1.1.7.4 Terrestrial species and communities


The Namoi river basin supports a diversity of landscapes including the Liverpool and Kaputar ranges, the rolling hills of the sedimentary slopes, and the floodplains of the Liverpool Plains and Darling Riverine plains in the west of the river basin (Green et al., 2011). Vegetation in the upper Namoi includes open box woodlands on the slopes and temperate and sub-alpine forests in the ranges. The Liverpool Plains contain endangered native grasslands, and the riparian vegetation is dominated by river oaks and willows with river red gum communities along the major streams (Green et al., 2011). Ninety-seven regional vegetation communities were recognised to occur within the Namoi (Namoi CMA, 2011), However recent updates of this earlier mapping have revised this to 70 regional vegetation communities that were existed prioir to European colonisation and 3 derived regional vegetation communities (EcoLogical Australia 2013). Over 3200 km2 of native woodlands and forests are protected within national parks and nature reserves. East of Tamworth the Warrabah National Park approximates 40 km2 of habitat along the Namoi River. East of Narrabri the Kaputar National Park protects rainforest patches, semi-arid to sub-alpine woodlands and forests and heathlands on the high plateaus and peaks. The Pilliga Nature Reserve in the upper catchment of Bohena Creek is the largest reserve in the river basin protecting extensive areas of Pilliga scrub containing iron box woodlands and small areas of river red gum, yellow box, white box and angophora. White and black cypress are commonly associated with the iron bark. The Pilliga scrub is the largest remaining area of dry sclerophyll forest west of the Great Dividing Range in New South Wales and its size and connection to adjacent forest habitat makes it an important habitat for a range of threatened species including the endemic Pilliga mouse (Green et al., 2011).

1.1.7.4.1 Species/communities of national significance

Table 15 presents species or communities that occur in the Namoi river basin and are listed under the EPBC Act.

Table 15 Nationally listed biodiversity assets of the Namoi river basin


Asset

Theme

EPBC Act listing

Presence

Birds

Great egret (Egretta alba)

Biodiversity

Migratory

Known

Glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)

Biodiversity

Migratory

Known

Latham's snipe (Gallinago hardwickii)

Biodiversity

Migratory

Known

Marsh sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis)

Biodiversity

Migratory

Known

Common greenshank (Tringa nebularia)

Biodiversity

Migratory

Known

Sharp-tailed sandpiper (Calidris acuminate)

Biodiversity

Migratory

Known

Caspian tern (Hydroprogne caspia or Sterna caspia)

Biodiversity

Migratory

Known

White-throated needletail (Chaetura caudacuta or Hirundapus caudacutus)

Biodiversity

Migratory

Known

Clamorous reed-warbler (Acrocephalus stentoreus)

Biodiversity

Migratory

Known

Superb parrot (Polytelis swainsonii)

Biodiversity

Vulnerable

Known

Aquatic species

Murray cod

Biodiversity

Vulnerable

Known

Non Aquatic species

Booroolong frog (Litoria booroolongensis)

Biodiversity

Endangered

Known

Bell’s turtle (Elseya belli)

Biodiversity

Vulnerable

Known

Five-clawed worm-skink

Biodiversity

Vulnerable

Known

Ecological communities

Coolibah-Black box woodlands

Biodiversity/Land

Endangered

Known

Source data: Thurtell and Wettin (2012)

1.1.7.4.2 Species/communities of regional significance

Table 16 presents species or communities that occur in the Namoi river basin and are listed as threatened species by the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage (2012).

Table 16 Species and communities of the Namoi river basin listed as threatened in New South Wales


Asset

Theme

NSW Status

Presence

Birds

Superb parrot (Polytelis swainsonii)

Biodiversity

Threatened

Known

Australasian bittern (Botaurus poiciloptilus)

Biodiversity

Vulnerable

Known

Barking owl (Ninox connivens)

Biodiversity

Vulnerable

Known

Black-breasted buzzard (Hamirostra melanosternon)

Biodiversity

Vulnerable

Known

Black-necked stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus)

Biodiversity

Endangered

Known

Black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa)

Biodiversity

Vulnerable

Known

Blue-billed duck (Oxyura australis)

Biodiversity

Vulnerable

Known

Brolga (Grus rubicund)

Biodiversity

Vulnerable

Known

Diamond firetail (Stagonopleura guttata)

Biodiversity

Vulnerable

Known

Freckled duck (Stictonetta naevosa)

Biodiversity

Vulnerable

Known

Gilbert's whistler (Pachycephala inornata)

Biodiversity

Vulnerable

Known

Magpie goose (Anseranas semipalmata)

Biodiversity

Vulnerable

Known

Painted snipe (Rostratula benghalensis)

Biodiversity

Endangered

Known

Red goshawk (Erythrotriorchis radiates)

Biodiversity

Critically endangered

Known

Regent honeyeater (Xanthomyza Phrygia)

Biodiversity

Endangered

Known

Grey falcon (Falco hypoleucos)

Biodiversity

Vulnerable

Known

Square-tailed kite (Lophoictinia isura)

Biodiversity

Vulnerable

Known

Turquoise parrot (Neophema pulchella)

Biodiversity

Vulnerable

Known

Aquatic species

River snail (Notopala sublineata)

Biodiversity

Endangered

Known

Purple spotted gudgeon (Mogurnda adspersa)

Biodiversity

Endangered

Known

Silver perch (Bidyanus bidyanus)

Biodiversity

Vulnerable

Known

Olive perchlet (Ambassis agassizii)

Biodiversity

Endangered

Known

Freshwater catfish (Tandanus tandanus)

Biodiversity

Endangered

Known

Non aquatic species

Brush-tailed phascogale (Phascogale tapoatafa)

Biodiversity

Vulnerable

Predicted

Davies’ tree frog (Litoria daviesae)

Biodiversity

Vulnerable

Known

Glandular frog (Litoria subglandulosa)

Biodiversity

Vulnerable

Known

Greater broad-nosed bat (Scoteanax rueppellii)

Biodiversity

Vulnerable

Known

Pale-headed snake (Hoplocephalus bitorquatus)

Biodiversity

Vulnerable

Known

Sloane’s froglet (Crinia sloanei)

Biodiversity

Vulnerable

Known

Squirrel glider (Petaurus norfolcensis)

Biodiversity

Vulnerable

Known

Stripe-faced dunnart (Sminthopsis macroura)

Biodiversity

Vulnerable

Known

Ecological communities

Aquatic ecological community in the natural drainage system of the lowland catchment of the Darling River

Biodiversity/Water

Endangered ecological community

Known

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

Biodiversity/Land

Endangered ecological community

Known

Cadellia pentastylis (Ooline) community in the Nandewar and Brigalow Belt South Bioregion

Biodiversity/Land

Endangered ecological community

Known

Carbeen Open Forest Community in the Darling Riverine Plains and Brigalow Belt South Bioregions

Biodiversity/Land

Endangered ecological community

Known

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

Biodiversity/Land

Endangered ecological community

Known

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

Biodiversity/Land

Endangered ecological community

Known

Howell Shrublands in the New England Tableland and Nandewar Bioregions

Biodiversity/Land

Endangered ecological community

Known

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

Biodiversity/Land

Endangered ecological community

Known

McKies Stringybark/Blackbutt Open Forest in the Nandewar and New England Tableland Bioregions

Biodiversity/Land

Endangered ecological community

Known

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

Biodiversity/Land

Endangered ecological community

Known

Native Vegetation on cracking clay soils of the Liverpool Plains

Biodiversity/Land

Endangered ecological community

Known

New England Peppermint (Eucalyptus nova-anglica) Woodland on basalts and sediments in the New England Tableland Bioregion

Biodiversity/Land

Endangered ecological community

Known

Ribbon Gum-Mountain Gum-Snow Gum Grassy Forest/Woodland of the New England Tableland Bioregion

Biodiversity/Land

Endangered ecological community

Known

Semi-evergreen Vine Thicket in the Brigalow Belt South and Nandewar Bioregions

Biodiversity/Land

Endangered ecological community

Known

White Box Yellow Box Blakely’s Red Gum Woodland

Biodiversity/Land

Endangered ecological community

Known

Source data: Thurtell and Wettin (2012)

Last updated:
5 January 2018