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CHaPTeR 2 Vegetation of the study area
the study area to a small area in the south-west, this class is dominated by a range of
species including Eucalyptus rossii, E. dalrypleana, E. blakelyi and E. goniocalyx.
➜ Western Slopes dry sclerophyll forests (shrubby subformation): Found over a relatively
wide area in the west of the study area, particularly around the Goulburn River and
northern Wollemi areas. The indicative canopy species found in this class include
Eucalyptus dealbata, E. sideroxylon, Callitris endlicheri and E. crebra.
➜ Sydney Sand flats dry sclerophyll forests (shrubby subformation): Restricted to old
alluvial and aeolian sand deposits on the Hawkesbury, Hunter and Goulburn river valleys;
canopy dominants include Eucalyptus parramattensis, Angophora bakeri and E. sclerophylla,
and the shrubby understorey often includes species of Banksia and Hakea.
➜ northern gorge dry sclerophyll forests (shrub / grass subformation): Mainly restricted
to the gorge country of the escarpment in the north of the study area; canopy dominants
include Eucalyptus eugenioides and Corymbia intermedia on the steeper slopes and
E. tereticornis and E. mollucana on lower slopes.
➜ new england dry sclerophyll forests (shrub / grass subformation): Restricted to the New
England Tableland and slopes in the north of the study area, this class is dominated by a
range of species including Eucalyptus calliginosa, E. nobilis and E. pauciflora.
➜ hunter–Macleay dry sclerophyll forests (shrub / grass subformation): This class is
common across much of the study area and is represented by a number of different
communities; common dominant canopy species include Corymbia maculata, Eucalyptus
crebra, E. fibrosa, E. propinqua and E. punctata.
➜ upper riverina dry sclerophyll forests (shrub / grass subformation): Restricted to a very
small area in the western Blue Mountains in the far south-west of the study area, the canopy
dominants include Eucalyptus albens, E. nortonii and E. polyanthemos subsp. polyanthemos.
2.1.4 Grassy woodlands
This formation is a prominent feature of the landscape over much of the drier (500 to 900 mm)
parts of the study area on soils of medium to high fertility, and is characterised by an open to
very open canopy dominated by eucalypts, particularly various box and red gum species. The
ground layer is typically dense and composed of a diverse range of tussock grasses and other
grasses and herbs. Much of the original extent of this formation has been cleared, primarily for
agricultural purposes (Keith 2004).
➜ tableland Clay grassy woodlands: Restricted within the study area to the higher altitude
areas of the Barrington Tops, Northern Tablelands and Liverpool Range.
➜ new england grassy woodlands: Restricted in the study area to the New England area
in the north and scattered occurrences on higher sites in the Wollemi area to the south.
➜ Western Slopes grassy woodlands: Common across much of the western parts of the
study area including the Merriwa Plateau, Goulburn River and northern Wollemi areas.
➜ Subalpine woodlands: Restricted to elevations between 1000 m and the physiological
limit of tree growth around 1800 m, these woodlands occur within the study area only
on the higher altitude areas of the Northern Tablelands and Barrington Tops to the north.
The canopy is generally dominated by Eucalyptus pauciflora with E. stellulata and E.
dalrympleana also common.
➜ Coastal Valley grassy woodlands: Restricted to drier (700 to 1000 mm) near-coastal valleys
this class is made up of a range of communities. Dominant canopy species commonly