Enhancing Biodiversity Hotspots Along Western Queensland Stock ...
Enhancing Biodiversity Hotspots Along Western Queensland Stock ...
Enhancing Biodiversity Hotspots Along Western Queensland Stock ...
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The Desert Channels NRM Region<br />
Introduction<br />
The Desert Channels NRM region covers an area of 510,642 square kilometres,<br />
which is approximately 33% of <strong>Queensland</strong>. The two main catchments of this NRM<br />
region, the Georgina / Diamantina system in the west, plus the combination of the<br />
Barcoo and Thompson Rivers, join to become Cooper Creek and make up the<br />
largest part of the Lake Eyre Basin catchment. The region has seven bioregions,<br />
which are the: Simpson Strzelecki Dune fields, North-West Highlands, Mulga Lands,<br />
Channel Country, Desert Uplands, Mitchell grass Downs, and the Brigalow Belt<br />
South (Sattler and Williams, 1999). The Desert Channels NRM region comprises 12<br />
Shires, and approximately 14,000 people who are mostly involved in the pastoral<br />
industry, tourism, and some mining.<br />
The Desert Channels NRM region has by far the greatest area of all the NRM regions<br />
in <strong>Queensland</strong>, and it was difficult to cover the area adequately in the timeframe of<br />
this project. However, a total of 35 site inspections were made, of which 10 were<br />
considered to be biodiversity hotspots using the selection criteria (Table 2 and Map<br />
3).<br />
Site Recommendation Local Government Area<br />
1. Bedourie – Birdsville<br />
Road<br />
<strong>Biodiversity</strong> Hotspot Diamantina Shire<br />
2. Birdsville/Bedourie <strong>Biodiversity</strong> Hotspot Diamantina Shire<br />
3. Hell Hole Gorge<br />
National Park<br />
<strong>Biodiversity</strong> Hotspot Quilpie Shire<br />
4. Elizabeth Springs <strong>Biodiversity</strong> Hotspot Diamantina Shire<br />
5. “Big Red” Sand Dune <strong>Biodiversity</strong> Hotspot Diamantina Shire<br />
6. Lake Galilee <strong>Biodiversity</strong> Hotspot Barcaldine Shire<br />
7. Lake Dunn <strong>Biodiversity</strong> Hotspot Barcaldine Shire<br />
8. The Big Spring <strong>Biodiversity</strong> Hotspot Barcaldine Shire<br />
9. Old Cork Waterhole <strong>Biodiversity</strong> Hotspot Winton Shire<br />
10. Cooper Creek <strong>Biodiversity</strong> Hotspot Barcoo Shire<br />
11. Jericho Reserve High Nature Conservation<br />
Value<br />
Barcaldine Shire<br />
12. Isisford – Stonehenge<br />
Road<br />
Further Research Blackall Shire<br />
Table 2. <strong>Biodiversity</strong> hotspots, sites of high nature conservation value, and sites<br />
recommended for further research in the Desert Channels NRM Region.<br />
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