Photographer: Liz Blair BRIGALOW

INTRODUCTION

All part of a Community Unfortunately, large areas of this community have been cleared across our catchment and remaining fragments are listed as Ecological communities are groups of plants, animals and other endangered. Several threatened flora and fauna species use organisms that naturally occur together. The structure and Brigalow as habitat. composition are determined by environmental factors such as climate, landscape position, soil, aspect and altitude. Brigalow is listed as a threatened ecological community under both the Australian Government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity While a particular ecological community will vary in structure and Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and the NSW Threatened Species composition across its range, there are common elements that Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act). Activities which affect the condition clearly identify one ecological community as distinct from another. or extent of Brigalow may require consent or approval. Ecological communities also exist in different condition ‘states’, each with defining characteristics. States range from high quality to Where does the community occur? degraded with several in between. Although remnants of Brigalow can be found across north-west New Management affects the state of a community and depending on South Wales, the largest patches are distributed south and west of the type of management action, can cause a community to make a Narrabri and north-east of Moree. Most of the remaining stands of ‘transition’ to a better or worse state. Brigalow are in south-east Qld. Specifically, Brigalow occurs Brigalow on the north-west slopes and Brigalow is the name given to the threatened ecological community plains in the Brigalow Belt Brigalow (Acacia harpophylla dominant and co-dominant). This South Bioregion, with outliers community occurs on clay soils and is characterised by an overstorey in the Darling Riverine Plains dominated by Brigalow or with Brigalow as a co-dominant with and Nandewar bioregions. other species such as Belah (Casuarina cristata) or Bimble box (Eucalyptus populnea).

Managing and enhancing biodiversity on your land helps build a resilient landscape that balances production and conservation Description

Identification Brigalow structure ranges from open woodland to forest, with a canopy dominated by, or including, Brigalow trees (Acacia harpophylla). The height of Brigalow will vary from 9 to 25 metres depending on mean annual rainfall. Brigalow usually has an understorey with a high diversity of shrub species and a sparse ground layer. In lower rainfall areas, with more widely spaced trees there will be a denser ground layer of grasses, chenopods and herbs. Mistletoe (particularly Amyema quandang) is a common and important component of Brigalow communities. Species commonly occurring as a co-dominant with Brigalow include: Eucalyptus populnea (Bimble box), E. pilligaensis (Pilliga box) and Casuarina cristata (Belah). Brigalow is associated with gilgaied, heavy cracking clay or clay-loam soils. Brigalow trees will vigorously resprout from root suckers if the above-ground parts are removed or damaged. The community can include dense stands of regrowth with a developing canopy.

Where it is mainly found Brigalow is found on public and private land, usually on deep alluvial, gilgaied clay soils. The community is usually found on plains, alluvial floodplains or low rises.

What is not Brigalow? For Brigalow patches to fit the definition of the community protected under the EPBC Act, they must be larger than 0.5 ha and have less than 50% exotic perennial groundcover. Not all vegetation communities with Acacia harpophylla are the Brigalow ecological community. This species also occurs in Semi-evergreen Vine Thicket and Weeping Myall Woodland, which are both threatened ecological communities.

Profile drawing of Brigalow community Photographer: David Carr Plants of Brigalow

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DOMINANT CANOPY SPECIES GROUNDCOVER SPECIES

Acacia harpophylla Brigalow Aristida leptopoda White speargrass Casuarina cristata Belah Austrostipa aristiglumis Plains grass Eucalyptus populnea subsp. bimbil Bimble box Boerhavia dominii Tarvine Acacia cambagei Gidgee Dichanthium sericeum Queensland blue grass Enteropogon acicularis Twirly windmill grass MISTLETOES Marsilea spp. Nardoo Salsola kali Soft rolypoly Amyema cambagei Needle-leaf mistletoe Sclerolaena diacantha Tangled copperburr Amyema linophylla Mistletoe Sclerolaena tricuspis Giant redburr Amyema quandang Grey mistletoe Solanum parvifolium Small-leaf solanum Dendropthoe glabrescens Orange mistletoe Vittadinia cuneata Fuzzweed Austrodanthonia bipartita Wallaby grass ASSOCIATED CANOPY SPECIES Austrostipa scabra subsp. scabra Speargrass Chloris truncata Windmill grass Acacia pendula Myall Einadia nutans Creeping saltbush Alectryon oleifolius subsp. canescens Western rosewood, Bonaree Jasminum lineare Desert jasmine Eucalyptus pilligaensis Pilliga box Paspalidium caespitosum Brigalow grass Eucalyptus largiflorens Black box Sclerolaena birchii Galvanised burr Sclerolaena muricata Black rolypoly MID-STOREY SPECIES Solanum esuriale Quena Sporobolus caroli Fairy grass Acacia excelsa Ironwood Zygophyllum glaucum Pale twinleaf Apophyllum anomalum Warrior bush Capparis lasiantha Nepine Carissa ovata Currant bush Ehretia membranifolia Peach bush Eremophila deserti Turkeybush Enchylaena tomentosa Ruby saltbush Geijera parviflora Wilga Notelaea microcarpa Native olive Pittosporum angustifolium Butterbush Santalum lanceolatum Sandalwood Acacia stenophylla River cooba Atalaya hemiglauca Whitewood Capparis mitchellii Wild orange Citrus glauca Wild lime, Desert lime Elaeodendron australe Red olive plum Eremophila mitchellii Budda Flindersia maculosa Leopardwood 4 Myoporum montanum Western boobialla Owenia acidula Colane, Gruie, Emu apple Rhagodia spinescens Thorny saltbush Vachellia farnesiana Mimosa bush

Photo Key: 1 Grey mistletoe – Leah Mackinnon 2 Belah – Greg Steenbeeke 3 Brigalow (tree) – Greg Steenbeeke 4 Western rosewood – David Carr 5 Brigalow (flowers) – Greg Steenbeeke Profile drawing of Brigalow community 5 3 Animals of Brigalow

BIRDS

Parrots Fairy martin Rainbow lorikeet Tree martin p Scaly-breasted lorikeet Fork-tailed swift ¢ Swift parrot ˜ White-throated needletail ¢ Musk lorikeet White-backed swallow Little lorikeet ˜ Restless flycatcher Australian king-parrot Leaden flycatcherp Red-winged parrot Grey fantail Eastern ringneck p Willie wagtail Superb parrot ● Dollarbird Eastern rosella Rainbow bee-eater ¢ Pale-headed rosella Red-rumped parrot Medium to large bush birds Turquoise parrot ˜ Fan-tailed cuckoo Blue bonnet Brush cuckoo Budgerigar Pallid cuckoo Shining bronze-cuckoo Cockatoos Black-eared cuckoo p Sulphur-crested cockatoo Horsfield’s bronze-cuckoo Little corella Channel-billed cuckoo Glossy black-cockatoo ˜ Common koel Red-tailed black-cockatoo ˜ Laughing kookaburra Cockatiel Sacred kingfisher Galah Red-backed kingfisherp Ground cuckoo-shrike Ground feeding and low nesting birds Black-faced cuckoo-shrike White-bellied cuckoo-shrike p Emu Grey shrike-thrush 1 Bush stone-curlew ˜ Crested bellbird Australian bustard ˜ White-winged triller p Painted button-quail p Cicadabird Brown quail Red-capped robin p Stubble quail Hooded robin ˜ King quail Eastern yellow robin p Button-quail p 3 Jacky winter Red-chested button-quail p Eastern shrike-tit p Spotted quail-thrush p Golden whistler p Tawny grassbird p Rufous whistler Little grassbird White throated treecreeper 2 Rufous songlark Brown treecreeper Ground feeding birds Eastern spinebill p Crested pigeon Spiny-cheeked honeyeater Common bronzewing p Red wattlebird Diamond dove p Blue-faced honeyeater Peaceful dove Yellow-throated miner Bar-shouldered dove Noisy miner White-browed babbler p White-naped honeyeater Grey-crowned babbler ˜ Brown-headed honeyeater p White-winged chough Black chinned honeyeater ˜ Apostlebird Yellow-faced honeyeater Southern whiteface Singing honeyeater 4 Superb blue-wren White-plumed honeyeater Splendid wren Fuscous honeyeater Variegated wren Painted honeyeater ˜ Red-browed finch Black honeyeater Diamond firetail˜ Brown honeyeater Double-barred finch Striped honeyeater p p Aerial feeding birds Olive-backed oriole Magpie-lark p Little woodswallow Pied butcherbird p Dusky woodswallow Grey butcherbird p Masked woodswallow Pied currawong p White-browed woodswallow Australian magpie p White-breasted woodswallow Torresian crow Welcome swallow MAMMALS

Parrots Little crow p Terrestrial (land dwelling) Rainbow lorikeet Little raven p Yellow-footed antechinus p Scaly-breasted lorikeet Australian raven Common dunnart p Swift parrot ˜ Water-rat (streams) Musk lorikeet Small bush birds Narrow-nosed planigale Little lorikeet ˜ White-browed scrubwren p Fat-tailed dunnart Australian king-parrot Speckled warbler ˜ Eastern grey kangaroo Red-winged parrot Western gerygone Common wallaroo Eastern ringneck p White-throated gerygone Red-necked wallaby Superb parrot ● Striated thornbill Black-striped wallaby ˜ Eastern rosella Yellow thornbill Swamp wallaby Pale-headed rosella Weebill Spotted-tailed quoll ˜ Red-rumped parrot Buff-rumped thornbill Short beaked echidna Turquoise parrot ˜ Yellow-rumped thornbill Blue bonnet Chestnut-rumped thornbill p Arboreal (tree dwelling) Budgerigar Inland thornbill Koala ˜ Varied sittella ˜ Feathertail glider p Cockatoos Silvereye Sugar glider p Sulphur-crested cockatoo Mistletoebird Squirrel glider ˜ Little corella Spotted pardalote Common brushtail possum p 5 Glossy black-cockatoo ˜ Striated pardalote Red-tailed black-cockatoo ˜ Bats Birds of Prey Cockatiel Microbats Galah Collared sparrowhawk Gould’s wattled bat Brown goshawk p Chocolate wattled bat Ground feeding and low nesting birds Spotted harrier ˜ Little pied bat ˜ Emu 1 Black kite Lesser long-eared bat Bush stone-curlew ˜ Square-tailed kite ˜ Gould’s long-eared bat Australian bustard ˜ Whistling kite Greater long-eared bat ˜ 6 Painted button-quail p Little eagle ˜ Inland broad-nosed bat Brown quail Wedge-tailed eagle Little broad-nosed bat Stubble quail Black-shouldered kite Little forest bat King quail Black falcon p Hairy-nosed freetail bat ˜ Button-quail p 3 Brown falcon Southern freetail bat Red-chested button-quail p Nankeen kestrel Inland freetail bat 7 Spotted quail-thrush p Australian hobby White-striped freetail-bat Tawny grassbird p Peregrine falcon Yellow-bellied sheathtail-bat ˜ Little grassbird 2 Rufous songlark Nocturnal birds Megabats Ground feeding birds Barn owl Little red flying fox Crested pigeon Southern boobook Grey headed flying fox˜ Common bronzewing p Barking owl ˜ Diamond dove p Spotted nightjar p Introduced Peaceful dove Australian owlet-nightjar European cattle Bar-shouldered dove Tawny frogmouth Goat White-browed babbler p Dingo Grey-crowned babbler ˜ Introduced Domestic dog White-winged chough Feral pigeon Fox Apostlebird Spotted turtle-dovep Deer Southern whiteface 4 Horse Superb blue-wren Cat Splendid wren Brown hare Variegated wren Rabbit Red-browed finch House mouse Diamond firetail˜ Black rat Double-barred finch Pig PHOTO KEY: 1. Glossy black cockato – Phil Spark Aerial feeding birds 2. Red tailed black cockatoo – Iestyn Taylor p 3. Diamond firetail – Iestyn Taylor Little woodswallow KEY: Dusky woodswallow p 4. Bush stone curlew – Phil Spark ˜ Species, population or community listed as vulnerable or endangered under the EPBC and/or TSC Act Masked woodswallow p 5. Yellow footed antechinus – Phil Spark White-browed woodswallow p ¢ Species listed as migratory under the EPBC Act 6. Common dunnart – Phil Spark White-breasted woodswallow p p Species identified as present or returning to vegetation communities in good condition 7. Squirrel glider – Phil Spark Welcome swallow REPTILES

Dragons Skinks Jacky lashtail Two-clawed worm-skink Nobbi lashtail Five-clawed worm-skink ˜ Eastern two-line dragon p Shiny-palmed shinning skink Burn’s dragon Cream-striped shinning skink Eastern water dragon Unspotted yellow-sided ctenotus Eastern bearded dragon Robust ctenotus Long-tailed earless dragon p Cunningham’s spiny tailed skink p Tree-crevice skink Turtles Broad-banded sand-swimmer Eastern snake-necked turtle 8 South-eastern slider Broad shelled snake-necked turtle p 9 Wood mulch-slider (western streams and wetlands) Eastern robust slider Murray short-necked turtle (major streams) Tree-base litter-skink Common dwarf skink Snakes South-eastern morethia skink Eastern small-blotched python p Shingleback lizard Murray-Darling carpet python p Common bluetongue Green tree snake p Yellow-faced whip snake Goannas De Vis’s banded snake Sand monitor Red naped snake Black-tailed monitor p Grey snake p Pale-headed snake ˜ Mulga snake Spotted black snake AMPHIBIANS Red-bellied black snake Ephemeral dams, ponds & wetlands Eastern brown snake 11 Eastern shovel nosed snake p Frogs & froglets Variable black-naped snake Short-footed frog p N Curl snake Water-holding frog Eastern bandy-bandy p New Holland frog Rough frog Blind snakes Striped burrowing frog Prong-snouted blind snake Green tree frog Robust blind snake Eastern dwarf tree frog Blackish blind snake Broad-palmed frog Proximus blind snake Peron’s tree frog Brown-snouted blind snake p Desert tree frog 10 Eastern sign-bearing froglet Geckos Common eastern froglet Box-patterned gecko p Sloane’s froglet ˜ Tessellated gecko p Bullfrog Eastern stone gecko Long thumbed frog Eastern spiny-tailed gecko p Ornate burrowing frog Dubious dtella Salmon striped frog Varied dtella Spotted marsh frog N E Prickly gecko Northern banjo frog p Robust velvet gecko Painted burrowing frog Thick-tailed gecko p Toads & toadlets Legless lizards Holy cross toad p Patternless delma Wrinkled toadlet Excitable delma p 12 Burton’s snake-lizard Lace monitor

KEY: PHOTO KEY: ˜ Species, population or community listed as vulnerable or endangered under the EPBC and/or TSC Act 8 Burn’s dragon – Phil Spark 9 Green tree snake – Alex Dudley ¢ Species listed as migratory under the EPBC Act 10 Eastern bandy bandy – Phil Spark p Species identified as present or returning to vegetation communities in good condition 11 Northern banjo frog – Alex Dudley 12 Holy cross toad – Alex Dudley Threats and Management

Photographer: Greg Steenbeeke

Threats Management Brigalow communities are threatened with extinction or continued The main priority is to maintain or increase the extent and condition decline from both historical and current sources. The area of of the community. This can be achieved by the following actions. Brigalow has declined by more than 90% since European settlement, • It is recommended that you do not clear Brigalow stands, primarily due to clearing for cropping. even under permissible exemptions from the Native Vegetation Clearing – illegal and legal clearing for fence lines and routine Conservation Act. agricultural activities is a significant threat in NSW. It increases the • Provide long-term protection for Brigalow through Management fragmentation of Brigalow and the impact of other threats such as Agreements with Local Land Services or Conservation Agreements fire, grazing and weeds. with the Office of Environment and Heritage or the Nature Fire – fire can kill above-ground parts, leaving roots to sucker, with Conservation Trust. subsequent loss of habitat and delays in flowering and setting seed. • Establish a weed-free buffer around existing stands to encourage regeneration of native species from the Brigalow community. Weeds – invasive pasture grasses such as buffel grass (Cenchrus • Control weeds within and near existing stands before they spread. ciliaris), green panic (Panicum maximus var megathyrsus) and Repeated treatments may be needed. Rhode’s grass (Chloris gayana) pose a significant threat to Brigalow • Re-establish Brigalow communities through revegetation on by displacing understorey species, preventing regeneration of trees sites where it previously occurred. Revegetation should aim to and shrubs, and increasing the frequency and intensity of fire. reconnect fragmented stands of Brigalow or to expand the size Mother-of-millions (Kalanchoe tubiflora) and other succulent weeds of existing stands to more than 1 hectare. Seed can be collected can also invade stands and compete with native plants. when available and ripe (from November through to December), Animal damage – domestic, feral and native animals threaten but must be used within 18 months. Brigalow by grazing and trampling plants. Grazing eliminates many • Fence existing stands and exclude domestic livestock. Occasional plant species and allows weeds to colonise more easily. Trampling light grazing may be used if natives are not flowering or seeding. and animal movement reduces the amount of leaf litter which is • Identify and control feral animals, particularly pigs. essential habitat for reptile and invertebrate species. • Note the extent of grazing by native animals and obtain permits Infrequent seed production – natural regeneration of Brigalow for control if necessary. trees is rare. Rare seed set events need to be followed by high • Develop and implement a fire reduction plan. summer rainfall. • If establishing exotic pastures, maintain a wide (500 metre) buffer of native pasture around Brigalow stands. Climate change – is likely to affect distribution and composition of Brigalow communities and increase the impact of other threats, • Retain all fallen timber and leaf litter within Brigalow stands as particularly fire and weeds. these are important habitat for some wildlife. • Retain mistletoe as these provide food sources for birds and mammals. ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION: HOW HEALTHY WOODLANDS WORK FOR YOU Healthy Brigalow provides a wide range of benefits that are called ‘ecosystem services’. These include: • financial benefits • capture of solar energy • soil formation and cycling • nutrient cycling • water capture, filtration and delivery to water bodies • pollination • pest management (such as reducing pest pressure on crops) • regional climate buffering • shade and shelter (such as for livestock) • breakdown and absorption of wastes • a sense of place • scenery

FURTHER INFORMATION Look for “Brigalow” on the EPBC Species Profiles and Threats database (SPRAT) at www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/index.html The listing for this community under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act can be found at www.environment.nsw.gov.au/determinations/BrigalowEndComListing.htm Contact the Local Land Services on the contact details below.

Photographer: Greg Steenbeeke

www.lls.nsw.gov.au 1300 795 299 8:30 am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday Photographer: Greg Steenbeeke