1.1.7.2 Terrestrial species and communities


1.1.7.2.1 Threatened ecological communities

It has been estimated that only 38% of the subregion’s natural vegetation remains. Of the 82 vegetation types identified, 14 have less than 1000 ha of their pre-European extent remaining and 20 have less than 30% remaining. Thirty-one communities have between 30 and 70% of their pre-European extent remaining and ten have more than 70% remaining (Central West CMA, 2011a). Loss and degradation of habitat remain key threatening processes in the subregion, and restoring habitat and improving the extent and connectivity in the landscape are key state and regional targets (Central West CMA, 2011b). The largest remaining blocks of native vegetation are in national parks, state forests or travelling stock routes. The Goonoo Community Conservation Area within the subregion is the second largest forest remnant remaining in inland NSW (Central West CMA, 2012). Twenty-one broad vegetation groups are not represented in reserves, and only 12 have more than 15% of their extent in conservation areas (Central West CMA, 2011a). Six threatened ecological communities listed under the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) occur within the Macquarie, Castlereagh and Bogan river basins (Table 18). Endangered communities in the upper catchment include the Tableland Basalt Forest (listed under NSW’s Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act) in the Sydney Basin and South Eastern Highlands IBRA regions, and the grassy woodland community White Box-Yellow Box-Blakely’s Red Gum Grassy Woodland (listed under the EPBC Act). The Coolibah - Black Box Woodlands of the Darling Riverine Plains and the Brigalow Belt South IBRA bioregions is an endangered community (listed under the EPBC Act) that occurs on the floodplains of the lower Macquarie and Bogan rivers, and is threatened by fragmentation, overgrazing, weed invasion and alteration of flood regimes.

Eleven threatened ecological communities are listed by the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage. Of these the Mount Canobolas Xanthoparmelia Lichen Community is endemic to the Orange region (Table 19), which is upstream of the Central West subregion.

In addition to the communities listed in Table 18 and Table 19, several estates of national significance occur within the Macquarie, Castlereagh and Bogan river basins. These include the Greater Blue Mountains area (listed World Heritage Property, National Heritage Property) and the Warrumbungle National Park and Jenolan Caves (listed National Heritage Properties).

Table 18 Threatened ecological communities in the Macquarie, Castlereagh and Bogan river basins listed under the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act)


Threatened ecological community

Status under the EPBC Act

Presence

Buloke Woodlands of the Riverina and Murray-Darling Depression Bioregions

Endangered

May occur

Coolibah - Black Box Woodlands of the Darling Riverine Plains and the Brigalow Belt South Bioregions

Endangered

Likely

Grey Box (Eucalyptus microcarpa) Grassy Woodlands and Derived Native Grasslands of South-eastern Australia

Endangered

Likely

Natural grasslands on basalt and fine-textured alluvial plains of northern New South Wales and southern Queensland

Critically endangered

Likely

Weeping Myall Woodlands

Endangered

Likely

White Box-Yellow Box-Blakely’s Red Gum Grassy Woodland and Derived Native Grassland

Critically endangered

Likely

Table 19 Threatened ecological communities in the Macquarie, Castlereagh and Bogan river basins listed under the NSW’s Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act)


Threatened ecological community

Status under the TSC Act

Presence

Artesian Springs Ecological Community

Endangered

Known

Brigalow within the Brigalow Belt South, Nandewar and Darling Riverine Plains Bioregions

Endangered

Known

Carex Sedgeland of the New England Tableland, Nandewar, Brigalow Belt South and NSW North Coast Bioregions

Endangered

Known

Coolibah-Black Box Woodland in the Darling Riverine Plains, Brigalow Belt South, Cobar Peneplain and Mulga Lands Bioregion

Endangered

Known

Fuzzy Box Woodland on alluvial Soils of the South Western Slopes, Darling Riverine Plains and Brigalow Belt South Bioregions

Critically endangered

Known

Inland Grey Box Woodland in the Riverina, NSW South Western Slopes, Cobar Peneplain, Nandewar and Brigalow Belt South Bioregions

Endangered

Known

Mount Canobolas Xanthoparmelia Lichen Community

Endangered

Known

Myall Woodland in the Darling Riverine Plains, Brigalow Belt South, Cobar Peneplain, Murray-Darling Depression, Riverina and NSW South Western Slopes bioregions

Endangered

Known

Tableland Basalt Forest in the Sydney Basin and South Eastern Highlands Bioregions

Endangered

Known

Tablelands Snow Gum, Black Sallee, Candlebark and Ribbon Gum Grassy Woodland in the South Eastern Highlands, Sydney Basin, South East Corner and NSW South Western Slopes Bioregion

Endangered

Predicted

White Box Yellow Box Blakely’s Red Gum Woodland

Endangered

Known

1.1.7.2.2 Threatened species

There are 49 aquatic and terrestrial species and 16 migratory species (all birds) listed under the EPBC Act as predicted or known to occur within the Macquarie, Castlereagh and Bogan river basins. The aquatic and terrestrial species include 26 plant, four reptile, one amphibian, six bird and eight mammal species. Listed animal species predicted or known to occur in the river basins are shown in Table 20.

A total of 139 threatened species listed under the TSC Act occur or did occur within the Macquarie, Castlereagh and Bogan river basins. A breakdown of numbers of species within major life-form groups is shown Table 21. An extensive study conducted in the Macquarie, Castlereagh and Bogan river basins assessed the status of all vertebrate species occurring in the subregion and classed them as secure, declining, regionally vulnerable or regionally extinct. From a total of 424,698 fauna records consisting of 551 native vertebrate species and 32 introduced species, 194 (35.2%) were assessed as regionally secure and 313 (56.8%) as regionally vulnerable and regionally endangered. Overall, 65% of species recorded were classed as declining, with reptiles and mammals being the most over represented in the regionally at risk category (Central West CMA, 2008a).

Habitat loss represents the major threat to biodiversity in the Central West subregion; however, other threats include introduced plant and animal species, soil erosion, and inappropriate land uses such as lakebed cropping, exploitation of natural resources and climate change (Central West CMA, 2008a).

Table 20 Threatened animal species predicted or known to occur in the Macquarie, Castlereagh and Bogan river basins listed under the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act)


Species

Status under the EPBC Act

Presence

Regent honeyeater (Anthochaera phrygia)

Endangered

Breeding known to occur within area

Australasian bittern (Botaurus poiciloptilus)

Endangered

Species known within area

Swift parrot (Lathamus discolour)

Endangered

Species known within area

Mallee fowl (Leipoa ocellata)

Vulnerable

Species known within area

Superb parrot (Polytellis swainsonii)

Vulnerable

Breeding known to occur within area

Australian painted snipe (Rostratula australis)

Endangered

Species known within area

Booroolong frog (Litoria booroolongensis)

Endangered

Species known within area

Large-eared pied bat, large pied bat (Chalinolobus dwyeri)

Vulnerable

Species known within area

Spot-tailed Quoll (Dasyurus maculatus maculatus SE mainland population)

Endangered

Species known within area

South eastern long eared bat (Nyctophilus corbeni)

Vulnerable

Species known within area

Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)

Vulnerable

Species known within area

Brush-tailed rock-wallaby (Petrogale penicillata)

Vulnerable

Species known within area

New holland mouse, pookila (Pseudomys novaehollandiae)

Vulnerable

Species known within area

Pilliga mouse, poolkoo (Pseudomys pilligaensis)

Vulnerable

Species known within area

Grey-headed flying fox (Pteropus poliocephalus)

Vulnerable

Species known within area

Broad-headed snake (Hoplocephalus bungaroides)

Vulnerable

Species known within area

Five-clawed worm skink (Anomalopus mackayi)

Vulnerable

Species known within area

Pink-tailed worm-lizard (Aprasia parapulchella)

Vulnerable

Species known within area

Border thick-tailed gecko (Uvidicolis sphyrurus)

Vulnerable

Species or habitat likely to occur within area

Source data: Presence information from NSW Office of Environment and Heritage (2013)

Table 21 Number of threatened species in the Macquarie, Castlereagh and Bogan river basins listed under the NSW’s Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995


Presumed extinct

Critically endangered

Endangered

Vulnerable

Total

Fauna

Amphibian

0

1

3

1

5

Birds

0

1

11

39

51

Invertebrates

0

0

2

0

2

Mammals

2

0

2

18

22

Reptiles

0

0

1

5

6

Flora

Algae

0

0

0

0

0

Fungi

0

0

0

0

0

Plants

0

2

20

31

53

Source data: NSW Government (2010e)

Last updated:
5 January 2018