIRE Situated on the main Burketown to Borroloola Road, Hell’s Gate is a large sandstone outcrop (Plate 2) that is a well known bird watching site, specifically for the Carpentaria grasswren (Amytornis dorothea). The site is believed to be a favourite destination for the Gulf Savannah Guides, as it has other sandstone species and excellent connectivity to an escarpment that runs through to the Northern Territory border and beyond. Hell’s Gate also has cultural significance with Aboriginal art galleries (Plate 3) and a rock shelter, where ochre grinding cups in the solid rock give testimony to its historic usage. Plate 2. Hell’s Gate sandstone outcrop – habitat of the Carpentaria grasswren (Photo: B. Walsh). 16
Plate 3. Aboriginal art gallery at Hell’s Gate (Photo: B. Walsh). THREATS: While Carpentaria grasswrens are able to tolerate low intensity, mosaic burns, they are susceptible to high intensity wildfires because they are relatively poor flyers and dispersers (Dr. Leasie Feldorhof, pers. comm.). Apart from high intensity fires, predation from feral cats and dogs, and excessive camping are the greatest threats in this area. Vegetation clearing and overgrazing are not threatening issues in this rocky spinifex terrain as it is lowly rated for grazing purposes, and additionally the stock route at this site is inactive. CURRENT MANAGEMENT: Burke Shire Council has undertaken some minor access road works to the site. However, this has not stopped tourists creating additional tracks throughout the site for access and camping. RECOMMENDATIONS: In order to minimize the impact of tourists to the site, and their disturbance to Carpentaria grasswren, a priority action needs to be restricting the number of camping sites and vehicle access tracks. Additionally, the installation of bollards to direct traffic to camping sites and avoid the current proliferation of new sites is strongly recommended, as is the erection of good interpretive signage to raise awareness. In order to protect the Aboriginal art galleries, strategic fencing or barriers needs to be installed (Sullivan, 1984). The control of predators in this isolated site would be futile without a broader coordination in the surrounding area. Therefore, the area will need coordinated baiting between the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) (formerly the Department of Primary Industries), Burke Shire Council, and DERM. Finally, it is recommended that low-intensity, mosaic burns are used for any fire management in the area in order to protect the Carpentaria grasswrens. 17
Page 1 and 2: ENHANCING BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOTS ALO
Page 3 and 4: Executive summary The Stock Route N
Page 5 and 6: List of maps Map 1. The Stock Route
Page 7 and 8: Introduction Queensland’s Stock R
Page 9 and 10: Project methodology In order to ach
Page 11 and 12: 3. Selection of biodiversity hotspo
Page 13 and 14: Map 2. Biodiversity hotspots of the
Page 15: Plate 1. Charles Curry (SGC) by the
Page 19 and 20: Plate 5. Cattle grazing damage to P
Page 21 and 22: RECOMMENDATIONS: The highest priori
Page 23 and 24: CURRENT MANAGEMENT: As with the Gre
Page 25 and 26: Plate 8. The buff-sided race of the
Page 29 and 30: Plate 10. Bilby diggings (Photo: B.
Page 31 and 32: Site 2. Birdsville/Bedourie STOCK R
Page 33 and 34: Site 3. Hell Hole Gorge National Pa
Page 35 and 36: Site 4. Elizabeth Springs STOCK ROU
Page 37 and 38: Site 5. “Big Red” Sand Dune STO
Page 39 and 40: Site 6. Lake Galilee (Hazelmere Sta
Page 41 and 42: Site 7. Lake Dunn (The Lake Station
Page 43 and 44: Site 8. The Big Spring (Myross Stat
Page 45 and 46: Site 9. Old Cork Waterhole (Winton
Page 47 and 48: CURRENT MANAGEMENT: Desert Channels
Page 49 and 50: Windorah but their presence at this
Page 51 and 52: THREATS: Unknown. Plate 25. Black-f
Page 53 and 54: Plate 27. Northern quoll (Photo: T.
Page 55 and 56: The South West NRM Region Introduct
Page 59 and 60: Plate 31. Native liquorice flower (
Page 61 and 62: CURRENT MANAGEMENT: In conjunction
Page 63 and 64: THREATS: The major threats to Oolin
Page 65 and 66: Site 4. Morven - Tregole Road (oppo
Page 67 and 68:
Site 6. Mungalala - Mitchell Road (
Page 69 and 70:
Site 7. Morven - Tregonning Road ST
Page 71 and 72:
established on part of the spring t
Page 73 and 74:
RECOMMENDATIONS: It is recommended
Page 75 and 76:
RECOMMENDATIONS: It is recommended
Page 77 and 78:
THREATS: The major threats to this
Page 79 and 80:
Plate 44. Tagging a mature Murray c
Page 81 and 82:
Plate 46. Water lettuce at Cunnamul
Page 83 and 84:
RECOMMENDATIONS: Yakka skinks are d
Page 85 and 86:
For any future controlled fires at
Page 87 and 88:
Page 89 and 90:
Page 91 and 92:
Site 19. Riversleigh Road (Boatman
Page 93 and 94:
Plate 52. Major Mitchell’s cockat
Page 95 and 96:
Site 21. Charleville - Augathella R
Page 97 and 98:
Site 23. Adavale Escarpment (Adaval
Page 99 and 100:
25. Yowah Creek (Eulo - Thargominda
Page 101 and 102:
Additional findings The majority of
Page 103 and 104:
Map 5. Biodiversity hotspots of the
Page 105 and 106:
CURRENT MANAGEMENT: This stock rout
Page 107 and 108:
Site 3. Mitchell - Bollon Road STOC
Page 109 and 110:
Site 5. Womalilla Creek (Off the Wa
Page 111 and 112:
Reports of past snag removal south
Page 113 and 114:
Site 8. Wylara Hole (Surat - St. Ge
Page 115 and 116:
Site 10. Surat - Glenmorgan Road ST
Page 117 and 118:
It is also recommended that conside
Page 119 and 120:
Plate 64. Aboriginal well (Photo: B
Page 121 and 122:
Conclusions The Stock Route Network
Page 123 and 124:
Acronyms BRMB Border Rivers Maranoa
Page 125 and 126:
Appendix 1b: Priority animal specie
show all

Enhancing Biodiversity Hotspots Along Western Queensland Stock ...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?