In our region, the Brigalow Belt, Desert Uplands and Einasleigh Uplands bioregions contain National Biodiversity Hotspot areas, which are strongholds for large populations of native plants and animals as well as endemic species that are under threat from impacts such as unsustainable grazing pressure, vegetation clearing, inappropriate fire regimes, weeds, feral animals and salinity (Australian Government, 2015a). In hotspot areas, timely intervention may prevent long-term and irreversible loss of values, and provide a high return on the conservation dollar.
The Brigalow Belt hotspot includes the only remaining wild population of the Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat, listed populations of Bridled Nail-tailed Wallaby as well as King Blue Grass grasslands and Brigalow vegetation communities. The Desert Uplands biodiversity hotspot has 11 near threatened or threatened animals, including the Masked Owl (northern subspecies) and Julia Creek Dunnart, and eight near threatened or threatened plants. The Einasleigh Uplands hotspot has several specialised ecological habitats and climatic regimes, and supports important centres of biological diversity due to the microhabitats created by our region’s extensive basalt flows. The Toomba and Undara basalt flows of the Nulla and McBride sub-provinces harbour cave-adapted biota providing refuge for specialised cave faunas and relict rainforest faunas.
Threatened species in Queensland are identified under the Commonwealth Environment Biodiversity and Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) (Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable and Conservation Dependent) and the State Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA) (Endangered, Vulnerable or Near Threatened (EVNT)).
Recovery plans have been prepared for 21 of the 46 listed threatened native wildlife species in our region. These plans are targeted to individual species, their biogeographic region and the specific threats they face. Actions within these plans include surveying species and undertaking education and conservation programmes with landholders to implement actions, such as pest control, that focus on maintaining or rehabilitating habitat and listed native species populations.
Related information
- Acton, A. & Willis, M. (2009). Woodland Birds of the Burdekin Dry Tropics.
- Australian Government. (2015a). Australia’s 15 National Biodiversity Hotspots.
- Black-throated Finch
- Calvert, G. (2009). Bush Friendly Plants of the Burdekin Dry Tropics.
- Carter, J. & Tait, J. (2010). Freshwater Fishes of the Burdekin Dry Tropics.
- Endangered, Vulnerable or Near Threatened (EVNT) Species listing.
- Maddigan, L., Allan, R. and Reid, D. Eds. (2008). Coastal Birds of the Burdekin Dry Tropics.
- Maddigan, L., Allan, R. and Reid, D. Eds. (2008). Coastal Plants of the Burdekin Dry Tropics.