Enhancing Biodiversity Hotspots Along Western Queensland Stock ...

Site 6. Lake Galilee (Hazelmere Station)
STOCK ROUTE NUMBER: U311
PRIORITY SPECIES: Animals:
Australian painted snipe (Rostratula australis).
RATING: BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOT
SHIRE COUNCIL: BARCALDINE SHIRE
Lake Galilee is an exceptional saline lake of approximately 40 kilometres by 30
kilometres in dimension (Plate 17), and has an Endangered regional ecosystem
(10.3.17) in the south-west corner of the lake on the stock route reserve. The lake is
a migratory stop over for birds and is considered to be of importance to many
species. Many of the bird species that breed at the lake are ground breeders. The
sodic clay soils produce plants that are not regarded as highly palatable to stock, but
they are still grazed.
Plate 17. Lake Galilee (Photo: B. Walsh).
THREATS: The major threats to this site are predation from feral cats, foxes and
dogs, habitat degradation by rabbits, and habitat degradation from weeds such as
parkinsonia (Parkinsonia aculeata). It is unknown what the advancement of cane
toads will do to this lake, but because the waters are mostly saline this may minimise
impact. On the stock route reserve there is some impact from previous tree clearing,
but this does not appear to be a current threat.
CURRENT MANAGEMENT: None.
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