383

New South Wales Vegetation Classification and Assessment: Part 1 communities of the NSW Western Plains

J.S. Benson*, C.B. Allen*, C. Togher** and J. Lemmon***

*Science and Public Programs, Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, , NSW 2000, . ** GIS Section NSW Department of Environment & Conservation, PO Box 1967 Hurstville, NSW 2220; ***Environment & Development Department, Wollongong City Council, Locked Bag 8821, South Coast Mail Centre, NSW 2521. Corresponding author email: [email protected]

Abstract: For the Western Plains of , 213 plant communities are classified and described and their protected area and threat status assessed. The communities are listed on the NSW Vegetation Classification and Assessment database (NSWVCA). The full description of the communities is placed on an accompanying CD together with a read-only version of the NSWVCA database. The NSW Western Plains is 45.5 million hectares in size and covers 57% of NSW. The vegetation descriptions are based on over 250 published and unpublished vegetation surveys and maps produced over the last 50 years (listed in a bibliography), rapid field checks and the expert knowledge on the vegetation. The 213 communities occur over eight Australian bioregions and eight NSW Catchment Management Authority areas. As of December 2005, 3.7% of the Western Plains was protected in 83 protected areas comprising 62 public conservation reserves and 21 secure property agreements. Only one of the eight bioregions has greater than 10% of its area represented in protected areas. 31 or 15% of the communities are not recorded from protected areas. 136 or 64% have less than 5% of their pre-European extent in protected areas. Only 52 or 24% of the communities have greater than 10% of their original extent protected, thus meeting international guidelines for representation in protected areas. 71 or 33% of the plant communities are threatened, that is, judged as being ‘critically endangered’, ‘endangered’ or ‘vulnerable’. While 80 communities are recorded as being of ‘least concern’ most of these are degraded by lack of regeneration of key species due to grazing pressure and loss of top soil and some may be reassessed as being threatened in the future. Threatening processes include vegetation clearing on higher nutrient soils in wetter , altered hydrological regimes due to draw-off of water from river systems and aquifers, high continuous grazing pressure by domestic stock, feral goats and rabbits, and in some places native herbivores — preventing regeneration of key plant species, exotic weed invasion along rivers and in fragmented vegetation, increased salinity, and over the long term, climate change. To address these threats, more public reserves and secure property agreements are required, vegetation clearing should cease, re-vegetation is required to increase habitat corridors and improve the condition of native vegetation, environmental flows to regulated river systems are required to protect inland wetlands, over-grazing by domestic stock should be avoided and goat and rabbit numbers should be controlled and reduced. Conservation action should concentrate on protecting plant communities that are threatened or are poorly represented in protected areas. Cunninghamia (2006) 9(3): 383–450

Introduction the Introductory paper (Benson 2006, this volume) and this Part of the NSWVCA project. The full description of the 213 This paper describes the plant communities recorded on the classified NSW Western Plains plant communities, with 90 NSW Vegetation Classification and Assessment database information fields, runs to about 700 pages, rendering it too (NSWVCA) for the NSW Western Plains and analyses their long to print in a journal. Therefore, it is presented in Folder protected area and threat status. The vegetation classification, 3 on the CD as Appendix A of this paper (NSWVCA Part 1) plant community database entries, assessment of protected The communities are also presented in 19 broadly-defined area status, assessment of threat status and specifications vegetation Formation Groups. A shorter version of the NSW of the database were compiled by J.S. Benson. The other Western Plains plant community descriptions, containing authors assisted with technical aspects of the work. 28 information fields, is in Appendix B in Folder 3 on the CD. Reports on 8 IBRA Bioregions and two Catchment The CD in the back pocket of this journal issue contains a Management Authorities areas are also provided in Folder read-only version of the NSWVCA database, appendices to 3 on the CD. 384 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains

The Introductory paper (this volume) describes the vegetation of unconsolidated aeolian or alluvial sediments with rocky classification, the threat and protected area status assessment outcrops occurring on hills and ranges. The Barrier Range and uses of the vegetation classification. The NSWVCA near Broken Hill contains metamorphic and sedimentary aims to assist with setting regional planning targets and with rocks and the is predominantly composed assessments at the site or property scale. While it is important of sandstone, outwash sandsheets with small areas of granite. to manage species populations, there is a world-wide trend Silcrete outcrops occur on scarps on the Grey Range and in towards landscape or ‘ecosystem’ management. One of the in the far north-corner of NSW. Gypsum, aims of the NSWVCA is to meet the goals of Convention limestone, and gravels occur over small areas. Soils vary from on Biological Diversity (CBD) ecosystem approach to land various types of clay and loam on floodplains and alluvial use management and nature conservation (Shepherd 2004) plains to loams and sands on sand dunes and sandplains. A to reduce biodiversity loss throughout the world by 2010. variety of other soil types occur on rocky outcrops on hills and ranges. Features of the eight bioregions that comprise The study area: the NSW Western Plains the NSW Western Plains are described in NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (2003). The NSW Western Plains is 45 493 666 ha in size and covers 56.7% of NSW (Table 1, Figure 1). It is defined by the Previous botanical studies boundaries of the eight western-most IBRA Bioregions in Beadle (1945) produced the first map of the vegetation NSW defined in Version 6 of Thackway & Cresswell (1995). of the NSW Western Plains, one of the first vegetation Each classified plant community is recorded in a number of maps published in Australia. This was followed by Moore planning regions covering the NSW Western Plains including (1953a, b) who mapped and described the vegetation of the eight catchment management authority areas (CMAs) shown South Western Slopes and eastern . Both Beadle’s on Figure 1, the eight bioregions (Figure 4 in Benson 2006) and Moore’s maps were broad-scale but identified major and 41 sub-regions of these bioregions defined by NSW vegetation patterns. Beadle’s (1981) book The Vegetation of Department of Environment and Conservation (2004) Australia describes the vegetation of western NSW in the (Figure 2) and Local Government Areas (LGAs). context of a vegetation classification for Australia. The Western Plains contains four major climatic zones An early quantitative study of regional vegetation was defined and mapped in Stern (2000): Arid Zone, Semi Arid conducted by Noy-Meir (1971). It contains an ordination, by (hot, persistently dry), Semi-Arid (warm, winter rainfall), principal component analysis, of 193 sites (of 383 sampled) Temperate (hot summers) and Dry Subtropical (moderately covering part of south-western NSW, north-western Victoria dry winter) (Figure 3 in Benson 2006). Rainfall varies and eastern to define 20 main floristic from about 500 mm in the east in the wheatbelt to less than groups. 200 mm in the far north-west corner of NSW. The Royal Botanic Gardens (Botanic Gardens Trust Sydney) The main landforms include sand dunes, sandplains, initiated a program of mapping the vegetation of the Western floodplains, alluvial plains, stagnant alluvial plains, Plains in the early1970s with a view to producing broad-scale peneplains, scarps, hills and rises. Most of the area is composed vegetation maps of all of NSW. Pickard & Norris (1994) map the vegetation of the north western quarter of the state at a scale of 1:1 million. Fox (1991), Scott (1992), Porteners Table 1. Size of the eight IBRA Bioregions (Version 6) that define (1993) and Porteners et al. (1997) map and describe the the NSW Western Plains. vegetation of south-western NSW at 1:250 000 scale. Norris & Thomas (1991) document vegetation on rocky outcrops in south-western NSW. With the exception of Porteners et al. IBRA Bioregion Bioregion % of (1997) and Norris & Thomas (1991), these surveys were not Area (ha) NSW supported by published quantitative plot data, though part of the Riverina Bioregion in south-western NSW mapped Broken Hill Complex 3,762,674 4.7 by Porteners (1993) was remapped at 1:100 000 scale with Channel Country 2,337,383 2.9 intensive plot sampling by Horner et al. (2002). Cobar Peneplain 7,369,692 9.2 Other key vegetation descriptions include Milthorpe (1991) Darling Riverine Plains 9,397,269 11.7 who describes the plant communities of the far north western Mulga Lands 6,582,934 8.2 corner of NSW; Westbrooke et al. (1998) who map the Scotia mallee in the far south-western NSW at 1:100 000 scale; Murray Darling Depression 7,922,534 9.9 Benson et al. (1997) who classify the native grasslands in Riverina 7,023,267 8.8 the Riverina Bioregion; the NSW Soil Conservation Service Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields 1,097,913 1.4 (many authors) that mapped land systems in the western two- thirds of the Western Plains from the 1970s to the 1990s. The Total for Western Plains 45,493,666 56.7 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 385 land systems maps contain information on vegetation but are and Murrumbidgee Rivers; and McCosker (2000) mapped not vegetation maps per se. A major achievement was the the Gingham watercourse on the . publication of the book of Western New South Wales The north-eastern part of the Western Plains, covering the by Cunningham et al. (1981) documenting the plant species NSW central and northern wheatbelt, have been surveyed in the Western Plains. and mapped by Sivertsen & Metcalfe (1995), Sivertsen & Wetlands have been variously surveyed and mapped:– Metcalfe (2001) and Metcalfe et al. (2003). Parts of the Biddiscome (1963) mapped the Macquarie Marshes wheatbelt are intensively sampled and mapped at 1:100 000 in the northern NSW wheatbelt, there was more detailed scale by Lewer et al. (2002) and Cannon et al. (2002). In mapping of the Macquarie Marshes by Paijmans (1981) the northern part of the wheatbelt, McGann & Earl (1999) and Johnson & Wilson (1990); Kingsford & Porter (1999) sampled and described the grasslands of the Moree region. documented the wetlands of the system; Margules Peasley (2001) produced a detailed vegetation dominant & Partners (1990) and Smith & Smith (1990) mapped canopy species type map of the and and surveyed the vegetation on the inner floodplain of the the eastern section of the Walgett Shire (Peasley 2000). To Murray River; Pressey et al. (1984) mapped and surveyed the immediate west of the eastern Walgett Shire mapping, the Great Cumbung Swamp at the confluence of the Lachlan the Northern Floodplains Planning Committee (2004) used

Fig. 1. The Western Plains section of New South Wales (mid-grey area on left) in relation to the boundaries of NSW Catchment Management Authority areas (named and defined by black lines) and major rivers (white lines). Other sections of NSW are: dark grey = Western Slopes; white = Tablelands; light grey = Coast and Eastern Escarpment. The Western Plains covers 57% of New South Wales. 386 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains

Fig. 2. IBRA Bioregions and sub-regions in the NSW Western Plains based on Version 6.0 of IBRA. Plant communities in the NSWVCA are recorded in these sub-regions. BHC = Broken Hill Complex Bioregion with sub-regions BHC1 = Barrier Range, BHC2 = Mootwingee Downs, BHC3 = Scopes Range, BHC4 = Barrier Range Outwash, Fans and Plains; CHC = Channel Country Bioregion with sub-regions: CHC9 = Central Downs - Fringing Tablelands and Downs, CHC10 = Core Ranges, CHC11 = Bulloo Overflow, CHC12 = Central Depression, CHC13 = Bulloo Dunefields; CP = Cobar Peneplain Bioregion with sub-regions: CP1 = Boorindal Plains, CP2 = Barnato Downs, CP3 = Canbelego Downs, CP4 = Nymagee-Rankins Springs, CP5 = Lachlan Plains; DRP = Darling Riverine Plains Bioregion with sub-regions: DRP1 = Culgoa-Bokhara, DRP3 = Warrambool-Moonie, DRP4 = Castlereagh-Barwon, DRP5 = Bogan-Macquarie, DRP6 = Louth Plains, DRP7 = Wilcannia Plains, DRP8 = Menindee, DRP9 = Great Darling Anabranch, DRP10 = Pooncarie-Darling; MUL = Mulga Lands Bioregion with sub-regions: MUL3 = Nebine Plains, Block Range, MUL5 = Warrego Plains, MUL7 = Paroo Sand Sheets, Cuttaburra- Paroo, MUL8 = West Warrego - Tablelands and Downs MUL11 = Urisino Sandplains, MUL12 = Warrego Sands, MUL13 = Kerribree Basin, MUL14 = White Cliffs Plateau, MUL15 = Paroo Overflow, MUL16 = Paroo-Darling Sands; MDD = Murray Darling Depression Bioregion with sub-regions: MDD1 = South Olary Plains, Murray Basin Sands, MDD2 = Darling Depression; RIV = Riverina Bioregion with sub-regions: RIV1 = Lachlan, RIV2 = Murrumbidgee, RIV3 = Murray Fans, RIV5 = Robinvale Plains, RIV6 = Murray Scroll Belt; SSD = Simpson-Strzelecki Dunefields Bioregion with sub-region: SSD5 = Strzelecki Desert, Western Dunefields. Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 387

Fig. 3. Major vegetation maps covering the NSW Western Plains ranked into four levels of quality based on Benson (1995) depending on the level of supporting field data and the resolution of the vegetation mapping. 1 (DLWC, 2002) and (DIPNR in prep). 2 (Westbrooke et al. 1998); 3 (Dick 1993); 4 (Margules & Partners, 1990 and 2nd edition 1996); 5 (Hunter & Earl 2002); 6 (Westbrooke et al. 2003); 7 (Westbrooke et al. 2001); 8 (Westbrooke et al. 1997); 9 (Westbrooke et al. 1995); 10 (Morcom & Westbrooke 1990); 11 (Cohn 1995); 12 Whiting (1997); 13 (McGann et al. 2001); 14 (Porteners et al. 1997); 15 (McCosker 2000); 16 (Johnson & Wilson 1991); 17 (Steenbeeke 1996); 18 (Sivertsen & Metcalfe 2001 and Sivertsen & Metcalfe 1995); 19 (Roberts & Roberts 2001); 20 (Fox 1991, Scott 1992, Porteners 1993); 21 (NFPC 2004); 22 (Peasley 2001); 23 (Dykes 2002); 24 (Biddiscombe 1963); 25 (Moore 1953a); 26 (Kerr et al. 2000); 27 (Pickard & Norris 1994); 28 (Beadle 1945); 29 (Porteners 2003); 30 (Porteners 2003a); 33 (Kerr et al. 2003); 34 (Witts 1995); 35 (RACAC 2004); 36 (Milthorpe 1980). See Appendix C NSW Western Plains bibliography.xls in Folder 3 on the CD for details of these references. 388 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains satellite imagery and field checking to produce a series of Vegetation surveys, maps and descriptions are also available 1:100 000 scale vegetation maps covering the Western for many of the conservation reserves in western NSW Division section of Walgett Shire, Brewarrina Shire and including: Mallee Cliffs, Mungo, Kinchega, Paroo-Darling north-eastern part of Bourke Shire. The Wombeira Land and Gundabooka National Parks; Nombinnie, Round Hill, System that covers part of this region was previously mapped Yathong, Tawari, Ledknapper, Narran Lake, Nearie Lake, for its vegetation by Dick (1990). In central-west NSW, Quanda, Woggoon, Macquarie Marshes, Midkin and other Dykes (2002) used satellite imagery and ground checking to Nature Reserves (see Appendix C, the bibliography in Folder map the vegetation of the Cobar Shire in the Cobar Peneplain 3 on the CD). Most of the vegetation classifications derived Bioregion. In contrast with Dykes’ qualitative approach, in reserve surveys and mapping projects are supported by Austin et al. (2000) surveyed and modeled the vegetation of sample data and data analysis and the vegetation maps are the central Lachlan River region in central-western NSW. at a finer scale than regional mapping. The major reserves requiring botanical survey and detailed vegetation mapping The vegetation abutting the NSW borders to the adjoining as of December 2005 were Sturt National Park, Nocoleche States of South Australia, and Victoria has been and Pindara Downs Aboriginal Area in the surveyed and mapped at various scales (see references in arid zone of far north-western NSW. Appendix C, the bibliography in Folder 3 on the CD).

Fig. 4. Locations in western NSW checked for their vegetation and landscape features and photographed during field traverses. Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 389

Most vegetation mapping in the Western Plains has been of imagery with minimum descriptions of the vegetation, to current vegetation, however Fox (1991) and Pickard & Norris detailed stratified plot sampling with precise mapping and (1994) mapped pre-European vegetation. Broadly classified, detailed vegetation descriptions. The latter standard has pre-European modeled vegetation maps have been produced covered only small parts of the Western Plains. for the Moree Plains Shire (White 2002a) and for the western A number of studies of plant species dynamics have been section of the Riverina Bioregion (White 2002b). produced on plant species that occur in Australia’s semi-arid Considering the 1:1.5 million scale State Vegetation Map or arid rangelands. These include Preece (1971a, 1971b) in Keith (2004), 32 of the 99 broadly defined and mapped on Acacia aneura (Mulga), Noble & Whalley (1978) on Vegetation Classes are located in the NSW Western Plains. the Nitraria and Eldridge et al. (1990) on several Chenopodiaceae species. The fire ecology of most plant Key vegetation maps completed in the western two thirds species in Western NSW is poorly understood with the of NSW are shown on Figure 3 and graded by the mapping exception of some mallee species (Noble 1989, Bradstock standards set out in Benson (1995). Different standards have 1990), lichen crusts (Eldridge & Bradstock 1994) and some been used to map and survey the vegetation, ranging from species of Acacia (Hogkinson & Oxley 1990, Hogkinson coarse scale mapping based on aerial photos or satellite

Fig. 5. Public conservation reserves in the NSW Western Plains, December 2005. This also shows the Nanya and Scotia properties that were purchased through the National Reserves System to be protected as conservation agreements. 19 small, secure property agreements are not shown. Generated from the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation Reserves GIS layer, December 2005, DEC Acquired Lands GIS layer, November 2005 and NSW State Forests Flora Reserves GIS layer, October 2003. 390 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains

2002). Broad guidelines on fire regimes in major vegetation al. (2001) reports on clearing of mapped woody vegetation types in NSW are outlined in Kenny et al. (2003). types from 1985 to 2000 in the northern wheatbelt from Dubbo to the Queensland border. They reveal a significant decline A spreadsheet list of over 250 vegetation surveys, vegetation in woody native vegetation. For example, in 1985, about mapping and related documents is presented in Appendix C, 27% of the Moree region was covered with native woody Part 2 titled NSW Western Plains Bibliography.xls in Folder vegetation but 17% of this was cleared by 2000 representing 3 on the CD. a clearing rate of 1.1% per year. If this rate is extrapolated into the future it implies that most native vegetation would Degradation of the native vegetation be removed on private land in the NSW wheatbelt within Beadle (1948) presents a comprehensive analysis of seven decades unless clearing is checked. the impacts of 100 years of land use up to that time. He River regulation for irrigation crops is increasingly impacting documents wind, gully and sheet soil erosion; overstocking; on floodplain vegetation including riparian forests and timber removal; drought; and problems with establishing woodlands and sedge or herbaceous wetlands. The Paroo perennial plants from seed. He discusses the loss of chenopod River in far north western NSW is the only major western shrub cover due to high domestic stock rates, and the loss NSW river that is not regulated. of Mulga (Acacia aneura) shrubs due to over-cutting for fodder. This reduction in biomass and ground cover led to The vegetation classification frequent dust storms and soil erosion over large sections of the Western Plains but since the 1960s, stocking rates have Vegetation classification involved the collation and declined and erosion control measures have reduced soil comparison of over 250 surveys, mapping or other erosion. However, current grazing regimes are still leading documentation on the native vegetation of the Western to degradation of native vegetation and lack of regeneration Plains (Appendix C, the bibliography in Folder 3 on the of palatable species (Pickard & Norris 1994). CD). Key vegetation survey and mapping projects formed Denny (1992) compared present-day vegetation structure to the starting point of the classification. However, most that described by early explorers — Sturt in 1833, Mitchell vegetation mapping is very coarse, particularly in the north- in 1848 — at sites across western NSW. The comparisons western quarter of NSW, where the main map source is reveal there has been a significant loss of vegetation biomass Pickard & Norris (1994). Other references, expert advice, in most types of native vegetation, particularly in the ground the author’s knowledge and extensive field checking and mid-layers of the vegetation. Denny points to a consistent expanded the classification. Most broad map units were split pattern of loss of saltbush (Atriplex) shrubs in regions where into a number of plant communities. Plant species records they were once abundant. in plot data were used to list characteristic species for some communities. However, as of 2006, floristic plot data were In contrast to Denny’s findings, there are some regions absent from most of the Western Plains, exceptions being in the Western Plains where there has been an increase in some conservation reserves and the northern wheatbelt. shrub growth since the middle of the 20th Century. This is Therefore, qualitative descriptions of vegetation were relied colloquially referred to as ‘woody regrowth’. Explanations on for defining and describing many plant communities. include a loss of topsoil due to 150 years of grazing, For example, the classification includes most of the plant selective grazing of herbaceous species, altered fire communities described by Milthorpe (1972, 1991) for the far regimes, pulses of growth during decades of high rainfall north-west corner of NSW but most of these are not mapped or increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels (Pickard in Pickard & Norris (1994) due to the scale of that mapping. & Norris 1994, Oliver et al. 2001). Regrowth particularly Interstate vegetation surveys and maps assisted with cross- affects the south-eastern section of the Cobar Peneplain border comparisons of vegetation and for classifying the Bioregion west of Nyngan, although other parts of inland vegetation near to the borders of South Australian, Victoria NSW are also affected. Most of the shrubby regrowth is of and Queensland. non-palatable shrub species in the genera Senna, Eremophila and Dodonaea. White Cypress Pine (Callitris glaucophylla) The classification was checked in the field through four field also forms dense regrowth stands on the Cobar Peneplain but traverses totaling over 14 000 km between 2000 and 2004. this species has threatened status in the Riverina Bioregion The traverses sampled the major vegetation maps in western to the south, where its recruitment is poor due the grazing NSW and major environmental gradients across that section of seedlings by stock and rabbits (Porteners 1993, J. Benson of the State from north to south and east to west. Over 400 pers. obs.). field stops were made (Figure 4). At each stop, dominant plant species were recorded or collected for identification, Recent and current land clearing in the NSW Western Plains photographs were taken, a GPS reading was recorded and is concentrated in the northern wheatbelt in an arc from physiographic features including soil and geological type Moree in the east to Brewarrana in the west and Nyngan in were noted. Due to the size of the study area, the intent the central west. Areas are also being cleared in the Western of the field checking was not to sample the vegetation for Division for grazing or opportunistic cropping. Bedward et Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 391 quantitative analysis. The field surveys checked existing as assisting in estimating the extent of plant communities in vegetation mapping, vegetation descriptions and helped to protected areas, and assessing the overall threat status of the populate the characteristic species fields in the database for communities. plant communities that lacked species data or descriptions The extent of each plant community in protected areas was in the literature. It also assisted in correlating vegetation determined through GIS or manual overlays of vegetation types with landscape features and provided an opportunity to maps, from descriptions in reports, field checks and expert photograph the vegetation. Field checking of poorly mapped advice (see Benson 2006 for details). Statistics on the area areas such as Sturt National Park and the NSW — South of plant communities in protected areas, compared to pre- Australian border realized a number of plant communities European and current extent estimates, are calculated in not described in the literature. These have been incorporated the NSWVCA database. These guide the allocation of plant into the database with a medium or low confidence level due communities into one of the 15 protected area adequacy to lack of ground data. categories described in Benson (2006). The rarer the The vegetation of most NSW Western Plains conservation former extent of a plant community (Table 2) the larger the reserves has been mapped or documented in reports. proportion required to be sampled in protected areas in order Most of this reserve information was checked in the field. for it to be considered adequately protected. While the location of conservation reserves is often biased Threat criteria (Appendix B of Benson 2006) were used to toward rugged terrain or low nutrient soils (Pressey et al. assign a threat category to each classified plant community. 2000), vegetation descriptions of western reserves sample The plant community threat categories mirror the World landscapes that extend beyond reserve boundaries. Therefore, Conservation Union (IUCN) codes for species and are: mapping and descriptions of vegetation in reserves, such as ‘critically endangered’ (CE), ‘endangered’ (E), ‘vulnerable’ by Westbrooke et al. (1995, 2003, 2004), helped to define (V), ‘near threatened’ (NT) and ‘least concern’ (LC). a number of plant communities in the classification as well

Table 2: Number of plant communities that are estimated to have been Originally Common >10 000 ha, Originally Restricted 1000–10 000 ha and Originally Rare <1000 ha before European settlement.

Estimated pre-European Extent Community ID Numbers Number of plant communities

RARE (<1,000 ha) 19, 65, 66, 86, 140, 151, 188, 190, 196, 220, 226, 239, 240, 261 14

Restricted (1,000 - <2,000 ha) 22, 121, 169, 183, 224, 229, 236, 250 8 Restricted (2,000 - <5,000 ha) 21, 122, 133, 138, 162, 200, 213, 231, 235, 253, 271 11 Restricted (5,000 - <10,000 ha) 20, 48, 63, 115, 132, 136, 191, 205, 208, 210, 211, 216, 225, 227, 228, 230, 20 242, 249, 254, 262 TOTAL RESTRICTED 39 (1,000 - <10,000 ha)

Common (10,000 - <20,000 ha) 5, 23, 64, 68, 142, 146, 163, 197, 234, 237, 241, 256, 263 13 Common (20,000 - <50,000 ha) 2, 8, 9, 12, 29, 41, 54, 71, 74, 77, 83, 110, 127, 129, 130, 137, 139, 149, 150, 40 152, 165, 166, 180, 181, 182, 189, 193, 198, 199, 214, 215, 218, 221, 232, 233, 243, 251, 252, 257, 264 Common (50,000 - <100,000 ha) 10, 11, 38, 47, 50, 60, 62, 117, 131, 160, 161, 164, 168, 174, 175, 176, 194, 204, 206, 212, 217, 222, 248, 258 24 Common (100,000 - <200,000 ha) 7, 31, 35, 53, 75, 100, 106, 143, 145, 167, 184, 185, 186, 192, 201, 245, 246 17 Common (200,000 - <500,000 ha) 13, 16, 17, 18, 28, 36, 39, 43, 44, 45, 46, 49, 55, 56, 57, 67, 69, 70, 72, 82, 88, 29 108, 144, 155, 158, 172, 195, 207, 247 Common (≥500,000 ha) 15, 24, 25, 26, 27, 37, 40, 52, 58, 59, 61, 76, 80, 87, 98, 103, 104, 105, 37 109, 118, 119, 120, 123, 124, 125, 128, 134, 153, 154, 156, 157, 159, 170, 171, 173, 238, 244 TOTAL COMMON (≥10,000 ha) 160 392 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains M M M M M M E3 E2 E1 E2 E1 E3 E2 E3 E3 E3 E3 E3 E3 & - 5 2 1 5 1 (ha) 5 5 Code 08 02 1 2 04 08 0 01 04 01 re 0 0 0 0 0 .2 .0 0. 0. 0. 0 0 0. 0. 1. 0. 3. 0. 0. 0. 0. f P rea g A 0 5 % o 5 5 70 1 9 5 European 10 60 33 42 10 88 10 37 370 500 3 50 71 100 Ve Accuracy 2 3 5 9 8 2 ) 35 81 33 68 826 84 965 75 45 364 77 76 302 839 663 49 965 329 465 ,8 ,5 ,7 ha 8, 4, 1, ) 13, 18 70 24, 30, 21, 24, 19, e ( 111, 108 108, es iz op d S Sl an R estern Name s N * n W NR * R* R o o k NP A Area R r NR R R* ls Marshe R r N y N R NP NP a an Pa P VC P n a N PA P ie h N a N = a r ey NP rr rra ppe g N g N ra ingl 41 ga ow a N o N ua ndra a N (* na li mb e U go goa A0 lla la l reung dk k igal ul Protected Kaju Mung Wi Yang Br VC Cocopa Cocopa Le Yathon La Oo DE9905 Ca Cu Kirram Macq Yathon r ir di ee t t t t in ee ee yd wy es es es es dg n i n n n C n n dg dg n n n i y y MD la bi a /G er la la er l bi bi ra mo l W l W l W l W h mo ch st ster st ster ster m R/Gw ch ch ur r R ra A Na t ac La ower ru Na Murray Murra ntra n ntra ntra La La L de We We We We We ur rder or 0% %M ommunity CM Ce Ce Ce Murrum Ce % % 0% %L Murrum M 0 B 0 7 -7 Bo 70 70 f C <30% <30% <30% <3 0% <30% <30% <30% <3 <30% <30% >70% 30 30- 30% 7 - 70% 30- <30% <30% < <30% <30% <30% % o 30 <30% 30- n y L > L P P S S N IV SS V RP DD BS P P S SS U CP B R N BBS B f C D CP RI N DR DR NA MU % % %C 0% %M oregio %N %B % %M 0 % o 0% 0 70% -7 70 70 70% 70% 70 - Bi 30 70 70 <30% <30% <3 <30% <3 < <3 <30% <30% 30 <30% > > 30- 30- 30 30- 30- Communit in 30- ) n) a h an ) ha ea ) ) ) ) ) ) ha % pe : %) % ha a ) ) ) % %) % o ) ha ) 7 % ha r % %) % ,000) e 19 5 % ) h 27 0 % 00 NT 00) 74 80 0 16 g 4 5 % - 1 .0 .1 - E 1 % ,0 00) 000) 00 - 7 Eu .0 54 13 - 1 4 - 0. 3. - 00 (6 ,0 2 - 000) ,0 .0 e - - 0 - 1 5. - 1 ,300,000) re-Europ 55 - 0 2, 30, 0 ( 4 - 29 XT (ran ( 5. 8, 190 5 - - p ( 49 6 ( (8.3 - 0 pr ha - 1 19 19 a (1 - 1 0 ha - 1 an 0 - (1.3 0. 0. ha % ha ha 0 - 0 - DE 0085 00 ( ( (0.6 0 h ha 00 (% 00 E pe 0. a a ,0 (0.037 ha 00 000 00 e ( 00 e o 00 ha ,000 ,000 g , (0.015 000 1, 0, r a ( ,000 00 ,0 0 0 h 0 h 0 ha 500 200, AT 70, (6 ng u , 110, 700,000 (4 ( (2 33 an 660 ( ha 7, 70 a - 2 18 13 15, 44 0 h 75 70 - (1 M 90 - -E 00 0 0 ( - 00 00 00 e 0 - 22 19 0 0 - 00 0 - 0 - 0 - d R ,0 TI r 0 0 - - 8 00 0 - 00 t R ,0 ,0 ,0 00 00 , 0 9 ,0 p 0 23 n 0 te 0 50 00 , 80 00 00 12 37 0 - 8 - , 25 3 , e c 45 40 ES 2, 9, 5, 10 27, 74 00 150 000, 11 38 120 rr 70 ,6 1, rote 1 Cu P s ns s g na i ay t e i l ne n s r in in la cl n a te rl l od zo Be o vial a me p i y p nd h of e g t w Rive D l la llu e a a C c Na nd r lo e h a ia e ioregion a o he d a im i Sout ands th n l s a on uv ig f t B c Ar lt r eart an s B ll in o of e s a L a d mo s nd i e la B nd ed r n lg ed a e B p i m nd nd t a u on op d SW dl th La la la la n r n ow o ec Sl Co a t nd nd ,M in al od ga n N r d o a l g o wo r ro ) a e s i enep u ly dl wood an n P m l th o nity / in Br n w n t n p a Rive estern rthe ar e M d of ope wo pe pe w ea mu no th . oa ( d o l m o an h i l- wood g h W nd ee l o l m l hr t a l la in g n so la u u al a e e y b blan y arid id a C l a a Co ains B :T - l So ay i entr n G s ru ru op a e a M /5 My i /5 - n n cl 4 m a ID ioregion T/5a E / th /5 f c sh sh e P o w - w i d o ng ng m f se E/5b CE/5 E NT C ow g SW i n e lo g lo o Plant e pi h B a egio a :N ai : :E ra ns ns erin re e Ve i r st th 5: 9 6: ig ig igal d N v o lg a a e 3 31 2 i n 023: Y of Bior 0 Br g Sout 077: Yarran 0 027 Ri Br plai 0 Br pl 02 We a Weep Bi w n o m p ti I I I I I I S S S SI ma A AS A AS AS A A r Grou Acrony Fo Table Table 3. List of 213 plant communities in the NSW Western Plains by alphabetical common name; order current pre-European, and protected areas of and ranges based formation on accuracy estimates; proportion group in bioregions; proportion in acronym Catchment Authority Management showing their ID number; protected area/threat code; with an accuracy code. areas (CMAs); and extent in protected areas Area/Threat code and the protected area extent accuracy codes M, E1-E4 are explained in The Protected 4. Table The formation group acronyms are correlated to names in Notes: Appendix B, in Folder 3 on the CD, contains “All Plains. Western A, in Folder 3 on the CD, lists full records (90 information fields) of all plant communities NSW Appendix Benson (2006). Slopes Section of NSW. Western Plain communities. *indicates communities that extend eastwards into the Western Records Short Report” (28 information fields) of all Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 393 1 2 3 3 2 2 1 M M M E3 E3 E2 E E2 E2 E3 E2 E3 E1 E3 E E2 E1 E E E2 E3 E E2 E1 E3 E E E2 ) & ha 5 4 4 6 2 6 0 Code 36 04 03 6 14 52 01 63 01 1 07 06 23 03 .2 re- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .9 . 7. 3. a ( 10 0. 0 0. 0. 3. 0. 0. 0. 0. 1. 0. 0. 0. 5 1 0. 2 15 f P re 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 g A 00 0 70 0 0 % o 00 360 000 60 5 00 2 40 60 60 30 000 ,3 40 00 ,3 ,5 European 50 10 20 30 10 25 ,0 ,400 70 1 580 10 4 153 Ve 0, Accuracy 3, 2, 1, 5 1, 3 7, 6, 30, 14, 2 12 91 14 7 0 8 1 1 8 7 2 68 90 6 27 232 445 528 441 759 956 068 42 842 83 965 830 427 282 826 58 71 06 42 597 581 23 441 232 ,0 ,7 , ,7 , ,4 6, 6 8, 4, 6, (ha) ) 64, 44, 30, 57, 71, 7 21, 71 11 33, 24, 21, 6 13, 67 71, 67, 44, 338, 1 111, 108 176, 17 176 33 338, es ze Si op Sl nd e a estern am A a N n W A P * P * P re NP N s A NP P R o o NP VC NR NR R R R g N g N g NR N HS NP ls ng n a R in in i d A i NR i N li NP NP ke ke iffs j j ji P e N e N e N r rl N ok t t t WC a a Down = a o n n NP NR La La Cl pper ah P P ch ch ch i in intji i Darl Darl g ng o N -D -D i NP le le le (* a A na o ee wi o i t N aw aw aw t t N aw t ul h t t t ll o r ndab lgoa j ra dk o ut ur at a u tu aroo ar Protecte St Ta Sc Paroo- Noco Paroo- Le Ma Mung Narran Noco Pindera Noco G K Y Mu Cu Narran Kinchega Mu M P S Kinchega Stur Mu t in st n es e D D n n n n n n n P r er MD W er er e t st l W r M r M r ster ster ster ster st st al e es A we w we We ntra We We We We We We entr Lo Lo Lo ommunity CM C Ce %W 70% 70 f C 30% > >70% >70% >70% >70% >70% >70% 30- <30% < <30% <30% <30% % o L L n y C C D L L D D P P P C C C C D D P H HC UL UL HC HC SS f CP CP BH B C MU MU SS SS DR DR DR BH BH CH CH MU MU MD MD %C oregio % %C %B 0% %M %M 0% 0% 0% 0% % o 0 0 0 70 7 70% -7 Bi 30 - -7 -7 -7 70 <30% <30% > <30% < <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% <3 <3 <30% <30% <30% <3 > <30% <30% 30 Communit 30 30 30 in 30 30- ) n) a ) a ) ) ) an ha e ) ) ) ) ) h a ) ) ha %) %) %) ha ha %) pe : % % % % ) ) 4 % 0 % 0 % 0 % 00 ) h ha ) 80 .9 0 1 % .8 5 % 2 % 00) ,0 e 37 - 9 000) 110 14 25 15 NT 00 8. 0 0 % - ha 1. 13 1. 140 - 1 - - 2 ,0 - - 000) 000) - 8 00 ,0 ng - - - -Europ 30 9 8 - 30 26 000) 4 - ,8 TE 500, 20 32 8 42 7 - 45 - - 00 ra re 000 ( (2 a ( (7.2 2. 44 41 45 X 650, 1, 780, 0. 500) - 2 p (1.6 ( ( 7 32, h , 1, pre-Euro a ( a ( a ( - - 9 - 0. n ( 33 ha a ( ha a - ( (0.3 ha (4 ( a ( a 0 - ha ha - 1 00 00 0 - DE 0 h 0 h 0 h a a 00 (% 0 (% 00 0 h ha 00 0 h 0 ,0 h ha 00 00 E pe 0 h 00 00 00 00 00 0, 000 e o ,0 0 0 h ,0 T ,0 ge 00 00 50 0 00 g r ,0 00 , ,0 0, 4, n 9 30 30 u ,5 10 500, 350,000 6, (18,00 an 0 ( ,500 ,300 900 ( 44 (420,0 (300,000 780, 750 26 23 3 650, 560, 4, 8, ( (1,6 MA - 3 - - -E - 1 - 1 0 ( - 4 I Ra 00 - 1 - 1 00 e 00 00 00 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 0 - 0 - 0 - d R T r 0 - 0 - 1, 00 00 ,0 0 00 00 00 00 ,0 ,0 0 S p nt te 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ,0 0 , ,0 , 4 50 000 ,0 700 ,0 ,0 500 e c 25 E 0 0 0, 0, 0 2, 4, 5 000, 600, 600 24 19 te 14, 1 13, rr 65 25, 20 800,000 30 42 2 350, 250 o 840 1, r 2, Cu P s e s n y x o th f d ay la le e d c ri cl s of d d in e d o o -a mp n h y s n nd ly me nd an l blan a a a f t la mi in ne Co in ow L a C n s a ru o a gion se ll a z br d o i ms e - re sh n N n hrub d o lg s m te nd e m a oa ed ll n r en n H gion s bl n s mo Bior d A o e p n l Mu e ma hi d a e n blan r z e o o ru li m pe ri t o y in ok on io ru o c he r te a sh d z nd a d c B e a ll B Co n te sh pl n y t e ood ri ston a la o th ta . l rl im a w at ne r l ty n nd a f a i ub e l c ope a in o on P e od e r ands i n im u P ) lg nd l o open l t/ y l g r c sh r on sh Be ot a e w ll a ta i ) a a L r rtic h - ises t d Mu b d ( ta o re in o lg od d z unt i - ri a pa ga mmu h o y r d o a ri l le Co (h i a lg t u T C w s, opo d F t d Mu s B e lg ar a a a a Co a b a n e a id , d M 5 4 e ston i- r ne e on 2a th an Mu t /4 /5 /1 /1 ls th r D: a h Wa n ns an I D n m - Mu I T T/ T/ T/4a T il in zo c C/ l o id of on - L a a lla i in d l N N LC N N LC se g e e mi g r te ar a - a hannel pl ly P e y H egio ga ga es i- : :N :L : d ge br se re l l lg lg Ve in th 0 8 9 4 ma o u u m e C id asta an 2 27: 1 1 li h he 1 M c Bior 1 G in M 1 S se 121: Um Peer 123: Mu t Bi 12 Sandhil ridg Mu ma 1 B t 125: on m i y t I I I I I up n S SI SI SI S o o r ma AS A AS A A A AS A r G or Ac F 394 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 3 3 M E3 E3 E3 E2 E E E4 E1 E3 E2 E3 E3 E2 E3 E2 E4 E2 E2 E3 E3 E3 E3 ) & ha 3 5 .5 7 1 Code 67 33 33 25 0 33 01 03 03 75 02 33 17 67 43 re- 5 5 1 a ( 60 7. 0. 0. 0. 32 4. 0. 5. 3. 0. 0. 0. 0. 3. 0. 1. 0. 0. 1. f P re 0 0 0 g A 00 0 0 0 0 % o 00 00 10 0 00 750 00 ,0 20 000 500 0 5 000 5 European 50 80 50 50 ,0 100 20 17 50 13 100 500 Ve 8, Accuracy 3, 2 4, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 26 2 18, 7 1 2 2 5 2 1 68 68 32 27 28 41 68 81 2 232 282 068 427 7 427 581 282 84 42 441 842 58 23 71 23 ,4 ,5 ,4 ,0 ,0 ,5 6, (ha) ) 64 38, 64, 71, 76, 44 71 70, 64, 71 44, 67, 67 176, 338, 1 108, 111, 111, 176 176, 3 338, 338, es ze Si op Sl nd d e a estern am Protecte a N n W P P P P ot P CA re N o o NP R R g N g N g N g N P NP NP NR ls n a N NR R in in CV in d A ka li NP P P e N e N e N o a N ar = a o P P ch NP AW book Darl Darl Darl eg ng ech ech o N o N -D ab NP NP a l le (* h o t N t N c ho o r nd col nda r n u o at turt turt Protecte Paroo- Gu Noco Stur N Pa Y Ki Noco Paroo- Kinchega Mung Mutawintji Paroo- Scotia Gu Yang Mung Mutawintji Mutawintji St in ee st D g n D D r n n S n n n S n n r id r e a We t e l r M e r M r M h st st ster ster ster ster es estern al mb c estern r e we A a we we ru nt L r We We We We We Lo Lo Lo %W %W ommunity CM Ce % %W % %W Mu 70 70 30 - 70 30 70 70% f C 0% < >70% < >70% >70% >70% 3 30 30- >70% <30% 30- < <30% % o L L n y D D C > L D D D P P P P C C C C C > C D UL P IV CP RP f CP C CH MU MU MD MD SS D DR DR DR DR BH BH CH BH BH CH MU MD MD MD %M 0% %R oregio 0% % 0% 0% 0% 0 % o -7 0% 70 70% Bi -7 -7 -7 -7 <30% 70 <30% 3 <3 <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% 30 <30% <30% >70% <30% <30% >70% <30% <30% > < Communit 30 in 30 30 30- 30- 30 ) n) a ) an ) e ) ) ) % ) ) ) ha ha pe : %) %) %) %) a % 0 %) ha 4 % %) %) ha ha ha % ) 0 1 % 0 ) a 8 % e ) h 15 0 % 60 h ha 12 1 % %) NT 7. 20 - 7 % 13 24 00 80 150 - 35 000) - 000) - 9 ) 00 ng 24 - - - 1 -Europ 000) - 4 - 2 0, 3 000) - 3 0 000) 000) 22 2 - - 3 - 1 - TE - 4 8 - 45 4 - ra re 11 ( . 0, 2. 500) 500) 5, 2. 24 46 49 X ( 650, 78 2 ( 0 % 25 a ( p (2 ( 3 56 45, 39, 33 20 27 pre-Euro 7, 120, 7, (6 (4.7 a h ( ( n ( 1. - - 4 a ( ha a ( a ( 0. - ( a ( ha a 0 - 0 - 0 - h ha a ( a ha 0 - 0 - DE ha ha 0 - 0 - (% 00 0 h ha a ( (% 0 0 h 0 0 h ha 00 00 E pe a ( 0 h 00 000 ,0 0 00 0 h 0 h e 50 ,0 o 00 T 0 ge 00 , 00 000 00 ,0 0 h 5, g r ,0 00 , 2, 0 h 60 50 50 00 ,300 ,100 15 2 (2,500 n 2, u 84 350, (10,00 ( 39 2, ( (21,000 an 51 75 (420, ( (40,00 25, 7, 4, 650,000 6, 19 97, 40 - 0 ( 0 - 2 MA - - 5 - 4 - 0 0 - - - - - 3 -E 0 I Ra - 2 00 0 e 0 0 - 0 0 00 00 00 0 - 0 0 - 0 0 - 0 - 0 - 60 d R 000 T 000 r 0 000 0 ,0 ,0 4 5, ,0 5, 00 S p 000 900 400 25 nt te , ,0 00 00 00 50 50 00 000 000 0 , 500 , e c 20, 30 30 35, E 0 2, 1, 0 80, 2, 1, 2, 13 4 7, 18, 5 600, 14, te 33 11, 22 18, rr 1 350,00 o r Cu P s of e nd - s e - e in d th D on d nd ne s a s ga mi S te r o e l o la an z in S me ul l se l nd a a s o ma l e in la te dune a C p li nd inag a se -M e hrub th f a id a r ub h re o n N f id r t d c y im ar r hanne dr o e s i l r ou r t i- c f sh -a of rs nd a rc mo o d A a a nd e C s un l d e id e te em mi ga ewood m o t la h sp th a nd t ar c an ub ul se C f s w f i- la ub l gion o Co of bl te sh e hr t M eedl e m u o hr n d s o th ne r e bu r ty e es la n n s n h i f d r -N in a hrub P e n s a el esas in itt n a ri d s r h t/ bl e s a m d o m op n s pl e l a an r i- ru ope e ttl d ns chsia- mb ll an i y C a p te ag re a l wood id nd a sh em mmu an sh dl h n Fu in in W le -U ar pl n e t e o T s a ai k f s oo ra tl ps Bu a a a e Co a b c b a t he r ee pe d id ga he ioregion w r 1 3 a a l attl r t a is (m a o t ) /4 /4 s o s /1 /5 D: f t r d a u -t ne Need Ro l n n I /3 T T i /4 n l sc C/ C/ C W n in ns y od a y B ne a M ai a l E L NT/3 L LC N N g r e o nt o y W nd o s i t te a - ly s a P pl pl z e a t n g w se :V : : : :L n pe i reio l d ge ston Ve r ck u d a 8 9 9 0 1 o ne cr i n nd ai el o idge l o abbage on ur r 32: 2 2 3 3 ri an 1 N sa 1 Mu si C 134: Ir 13 P sa 199: Hooked T a Bi zo C 136: Prickl on 1 pl 1 H r 1 G arid on m i y t I I I I I I I up n SI SI S S o o r ma AS A AS A AS AS AS A A r G or Ac F Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 395 1 3 2 3 2 1 1 M M M M M M M M E E2 E2 E E2 E2 E1 E E2 E E3 E1 E E2 E3 E2 E2 E2 E E3 ) & ha 6 1 1 1 1 6 6 1 9 Code 0 E 06 31 01 01 07 14 06 06 04 02 29 re- 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 . .0 .7 .0 .1 .1 a ( 1. 0. 0. 0. 1 0. 0. 0 2. 0. 0. 0. 0 0. 0. 0. 0. 1 0 0 f P re 0 0 g A 00 00 1 0 0 0 % o 0 00 0 1 0 1 5 1 8 4 1 5 6 ,0 120 000 00 900 000 European 17 20 30 25 ,0 ,2 25 50 20 38 600 600 440 Ve Accuracy 9, 6 3, 1, 7 6, 3, 16, 10 1 5 6 2 5 5 8 4 8 2 2 8 1 9 4 49 28 19 4 9 42 5 3 44 83 302 102 44 19 049 4 329 465 136 400 826 232 768 35 365 12 26 83 70 ,9 ,8 ,8 ,5 , ,6 3, 1, 4, 1, 1, (ha) ) 57 11 3 18, 28 64 44, 19, 13, 42 72, 53, 21, 13 108, 1 es ze Si op Sl nd ed e a A ect t estern * am R NR VC ro NR ni n F a N t P n W NR p HS o P CA re R* * t U ll N R R arshes R o o ke CA NP A* * P a fe ra R * * s N R* ls P FR ountai y N R CV R d A R N a N la ff l N NP an e N e S Swam en l P VC e M R NR i s L li il PA PA a a h N a N s = a r ey g N N r a N g N Gr ingl h N y M AW nn b ga inni o N e C uari Uran nd an d H (* a B la 008 ison tree ng ertroy bi li g ung e wi a r am e a unt ll 9902 9903 ll esne lb mb m l ro un r r ke ng or un Protecte M Ta Wi Nany Scotia La Wi Ma Kinchega Go GE GE Bude Ca Kirram Macq Wi No No Yathon M Bo VCA Kaju La Mo Oo Ro Scrubb r i e t t in ee e ee st yd D n e es es D D D n n n dg dg dg n i y i la an ay r M l la b bi bi ra ster l W l W l W r M r M r M r mo ch ster ster a m R/Gw ch ch r we A um t we we we La ru r We Na Mu Murray Murr ntra ntra r La rrum La r We We Lo en Lo Lo Lo rder ommunity CM Ce Ce % 0% Mu Mu Mu 0% 70% Bo 30% -7 %C 70 3 70% f C <30% % >70% <30% < 0 <30% > < <30% 0 30 30- >70% <30% >70% 30- <30% <3 <30% <30% <30% <3 % o <30% n y D D P D P P P S S C V DD P IV C f DR C CP MD MD M RI NS BB DR DR BH MD 0% % %R oregio 0% 0% 0% % o -7 70% 70 30 Bi -7 -7 70% <30% <30% < >7 >70% <30% <30% <30% 30 <30% > 30 Communit in 30- 30 30- ) n) a ) ) an ha e ) ) a % % ) ) ha pe : a % %) ) ) ) h ) % ) 50 00 8 % % ) ha e ) h 000) 1 % %) 12 0 10 , NT 00 00 %) %) ha - 1 - 1 - 2 - a .2 0 9 % ,0 ,0 0) ) ng 38 -Europ - 6 6 % 1 - 90 7. 23 TE ,000 500 15 17 - 0 ) h 31 7 80 00 ra re - ( 2. . 0. 2 - X 1, - 2 5 450 (8.4 0 % (3.1 500) p 30 4 - a ( - 50 pre-Euro a - - - (6 7 - 4. - n ( 7 a ( 12, - 1, 10 7 ( 1. 064 ha ha a - 0 - - ( (1 4. DE 0 h 0 h ha 00 (% 0. a ( 0 h (% 025 a ha 0 E pe a ( a ( ,0 00 ha e ,000 o 0. a ( ,0 00 000 T 000 ge 0 h 500 250 ( g r 0 h ( 0 h 5 h ,000 10 n 70 a u 320 ( 0 h 45 (4,000 ,500 - an 0 ( 91, 0 6 25, 58, (500,000 750, 79 (250,000 260 1 0 MA - - - 6 - 0 - 3 - -E 68 0 ( 9 h - I Ra 00 5 00 00 e 0 - 5 - 00 0 - 0 - 0 d R T r 1, 00 00 3 00 ,0 000 ,0 00 00 ,0 0 - 3 - 15 S p 000 nt 8 te 00 43 13 ,0 ,0 ,0 0 500 ,0 e c 20 E 2, 00, 0, 37 32 49 14 0 450, 35 te rr 25 140 o 1, r Cu P e y e a nd n nd a - e nl lg a s on zo i l d dl r z e es o t Wi od me ma oo ba id pr o a o entral ma ar ng d - a C nd C Cy n w li li a e n w s n c c r l re n N a er d th s i ope o d D ope m) ding - n mo of in r gion d A y a lu e osewoo gion e od wo le la a d r m t e S r c nc (w Box io an l p ne wo n R io Co te B e - ia bl id Pi se er ck o Murr k W i r u o a r r ty o st s B uv l na S i ss l i R h of i a P ll r e n pe t/ m -B l N We Bu o rn e s pr a l a n a ms e tl h se r a Rive st f Cy re k - at nt ba d o e lo bby mmu a h e w n WS n d s o c nd O T ru W S ioregion e la d f hite c b Co oo an - k l o B sh is n a t b a s /5 r /5 oo W andy k D: M W ac o n n n I T/4a T/3a i /5 /5 id - -W y nd a ood a p s ai Bl d wood Oa l CE CE N E E/4a NS g ssi e e NS ar la e e W n e P pl k e h/ i- e : : : :N :E ok ok pl c ah d e w th sa Ve od l l la r th 2 5 0 a n o el em in 20 or 2 2 57 5 n d Depr 2 sa S B n 058: Bl o Pu 0 Bu on 0 P 054: Bu in 0 0 Be w Penepl on m i y t I I I I I I I up n o o r ma AS CC CC CC CC CC CC r G or Ac F 396 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 2 2 2 2 2 M E1 E1 E E E E4 E1 E1 E4 E3 E4 E E E3 E1 E3 E2 E2 E2 E1 ) & ha 2 2 6 6 Code 05 08 03 67 13 19 23 01 35 06 12 25 75 04 re- 0 0 .7 a ( 15 1. 6. 0. 0. 0 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 1. 2. 3. 0. f P re 0 0 0 0 g A 00 00 0 0 0 0 % o 0 00 000 000 000 8 ,0 300 170 50 22 92 ,8 300 European 10 1 300 500 10 80 50 95 Ve Accuracy 3, 1, 2, 3, 5, 3, 18, 10 22, 25, 10 10, 7 7 9 7 9 5 1 6 41 56 42 54 8 68 42 38 581 711 45 42 457 3 068 42 83 768 282 75 93 31 ,0 ,8 ,5 ,4 ,9 ,8 6, 4, 1, 1, 8, 1 8, (ha) ) 67, 41, 7 4 1 70 64, 30, 71 14, 44 57 11 1 176, 176, 11 10 es ze Si op Sl nd d ed e a ect tected t estern am ro ro Protecte P R a N t P t n W P P N CA CA ot o re N No N NP P o o ke NP A R R g N g S g N g S NR NR P N NR ls N e in in in in La d A NP iffs P VC P e e N NR P a N ak = a NP ns N Cl pper g ch ch booka r Darl Darl Darl Darl 05 o N so r e L a N le le (* na i on go ee andr o h ya rri A1 ll ll c nda t dk un al a Protecte Mutawintji Mutawintji Gu K Kinchega Ma Mo Mung Near No Paroo- Paroo- Le Noco Paroo- Paroo- M VC Wi Yang Y ir t t in yd ee es es D D n n n n dg MD an MD r bi l W l W r M r M e R/Gw ster ster ster ster er ra w A t achl we w we ntra L o o We We We We Lo rder en Lo L L ommunity CM Ce C % % Murrum Bo % % % 30 0 70 f C % < 70 <30% >70% >70% <30% 0% 30 >70% >7 30 30- <30% < -7 < % o 30 L L n y D S L V D > D P P P C C I V HC CP R RP DD D HC HC BB f CP MU MU MD RI DR D DR D BH BH B C MU M MD %R %B oregio 0% %M 0% 0% 70% % o 70 7 0% 70 0% 70% Bi -7 -7 3 70 <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% 30- <30% <30% <30% <30% < > >7 <30% 30- 30- Communit 30- in 30 30 30- ) n) a ) a an a e ) ) ) h ) ) %) ) ) ) 0 % pe : ) h %) % %) ha ha ha % % ) 0 % 30 3 % 10 3 % 00 e ) 0 % ha ha NT - 5. 20 0) 0) 18 ,0 - 1 18 45 ) - 1 180 - ) ) 00 ) ng 120 27 - -Europ - - 2 900,000 00 00 33 5 - - 00 TE ,0 % ( 39 5 - 2 - ra re 1, 500) 2. 20 1 ,0 X ,000 a 0 % 0 0 % (4.1 20 24 p 30, 3. 33, 5. 75 14 pre-Euro a ( ( 7, ( ( - (3 n ( - - - a ( a ( 0 - - 1 - 9 - a ( a ha a 0 h a 0 0 - 0 - a ( 0 0 0 DE 0 h ha ( ( (% ha 00 (% 0 h 0 h 00 00 E pe 0 h a ( a a 0 h 0 h , 00 0 h 00 e 000 o 00 ,0 T 000 ge 00 00 g r 00 0 60 90 3, 0 h 0 h 0 h ,0 70 100, (2,500 ( 8, 5, n ,700 u 6 100 (10, (11,00 (25,00 8, - an 4, 75, 4, 3, 710, 1, 0 24 ( (5 1, MA - 0 0 - 0 0 - - 5 - 4 - 6 - -E - 1 I Ra - 00 e 0 - 0 - 00 000 0 - 0 d R 00 000 T r 0 - ,0 00 0 6, 5, S p 60 000 70 nt te 000 30 300 0 ,000 ,0 000 00 e c 20 22, 50, E 0 2, 1, 2, 1, 6, 8, 0 41, 48, te 15 rr 500,000 8 390, o 630,000 r 1, Cu P n y f s n ai e id dr r pe s i d pl d o nd a e o y d o n e a h on he me n sl h t la id t la - t r a c nd id d f sa f a r a C rn of ne o a e n an d l m a ood re y o o n N e zo st lls ight d gion wood nd an w ar d nl e - th hi i te ) r la n n l oo we f w mo d en d A a o lt ot io l e p h ub ma ma m t t id s o oo o B sa Rose (h e w r li c sh od hr a or c w in n rs o nd -a Co sh te id a bu la n s , n w la o n b lt p ar mi e bu r sp ty ssion ster a n arid i i ne e ub Rose e P se S nd d o op re u n e m l n t/ r zo hr p ow W r sa ope l an th a B he se l e - te ow l d s d n De r f t st a dde re k nd sh in o ow e a mmu a s h l h l u s i m o ea e i ng s o ts b s a n O T s W P Bl t us a li e nopo cl a a a b es l Co b in - b k on in c w l 5 3a 3 a ne 5 ood ar e t ow i /3 / /5 / he k k - k - on a la D: /sal on y f ac d n pl w D a a I l T T T/4a T/ d z lu zo z C/ es d - a d y sh l p ri e c Oa l d z n N N NT N L NT y N l g rd W /B n i l u te te a tt -m opic ia r P -a k O k k O k B S e i a a r sa r : : : sa r c ah c eb Ve l N 0 9 1 3: m m uv d ac a a bt av mi e a e u i im l eopa une 2 6 5 ll th Bl gr 228: Se su Be an 0 2 Blac cl of 254: B th 152: L 15 0 L cl bl Bl a se Mu on m i y t I S S up n CI o o r ma C CCI CCI CCI CC r CH CH G or Ac F Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 397 2 1 2 2 M M M M E2 E4 E2 E1 E3 E2 E1 E3 E E1 E E2 E3 E3 E3 E1 E1 E3 E E E3 E1 E2 E3 E3 E4 E3 ) & ha 1 3 4 2 4 1 8 6 Code 17 45 06 71 09 13 23 67 03 0 06 01 01 05 94 07 33 03 63 re- 0 0 0 0 0 a ( 0. 0. 3. 0. 0. 2. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 6. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 1. 0. f P re 0 0 0 0 g A 0 0 % o 0 00 0 700 3 00 3 1 000 000 50 70 00 900 3 European 10 78 50 4 15 15 25 49 ,4 154 600 940 500 500 200 667 3 50 47 275 Ve Accuracy 2, 6, 5, 2, 1, 9, 1 6, 18, 7 2 1 9 5 1 3 0 3 41 41 56 28 36 36 35 81 59 581 936 58 84 5 427 790 581 441 842 445 581 711 84 06 83 41 06 319 839 835 58 5 ,8 ,4 ,4 ,9 ,9 , , ,9 4, 1, 1, 0, 8, 4, 6, 7, (ha) ) 67, 1 7 2 6 44 33, 70, 44 57 18 11, 14 18 70 14 44, 21, 18, 70, 6 176, 111, 111, 176,427 es ze Si op Sl nd e a CA estern am V R ni a N n W P P AA CA P re R e N t U NP P o o R ns g N g N P P ak ra HS NP NR ls NR n N a N in in CV d A NP N la i N NP NP NP a ow P P l iffs j k N P P rr s L t P P P a N a a ok a = a NP N r r ey NR Cl NP N in AW on d r r N b w Darl Darl a D o N o N nd rr ndra nd a N a N a a (* a B a endo ar ar a ee i an a na g aw l t am t rris ll lla ll l ly ly n ly me ng il a em a oo co Protecte Kinchega Kinchega Ma Mung Tarawi Yang Mutawintji Mutawintji Mutawintji Paroo- Nany Paroo- Pinder K K W Ya G Ka Ke Ka Mung Wi Yang S Kinchega Mo Oo Wi Y Mu ir e e e t t in e ee e e yd g g n es es D D D n rn n n dg d d dg n n n y y y MD MD i i i la e er MD a la la la bi ra ra st st l W l W r M r M r M er r r ch ster ster estern e mb er mb mb R/Gw ch ch ch w A w we we we La ru ower o ru ru We Mu Mu Murr ntra ntra La r La La r o We We L ur Lo Lo L Lo rder %W %W % ommunity CM Ce Ce 0% %L Mu Murrum M Mu % 70 70 70 Bo 30% -7 0% 70% 70 f C <30% <30% < 0% <30% <30% <30% 70 3 <30% >70% 30 30- 30- 30- > >70% <30% < 30- 30- <3 <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% % o <30% n y D D D C C L L L L V D D P P P P C C C C D D IV V V HC H I UL RP S R RI f CP CP CH B MD MD MD R RI SS DR DR D DR DR CH BH BH CH MU MU MU MU MD MD %B % oregio %S 0% 0% %M 0% 0% 0% % o 0 0 70 0% -7 -7 70 70% 30% Bi -7 -7 - -7 <30% <30% <30% < <30% <3 <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% <3 <30% <30% <30% <3 30 30 Communit 30 30- 30 in 30 30- 30 ) n) a a an ) ) ha e ) ) ) h a ) %) ) ) %) %) % ) ha h ha ha pe : %) %) % % %) 00 ) ) % 0 % ha % %) ) 00 1 % 5 71 90 93 2 ,0 e 110 .9 19 15 2 NT ,0 1. 60 - .3 15 1. 16 000 000) 000) 000 - 00 ng 8 - 2 - - 1 -Europ 0. 1 - 0, 3 - 000) 6 - 7 - - 1 7 - 27 ,9 TE 300 5 - (2 (2 ( 90, 20, 9 - ra re 36 (3 5. 4. 4. 3 55 X (6 910, 65 1, ( ( 9 - - 1 p 26 75, 2. 0. pre-Euro - - 3 - - 3 - 0. 0. ha ha ha ( n ( a a ( ha ( 0. 02 ha ha a ( a ( a 00 0 - DE a ( 00 (% 0. 00 a 0 h 0 h (% ha ,0 ( 000 000 E pe 000 00 00 0 h ,000 ,0 ,0 0 h 000 e o 0 h 00 T 00 0 ge ,0 ,0 0 h g r ha 00 00 100 9, , 100 n 20, 10 u 490, 35 210, 700 (25,00 190, 780 650,000 an 52, 45 40 4, ( ( ( (180,000 ( 1, 8, 150 9, - - ( MA - - 3 - 12 - 5 -E 2, 540 - - I Ra 00 - e 0 - 0 0 0 - 00 00 0 d R T r 00 0 - 00 00 ,0 0 000 0 0 - , ,0 0 - 00 00 S p 00 00 20 nt te ,0 00 , ,0 ,0 500 ,0 00 e c 50 E 9 ,0 83 2, 19 0 4, 5, 28 15 22, 300 700, 500,000 250,000 000 6, te 8 rr 420 110 50 350,000 500, 2 o 1, r 1, Cu P - ) n mi d nd s s i W e ri n se S s d i s a wn e a o arid e a ne - in me h pl th he n N do t a la r zo f mi p a C e f t al o t i of nd te se v re n N es s o ly ny d s a o n ma he llu t in e ay a a li a l mo d A h w f t is cl r e n s m m ut t ub d c on y r o c d o on ri d o nd (s Co sh te e nd la o nd e a an d a n ston l blan r ty on la bl i ub e on an pe P ru r ub n on z ) z o ru r t/ s on sh sh y) d W) a m z te sh sh hrub in S dr ow ar an a sh sh re l l id t s N ma sh sh mmu r w e h bl ly ains ( li u bu bu l u sh T c bu d p r lt lt on e a tb i a a Co a lt l a z r dp bu 4a 5a sh a t a th a / /3 / S Sa /3 e D: m) arid 5a estern Sa n f - r id i- I T / u /5 n i oosefoo r sh o a r S rsistent w floo an l m a N NT E LC NT CE/5 g er e Bl s wa P bu d d pe em e ( Ma n se e G : : :V : nd rl e d rth- Ve d th 0: 4 5 6 7 a t ( d M d u ad a i e s la ld e 5 5 5 ow 5 r n no a of Bl th 158: Ol ho ( O a 16 Nitr in 1 P 1 Bl Bl d 1 159: 1 on m i y t S S S S S S up n o HS o r ma r CH CH CH C CH CH CH G or Ac F 398 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 2 2 2 4 3 4 3 3 M M M E E2 E3 E3 E E1 E3 E2 E E E E E E2 E1 E1 ) & ha 7 E 5 0 5 6 8 2 Code 15 65 37 .2 .3 6 re- 5 2 3 . a ( 16 37 12 26 0. 8 0 0. 4. 0. 100 11 10 1. 9. 1. f P re 0 0 0 0 g A 0 5 5 0 % o 00 00 4 0 000 50 6 0 000 4 0 00 000 300 European 50 30 10 15 240 11 965 300 18 Ve Accuracy 1, 1, 1, 6, 8, 7, 5, 1, 10, 11, 2 4 6 9 2 5 9 39 35 81 29 4 35 81 36 936 84 35 441 83 427 93 232 128 261 31 ,8 ,8 ,5 ,3 ,842 ,8 ,5 , ,8 ,9 4, 1 6, (ha) ) 14, 21 18 70 11 70 44 14, 21, 18 11 38, 14 72, 53, 111, 1 17 3 1 es ze Si op Sl nd ed t e a ec tected t estern am o ro Pr R a N t P t n W P * o re N e N No N R o o NP NP CA NR NR P P ak ls ng d A ly li NP an an e N e S P P P ke P P P s L P P a N a N ar = a ey ey ng N La P i on r N r N r N D inni inni o N o N o - a N a N (* mb mb ar ar ar o andr andr am t N rris ll ll la la mb mb ly ly ly rr ung ung Protecte Ka Mung Nearie Oo Wi Yang Kinchega M Ka Oo Wi Yang Paro Ki M Stur Ka Mo No No r e ir ir i e e d d t in ee st st y yd y n es D D D D i idge w n n n dg n n n i i y an MD idge idge M o We We Gw la er la la bi ra / mo /G ster l W r M r M r M mb m mo ster ster st e al mb m mb R R/Gw R ch ch ch ur a achl e estern A Na we we we ower ru ru Na Murray Murray M er Murray ntra La La r La r ower We We urru entr entral d Lo Lo Lo %L rder rder r %W %N 0% ommunity CM C Ce %W %W o %L Murru Mu Mu %L 70 -7 70 30 B Bo Bo %M %C 30 70 70 f C < <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% 70 <30% <30% < 30 % 30- 30- 70 30 <30% <30% > <30% 0 30- <30% <30% < 30% <30% <30% <30% % o 30- < <30% <3 n y L L V D D D D D P P P S C > D I IV V V R RP B R f RI RI SS DR D DR D CH MU MU MD MD MD MD MD %R oregio %B % 0% % o 70 0% 0% -7 Bi 30 70 3 >70% >70% <30% < <30% > >70% >70% >70% < <30% <30% <30% <30% >7 <30% 30 30- Communit in ) n) ) ) a %) an ) %) e a ) %) % pe : 0 % 0 % a %) 90 %) % ) ) h ) %) %) %) ha h ha a ) ha a 4430 20 60 e 20 %) ha 28 NT 410 54 600 - ) h 00 00 10 - 2 % 000 ) h 150 1 % %) - - 7 - 2 - ) ) ng -Europ ha 00 - 000) 000) 1 - 000) 00 1. 7 - - 3 - 3 - 1 TE , - 9 000) .3 60, ra re 87 0, 8. 500) ,0 - 3 X ( (1 ,500 0 % 0 % 17 250 p (290 75 65, 2 - - 4 33 33 13 pre-Euro (130 (1310 ( ( (670 11 13, 7, - 2 a n ( a ( 12 - 3 - ( 450) - - 7 33 ha a 0 - 0 - ha a ( a ( a ( a 0 - DE 78 ha ha ha ha ha 0 - (% 0 h (0.1 0 h 00 (% 0 - 0 a ( 0 - 00 000 E pe 0. a ( a ( 00 0 h 0 h 0 h ( 0 h e ,0 50 o 00 00 000 00 T 00 00 ge ha 00 15 g r 000 000 0 h a 000 2, 40, ,0 ,0 0, 0 h 9, 0 h 50 50 50 30 10 4, (7,0 (2,500 n u 1 (25, ( (35,000 an 39, 0 ( 70 ( 45 7, 7, 4, 2, 0 0 ( 29, 19 10, 15 7 h 50, - 1 MA - 0 ( 730, 0 - 0 - -E 0 220 - I Ra - 30 00 00 0 e - 2 00 000 - 3 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - - 1 0 - d R ,0 T 000 r 0 0 - 00 4 - 00 ,0 ,0 , ,0 0 - 0 5, 5, 0 0 S p nt 8 te ,0 93 0 50 50 50 15 ,0 79 1 0 00 00 100 e c 50 20 50 E ,0 , ,0 2, 000 2, 1, 7 ,0 ,0 5, 11 21 200,000 te rr 0 1 65 o 7 75 50, r 190 1 Cu P on e n nd id h- w e d a r t ai y e rn nd o a u lo e me la la Pl th i- c a assl on th so ly r r m a C of ne d iverin i of /g on Po se hrub no d ession re n N d er r nd ly n ly g R v he nd blan n s i a la o t ep in in mo blan SW d A la ru R bl s e b of e u N m ope ru e g R t r ma r g D sh c h hrub n ck d e Darl on fo on in li n sh sh es Co la z te th z s e rl n s n s ) la ar o B sh d a bu on d in th r ty of u D sh z ri lt i ri ub la P n ope ope -D r h - a e n tb n sa l t/ nd Bu e a n dp y i d sh th us r a sa chenopod la tio e th f - b f n low a t an o re al itr ub ainl ea floo sh al mmu of h n. r ly u id u N Murray o ope o nl r n nd ( T al i i sh t S ps a tb n e s m Co b a c b b g l la Boxtho inund r vi w nd i- sh SW 1 1 1a 1 ui y P t sh r / /5 /2 u D: on l d a u 5a Sa ub n m N fr I T/5a ol l soil an z / scar C/ C/ C/ C nd e a a Bu iore b y T a Bu li ) r hr l se L N L E L LC LC V/5b n g B rn a n rb e d a s a P r ri e e k R egions o : on : : : :L rm vial n s dder rete l in Ve st in st th a an 3 8 5: 4 6 6: e a ac ender- a il istu lu lc la 6 6 6 9 l w nl of 16 Copp 1 D p i Bl P 196 Sl 1 Cott ( 1 D we 1 al 210: Shrubb Au si 211: op 21 Bl Rive Bior on m i y t S S S S S S S S up n o HS H o r ma r CH CH CH CH CH C C CH CH G or Ac F Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 399 3 3 2 3 3 3 1 M M M M M M E E E E E E3 E E3 E3 E3 E ) & ha 7 7 1 5 0 5 Code 07 72 15 01 25 01 7 re- 0 0 1 1 1 .5 .6 .6 a ( 0. 13 2 0. 6 1. 0. 0. 0. 0 0. 0. f P re 0 0 0 g A 0 0 2 % o 00 1 0 8 8 6 15 54 0 30 European 20 50 15 10 16 10 40 2 46 Ve Accuracy 1, 2, 1, 1, 1 5 3 0 35 18 60 16 43 42 36 581 711 8 58 936 956 842 839 44 66 41 9 ,8 7, 6, 1, 0, (ha) ) 6 7 14, 57, 21, 33, 18 14, 111, 11 es ze Si op Sl nd d ed t e a c e t tected tected estern am o r ro ro Protecte a N t P t P t P n W ot FR P re No No No N N R P o o NP A NR P s * N N ls d A Pine ff A ra an P ji P VC r li PA P P PA a N a = a N NP ey NP nt NR C N 3 o o N 05 06 rr rr aw ndr a (* wi 006 dune mb a ee 9 91 awintji l d ya 9 9 lla la ly n ut al al Protecte Muta M Sa Yang K M Mung Oo Tarawi VCA AL DE99 Mung Wi DE Goon Ka e e e in ee ee dg i n n dg dg n y y an MD MD ay i idge r a er la bi b r r ra mb er r st ster mb ur achl e estern estern w A um um ach Mu ower r Murray Mu L W We Lo ur %L %M ommunity CM Murru 0% %W %W %L Murru Murr 0% 70 -7 30 70% 70 70 70% 70 f C %M < >7 <30% 0% - <30% >70% 30 30- -7 30 30 30- < <30% <30% % o 30 n y D V D S C > C > D > V V V I IV UL HC RI f MD RI R RI NS SS B BH BH MD %R oregio 0% %M 0% 0% % o 0 -7 30 Bi -7 >70% < >7 >70% <30% >70% <30% >70% >70% <3 >70% 30 Communit in 30 ) n) %) a an ) e ) 0 ) ) ) ha pe : %) ) % % ) 0 % ) ha %) ) 0 % ) ha 0 %) % 7 e 0 % 48 ) ha ha ha % NT 00 ha ha 2. 25 22000 0) 20 0 % ha ) ) ) ng 24 24 50 ) - -Europ 5 % 0 - 4 - - 3 30 000) TE 7 % 1700 %) 13 8 - 9 - ,0 ra re 00 (1 500) 000) - - 5 - - 7 7 - 3 - X ,500) 8 - 390,000) 0 % 0 % 0 % 23 900) p (2 3 - 90, ,5 pre-Euro 22 3 7, 200) 6, 4. - 0 9. 0. (2 n ( 1, 3950 ha ( (330 ( 3. 48 - - - 7 - 23 a ( ( 1, 1. a 0 - ( 0 - 0 - 0 - ha - 1 - 0 - (0.5 DE a a ( a ( (0 ( 0 0 - 0 (% ha a ( (% 0 ha a ( a ( E pe 0 h a a ( a ha ha 0 00 ha e 50 50 00 ,0 500 o 0 h 0 h ha 0 h T ge 100 0 h 0 g r 00 00 0 h ,0 (500 8 h 7, 2, 2, 40 2, 0 h 0 h 0 h 000 3 ( 80 ( 70 n 5 00 u 00 210,00 ,0 - 0 an 750 0 ( 70 52 100,000 6, - 2 1, 0 ( 0 ( 0 0 ( 15, 1, 5, MA 0 ( 0 - 0 - 0 0 - - 7 -E 1, - 1 00 0 ( 15 I Ra 00 0 e ,000 0 - 00 00 00 80 0 - 0 - 0 0 - 16 d R ,0 T 220,000 r 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 1, 00 ,0 0 0 - 35 5, 5, 4, 0 - - S p 25 nt te 00 28 00 15 98 00 10 ,0 56 e c 60 E 92 00 5 2, 5, 3, 300, te 2 56, rr 5, 000 o r Cu 75, P e d s h n he . e e t t a in e e f t a in f rn g d on d bl la o a ssy e th n z o u im i d st s o pl r me l an ra l p d e of n h a g i es n ia r a od f s a C d c k n a ly rise rder d s bl lo on e ri n uv -W e re y i n N in oa ne d o ope a ll bo ru po r f o op th a la e z e o nd he an f ma sh P sh mo at n n ood w d A S th e z rce- u sa dl s e e t n e e m w b m lo e s o Rive t a e i r n t of d o ou e oo ng ch c a on cl al s op im Co n an te l f s lg ng d o S dun . e ld rray e z o o a n w iverin rr bl r pe Suga oopi r r ) c an ty ie e on r R at d arid o i - Mu ru y z bu P d n dl and ef Mu n D e r - ope m e d - t/ w n sh la li nd e a id e e NSW) th oo o a l in u l n ms ston f warm th d ar P in i od ) a ) c ( a e o re ow e o P P Pine -B e n l sh mmu n w coppe h d ki ss re s i u th r on c e th - r nd ss ss r T st pe sh e y o estern e w a tb es b b l Co a b b b pr l la r warm re warm re e z n of on 3a e sh i- 5 bu nl 5 1 a ( or i t bu / p p /5 i /5 /5 / z d o D: d at e d Sa P 5c od n y yp r ri a h w Cy I /4 d d ( E/ / e C C/ t u i Bu nd em o a C Cy oo rt ri r l V C NT E L im LC CE LC an a g ss er , p er l n Bl e e C w s m e t R P d -a -a e S e s c d bl dl o no : : : : :L ns it it n w t e d h u Ve t pr t d th 1 2 4 5 an hite a n r mi mi en oo i ar o ow 2 2 2 2 f ri 028: 048: Wh ope 068: W w (f 019: se Wh plai se 2 sh C a 2 Bl of zo 236 o Cy dune 0 Sl Rose L 2 G on m i y t S S S up n W W W o HS H o P PW PW r ma r CH C CH C C C CP C CP G or Ac F 400 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 2 2 1 2 M M M M M E1 E E2 E3 E3 E2 E3 E2 E2 E E E E3 ) & ha 7 4 5 4 Code .4 02 05 02 03 33 23 61 65 06 01 25 re- 2 0 .0 . .0 a ( 1. 3. 0 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 1 3. 7. 0 0 0. 0. 0. f P re 0 0 0 0 g A 0 9 0 % o 00 00 0 80 00 80 000 00 000 0 60 European 27 4 50 37 90 20 ,3 50 12 60 2 Ve Accuracy 1 2, 1, 7, 3, 1, 5, 11, 4 9 7 4 8 7 8 2 8 72 68 65 30 68 826 81 128 261 642 70 15 37 42 76 28 12 19 ,7 ,8 ,7 , ,4 1, 4, (ha) ) 21 53, 13, 13, 72, 6 72, 19 108 108 176 108, es ze Si op Sl nd d e a ecte R t estern am o R r s N P e n F a N n W ot sh P R* re NP N R R ar o o CA g untai R ls NR a N e N R R R R in d A R* k e N e S e N ll PA e M N o R ak Mo h N = a ni NR a N n F g N g g N Hi n bo Darl ga inni inni i i N n L uari a in (* ng b li on q h oo- c mb mb nd ahor t und ro r a r arra om Protecte Boom Midk St Kaju No No Ro Scrubby Yathon WE9905 Bo M Gu N Ya Pa Yathon ir ir t t in yd st yd es es n n n n n n N n n i i a l la an o We l W l W la er h t R/Gw mo m ch c ster ster ster ster al R/Gw ch a a es A achl ntra ntra L La Na La We W We We We entr rder Ce Ce rder %N ommunity CM C %L Bo 70% 70% 30 Bo 30 0% f C <30% < <30% < 70% <30% <30% >70% >70% >70% 30- 30- -7 70% <30% 30- 30 % o 0- <30% 3 L n y D P S S D D P P P C C D B P SS C DD NS B f CP CP DR CP C CP CP MU MD SS BBS DR DR BH CH MD MD % % oregio %N 0% 0 %M % 70 % o 70% - 70% 70% 70% - Bi -7 30 <30% <30% 30 >70% >70% 30 >70% <3 <30% < <30% <30% <30% 30 <30% <30% <30% < < 30- 30 30 Communit in 30- 30- ) n) a ) an ) ) ) ) e ) a a a % ) ) ) %) % % ha ha ha ha h h pe : %) ) h ) 0 % % 0 % % ) %) 3 % 10 0) 0) 80 %) 60 e 1 % 00) 0 00 NT 100 12 14 15 19 16 - 1 - 8 00 000 000) 6. 21 - - 1 - 1 - ,0 ,0 ,0 ng - 1 -Europ 0. 0. 3 - 4 TE 8 - %) 6 - 84 12 00, ra re 12 - 20 49 9 - ( ( ( 11 X (1 ( ( (4 2. 450, 300 300 190,000) 190, 720 0 2 - p 1. a pre-Euro a - - - - - 2 0. a ( a ( n ( 04 ha a ( 02 ha ha ha a 0 0 - 0 - 0 - DE 0. a ( 0 h 0 h ( 00 00 (% 0. 0 h ha 0 h ( (% 0 h 00 000 00 000 E pe 00 a 00 00 ,0 ,0 a 00 0 000 00 e o 0 h a ( 00 T ge ,0 ,0 , ,0 00 g r 1, 00, 0 h 70 0 h 2 50 n u 5, 100 150, 1 180 110, 170,00 110, 80 0 h 00 50 an ( ( ( ( 6, 180, 150, - 1, 1 180,00 180 MA 21 0 - - -E - 1 0 ( 0 ( 0 0 ( 28 - - 1 I Ra - 1 e 00 0 00 00 00 0 0 - 0 - d R T r 0 - 0 - 0 0 - 00 0 00 0 00 0 - ,0 ,0 0 ,0 00 0 00 0 - S p nt te 70 00 00 300 0, 5 00 00 e c E ,0 ,0 12 , ,0 0 12 3, 4, 16 8, 3 200, 200 155, 180, 150, 450 te 8 rr 60 35 60, 98 84 160, o r Cu P s n r d in on e ng e a on ri soil SW li d st pl r -a r obar e o N nd e nd W me am w on a ba la mi S Da a al en e C o lo e r d dl - a C se y- C th th l N r P ood d an oo ay re a e n N n in cent bl cl w of urra a th u x w f ly r mo d of d A entr Coba on o nd e ow ri in m sh Bo a -c n M t a r nd . ly c a l dl nd th e ar ma r ga la in Co es te l lg la o th a oo pl o u rthe estern ns o on r ty i n ood f n i z P M Mu a no ood P s m n w n - - s i - e e w e pl e t/ w d s o e w e e in at a th n h ng ne n ne n i a op an in a egions a re im of r pl P Pi Pi Pi l pe mmu in h pl d c ow Bela d n la ss ss ss ss T ) ky nd ioregion al n Bior r e e e e a a Co a a a i h l r sa r e la 3 5 oc 3 a a x - t pr pr /5 b /4 r la D: s a d 5 uv m o n n B n n yp yp I /5 T/ / T/ enep e i C/ n ll o ru a B m p Cy Cy ai i P a Be us l V N L V LC LC g la ssion g r o - sh e C e e C e s p P su e a ar a e :N : : : n it it it re e Ve c b th 0: 2 9 5: 6 ne h hite h o i ot ne n ai l i 7 7 6 0 h ootslo 0 W 0 W f 0 W pl ( Penepl si Pi Depr 246: P Bi 056 Popl 24 Co of 1 Wh Pe on m i y t up n W W W W W o o PW P r ma r CP CP C CP CP C EBWP G or Ac F Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 401 1 1 3 2 M M M M M M M M M E1 E1 E1 E1 E2 E1 E1 E2 E2 E1 E E1 E3 E E1 E E ) & ha 5 1 1 Code 02 18 02 01 01 01 27 09 01 18 re- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0 . .1 a ( 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0 0. 0 0 f P re 0 g A 4 1 % o 9 8 8 4 2 65 55 5 10 European 30 15 36 22 14 17 86 30 1 10 20 33 3 25 6 710 417 1 13 200 27 Ve Accuracy 1, 3 1 4 9 2 4 5 8 30 1 72 36 57 16 33 43 5 19 22 18 30 364 775 113 16 1 136 13 10 302 136 14 049 96 ,8 8, 4, 6, 4, (ha) ) 24, 21 es ze Si op Sl nd ed t e a ec t tected estern R* am ro ro R* P l N a N t P t * n W ia * p N o R re R or * * N No R FR o o A* N * * * R * * * ls em FR FR e N NP NR ng d A R st R A* a N A A k Swam o e VC PA P FR P PA PA PA PA PA PA P n N = a f M N La rra rra a N W gb 1 h N 1 P a i n 10 n Uran (* la i 108 ners ertroy ertroy o a 92 k ggoo 9904 9910 9913 9909 99 9 9907 9908 lb lb bbat c de lg om ke agstaf L u Protecte Cocopa Fl Wies AL HE990 B Gu Wi AL AL A AL Cocopa Strahorn Wo CD WE9902 NA VCA AL La Wi Bo Bu Cu Narr r di ee t st st in ee ee e wy es dg n n dg dg n n i i an y We W G i bi ay o la la bi b r ra l W al R/ r r mo ster ster r ch am achl r ra A t ach Murray nt Na N Murray Mu Mu n entral L La de We We r e Ce %L o ommunity CM Murrum C Murrum Murrum B 70% 70 %C % 0% f C <30% <30% <30% <30% >70% <30% <30% <30% 70 <30% 30- 30- -7 0% 70% 30 < -7 30- <30% <30% 30 % o 30- 30 n y S S V V D P S S S V IV S CP RP RI RI NS NS f RI R NS N NS D DR MD 0% oregio 0% % o 70% -7 70% 70% -7 Bi <30% >70% <30% <30% <30% >70% >70% 30 <30% 30 30- 30- 30- Communit in ) n) a ) an a ) e ) ) ) a ) a ) ha ha pe : % ) h %) 0 % %) ) h ) ha 2 % ) ) ) h 6 % 4 % %) %) 1 % e ) 12 77 15 0 % 00 NT 00 .5 20 - 3 00 - 4 - 000) - 04 92 09 0. ha ,0 ,0 ) ) ng 6 % -Europ ,0 - 6 - 0 - 3 3 ) 0 000 0. 0. 0. TE 7 - % 13 ra re - 4 (1 4. 50 (9.8 ,000,000 X 650, 520 3. 90 0 0 % 25 14 p 45, ( 8 - 2 - 7 - pre-Euro a ( - - (6.7 ,000 n ( a ( - - 1 0. 14 0. ha - 1 a ha ( ( a 0 - 01 02 0 - 0 - DE 0 h ( ha - 1 (% a a ( (0.1 0 h 00 (% 00 0. 0. 00 0 h 00 000 00 E pe ha a ( ( 0 , , 00 e ,0 ,0 o ha ,0 ,0 T 00 ge a ( 0 h ha 0 h 00 0 g r 00 50 ha 0 0 h 15 5 (560 n 60 u 50 260 ( 30 an 52, 9, (280,000 (3 0 h (300 130, 560,000 180 10, 0 MA - 0 ( 1, 460 2, 0 - 0 - - 3 -E - I Ra 51 140 e - 0 - 0 ( 0 - 0 00 80 0 - 0 - d R 00 000 T r - 000 0 - 0 0 - 00 ,0 14 S p 00 00 00 nt te 0 - 00 00 600 ,0 e c 30, E 30 80 25 30 3, 0, 8, 5, 100, 28 28, 500, 400 600,000 1, 1, te 7 rr 9 800, 120 o r Cu P r e f ss on n v e th he e o t re s o d f Ri ou nd in p o ls /W g ll r i y a of me S la S e s o a o ta soil in a Cy r on l ly ssy iv in a C a a d ur ne ood in r SW la m s SW n re vi n N Darl a iverin hite egions w g R M Pi N u N la o l p r l ma e g l e l e in in n ss ia mo a d R d A rn gion -W th e th la Bior ood e ppe e Pi ms m f uv t x r m an ndy u pr w Darl in c ll o dp oa ss este io e sa gion oa o d o B Co l te Cy ls rina e w re - i he th n a d l r ssy lo o t n y an opes e o a on d n B a te r ty yp so o d i r n i in i dl h f i P Sl ai n g an Bior n n r g Rive nd l t/ ay ly soil ba e C l oo sa a ly a a Popl Wh re rn a a cl it in d o e nd o la s w p in in dl m a h r o re n d st a x - x - x t ll an Bi ee mmu n s a h Penepl oo o a o o W ma lo d t Co dl iverin r s m we T B B B in - a egio a Co Rive R gion m a in x - r x w y oo la on on lope e th a x - t a a a soil um ey ey e n o /5 ob r la P D: n, io w u r o ns oa d d n i I /5 y l Bo B G /5 /5 /5 o o io n n S a a B G Gr Gr ll l p l CE E E E/5a E/5c V la a S an g ster n C s B a r l gi w w pl ta d d P rine e dl ow t c la n B : :E : nd : ea vial vi l re e ster W i Ve llo llo an an 6 2 5 0 u o v ster ne la op l a e oo el ood e e l ood l op gh 7 8 7 8 a l llu l nl 0 0 In Pi e Y th S In a We 0 I w NS Bi 083: Y a Ri 086: Y f li 0 w 087: P Pl on m i P P P P P P P y t up n W W W W o o r ma BW B BW BW B B r E E E E E E EB G or Ac F 402 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 3 2 1 2 2 M M M M M M M E2 E3 E2 E3 E4 E3 E1 E E E2 E2 E2 E3 E2 E2 E2 E2 E E2 E1 E2 E E ) & ha 3 9 3 6 1 2 1 Code 02 04 93 07 25 32 01 14 25 05 01 07 11 81 04 33 03 re- 0 0 0 0 0 1 .3 .0 a ( 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 1. 0. 0. 0. 1. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 3 0 0. 0. 0. 0. f P re 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 g A 00 00 0 0 0 0 2 % o 00 00 5 5 0 4 5 2 51 00 00 54 ,0 0 0 ,0 ,0 52 00 30 European 85 7 41 17 50 1 20 6 50 600 130 10 41 33 400 Ve Accuracy 1, 3, 8, 6, 2, 2, 1, 7, 1, 10 10 15 0 7 4 6 3 8 7 7 8 1 2 8 2 5 96 82 59 6 75 30 90 2 6 65 82 29 453 198 965 83 42 35 34 2 7 76 24 113 64 76 76 2 28 3 3 36 128 261 704 ,3 ,7 ,2 ,2 , ,1 8 4 9, 1, 4, 3, 6, 1, 1, (ha) ) 24, 21, 64, 30, 64 13, 64 72 53 72, 53, 176, 108, 108, es ze Si op Sl nd e a estern am FR * S S a N n W * P P P NR re l H l H A R R R R o o NP N C CA NR A* el el g N P R untain R* ls a N a * r N R R in N N R d A NR l N NR k ke e N e S e N e S e Park VC i a NR PA PA il renf renf Mo k N NR ra r = a NP oo NP La r a N pp g N G o N 1 nn nni booka b book Darl 88 ar ow oc i i inni inni ng t G d H (* hnan na ng ng da opa op g o ggoon ho goa A0 9902 un unt n mb mb nda mb mb nda l t r c c un e R lli u dk igal o o o o o o o D990 Protecte Narran Nangar VC B Cu Br CD Gu Le Paroo- C C Th Gu Quanda To Wo Lo Mo N N R Ya M No No Scrubby Yathon Gu C r i ir d t t t t t st in ee st yd wy n n es es es es es n n dg n n n n n i y oi We a a /G a We la l la la bi r ster ster l W l W l W l W l W R h hl mo am ster ster e estern al a a R/Gw ch ch c ch ur r r r A ac We W Na ntra ntra nt ntra nt La La L entral La La de We We r entr %N rder %W o %M ommunity CM Ce Ce Ce Ce C Ce Murrum 70 B %C 70% 70% 70 Bo 30 - f C <30% < % <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% >70% 70 <30% 30- 30- 30 30- 70 <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% 30- % o <30% 30- n y P L L L D D D P P P S S P C CP R DD f DR CP CP CP NS BB D DR MU MU MU MD MD MD %C 0% oregio 0% 0 %M 70% % o -7 - Bi -7 >70% >70% 30 >70% <3 >70% >70% <30% <30% 30 30 <30% <30% <30% <30% < <30% <30% 30 Communit in ) n) ) a a ) ) ) ) an a h % e ) ) ) a ) ) ha % %) % ) ha ha h ha 0 pe ) : % %) %) ) h 0 % 0 0 % ) ha ) 10 20 9 4 % 3 % 22 0 % .5 .7 7 % %) e 5 % 000) 14 14 10 NT 1 % 3. 6. 2. 000) 1. - 1 - , - 1 - 000) 000) 000) 000 .9 - 9 - 4 - - 1 5 - - 7 ng .1 -Europ 2 2 - 0, 000) 9 - 3 - 00 TE 500, (2 3 1 - - 1 43 35 43 50, 00, ra re 10 - 0 84 91 57 ( ( (3 1. ,0 ,100,000 X 1, 910, 58 p ( 60, (8.3 0. 0. 0. pre-Euro a ( a ( ha - 6 - 3 - 35 a ( (0.6 ( n ( ha ha ha - 1 - 1 (0.5 a 0 - 0 - 0. a ( ha a ( ha 0 - DE 0 h 0 h 0 00 (% 0 h ha ha (% ha 00 000 E pe a ( (0.021 ,0 ,000 00 0 h 0 h 00 00 000 00 00 e , o 00 ,000 T 0 ge 000 00 g r 0 ,0 0 0, ha 0 h 000 00 00 20 0, ,0 n 900 50, u 100 1 500, 490,00 ( an (350,000 ( ( 2, (320, 1, 390, 71 450, 650, 630,000 15 5, 37 - 9 1, (560,000 MA 10 17, 16 - 2 - 6 -E 0 ( I Ra - 00 e 0 - - 2 - - 1 0 ( 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - d R T r 0 0 - - 1 0 - 00 000 ,0 000 000 00 000 00 0 S p nt te ,0 00 00 00 00 ,0 00 0, ,0 30 21 000 e c 40 E 600 0 63 10 4 300 0 5, 3 3, 500, 20 000, 700, 450, 9, 7, 11 9, 6, te rr 80 900,00 210, 390, 250, 350,00 350,000 o 1, 380, r Cu P n y s y r n e e b nl e e i n y i th d in st a r soil ub o ne r r hite y o in me g m s P l ainl We s m zo a sh astern ba n n in n ly es a C oa m o e Coba ubby r o -W th ai te r pe in s m d e p C a e in re n N d l oa h h a n l ou at e a Darl nd th a s m a o r m im Cy he fl l s P e s t la y- mo ab lg d A in in f in es vial e on nd WS ite ) c a ns soil on od m y l t r a u o h ool o pr l l c i Mu urra s o l s P nl m d nd NS g i nd a n W Co me te a a Cy es s o oa d C re la h w h - o enep oo i l s m dl d M x- k o idge r on pr ty g r ke y i s o s ba ba y s m e su P r r P ope d ac oo an d Bi n a a n l y w C te ly n t/ n gion n w ot ba ai r B ol a wood Bl a a in e el bb l y s a h ool o sa gion a - Bior pl ite ( v u d la e m- rina gion Coba re C r pl l h lg r x e u bstr e egio ra mmu a in o h ed te oo r d C d assy v Bior sh ston r io i he e or la su T vi Bo ra w io Mu B -W -G gr -P enep n n g k a a R Co u a a y l y ne on o n Bi o B ep n t 4 5a r 4a l pe x- i t a ar arke /5 / e /4 /4 D: n r P ox ox o ox ox d ands n b n nd ta I m T/ s i in i /5 C/ -b - t a n nd nd a B n Gr s P ope Pe n l te E V/5a NT LC N LC NT L a g la in la r B s a r B r r B l la la a L oba a B a r ession es p P e a a a la g r a me n la : : : nd : : ep ig h ooth ooth ssy p Ve od od p b pr g l a t pl pl p 8 8 4 3 5: n ne ul a di ope e C o a il o o e 9 8 0 0 0 r nl 0 P of 0 Popl w st Sm 109: on 110 wood g Sm P I Sl 1 P Cy Co 1 se Pe P M th De 108: wo 1 Po on m i P P P P P y t up n W W W o o r ma B BW BW r E E EBWP E EB EB EBWP EBWP G or Ac F Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 403 4 3 M M M M M M M E3 E2 E E E3 E3 E4 E1 ) & ha 3 5 7 26 Code 01 01 77 05 03 31 .3 67 re- 0 0 1 0 a ( 2. 0. 0. 6. 0. 2. 0. 0. 0. 93. 13 f P re 0 0 g A % o 6 6 2 0 264 000 400 000 620 00 00 European 2 1 7 2 50 27 ,000 190 Ve Accuracy 2, 3, 5, 1, 2, 4, 4, 4 8 9 2 1 3 7 57 20 32 82 26 68 427 427 1 14 04 37 441 23 77 69 ,2 ,8 ,0 ,2 , 4, 8 4, 1, 8, (ha) ) 13 71 4 64 33 338 176, 176, es ze Si op Sl nd e a ected t tected P* estern am o r ro s N a N t P t P n W P P re R NP No No R* o o R g N R untain P t N ls ng a N in d A R A k li e N es e N P R Mo h N a N ar = a NR P h N boo Darl ga 02 ech i N i W -D NP in l (* la 9 li baggi t N t r de ur Y9 incheg unda tu t aroo Protecte Cool Weddin Boom Bu Midk N Noco Paroo- Boom K S G Kaju ir t t in yd ee st st w e es es n n n n S n n P dg n i la la MD /G We la er er bi l W l W l W r mo st ster ster st a e ach ach r R r A ach t w L Na ntra ntra L de We We We We en entral Lo %L or ommunity CM Ce Ce Murrum 0% 70% 70 %C %C 70% 0% f C <30% %B 0% <30% >70% >70% >7 30- 30- 70 3 30 <3 70 <30% < < > <30% % o 30- n y P C L L L L > D P S C C C S SS P DD HC H f CP DR CP BH NS NS BBS BBS B CH BH C MU MU MU MU MD %C %N %C 0 oregio % 0% %M % o 0% -7 70 70 70% 0 Bi -7 30 - <30% <30% > >70% <30% < <30% 30 <30% <3 <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% >70% <3 <30% 30- 30 Communit 30 in ) n) a ) ha an ) ) e ) a % ) ) ) % %) ) pe ) : %) ha ha % ) h 0 % %) %) ha ha %) ) ) 4 % 000) ha 47 e 6 % 0 % 50 ha 1 % NT ) 00 29 4 % 250 - 0, .3 70 40 04 8000 0 - - 300 000 - 1 - 6 ) 000) ) ng .1 - 1 - -Europ - 1 0. 90 - 2 000) 000) 15 - 1 - 1 TE , 000 3 ra re 34 - 0 28 1, 90, 5, 3 - 43 X ( ,500) 300, 0 % 0 % 9 - a ( p (2 26 130, 65 (3.1 (6.7 51 67 pre-Euro 57, 5. - (3.2 a ( a h ( n ( - 1 - 7 a ( 0 - 0. - 4 08 a 0 ( 0 - 0 - a ( a ha ha ha a ( 0 - 0 - DE ( ha 0 - 0 (% .0 0 h 0 h 00 00 a 00 (% 0 h 00 0 E pe 0 a ( a (0.042 0 000 00 ,0 0 h 0 h 00 ( 00 0 h e ,0 00 o 00 00 T 0 ,5 ge 0 0 00 00, 0 h 000 g r ,0 ,0 2 3, 0 h 0 h ha 2 50 ,8 00 65, 25 ( n 2, ha u ,1 100, ( 52 ( (35, 90, (70,00 50, an 50 40 4, 3, 1 16 15, 9, 0 ( 2 - MA - 7 2 0 - 0 - - - 5 -E 1, 0 0 ( 00 80 - 1 I Ra - 00 00 100 e - 0 ( 0 0 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - d R ,0 0 ,5 000 T 000 r - ,0 , 00 0 - 4 00 0 - 3 000 S p 00 20 nt 0 te 3 00 00 , 20 00 00 30 000 ,0 0 e c 50 50, 0 E 54 ,000 50 4, ,0 2, 3, 9, 5, 3, 130, 1 200, te 28 17 rr 280, 65, 85 500 13 o r 1, Cu P n n i te id nd s r n a e e a r r a ow ll ry d ises t) e ag o hi br pe W ee o me l th in este S P n h n m r m a a a ( SW i r ow a C te of v oa of l N d o id rt u -l h W e l a re l r f d egio n N d o n N l he r e a nd an t a a an i- sh io dl d o l n anit on mo entr i d A - Sout andy m ioregion ssl on e an e oo gr m a t s B B l f c ly d z ss x ood wester c d o w s a gr n ri e s in n r SW w on i Co y w te a r Bo lo a th r ne la h o e a L y a g bb wood a r ty e N e i zo on bu u of s m th entral es h P lk r abah ga t w n e n l t/ Gr t enep of ns nd pe n lo u n c soil a /shr o Mu d zo oolab la r P ma n - op y i s i nd re Cool n m l a te ,M li c ssi mmu l a h la a in c e e d d C assy assy ss in o r oba e e l T In a la r - rb - ra gr gr r) k im op egio a wood Co b a . a - e l y ep r rk r ) 5a fo 1 3 G sl x x h t l p c t a a a a a d o n C /5 / /3 D: s m i o d r b b n ox l e ox I T/5a e el ia cl E /5 /5 as C/ C/ i d - n a B n Bo mme b h- n l a LC C L E LC L N g t w e and/ s B r on r u uv so a d b a aste y B P z a ot a ll l : : : s s : :E : os z vial e. t s ooth o l a Ve m xe r pl z es 1 7 4 8 2 assl ope e e id a il o m op u n 4 2 0 0 4 50 llu on ho h o i 1 H 2 F l Sl 2 P l 2 P a ( 2 Mi on 258: Sm t 1 Bottle z 167: Ke gr S (whe ar on m i P P P P P P y t up A A n W W o G G o r ma BW B BW BW BW r E E E EB E E E E G or Ac F 404 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 3 3 3 1 M M M M M M E3 E3 E3 E3 E E3 E3 E1 E3 E3 E3 E3 E3 E3 E3 E1 E2 E3 E3 E3 E3 E E E3 E3 E1 E3 E E3 ) & ha 1 7 3 1 2 2 43 Code 12 29 03 0 01 .2 14 03 11 08 33 17 73 33 03 67 07 53 02 03 0 13 0 0 33 09 86 04 09 04 01 re- 8 a ( 0. 0. 0 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 2. 0. 11. f P re 0 g A 0 0 % o 00 0 5 2 9 3 8 2 000 00 European 50 40 43 10 50 12 5 30 70 10 20 10 50 60 70 20 30 25 64 30 30 30 ,0 100 5 117 11 200 Ve Accuracy 4 8, 1, 4 2 1 4 9 4 1 6 4 4 3 02 79 44 60 37 7 14 59 37 99 1 38 43 36 60 79 36 99 14 44 71 33 44 33 1 581 13 30 063 441 71 581 334 441 581 06 , ,9 , ,9 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 (ha) ) 70 70, 14 70, 14 es ze Si op Sl nd e a estern am R* a N R R n W R R R R p N F FR * re F R R R R R R e F e F k o o R F FR F k F k k F R* in FR NR in ls R R s F s s F NR NR d F d CA ee d A ee ee ee A A a N reek e e FR g F Swam P P r y F ra R R ke k P an an PA P P P Cr e P e P g F g F ok ok Cr e Cr = a akes a ak 5 V ro sl sl 4 P Do ng k C d t La L L r N r N a C 0 k F k F 04 0 r on ck nd nd Uran a N a N a N (* na na 1 a L e I e I a a e 9 9 bon bo b ar ar an ra r r pn ac ac randera r b ir i i i esners l ly me me ly up up ak ll ll ke lla lla lla ar ar A9 CA A9 ou Protecte To Wi Yang Bi La Mo Native Po Sanddun Snak Bi Mo Sn T Wi N N Ke Mo Peaco H V Ka Po Sanddun To Yang DE9906 Mo Yang Ka Ke Peacoc Bi H e in ee ee ee ee D y dg dg dg dg n n y y idge i i ra r M la la b bi bi b r ra r mb ch ch urra we A um um Mu Murray r Murray Mu Murray La La Lo ur % %M ommunity CM Murru Murrum Murr Murrum 70% 70% 0% 70 70 f C %M >70% > >70% > -7 <30% <30% 30- 30- 30 30 <30% < <30% <30% <30% % o n y S V D S S IV V V V IV RP R RI NS f RI RI RI NS NS MD % %R oregio %D 0% % o 70 0 70% -7 70 Bi 0- >70% >70% > >70% <30% <30% <3 <30% 30- 30 3 Communit in ) n) a an ) e ) ) ) ) % pe : %) % ha %) 0 ) ha ha ha ha %) ) 0 % ha %) 0 % %) 6 % e ) %) % NT 16 16 6 160 150 11 22 .8 17 - 7 2 000) ng - -Europ 5. 35 - 000) 000) 000 000) 6 - TE 7 - , 000) - 4 7 - 1 - 9 - ra 0. re 0 24 9 - 1, 46 X (4 ( 4. 8 - 2, p (4 ( (3 . 6. 130, 45 45, 39, pre-Euro (2 .5 91 a 1 n ( - - - 9 1 - 0 a ( - 2 ha a ( a 0. ha ha ha 0 - 0 - DE 0. ha ( a ( (% 0 h ( a ( 0 (% 00 0 h E pe a 0 h 00 00 e ,0 , ,0 o 00 000 00 0 h T ge ha 000 000 0 h 00 g r ,0 60 0 h ,0 9, , 70 25 21 (7,500 n u 1, 40 (25,000 10, ( (49,000 1 an 5 41 39, 32 52, 36 13 - 1, MA - 0 ( 0 ( 0 170 - - -E - 1 I Ra - 1 00 00 e - 0 - 000 0 - d R 00 00 T 00 r 0 - 0 - 0 - , ,0 ,0 00 S p 10 230 nt te ,000 93 00 , 100 15, 20 ,000 50 000 ,0 81 e c 35 35, 30 70 E 3 1 6, 100, 4, 11 te 2 18, 28 rr 60, o r Cu P ss - a e e m) i- nd st r mi d th Gr a en r n m o la re se e e h me of op (w fo a od we l op uc he e s a o a C l d n lo i nd ll th r in ta n t re Co n N r pe a la l w ta - he - of t al e i d l o s t n f mo mi d A assy o al te es o e on Rive as i r t e t ss a se m r wood n t g a s si c eg e in nd s- zo r m z gr ox Co ains te u o G th o ed i om ic o s a g f pl d Gu t ceou by eo e r d ty ne o d e k B i c pe la P a B oo n ba n o l ed ma zo r oo ge t/ f ba al nd l li zo e d f Sl a c y he Warr w Blac la er r R at se tl ) h - te st re er - iverin n od a mmu n h im e m m m - m - m - n T We u u im u Rive um cl wo l e R a qu a a Co a e i G c Gu Gu warm e 3 3a ll ne th s th t r /4 h /4 D: m) a o d d G d G d G f 3a n n m I T/ T T/ / d ( uter z e e e ed ed ou f t r in a n t ri l a N LC NT/5 in o g R Re y te a a e o P r R r R r r R r r R - w (war egio st st ri : :N :N :V nl e e e e WS th Ve i d 2 5 0: ma v v v mi re re id i iv pa 0 0 07 li 0 Ri fo ar 0 Rive fo NS ri Bior 0 Ri ma 008: Ri c R ar Rive 009 on 01 se on m i y t up n W W W W W W o I o r ma r E EI EI EI EI EI G or Ac F Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 405 2 2 3 1 M M M M M M M M M M M M E4 E3 E3 E3 E2 E2 E E2 E1 E3 E E3 E1 E1 E2 E1 E2 E3 E3 E E E1 E3 ) & ha 7 1 2 7 3 8 3 8 2 5 5 Code 13 86 76 02 33 46 0 08 05 0 0 14 2 06 16 58 06 36 24 09 01 08 01 re- 0 1 0 2 0 .0 .0 .0 .1 .0 a ( 0. 0. 0. 0 0. 0. 1. 0. 0. 1. 8. 0. 0. 2. 0. 0. 1 4. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0 0 0 f P re 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 g A 4 2 0 0 0 0 0 % o 40 60 0 1 00 9 00 5 00 00 500 4 80 5 87 60 00 European 80 90 4 20 10 1 50 74 87 300 300 81 28 5 609 230 50 42 297 83 33 163 10 Ve 7, Accuracy 5, 7, 8, 5, 2, 1, 6, 3, 6, 1 1 1 3 1 5 7 9 8 0 7 5 2 19 6 2 54 35 81 38 11 2 49 39 99 26 56 28 410 936 063 441 58 44 4 457 31 835 581 44 3 936 06 0 965 465 83 45 96 28 ,8 ,5 ,8 ,8 ,9 ,1 ,5 ,282 , ,4 1, 1, 4, 1, 4, 4 4, (ha) ) 14, 44, 70, 70 41, 21 18, 70, 44, 18 14, 44, 57 72 64 2 6 19, 21, 4 24, 64 19 13 176, es ze Si op Sl nd e a R R estern am s N s N e a N n W P * h NR CA CA FR P CA re N rshe rs R NP R a o o ke R R NP NP NR A A NR g S g S P P R ls ng a N M Ma e N i in in CV La d A R reek k NP NP NP an ke e N A P P iffs k N k N VC VC P rl a P P P N C ie a N a N ak h N a = a r ns ey ooka NP N Cl arie AW 1 P r N r N boo b Darl Darl 05 ga inni a ah ndo ndo -D n L ua e L a 0 awarra ndr ndr a N a N a N (* l 022 li mb o oa ar ar ee a o qu ri rriso A1 ll c oo- lla lla la mb nd nda 98 ly me ly a me de lg lg r ro oon a Protecte Kinchega Yang G Ka Ke Kinchega Mo Oo Peacock Wi Yang Kinchega Ne VCA Cu Macq P Paroo- Ka Ke Wi Yang VC Kaju Ma LE Scotia Ma Narr Pa No Bu Cu Gu Gu r i ir t e e e d in ee e st y yd es D D e y n n dg dg n n n n i y MD MD idge idge a oi l W r M r M la la l la bi bi l W mo urra ster ster a mb mb R/Gw R/Gw ch ch ch ch am r we we A um Murray ntra ower ower Na N Murra Murray er nt e La La La La We We Lo Lo d %M C r rder ommunity CM Ce o %L %L Murrum Murru Murru Murr 70% 70 Bo 0% 70% 70% 70 70 f C <30% <30% <30% <30% - <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% 7 <30% 30- 30- %B - 0 30- 30 30- 30- <30% <30% <30% 30 <30% <30% % o <30% <3 n y D L D D P P P P S IV V V V UL R R RP B R f CP CP CP MD RI RI RI DR D DR D MU MD MD oregio %B %D 0% % %M 0% % o 0% 0% 0 -7 Bi 30 70 -7 30 <30% <30% <30% >70% >70% >70% < <30% <3 >7 > <30% <3 < <30% <30% 30 Communit in 30 ) n) a an ) ) ) a e ) ) a %) ) % %) ) ha ha ha pe ) : % ) h %) %) ) h 1 0 % 3 % ha ) 0 % 90 8 .4 00 e .9 110 8 % 0 % 22 NT 00) 15 2 3 % - - 9 - 11 ,0 000) 000 000) 3. - , ,0 , ng .4 - 4 8 -Europ - 2 1 - 2 - 000) 0 25 28 7 - 00 TE 2 - ( ( (2 00 ra re 75 - 7 - 1 (2 4. 8, X (1 520, 650 390 p (3 1. 0. 1, pre-Euro (1.4 - - - 3 (5.9 ha ha ha ( n ( a ( - 7 08 ha - ha a 0 - 0 a ( 0 ha DE 0. ha ha 00 00 0 (% 00 ha ( 0 h (% 00 00 0 E pe 00 00 00 ,0 , ,0 ,0 0 h 00 000 0 e ,0 o 00 T 00 ge ,0 ha 2 g r ,0 50 ,0 90 00 000 ,400 9, 4 n 90, u 3 210 ( 320, 520, an ( (100 ( 8, (180,000 45 630, 17 150 - 1 - MA - 8 - 3 430 15, - - 1 -E I Ra - e 0 0 - 0 ( 00 00 00 0 - 0 d R 000 T r 0 - 00 , 0 0 - 0 - 0 ,0 ,0 00 00 00 S p 00 000 nt 0 te ,0 60 000 ,600 30 ,0 e c 6 E ,0 24 30 4 6, 9, 22, 350, 200,000 500 300 8, te 25 rr 180, 50 280, 110 900, 110, o r Cu P m) n r e in s i d rest e wa ly o r W ( d in ly fo at me e nd ioregion a in e S a n m a po id la . i pl ar nn a C i s B ar cl no n N f r e ope s m re r n N i- e in ood o l gion th l in m m) la flood w e ch r P ta la mo este nd d A se a of e y f nd w la m t dp r a (w Bior uter c o nd h with rine od s o ve a st Co e lo l te id o ut e o e f in v d o o nd m i ar a ains th r ty - or u la i R f oo n w on pl P n s Pl n e mi n gn w on t/ e od e s i ng e nd ood a i op Li o l in m ly la SW - op fl e s u re ar er in h n mmu n w h v a m ssion g assy on n N T e u um n t m pe e D Ri r i a a e Li Co d gr wood G pr 3a s a - a a th n t /4 e x o x D: on d G a n ng 3 4 n l I T/ /4 o ox este z ed li of a ai r Bo B l N V/ NT NT/5 d d V V/ g Re storey a te -w pl ly P r R r k k B a h d de : : D e e e ckbox ck Ve in wood o 1 3 5: v a a ac ac ut e im iv oo 1 1 1 nder l on l lo 0 Ri or c Bl f z 0 Bl u so 016: Bl f R 037: Bl th 0 036: ma on m i y t up n W W W W o IW IW I I o r ma r E E EI E E EI G or Ac F 406 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 1 M M M M M E1 E2 E3 E1 E1 E3 E2 E2 E3 E1 E1 E1 E1 E3 E3 E3 E E2 E3 E3 E1 E1 E2 E3 E1 ) & ha 7 5 5 3 Code 36 03 01 43 13 09 04 05 35 1 03 89 55 04 03 01 01 32 re- 0 0 1 0 0 5 8 .4 a ( 10 10 7. 2. 0. 0. 1. 0. 1. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 4 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. f P re 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 g A 5 0 0 0 % o 80 00 00 8 3 3 500 00 00 00 84 60 00 00 00 00 15 5 European 93 50 10 10 23 28 13 ,7 440 39 57 300 14 80 Ve Accuracy 6, 5, 3, 4, 1, 1, 6, 1, 1 3, 2, 5, 1, 20, 0 8 7 7 7 7 2 7 8 9 65 2 32 19 27 5 57 65 59 60 79 43 06 42 049 965 83 15 465 374 830 42 581 711 14 04 068 28 9 068 427 ,4 ,4 ,4 , ,9 ,4 ,2 4, 4, 1, 6 4, 1, 6, 4, 6, (ha) ) 2 41 24, 21 7 24 2 76, 41 67, 38 71, 6 19, 7 71, 17 1 176 3 176, 1 es ze Si op Sl nd e a estern am NR A a N n W P * P * P CA C R FR * P R re R N NP NP e R arshes R o o N NR A R R k F g N g N g S g g S n N i NP t N ls n ng ng a N NR in i in in in d A R R ee P i N k li l li a ke ke es VC e M P P e e N e N rl r r R PA ar a h er Cr = a NR oo NP La La ch ch h N h N Darl Darl Darl Da Da 22 a N ec a N i N i W a -D -D nd uari ab NP in l le le (* wintji la na o o a o o a awintj t el ddune goa g g t A0 o de l up n ut ur und ud ul ul t ar a Protecte Macq M Mu Paro S Bu Cu Narran Noco Paroo- Paroo- VC Boom B C G Midk Narran Paroo- P DE9906 Noco Paroo- Boom Narr S To Noco Paroo- ir ir t t in yd yd ee n es es n n n n C dg n i i Gw Gw a / bi ster l W l W R/ hl mo mo ster ster ster ster a c r R e estern A er We Na Na Murray ntra La de d We We We W r entr or o ommunity CM Ce C %W 0% Murrum -7 70 f C <30% <30% <30% %B %B <30% <30% >70% >70% >70% 30 70 70 <30% <30% <30% % o 30- 30- L n y P S L L L L V L > D P P S C C D D R B HC HC RI NS f DR MU SS SS B DR D BH CH B C MU MU MU MU MU MD oregio % 0% 0% 0% 0% % o 0 0% -7 -7 -7 Bi 70% 7 -7 30% <30% <3 <30% > > <30% >70% <30% <30% <30% < <30% <30% >70% <30% 30 30 30 Communit in 30 ) n) a ) an ) ) ha e ) ) ) ) a ) ) % ) ha pe : % %) % % 0 % a ) h 3 % ha ha ha % %) %) ) 8 % 70 0 % %) e 000) 2. 60 40 72 8 % 16 15 , NT ) h 00 6. - 1 - 32 32 21 000) 20 - ,0 ng 17 - - 2 - 4 -Europ - 00 - 1 - - 0 - 7 - 000) 000) 000) 21 TE 400 , 0. .3 22 ( 4 9 - ,0 4 ra re 3 ( (5 4. 5, 9, 48 27 14 X 450, 1, 320 ( p (3 ( 5. 9. 6. 52 pre-Euro (0.7 (2 22 - - ( 9 - ha n ( - - 7 - 3 a a a ( ha a ( ha - a a ( a ( ha a 0 - DE ha 04 ha 0 00 (% 00 (% 00 0 h 0 h 0 h 0 h 00 E pe 0. 0 h 0 h 0 h ,0 ,0 000 000 ,0 000 e ,0 o 00 ,0 T 000 ge 00 00 00 00 5 g r 000 a ( 90 90 60 ,0 28, 2 21, (7,500 n 0, 80, u 250 770,000 180 ( ( 540 ( an 8, 7, 1, 27, 17, ( 45, 280 10, 18, 15 5 h MA - - - - 6 - 1 - -E 0 ( 00 0 ( - I Ra 00 00 e 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 0 - - 3 d R ,0 T r 0 - 00 00 ,0 ,000 000 ,0 00 00 0 00 00 00 00 S p 90 40 40 0 nt te 000 60 15 ,0 ,0 ,0 19 00 ,0 e c 40 50 30 ,0 E 4, 4, 1, 5, 00, 0 5, 5, 1 350, 1 250, 15 te 25 98, 2 rr 10 300, 160 o 1, r Cu P r of ssy nt e a e e e nd es r d tt l a ns Rive he p ll th l o t on a /g me n lo pa ta mi er od oo of r a of od e z r y e pe a C p t S m a a o at ly y l ly e wo um nt es a c re -P h n N no m l in in w f i p m a d li a ra o he d G u lo n r n n c c mo e h W d A o g e d c i s m gion e gn s m i bu R s a nd s od m ut l t r in ow r e re p e eg o c a Li la ke r in o o br soil with - l i e a Co utta o te on nn l od y z o d a th o ioregion Rive g WS Bi nd ah nd r ty h la s B f C f i n - S b a id chen an o P i o l in in n o l c - s B y a g n w dl ar d c t/ a a l la ox ly e f N a re nd in egions d nd Co pe e P oo de o vi ood r r in n f la o o re o e P e a w i n g La dg r o mmu llu w B h i l nd ) a od in in n w a o iver r r T o um r o la ga ll s m s o ot e e ow a B y f a Co a a a -G h v on tl ul -R ope se se ( od t i iv a /2 /3 /3 x l Ye D: r r n h w d G ove o 4a n h h I d ox u e / /4 a C c nd a a ains w ,M u ri g R g R Bo l L E E NT/3 LC LC E/5a a g Re iverin ba b co q a pl n a a P r rine nd k B i in e dl i- d : : : l em er e r ck Ve o tercou r ol f 9 8 d R v a ac st m ou assy a at 3 74: 041 w 03 Co Da 040: 0 Bl w se gr Rive of Cool floo Yapuny 0 Ri gr an 197: Bl wo Darl 067: sy on m i y t up n W W W W o IW IW I IW o r ma r E E E E EI EI EI G or Ac F Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 407 2 M M M M E3 E3 E3 E2 E3 E3 E3 E1 E3 E3 E3 E3 E2 E2 2 E 6 5 0. 0.01 0.24 0.12 0.03 8.33 0.67 0.83 0.43 1.97 0.02 0.03 0.11 0.25 16.67 11.11 33.33 rea (ha) rea of Pre- of g A % % 5 2 3 European & & European 60 15 40 50 43 13 40 88 122 500 600 197 500 500 Ve Accuracy Code Accuracy 1,000 1,000 80 15 60 79 a) 198 597 334 229 4,049 1,365 1,365 6,711 ) 64,282 11,790 67,581 338,232 338,232 176,427 338,232 Size (h Size nd nd d te a ec stern Slopes stern me ot We t Pr * FR FR ll HS

ne ne fe Area Na Area wns AA wns FR Pi en FR rling NP rling

te Da Gr ong ong ra Do Monkey (* = also on on also = (* t NP t NP 9901 PA oo- rt NP ronga NR ronga nd nd ndga nddune ount nde ur ur ar tu Protected Bo NR Budelah Sa Sa NP Gundabooka HS Grenfell Mount Pi St Mutawintji HS Mutawintji NP Mutawintji NR St Billab Sa FR Creek Toupna No CD r

di e e e st y n n P n n S n M n n n n n ty in i idge idge idge l We er rra mo st R/Gwy uni mb mb mb A er rd mm Centra CM 70% We <30% Na <30% Lachla <30% Lachla <30% Lachla >70% Lachla >70% Wester >70% Wester >70% Wester >70% Wester >70% Wester of Co of 30-70% Mu <30% Central West <30% Central West <30% Murru <30% Murru <30% Murru 30-70% % % 30-70% Bo

L n C C C S S S V L ty P P C > V CP

RI NS NS NS CH CH uni of % % mm Bioregio >70% CP >70% CP <30% RI >70% SSD <30% BBS >70% DR <30% DR 30-70% >70% CH <30% MU 30-70% 30-70% 30-70% 30-70% Co 30-70% 30-70% 30-70% BH in 30-70% MU ) ) ha ha ha ) ha ha ha ha ha ha ha TENT: re-European re-European (25 - 80 %) p (9.6 - 83 %) p (30 - 270 %) (30 - 260 %) (16 - 87 %) (50 - 170 %) (50 - 170 %) (28 - 250 %) (31 - 280 %) (13 - 120 %) ha (6 - 20 %) (8.2 - 43 %) (6.3 - 34 %) (11 - 100 %) ha (3.5 - 19 %) ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha (0 - 0 %) ha ha ha (0.23 - 0.74 %) ha (0.12 - 0.61 %) ha e (% e (0.12 - 0.44 %) ha (0.05 - 0.45 %) TED EX ha ha ha ng ha MA 0 - 0 Ra 350 - 650 pre-European (range pre-European 4,500 (3,200 - 5,800) 6,000 (4,200 - 7,800) 6,000 (3,000 - 9,000) 3,000 (1,500 - 4,500) 5,000 (2,500 - 7,500) 9 - 27 270 - 810 36 - 44 10,000 (5,000 - 15,000) 12,000 (6,000 - 18,000) 740 - 1,300 940 - 1,700 62 - 110 500 - 1,500 ESTI 50,000 (35,000 - 65,000) 20,000 (10,000 - 30,000) 35,000 (18,000 - 52,000) 150 - 260 2,800 - 5,200 2,900 - 5,300 3,900 - 7,100 2,500 - 7,500 1,400 - 4,200 1,000 - 3,000 5,000 - 15,000 16,000 - 28,000 9,000 - 27,000 4,500 - 13,000 Current Range (% Range Current Protected

s e e

ge and and th

and and s in s of nd nd gor rling rling and of and me e e ndy oodl y y eek s a ils Da oodl th w Na zone ck cr e e oodl so

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itte gr in zone zone p tall w oodp -l assy mmo ly nd nd e e e e fl ma ox ox gr n in at at , ndy io one on on n ox ox g ma ands of floodplains in floodplains of ands z ty Co ty e one io and of allu of and clim clim B s) al sa plar B z or als) eg uni vi arid ey oodl ass - swam m) w woodla w or arid oodl Bi ow e e woodland of lake fringes in fringes lake of woodland lo - Po rock of woodland gr Grey y arid reat/Protected Area Code Area reat/Protected e e n t w r Bi onk mm th (c allu m m m m m m (hot) and arid clim (war n n nd nd th yp m of ry s in ns d d d

plai b b b b a b tall w la ons of Gu Gu Gu Gu Gu ount se na t Co t nd nd ne s Plai In 5a 5a 5b m m d d d d d d n 5a -ari -ari ssi ons er l C io our LC/4 V/ LC/4 LC/3 LC/2 LC/5 LC/4 V/ V/ E/ ne ne ne at (sa g ID: Th Gu mi mi al plai nge g ssi pre rc Plan r Re ri r Re r Re r Re ri r Re e y y es nne vi se ra se southern-eastern Cobar Peneplain Qu te Ve bar Pe de or ve ve ve ve ve ve ve pre

e e e e e ns 200: Ri th 206: Dirt le Ri 208: Ri and creeks in the Cobar Peneplai 230: interm of woodland Coolabah wa Cha 231: dunefield woodland open Coolabah de 233: Ri on Co 234: Ri th 237: Ri th 249: Ri of allu 251: Eucal Mixed th Bi m ation ation W W W W W W W W W W EI EI EI EI EI EI EI EI EI EI Group Group Acrony Form 408 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 3 1 3 2 2 M M M M M M E3 E3 E E1 E2 E2 E4 E3 E E2 E1 E1 E E ) & ha 2 6 5 7 E 5 2 . 2 1 2 Code 28 05 75 32 33 4 33 38 07 41 .4 92 re- 1 .0 . .6 .0 a ( 0. 2. 0. 0. 0 0. 0. 3. 3 0. 0. 0. 12 5. 0. 0. 0. 0 f P re 0 0 g A 0 0 0 8 2 0 0 % o 0 8 0 0 5 00 550 00 European 31 2 2 10 42 10 225 248 45 12 22 100 18 12 10 10 Ve Accuracy 3, 1, 3 0 0 8 5 8 9 3 2 2 1 4 2 66 84 8 32 7 34 41 775 39 12 14 76 179 287 248 400 64 2 23 32 3 830 ,2 ,364 8 4, 4, (ha) ) 72, 64, 21, 108, 338 338, es ze Si op Sl nd ed t e a c te R* estern am ro P k N a N t n W * * an re No R o o * NP NR* A* NR l T P R FR * N ls R* R d A NR oa A A ke NR ee R* VC a N a N NR PA ll r = a NR n N an La rr r g N ower P P 1 P 7 P sh 2 nnie booka a a a N harc 0 in (* Ma 008 p p hn bi 91 t N Bu t N etop 99 9 r 990 ddig co co e C ug ll g ue galb om unda o o tu Protecte Lo Pu Bi Bl Bu In Pucawa Th PA Narran VCA CD CD G Stur C C N Yathon Midk ir r r e e di di t st in yd ee y y e ge n es n n n S n dg d an an i idge la oi oi Gw l W er er bi / t ster t l W a R/Gw ch ster mb mb R/Gw am am achl achl es es A r R r La ru ru We N e ntra entr r r W We W rder de %L %L r rd %N % ommunity CM Ce o 0 Murrum Mu Mu Bo 0% 70 70 70% %C 70% 30 B Bo - 3 70% f C <3 < < >70% 70 30- 30- 30 30- 70% <30% <30% <30% <30% 30- % o >70% <30% 30- n y S L P P C S S D > V V RP P HC I S R DD S BB f CP CP C R RI S NS DR CH MU %D %B oregio %N %D 0% %M % o 0 70% 70 70 Bi 70% 70 <30% 70 <30% <3 <30% <30% >7 > >70% > >70% <30% <30% > 30- 30- Communit 30- in ) n) a an e ) ) ) ) %) ) ha pe : % % ) ) ) % ) ha ha % %) ) %) a ha % 20 % %) e ) 40 0 % ha ha % NT a %) .4 120 00 %) 17 ) 000) ) h 0) ) .2 90 8 % - 1 00 ) 00 ng 40 24 - 1 - -Europ 0 0 - 11 ) h - 1 000) .8 - 1 TE 38 ,0 00 15 - 1 - 8 - - 3 ,0 ra re 37 - 50 500 - 14 40 4 - 7 - X ,5 00 190, 0 % 10 - 0 p ( ( 3 26 4. 90, 52 19 pre-Euro 7, 15 7, - ( 54 4 4. a ( ( (4 n ( ,2 33 - 1. 0. - - 4 - - a ( a ( ( 0 - 0. 24 ha a ha 0 - (4.2 DE a ( a ( ( ( a ( ha - 1 0 00 (% 0 h ha a (% 0. 00 E pe 0 h a ( 0 ha ,0 00 0 h 00 ha e 5 00 500 o ha 0 h 0 h 00 0 h T 0 ge 000 00 0 h g r ,0 50 10 1 1, 5, 2, 0 0 h 0, ha 60 6 00 28, (2,500 (400 n 7, , 22 00 u 50 20 (30,000 ( 4, 3 an 57 5, (1 2, 39 - ,5 0 0 ( 0 ( 0 ( 34 1 1, 1, MA - 22 0 - - 3 - 3 -E 1 - 1 00 0 0 I Ra - 00 e 0 - - 0 0 - - 00 00 8 00 0 00 0 - 0 - d R , T 000 r 0 - 0 - 0 0 - 0 ,0 00 18 00 50 0 5, , 3, 5, 50 0 S p 30 20 nt te 18 40 00 0 10 0 ,0 , 28 35 0 40 e c 60, 40 E 1, , 50 4, 5 1, 2, 0 1 te 13 21 rr 7 o r Cu P n e n d o w t l W d s e l e lo arid d an ta an l ma te o NS c op scapes d e li me l he Pine hi c n a th ma wester oo nd r f t - arid a C ss li rp e s Pi a n S e i- m) th - no in in re r s o n N er ) c e l x w t pr mo a l- x P or o ld em le er n ta l pl es wa e Cy mo ( ss . d A Bo f s fi r B ntra e W od he o d re me ma m a mm te e t t i i ey p r c lo c d f pl th f y une su a or he o - Co te t Gr C in y ou Wh s o o ot r nd n d n mi S blan -P - r ls ty i i a i nd i ge (h la P se a ru o d tercourses hite nt n rk l rk id in t/ a nd a r sh SW f a In W b ba nd la w me rate m s y i - - N l n blan e rk re d on d o ub p e e a oa k k ne mmu ro r h ru r l r r n I ba se o at th T avel r la sh sh em r- d I ba ba r b a a Co dy SW e e e z g of on 5 ne 5c a n pe t b ub e t /5 p /4 sh sh on on D: N o a at 3 d d aved r av n I T/ T T/4b T /5 C/ f th Ir I hr on e Pa a em bu bu l s le l N V/ N im V/5b N E an an g e z a -l - n y a l gion l r r l s o i h s P e t cl e at e :L : : :N : om v a s i e es gg gga Ve in in r ve v th 2 7 0 7 oom o m u n u l a a ood i l il 9 1 38 2 on Br 1 S m 2 M wood Bior zo 115: Eu 1 Desert arid 14 Br cl 142: of z 243: Mu w rise pl 2 Si al on m i I I I I I I y t up D n W W o o IW I IW I MD r ma r E E E E E EM EMDI EMDI G or Ac F Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 409 1 3 3 2 4 2 M E E2 E1 E2 E2 E1 E4 E E3 E3 E2 E1 E1 E3 E E E E1 E2 ) & ha 3 E 7 5 8 0 5 5 2 3 Code .1 76 02 13 . 8 75 re- 1 9 1 .6 a ( 30 60 11 40 10 3. 0. 0. 0 90 5. 0. 0 1. 15. 6. 3. 33 f P re 0 0 0 0 0 g A 0 00 0 0 0 % o 0 000 00 00 00 ,5 88 75 014 00 760 000 000 00 ,0 European 4 35 , 30 6 10 20 500 200 2 Ve Accuracy 1, 1, 9, 1, 6, 3, 9, 11, 15 10 9 4 0 2 8 1 1 1 8 65 68 82 32 45 68 0 83 52 58 71 427 445 835 849 75 2 3 26 76 441 956 528 842 ,2 ,4 , ,0 , 8, 1, 1, 6, (ha) ) 64 71, 71 33, 18, 28, 30 64, 53, 33 57, 64, 67, 44, 2 10 338 111, 176, es ze Si op Sl nd e a CA estern am i V S a N n W A P * Un P C CA R re l H R l t NP o o CA e R R g N f ra NP NR ls a N e N r N CV in CV d A NP la NP k e S e en iffs P e N R e N NR ok a r al p W = a o NR Cl p G ch ch AW nni A Darl i N a ng o N n L NP ndra le le (* a B a n bi nt ee w i o ra t ll lla m ndab dk ou oc ar o atho turt co Protecte Le M N Y N Kinchega Ma Tarawi Wi Nany Scotia N Gu Tara S Mung Mutawintji Mutawintji Noco Paroo- e in D n n n n n n S n r idge MD er er e er la r M st st st ster ster st mb ch e A we La ower W We We We We We Lo ommunity CM % Murru 0% %L 3 70% 70 70% f C <30% 70 >70% > >70% < >70% > <30% % o n y L L L D P C D > DD P > RP f SS DR BH MU MU MU MD %C %M oregio %D % % o 70 70 Bi 70 70 70% > >70% <30% > <30% > >70% <30% > Communit in 30- ) n) %) ) a an ) ) e ) ) ) ) a ) % pe : 0 % ) h ) ha ) 0 % ) ha ha ) 0 % 0 % 37140 0 % 20 0 % e 9 % %) ha NT 18 0 % ha 4 % 65 30 ) a 7. 1710 10 0 0 % 15 - 3 - 6 % 000) ng - 0 - - -Europ 000) 2. - - - 15 2 000) 000) 6 TE , 51 20 - ) h 3 - ra re 95 7 7 0 - 5, 19 - X ( (5 ,000 300) 4 11 p ( (3 190, 45 7 - 4 3. 50 pre-Euro (1 ( 100, 27 6 - 1077 a ( 17 n ( - 1, ( (5 4. - 3 ( 1 12 ha a ( 0. ha ha - 8 ( ( 0 - 0 - DE ha ha ( 0 - (% 0 h ha a (% a a ha ha 0 - ha E pe a 00 000 00 0 00 e 00 000 o 00 00 00 T ge 000 ,0 70 150 0 h 5, g r 0 h 0 h ,0 ( ( 00 1, 0 h 40 ,0 ,0 15, 1 ( n 000 000 u 56, ( (10,00 an 0 ,5 26 65, ( 4, 76 30 45 36 22 320, 15 100 1 MA - 0 ( - - - - -E 12, - - I Ra 000 50 00 e 0 00 000 260, 0 0 0 0 - d R 000 00 T r 0 - 0 0 - 0 - 1, 0 - ,0 , - ,0 2, 00 0 - S p 14 0, nt te 70 000 00 14 10 12 00 00 50 50 e c 0 30 30 E ,0 80 3, 00 1 7, 0, 5, 36, te 15, 000 rr 8 56 7, o 1 r Cu P 140, f n s nd n n s o in s i e la - nd d la e ub d o o la f soil r n egio me i o edge d p an y a sh l n gion nt a C la an d es e he hrub ai rb r c Bior pe ri en - nl re n N i dg Pl a fo io y n t n s / ur e op e e d d T pe mo n am s B d A d o th on ssion b ga o e f l l m e t u an nd d a d o o u blan c i a nd pr cr iverin u r gion on r e L es Co oo te a S e la R nd - r o a a M i- D w a e sh l l r nd ty ub e l io sh lg i m ng e r e P swal on la B s ng dl n li od s. se bu r t/ e sh br li e n ar ne a ub Mu r in e a i d z n m wo op of a rk D u sp N ri hr zo re Da he H d d - e e mmu ba h oils -U n h e a id - y- d d s a n t ttl T e ga nd open th er ar ra f t y s c sh Co a a v xe a bl - r s i p Penepl ul i 1 1b 1 3a b t la u s / Wa in D: ea r r od s o mi n Bu n l m I /4 Pa -c C/ C/ C/ e - o in 's o Mu a sh -M i ns l se NT/3 L V V/5a L LC L g is er la ssion g r a a am ly P e ow p e e mp th pa : : ived r n Coba r rray d a lo Ve in r r th 3 4 n nn pr o u nd n e a ea ay w 4 52: 9 h de Se 1 N Se H 213: M sa Bi 229: De t 232: cl 2 Sugarw ma 261: S sa of on 1 on m i I I I I I y t up DI D D n o o M MD M MD MD M r ma r E E E E E EMDI E G or Ac F 410 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 1 1 1 M M M M M M M M M M M M M M E3 E2 E E E2 E1 E1 E1 E2 E1 E1 E3 E E2 E1 E1 E2 E2 ) & ha 8 1 1 6 3 4 1 3 4 Code .1 .9 01 12 04 06 85 02 01 25 67 46 38 69 08 93 2 05 15 0 re- 0 4 4 4 .0 .3 .3 a ( 12 0. 1 0 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 1. 0. 0. 0. 0 2. 4. 0. 0. 0 0. 0. 0. 0. 1 2. f P re 0 8 g A 3 0 7 2 3 3 % o 2 850 10 100 200 196 807 72 European 13 20 40 84 64 17 72 10 60 20 20 12 40 245 674 89 100 500 400 390 33 19 525 13 Ve Accuracy 1, 1, 1, 5, 3, 6, 3, 8 2 4 8 3 5 2 9 8 5 0 4 3 9 5 0 8 4 84 2 66 02 8 64 70 76 34 400 819 12 329 364 77 91 48 59 1 34 697 18 5 79 364 775 115 35 17 40 36 287 343 ,958 1, 8, 4, 1, 8, 4, 4, 1, 3 8, 8, (ha) ) 72, 13, 24, 42, 108, es ze Si op Sl nd e a tected P* R* estern am R ro R* s N k N * n F a N * t P n W * an s N re R* NP ll P* No * CA R o o A* * * l T P R FR * * R* R* untain Hi ls NR r N P R* R* R* ountai R ma NP NR NP d A NP e N e S oa R* N e N ee ll R* VC PA PA NR a N a N PA PA ll Mo k N ra = a a N g N n N rr rr rra rra rra n N ck g N Hi y M a N arga ston ston 08 a N harc oc o inni gowe in (* Ma wr mb nderra 801 ng ng o 9907 A0 mb oban ddi und g e C e R e R na bletop cawa andr ue vi vi galb o Protecte No WE9905 Ro Scrubb Yathon CD VC Cocopa WE9904 Bu Cocopa Wedd Woom CO9 Be Bl Bogi Cocopa Cocopa Eu G In Li Li Mudjar Ta Th Th Ul Pu Cocopa Th ee ee t in ee st es dg dg n n n i n dg la la la b bi an ay We l bi l W ch ch ster um ch ach A La L La Murr Murray ntra La We entral ommunity CM Ce Murr Murrum 0% Murrum 70% 70% 30% - -7 %C f C < <30% 0% <30% <30% 30- 30 30 70% 70 -7 <30% <30% % o 30- 30 n y D P > S S S f CP CP CP CP NS N DR MD % oregio % o 30 Bi >70% <30% < >70% >70% >70% >70% <30% Communit in ) n) a an ) ) e ) a ) ) %) % pe : ha ha % 0 % ) ) h ) 40 e 1 % 9 % %) 45 NT 14 . 230 %) % 00 a 6. - 1 - 000) 000) ) ng -Europ ,0 ha 40 - 3 4 - 94 3 - TE 52 ) h ra re 43 8 - 2 26 - 90 8. - 2 X (4 ( ( 0 % p 130, 130, 1. 1. 7 pre-Euro 3 - a ( n ( a - - 1 420 750) 27 ha ha (6 9. a 0 - a ( a ( - 0 - ( DE ( (% 0 h 0 h 00 (% a ( 0 - E pe 00 00 a ha 00 000 0 h 0 h 60 ha e ,0 o 00 T 00 ge ,0 ,0 3 25 g r 0 h 30 70 0 h 40 70, 65 n u 30 ( (70, ( 00 - an 0 ( 29, 0 ( 4, 2, 60 100, 150 - 3 MA 0 0 -E - 1 I Ra - - 1 39 50 0 00 00 e 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - d R 0 T r 0 - ,0 ,0 70 00 280 S p 00 0 nt te 40 50 20 00 e c 0 E ,000 ,0 , 6, 2, 1, 1 100 130, 6 1 te rr 5 56 50 o r Cu P d n e in n e k d o an s i y h i l o e g - nl me he f t i a e ng re Blac gion ood n - f t a a C o e in gion y o ma r w e P s r re Bi n N s o ne nl gion m - io ope ls i i s ll il a B P ou ow in es hi ee Gu e mo a Bior m d A iore r c es g l y h e pr pl T d m li t p k in ed e ress n c an s B a si lo sive Cy l n oc la i en Co yp te p s R aw P te e on o C la r i n S n r od er lope n r r r ty ntru r o o uinine i e S u e dp P nd n P s i w Q o wy Wh ack st t/ oba la nd rn - e y -C - lo a a e Bl f l t -D bb r m m re n C ood obar um es r od u u mmu h W h e - rk ru e w o igneou G G T le st e C ba e sh c Co d G a a a c Rive d a al h W h on e t ed g g w in t Sout e /5 e /4 /4 /2 /4 D: i u n f t P n Re I r o an o nd a s M s R W s R l LC LC LC NT LC S g tringy ss rs r r' r' uth- ua y la S l e e e P aw q r : : r rawa N so y y ye ye c Ve in r r p d S 4 5 e a w w SW 8 8 39: he 1 D m D N 1 Cu 186: Dw Cu t 188: Dw wood Ma 2 Re Cy th I I I I on m i y t H HI up n R R RH o o r ma r W W W G EWRH E E E EWRH or Ac F Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 411 3 3 1 2 1 1 3 M M M M E1 E2 E1 E2 E3 E4 E E3 E3 E1 E1 E1 E E E1 E E E E1 E3 E2 E3 E3 ) & ha 2 7 7 E 3 6 1 1 2 4 Code . 08 83 01 12 25 3 6 15 35 02 18 17 03 32 25 06 02 re- 0 0 2 0 .0 . .0 a ( 1. 0 0. 0. 0. 0 0 0. 6. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. f P re g A 0 0 0 % o 60 00 00 93 2 00 1 5 4 00 0 000 000 European 20 80 16 49 30 70 75 11 20 ,0 ,8 5 70 100 4 670 11 500 400 50 Ve Accuracy 1 1 1, 2, 1, 7 8 8 2 3 9 6 1 3 2 2 60 37 79 81 6 59 42 39 27 90 334 063 441 714 15 14 19 28 13 835 58 6 068 232 23 410 936 06 31 ,5 ,8 ,8 , ,7 , ,4 ,7 1, 1, 8, 1, 1 (ha) ) 70 64, 21 18 70, 30 71 11 14, 33 11 176 338, es ze Si op Sl nd e a tected estern am ro R a N t P n W R AA FR re R NP R R e N * R No o o R NP R FR NP ns R k F N N P ak t N ls R ng d F FR n r R d A ee N Pine A ra li a ow P e k N es k N y P e N r R s L an R P P a p g F o ar Cr h = a akes N r F ey sl a N p P do 5 P on booka a D ec i N i W o N ndo n 0 rr -D NP nd a N a N l (* na na a L e I ng ertr e mb a nawa t g t N o ack l abon ya ir rris 99 r oo l lb l c nda la o me ro up l dk r ll u ur al em an t Protecte Yang S Bi Ke Mo Po Sanddune Snak To St Bo Gu DE Le No Boom Boom Go K K Mo Mung Oo Wi Wi Y Pa Pinder ir ee t st in ee yd es dg i n n n n dg n n n i We r b MD MD la la la e bi t l W r m mo ster ster ster e R/Gw ch ch es A ru ach Murray Murray w r Na ntra entral L La La ower We We We Lo L rder ommunity CM Ce Mu 0% 0% %W Murrum %C Bo -7 -7 70 f C <30% 0% <30% <30% <30% >70% 70 <30% >70% 30 30 <30% <30% -7 <30% <30% 30- % o 30 >70% n y L L D P P S C > SS V V HC CP D SD H f CP C RI RI BB DR DR MU MU M %N % oregio %S %C 70% % o 0 70 70 Bi - 70 <30% >70% >70% <3 <30% >70% <30% 30- > <30% >70% <30% 30- Communit 30 in ) n) a ) an ) e ) % a ) %) % ha ha pe ) : %) %) ) a % %) 0 % ) ha ha %) ) ) h 0 %) % 0) 68 2 e ) h .5 150 ha 8 0 NT 15 9 % - 00 1 14 120 2. - .3 000) 27 - 1. 4 % ,0 00 ) ng .8 160 - - -Europ ,0 - 000) 000) 21 - TE ,0 - 8 4 - 43 5 - ( - 1 ra re 47 9 - - 0 2, 50 900) 44 4 36 6 X 520, 650 0 % p ( 33 32 58, 49 pre-Euro a ( (1 3, - 0. 0. a ( ha ( n ( - 1 - 2 - 64 a a ( ( ( 0. (1.6 h a 0 0 - ( (2.6 0 - 0 a 0 0 - DE 0. 0 h ha 0 - (% h ( 00 00 (% 0 ha 0 h 0 h ha ha 00 00 E pe a ( 00 ha ha 00 0 00 e ,0 ,0 10 o 0 0 T ge ha 00 00 0 8, g r 2, 0 h ,900 00 18 84 32, n ,300 60 u 500 280, 350, ,100 (1 ( 190,00 - an 50 ( ( 39, 26, 520, 0 ( 130, 7, - 4 - 1, MA - 3 0 ( 0 ( 0 160 0 - 3 - -E 1, - 4 - I Ra - - 00 0 e - 00 00 0 - 0 0 - d R 00 00 T r 0 , ,0 ,0 0 - 3, ,0 00 100 S p 100 0 nt 5 te , 00 00 00 900 300 , 20 520 e c 2 25 4 E 14 ,0 4 500 00 1, 1, 0, 120, 2, 4, 400,000 5 te 14 2 rr 70 110,000 28 o r Cu P h s ) ig e f d m n -h i d r ) d o a d o l pe me - n o mi a (war an o l i mi a C nne epression w warm id se ( eg r lo nd re ha n N r assy s ood a d d a d r - o C i i nd r de mo a ns s, Bi d A a m ood soil ite o i g g - w w e a m w t se id la lo nd an lo an r c mi p a te e a i vial y f L Co Gr te se u ga aw th e rl l l o r a a l e ood iverin a u r l th r ty Wh a SW in lg f i r ur th ul P n n N in f g e R ly t/ bu o -M d - e o on -C s Mu a al r s th in d ns oo oo in tr m n o re b nd nd ne he i of in a i u w ood t la ma mmu a l h en la p T y f zo G s w eg c bl T sh r e n od d r n nl ub Co d a a b a ood id o te o s o l r ru of 5a e r ai 4 4 4 t a ai / on l oo / /5 D: a B w l ma Bi d d o z 4 n sh sh I T ma / C C/ C/ C i- n a s R dp y c li - m l N L L L w E V/5a r an an g en m r' t B m ssion l l c ti e r e e P um e lo a d d ) e : :L : : : : l se ns y st t floo Ve untr rb a 0 3 1 5 7 7 m e pr gn o e w oo es oo i o ignu h 5 0 3 7 n l h 2 w 0 Ca 1 D t 1 W w 012: S o c 01 plai 02 L de (h D C Li I on m i y t I I I T T up n o W o W WT r ma r F FW FW E E EW G EWRH or Ac F 412 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 1 M M E3 E3 E2 E2 E3 E2 E2 ) & ha 67 Code 0 E 01 01 33 33 02 re- 0 a ( 10 2. 0. 0. 0. 0. 1. 1 f P re 0 g A 0 0 1 % o 00 00 2 9 5 5 1 00 European 17 ,0 ,8 50 40 Ve Accuracy 3 2, 2 5 5 9 9 65 68 427 23 46 581 465 157 04 32 ,4 ,0 8, 4, 1, 9, (ha) ) 76, 3 1 70, 19, 19 71 1 3 es ze Si op Sl nd d e a R tected estern am NR NR N ro Protecte es a N t P n W P * ot sh re r No N arshes a arshes o o R g N NR ls in d A R ly e M e M e M e N R P = a ng P ch h N Darl i N uari uari a N le (* la mi t N r de u Protecte Boom Paroo- St Macq Bu Kirra Macquari Noco Macq Yang ir r r ir ir t di di t in yd ee ee ee st yd es y yd es D D n wy n n dg dg n dg n n i i i i We G l W la la la bi bi bi l W r M r M R/Gw mo mo mo mo ster ster ster al R/ R/Gw R/Gw R/Gw ch ch estern r A ach r Murray ntra we we Na Na Na Na Murray Murray ntra nt La La L We We We rder e de Lo Lo Ce r rder rder rder ommunity CM Ce C %W o Murrum Murrum Murrum Bo 70% B Bo Bo Bo 70 70% 0% f C <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% 0% <30% <30% <30% <30% >70% 30- -7 3 <30% <30% 70% < <30% 70% 30 <30% <30% <30% % o <30% <30% <30% 30- n y P L > L L L L V D D P P > P P S C S S S IV D > V P HC RI f DR C RI NS SS NS NS BB DR DR DR DR B CH MU MU MU MU MU MD MD %R oregio 0% 0% % o 70 0% 30% -7 Bi -7 3 < <30% <30% <30% <30% >70% <30% >70% <30% <30% >70% <30% <30% >70% <30% < <30% <30% <30% <30% 30 30- 30 Communit in ) n) a an ) e ) ) ) pe : % % %) ha %) ) 0 % ) ha ha ha % ) 0 %) e .3 80 00 % ha %) NT ) 13 ) 0) 15 26 a 5 % 000) ) ng % 33 - 4 - - 2 - 3 -Europ % 00 11 00 000) 000) 6 - - TE , %) ) h 7 - ha ra re 9 - 8, 500) 88 82 22 - 3 17 22 0 X (1 26 0 % p ( ( (6 4. 9 - 220, 75, 45 - pre-Euro .2 6, ( 0. - 0 - n ( - - 6 75 a ( ( 0 4. 75) 33 ha 7 - a ( 0 ha ha ha - ( 0 - 0 - DE 10 - (0 ha 0 - (% ( 4. a ( 00 (% 00 ha 0 0 h E pe 00 a a ( ha 00 00 00 00 ha e ,0 ,0 50 , o 0 h 25 00 T a ( ge ha 00 00 ( 0 h g r ,0 ,9 (250 3, 0 h ,5 75, 25 12 15 200 n 0, 4 7, 50 u ( ( ( - 0 an 6 38 7 h 600 22 45 50 3, 0 ( 100, MA - - - 0 0 ( 0 0 - - 3 - 3 - 7 -E - I Ra 0 - 500 0 00 e 4 0 0 - 00 8 - 0 0 - d R 00 T r 0 - 00 ,0 ,000 ,0 00 50 5, 00 0 ,7 S p 20 32 0 nt te 000 00 2 ,5 ,0 2 , e c 5 30 50, 40 ,8 E ,0 3 1 1 5 te 13, 10 15 rr 3 o r Cu P d t i ar en e nd n d la he o ne nd he s me ma o a in f t r l a s z f t e o a C in of s id -p y o stem i r n re n N a stem nd l sy mp s e em p o la sy ainl se h mo d A ne r t wa m e s am f nd w s m iver t zo ve d r u c d edge s ri llo sw n r) d o Co ro an te l s nd la o ha G an nd ge al b la r ty y i d u el f s la ssion P mme rassl in r e y t n e sh in t/ ring gion dg su sh er d o r s pr of p a t e e se S Bu he nd/g ot an d t re h v at a iore nd d l mmu h (h hl ha d n w e d - la us of n T u h g b s B s us -r yp id b c Co ee a a o d osefoo r es b es 5c T ne s a or 3a a t i r R o a / /5 / /3 /4 u f D: M - - fr l di an n /sed in I /4 zo ng n d L a a C on l l mi LC LC CE/5 V CE LC NT bo g e a n G us n p r ow and/ e bu a m P l si l at se sh ga l e : : : : d l r d Ve m al te 1 3 6 1 d u rb e ater atercourse ol im um yp ood h 5 6 6 8 e 1 0 S fl 0 Ar G an 1 Co r 182: C w 205: Ma w 226: C cl fo M on m i y t I I I I I I up n o W W W W WI o r ma r F F F FW F FW F G or Ac F Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 413 3 1 4 2 3 M E E1 E1 E2 E1 E E E1 E3 E1 E2 E4 E3 E3 E3 E3 E3 E3 E E1 E1 E1 ) & ha 2 1 4 2 1 E Code 09 02 01 09 01 34 07 02 01 0 75 32 03 02 re- 0 0 0 0 0 0 . a ( 0. 1. 0. 0. 1. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. f P re g A 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 % o 1 0 3 5 5 2 5 6 600 000 000 700 European 2 50 19 10 123 30 43 10 50 30 66 18 10 150 Ve Accuracy 1, 7, 1, 4, 5 0 2 6 3 5 9 4 19 22 82 99 35 81 936 229 465 068 427 79 23 83 93 96 830 334 465 441 31 71 465 ,2 ,8 , ,5 8, 4, 4, 1, 4, (ha) ) 1 71, 11, 1 1 2 64 19, 21, 19, 18 19 70 111,842 176, 338, es ze Si op Sl nd e a tected estern am NR NR NR ro a N t P n W R * NR AA P re NP No k F arshes arshes arshes o o ke FR ns NR R P ls ng R a N ee i La d A NP k l A ke ow P P e M e M e M P e N o PA P Cr PA a N g F ar D h = a akes NP ns FR o N La 1 7 P r N ec o N rr -D 08 uari NP ndra ndr a N l (* a L oa 90 ar o 90 9 o ack abon ya ng 9 ir rriso o 9 9 lla lla c ly lg ll ll al undab ar turt Protecte AL CD Cu G K Mu No P Pindera Bi Macquari Mo Mo Peacock Po Wi Yang Macq Macquari Narran S Wi AL Ka r ir ir di e t t t t in yd y ee ee st yd n es es e es es D D r n n n dg dg n n n i i i i y MD idge e a o ay t la l la la bi bi r l W l W l W l W l W r M r M er R/Gw R/Gw r h mo mo mo ster ster es mb R/Gw ch c ch u am r ra w A t a ach we we N Na Na Na Murra Murray ntra ntra ntra ntra La L La L de We We Lo r en rder Lo Lo rder %W o %M ommunity CM Ce C Ce Ce Ce 0 Murrum Murru Murrum 0% B Bo Bo 30 -7 30% 70% f C <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% < <3 <30% - <30% <30% < >70% <30% 30 <30% <30% 70% 70% 30 <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% % o 0- <30% 3 30- n y D L L V V D D P P P P S S C C C S D D I RP IV UL HC S H RI R f CP MD R NS SS BBS BB BB DR DR DR DR B CH BH MU MU MD MD % %D % oregio %S %C %M % o 0% 70% 70 0% 70 70% 30 Bi 30 30 30 - 30% <30% < < <30% <30% <30% <3 <30% <30% <30% >70% >70% < <3 <30% <30% < <30% <30% < <30% 30- 30- 30- Communit in 30 ) n) a a ) ) an h e ) ) a ) ) ) ha pe : 0 % 0 % ) h ) ) ) 00) 4 % %) ha 2 % 0) ) e 12 0 % 6 % 24 % ha 2 % NT ,0 0 a .4 - 6 000 2. 93 9 % h 5. ,0 ) ng 25 -Europ 00 60 3 % 3 - - 7 - - 0 ) .1 - TE 00) 000) 20 ,5 50, ra 8. 0 re 7 - (1 (2 1 - .8 9 - 1 X ,5 00 450 3, 0 % ( p 0 pre-Euro a ( (2 - 1 - 7 - ( (2 n ( ,2 4 - 3 - ha ha - 4 - 1 29 ha a 0 - a ( DE 2. 0 h ha ( - 1 00 (0.048 (% 05 ha (% 00 a E pe 00 ,0 0. a ( 0 h 000 00 e o ,0 ha T ha ge ,0 g r 0 h 0, 500 0 , a ( 50 (7,000 (1,500 (400 3 h 00, n ,700 6 u 250 250,000 h an 13 ( 6, ( (500,000 600 6 65 0 - 6 MA 0 - - 3 - 3 - 1 - -E ,100 00 I Ra 13 e 0 - 00 800 00 00 0 - 0 - 0 - d R ,0 T r - 2 0 27 00 00 ,000 3, ,0 500 S p 60 nt te 00 7 - 60 300 35 0 10 ,0 ,0 e c E 3, 7, 20 0 50 3, 1, 0 7 500, 3 te 91 rr ,0 200, 20 o 1 r Cu P nd al s i he e v in d ssion h a a f t l lu e s, o lt o ut p me e al pr o ater a B e d ns od S e a C w i e ssion a h lo lt ag re e n N ow g D pl s re es ns n s e f B r i al p in f h a od g flood in t mo rl t d A de o ri f pl a gion drai la n e ow ly fl m o e t e e B r d r c s -D n e in n d d p la a h io igal Co nd te in t ay a m a an an s a r o gu nd l r n Br e r ty bl s B rainag p la nl o r i ur pe i u P pe in n o r he e f d t/ i- ains nd sl on la l mp a sh d M th m n t hrub P la a d p o n s f ll re n nd e P se w in s i n a s mmu a ta n ne h l la o i a a d s o i ri n T h s h n on in a c b ub a a Co a a an sion swam eg chsi s r 5 e i s 5b r t p s t iver a /5 /5 u /4 h D: e ob n n ss th R Rive I T/ T io iver /4 o C/ en a a pr f nd B g g l d F N NT LC N E g C Coob m s ssion an gr P r r u de e R te egio in in s o s a th t : :L : l re m Ve rl r y ne o u th 8 0: 1 p gn a ke ke er o 71 3 4 4 la a 2 de 2 P l 2 Rive in Bior 2 Da 247: Li c D Sp 024: Ca la Rive S on m i F y t I I I I P up n o A W W W WI W o r ma r F F F F F G GF or Ac F 414 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 2 3 4 M M M E E2 E4 E1 E3 E4 E1 E1 E3 E3 ) & ha 2 8 E 1 E Code 24 18 43 01 18 14 46 03 04 re- 0 0 0 .8 a ( 0. 0. 0 6. 2. 0. 1. 0. 0. 1. 0. 1. f P re 0 0 g A % o 600 5 2 5 000 05 445 600 000 00 European 90 50 37 120 940 Ve Accuracy 2, 2, 5, 4, 1, 5, 15, 6 7 3 37 21 39 3 39 43 39 65 30 8 835 42 66 465 457 ,9 , ,441 ,9 ,8 ,8 ,8 1 (ha) ) 21 14 18, 21 21 19, 21 24 41, 176, es ze Si op Sl nd d e t e a ec t estern am NR ro a N t P n W * P CA P re R No arshes o o NP N NP NR g S g N P ls s F in in HS d A N e an an an ke P NR e M y PA PA = a ak ra e ey ey NP La d r N Darl Darl erie n (* a L mb mb mb ar ld ir lla la la la ly lgoa Protecte Wi Jeri Koonadan DE9905 Oo Ka Oo Oo Mo Macquari DE9906 Cu Narran Paroo- Paroo- r r i e e ir ir di e ee t t t t in yd ee ee st yd yd wy w es es es es D D dg n y y idge i idge dg n n dg n n i i i y i idge la b a ay oi /G /G We la la la b bi r l W l W l W l W r M r M mb mb r R hl mo mo mo ch urra urra estern mb R/Gw R/Gw um ch ch c ch am a r R r A a we we N Na Na Na Mu Murray Murra ntra ntra ntra ntra La La L La de de urru urru entral r %M %M Lo Lo %L rder rder %W or o ommunity CM Ce Murr Ce Ce Ce Murrum Murru Murrum B 70 70 70 70 Bo Bo %M %C %M f C <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% %B % 0% <30% <30% <30% <30% 30% 30- 30- 30- 70 30 7 70 30- <30% < 70 70 <30% < <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% % o 30- 30- 30- <30% <30% 30- 30- n y P P P L L V P P S C V V V V V R I B RI f DR DR RI RI RI RI BBS DR DR BH MU MU %D %R oregio %B 0% % o 0 70% 70% 70 -7 70 30% Bi > < >70% 0- <30% >70% <30% <3 >70% >70% <30% <30% <30% 30 30- 30- 3 Communit in ) n) a ) ) an ) ) e ) ) ) a a ) ) ) ) ha ha pe : % % 0 % 0 % %) ha ) ) h ) h ) 0 % %) % ha ha 0 % ) 0 % 0 % e 23 % 0 11 .2 ha 2 % 6 % 26 NT 12 %) - 8 38 180 15 7 - 000 000) 000 000 - 3 - 1. ) ng 18 - -Europ 000) .0 .4 22 7 1 - 8 - 2 - 000) 000) 0 4 - TE 7 - 5 - 50, 20, ra 0. re 1 (2 (2 3. 7 - 500) (8.9 - 0 - 0 20 X (1 370, 370, ( 0 % - 1. p (1 ( 75, 75, 20 pre-Euro ( 110, 7, - - 4 - 5 (0.3 a ( ( n ( - ha ha ha - - 11 ha a ha a 0 - (0.7 0 - . 06 ha ha 0 - DE h ha (% 0 h ha (% 0 0. 0069 (0 00 000 00 000 E pe a ( 00 ha 000 0 00 e 000 ,0 o 0. 000 00 00 ,0 T ge a ( 000 ( ,0 5 g r ha ,0 9, 0 h ,0 50 ,600 2 (2,500 00, a n 7 u 20 63, 150, 130, 180,000 (25,000 50, 9 an 34 (130, ( 5 h ( 45, 4, 190,000 ,000 9 13 - 1 MA - 2 0 ( 0 - - 3 - 3 - - -E - 1 0 0 ( 0 0 ( 7 h - 1 - I Ra 00 0 e - 5 0 - - 1 00 000 0 0 - 0 d R 0 T r 0 - 0 00 ,0 00 - 5 0 00 , 5, 00 81 000 S p 400 00 nt te 45 50 000 , ,0 60 ,0 e c 50, 50 E ,0 1, 850 90 31 3 1, 7, 11, 12 250,00 300, 250, 350,00 te 1 15, rr 40 50 100,000 110,00 o r Cu P e t) it e y ho d y b o y d Wh re d me a d ( n lla - a ri a H de nd n k g a C s a ss r w -a la ai a a he l - re r n N nk floo in mi s l d n t ss y ba e P ioregion a se es l G m a of mo ns tl d A r e il B in al vi n e d gr m m o st he t e r ve a c plai a llu an sy ri f t a iver qu lo rina Co h W te pe e n r o d ut ood on d o assl f on l r Windm ty e R - s o iver i f d an h r P gr an S Rive l f n n ss egio nd s - t/ d d f t a ia s a a h o w ay a n r o he e as e assl so a rs cl ssl uv l d ssl rs re f t gr Bior a gr h ll l G a n r mmu h l N in c ma a a a il ou gr a gr f u d o ss T e n vial c e a i o a b Co a r ch ss ss an s o 3a assl 5 a C Sp llu e t on a a /5 entr a D: Gr r a l ater indm r n ou in I /5 T h gr iv /4 ssl C/ C/ G ll a a ains ai d z f c C a l l R L E E/5a V/5a V/4a V ic W g r on ri r pl p s G d w P -r mp a ch s o n, :L : : :N s T ly n te ss in i Ve u y p g t' od a rb 0: 4 7 2 a d a l ur o ood la la wa o 5 0 4 43: 4 la l 046 gr Co 2 W fl 044: F To 045: P c 0 S 0 2 Ra 0 Mitche an C P f in on m i F F F I I I I y t P PF up T T T n o AP AP FT F F o r ma FA FA r GF G G G G GF GF G G or Ac F Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 415 M M E3 E3 E2 E3 E3 E3 E2 E3 E4 E3 E3 E3 E1 E2 E2 E1 E2 E1 E1 E1 E2 E3 E4 E4 E4 ) & ha 3 7 1 1 5 13 4 69 Code 15 67 33 02 33 24 05 22 3 67 27 08 01 02 25 04 re- 2 0 . .3 .0 a ( 13 25 0. 0. 2. 0. 0. 0. 0. 5 1. 0. 1. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 3. 1. 0. 0 0 20. 19. f P re 0 0 0 0 0 0 g A 0 0 0 % o 00 500 2 00 5 5 900 500 04 20 10 00 70 00 European 45 30 20 30 11 ,0 10 400 400 72 11 534 150 5 150 Ve Accuracy 3, 7, 1, 6, 1, 4, 1, 2 57, 1, 1 6 4 2 1 8 9 9 0 2 2 7 8 9 18 42 28 6 3 936 95 839 445 768 849 52 159 198 049 04 492 465 37 72 32 79 23 15 14 04 ,8 ,1 ,2 ,2 ,068 3, 4, 4, 1, 8 4, (ha) ) 14, 57, 72 53 21, 33, 28, 64, 19, 71 38, 11, 111 108, 3 33 es ze Si op Sl nd d e a A estern am NR VC Protecte A ni a N * n W A ot CA re R R* t U N NP * R arshes o o NR CA NP ns A R ra t N ls R* w N y N R R CV d A R R R la lla NR an e N e S P iffs es P VC e M R al Do he = a a N NR ey NR Cl a N g N P P ga ingl c h N h N h N AW r N 06 inni inni o N i N i W ra uari in le (* a B la la la ng mb ar ee t N t N A0 ll de r r co mb mb la de ly de de ro reun akool n u anchone tu i t Protecte Bu Ar Bo Kirram No S Ka Ma Mung Bu Ca Macq Midk Pl S No No Oo Tarawi Yathon Nany Scotia VC P Boom Boom Bu ir ir ir e t t in yd yd yd es es n n n n n n i i i idge r MD la e l W l W r mo mo mo ster ster ster st ster mb e R/Gw R/Gw R/Gw ch e A Na Na Na ntra ntra La ow We W We We We rder rder rder ommunity CM Ce Ce Murru 0% 0% %L Bo Bo Bo 7 f C <30% <30% <30% <30% 70 <30% >70% <30% > >7 > <30% <30% <30% % o >70% >70% <30% n y C L L L D P P P S C C D V P S f C BH RI BB BBS DR DR DR CH CH MU MU MU MD % oregio %S % o 0 30 70% Bi 70% < <30% >7 <30% <30% >70% >70% >70% > <30% <30% <30% <30% >70% Communit 30- in ) ) n) ) a an ) e ) ) 0 % a ha %) %) % ) ha pe : 0 % %) a a ) ) h ) %) %) ha ) 8 % 0 % 00 36 % e ) h ) h a 80 8 150 5000 1 % NT 00 100 .2 - 000) 25 87 000) - 4 % - - 1 ,0 00) ) 00 ng 15 - 1 - ) h - 1 -Europ - 6 0 - 8 - 1. 12 - TE ,000 ,0 ,0 6 - ( 28 ra re 12 000, 00 (1 (2 33 29 7 X ( 750, 300 0 % 9 p ( (1 45 0. 45 45 4 - 1, pre-Euro (110 - 1. ha (1.1 n ( - - a ( 1, 2630 ha ha - ( 0. ha ( a ( a 0 - 0 - ha ha 0 - DE 0 a ha (% 00 ha 00 (% 0 h a ( 00 0 - 00 E pe 00 a ( ha 0 h 000 00 ,0 00 00 00 ,0 e o , 0 h 00 ,0 T ge 00 ,0 0 10 5, g r 0 h ,0 0 , 0 50 200 0 h 00 15 15, 1 , 7, n 20 20 u 100, ( 00 200 ( an 2, 0 ( (250,000 21 820,000 37 ,0 13 56 2, 50, MA 0 ( - 2 - 6 0 - - 2 -E 0 ( I Ra - 1 00 00 00 e 0 - 0 ( 0 - 00 0 0 - 0 - - 1 0 - 0 - d R 00 T 150 r 0 - 0 1, ,0 , ,0 00 0 00 ,0 ,0 0 00 - S p 00 10 nt te 400 18 00 00 0 , ,0 ,0 ,0 75 e c 30 30 30 E ,0 2, 0 3 000 0, 7, 5 , 00 500 2 15 te 75 13 rr 3 120, 800, 28 ,0 o 50 r Cu 50 P of ) l on d e l e e nd h d an d he nd la o th e e me n t he la warm t s s - iv a ub in assl r r e s i on f rb a C Mitc as y z ou d d ( gr r de fo e - on n re ri n N d o c te G a y a a ainl -a l ss e z l an is t a ains i and/sh n mo and/ m r d A im mi assl da pl m e r m ma cl t ssl herb assl - d ns se a c li p G al n e egio s g rassl i e i c gr al id pa ss n Co gr te n r r y a th d Cu e o uv W ss i s g ai zo la r r ty ll a n sh gr Bior e a y i c a pl as u s - em P te e rl n th l s i t a e Gr h in a v t/ gr tb a as of n f n a l le a p Cu lo ep u vi im gr il u Pl sa - s o u e ew e nd re cl l rd plai C n s - u mmu s - h l la s - al te on e M as T as t - Bl nd rine rb ca ow r kscr rass in as Co a a b i iv ss e o r e z d ne lle 2 1a G 3 a a Gr t v a or s a i at / /5 D: r d G of o op at l l G n R an I /4 r il /5 C C/ C/ C N in il il Gr ll a a nd/f d c sl g l E V L L im L V/5a g e z bt f e nd la a m n e M n r ibbe a P s - cl in at d l su : :L : : : l ch ee n Ve tto r b as 1 9 5 2 9 indm it y ndp e g u im 6 5 4 r 4 rassl or 0 Gr 0 Wi Bu d Q 0 M th Neve arid 16 Derive sa cl 1 f 183: W g 214: Nativ Da on m i I I I I I I y t up T T T T TI n o F FT FT F F o r ma r G G G G GF G GF G or Ac F 416 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains M M M M M M M E3 E3 E1 E2 E1 E3 E3 E3 E2 E2 E1 E1 E1 E2 E1 E1 E1 E2 5 2 3 8 9 M 26 10 1. 1.25 11. 12. 1.78 0.18 1.28 0.45 0.82 0.05 0.14 1.45 2.16 0.75 0.03 0.03 0.02 1.13 4.25 1.32 3.27 1.24 10. rea (ha) rea of Pre- of g A % % European & & European 72 500 122 260 100 500 250 200 143 Ve Accuracy Code Accuracy 4,600 1,065 1,079 2,000 5,000 9,000 1,500 6,000 9,000 4,500 14,100 16,000 17,300 34,000 10,530 26,150 37,500 a) 343 410 400 ) 71,068 30,759 21,830 44,441 13,826 57,956 33,445 70,581 28,849 64,528 57,956 72,128 53,261 13,642 33,445 28,849 64,528 57,956 176,427 111,842 111,842 108,768 111,842 Size (h Size nd nd d te a A A ec stern Slopes stern me ot We t Pr A A * Uni VC Uni VC Uni A NR Area Na Area NR r NR ke NR VCA* rling NP rling e e NP ill NR La ah ppe ch Da NP innie NR innie SC innie n n le a Ballarat a Ballarat 008 na (* = also on on also = (* hega lig 9907 PA 9911 PA oo- co mb mb rra ju nga ny NR thong ny rawi NR rawi NR rawi otia AWC VC AWC otia VC AWC otia Protected No No Par CD CD VCA Ledk Na Kinc Ka Mallee Cliffs NP NP Mungo Ta Ya Na Sc Mallee Cliffs NP NP Mungo No No H Round Ta Ya Na Sc Mallee Cliffs NP NP Mungo r

e e di st n n n n n n n n ty in y idge idge la l We uni mb mb ach A Lower MD Lower MD Lower mm Lower MD Lower Centra CM <30% Murra <30% Lachla <30% Lachla >70% Wester >70% Wester <30% Wester <30% Wester <30% Wester 70% of Co of 30-70% L >70% Lower MD 30-70% 30-70% <30% Murru <30% Murru 30-70% % % >70% Border R/Gwy

L n D P S L D D D D > ty P P P P C

NS SSD DR uni of % % mm Bioregio <30% CP <30% CP <30% DR <30% DR <30% DR <30% DR >70% CH <30% MU <30% MD <30% MD >70% MD >70% MD 30-70% 30-70% Co 30-70% BBS 30-70% in 30-70% MU 30-70% MD ) ) ha ha ha ha ha ) ha ha ha TENT: re-European re-European (38 - 130 %) (46 - 150 %) (83 - 120 %) (7.3 - 23 %) (9.5 - 14 %) (2.4 - 8.1 %) (33 - 300 %) (6 - 33 %) (79 - 110 %) p (3 - 4.3 %) p ha ha ha (42 - 140 %) ha ha ha ha ha ha (10530 - 600000 %) ha (23 - 530 %) (25 - 230 %) ha (0 - 0 %) (4.3 - 23 %) ha e (% e ha ha ha TED EX ha ng MA 0 - 0 Ra 800 (400 - 1,200) 1,000 (100 - 1,900) 51 - 93 pre-European (range pre-European 2,000 (1,400 - 2,600) 440 - 530 300 - 900 3,600 - 6,600 2,000 - 2,300 ESTI 40,000 (20,000 - 60,000) 60,000 (54,000 - 66,000) 1,100 - 1,900 38,000 - 46,000 364,000 (330,000 - 400,000) 34,000 - 62,000 20,000 - 60,000 52,000 - 62,000 73,000 - 130,000 800,000 (560,000 - 1,000,000) 530,000 - 970,000 460,000 - 840,000 330,000 - 390,000 1,100,000 (770,000 - 1,400,000) Current Range (% Range Current Protected 200,000 - 600,000 e e

d d

th - one ex ns of er if -ari z

e e me ds W mi th plai n arid el Na of sh e e - spin fi

NS n n assland on on assland ly th of wa ox ox

gr in of dune es B out ck

mmo ts ma n ar assland - Silv es io gr ee ee ee ee Grey gul cr ll ll eg ck ty Co ty woodland on deep sand deep on woodland nd nd or wer slop hummo ma ma

irre la asslands on red earths of earths red on asslands lo one asslands of the central en en uni dune dune Bi ss of In gr z gr lain op nd nd - reat/Protected Area Code Area reat/Protected ee ee dune dune hummo Gra m) mm en en a ns ll r ck BBS ke ndp s ark ns ex ex e e op ne ne ea c b a a b a a a lo rling Depression Bioregio Depression rling ma sa if plai sso (war tt t Co t th one lin onb in tu plai Da d d Bu od od bu nd z Ir in d d LC/3 LC/2 LC/4 NT/5 NT/5 NT/4 LC/3 LC/3 y- ill Ca ex ex Sp g ID: Th la an ly -ari Plan m) if ve ed ed in in ck Ve in ndh mi e e av 215: Woolly th 250: Deri western 117: Bu le 151: Sa on sands siliceous 235: Yetm sandy alkaline, on woodland ma 170: Chenop se and arid the of woodland/shrubland (war 171: Sp Murra 172: sand Deep se m ation ation HGI HGI HGI GFTI GFTI MWSI MWSI MWSI Group Group Acrony Form Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 417 2 1 2 2 2 4 1 M M M M M M E3 E2 E1 E3 E1 E1 E E E2 E1 E1 E E E E E3 E3 E1 E1 E4 E2 E1 E E1 ) & ha 7 7 3 3 3 7 8 5 5 Code 02 79 04 91 01 05 01 2 83 02 .3 .5 57 75 98 8 05 35 07 03 05 re- 0 0 8 5 0 .6 .3 a ( 2. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 8. 4. 0. 1. 0. 1. 0 0 0. 0. 0. 2. 3. 6. 0. 9. 33 28 28. f P re 0 0 g A 90 30 0 0 0 0 0 0 % o 00 80 0 40 540 2 2 1 000 000 ,5 ,8 000 800 50 European 24 35 32 10 21 4 ,0 ,200 ,1 56 50 26 135 250 10 146 36 10 Ve Accuracy 2 2, 4, 1, 2 3 5, 6, 12, 13, 57 33 1 5 4 8 5 7 3 0 1 7 7 1 8 3 24 45 28 26 35 42 61 67 57 4 70 76 849 528 232 390 365 128 26 14 44 24 11 7 15 76 2 113 26 76 34 41 ,6 ,4 ,1 ,8 ,2 1, 1, 3, 6, 4, 8, 4, 3, 6, (ha) ) 72, 53, 13 33, 33 28, 64, 72 13 53 53, 108, 10 es ze Si op Sl nd d e a A ecte t tected estern am o R VC r ro ni n F a N t P t P n W HS U ai CA re t A t ll No No R R n R o o V CA CA a * * fe r R R SC ls ou R R C A* R d A R NR A la l N N NR R e N e N e S e S e en PA PA R NR i PA il NR NR al h N n NR N = a 6 P NR g N g N H a N Gr on o N 7 P 1 y M AW nn i N i ga inni inni inni inni o go b da (* a B hnan tree bi li n ng w b n etop 9902 gg ggoo unt 991 li a mb mb mb mb bbat m und l ug ra ll ng E D990 a o araw olli Protecte Gu T T Wo T Nany Scotia No Kaju La Lo Mo No No Pu Ro Scru Yathon WE990 WE9907 Qu T No Quanda No C CD W Wo Yathon t t st st in ee st e e n e es es n rn n dg n n n n an a rn l e MD MD l W l W la la e la la bi h ster st l W l W l W r a st ster e r a e m ch ch ch ac achl r A u ach t ntra nt L r W We ntra ntra La L La r La ower ow We We en Ce Ce %L ommunity CM Ce Ce 0% Mu 0% 0% %L %L 70 70% 70% 30% -7 %C 30% 7 0% f C % <3 < <30% < 70 70 70% > <30% 30- 30- -7 30 30 30- > 30 0- <30% < <30% 3 < 30 % o n y D D D > D D S S C D P P S S D f CP CP CP C M MD N N BH MD MD % %C oregio % 0 %M 0% 0% % o 70 7 0 7 Bi 30 -7 > <30% <30% >70% > <30% < >70% >70% >70% <3 Communit in 30- 30 ) n) a an e ) ) ) ) ) ) %) %) ) ) ) ha pe : % % ) % ha % ) % % ha ha ha % % % ) % ) 92 27 ha e ) ) a %) NT 0) 00 80 - - 25 ) h 80 70 140 150 % 75 19 17 0 - 60 ,0 ) 00 ) ng 2 3 ) - - -Europ - ha 000) 00 0 000 27 - - 1 TE 7 - 15 62 (1 10 3 - 7 - - 1 2 ra re 25 00 0, ,0 41 43 - X ( 7. 0 % 0 % a ( p ( ( 8. 3. 5. 78, 97, ( ,8 33 32 pre-Euro 100,00 - 9 ( ( ( 4 - ha ( ( 51 n ( 10 - 3 - 390) a a a - ( 4 19 ha a 0 - 0 - 0 h a a h - 1 ( ( h 0 - DE ( ( ha ha a ha 0 (% 0 - (% 00 a a 0 h 0 - E pe 00 00 a a 000 0 h 0 h 00 e 00 ,0 o T 0 h 00 50 ge ,0 00 21 000 g r 0 h 0 h ,0 (980 500 ( 0 h 0 h 70 90 ,900 ,2 3, 53 n 8, u 60 56, (10,000 450, (42,00 130, 45 ( an 7, 9 (490,000 31 13 9, 5, 58 7 14, - 1, MA - - 1 - 0 ( 0 - 0 - - - - -E 0 ( I Ra 400 300 00 00 0 - e 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 0 - d R 00 000 T r 1, 0 - 00 ,0 ,0 000 00 73 00 000 00 00 S p 500 100 nt 7, te 30 17 20 00 70 ,0 0, ,0 91 e c 20 60 75, E 2, 1, 5 8 3, 3, 7, 25, 700, te 32, 42 rr 250, 120, o r Cu P on e e e e n nd th f i ll d nd f a la la o a s o me p - dl od d o a a r n m ne a C et oo soil e an wo pe P oba m re n N dl ey r f o h w ne h o i ay n C ba a mo W P d A ba s o wo o cl S e ll m la SW on t C ss o c hi on l N re d l N rn Co easter a te Mo p Co open e on o y tr - an nd st r ty n C a e i dl sh ntra a ed ics, P e nd e n ce dl ll rk t/ oo bu la n e e a f c hite oo of ba io th ue Ma olcan g re n w W ood s o h- bl ee e v mmu e h e w of l le w - l p se T tt i a e - oot ts lle e r nd a a Co a b a ee m Bior x o 2 m 5b a lle y t R ll lle fl /1 /3 SW D: ma s a a S ll a n a I T/ /3 T/3c T/5a in in C C/ e Bo - nd a ll nt th a ne a nd l E/3a LC N L L g l N l r e o la gion av pl p e m n M P ee bu z y M e r me le ea :V :N :N : : d p a e ll g ub Ve rl ll a e 3 0 5 6 dg r a al ntra di id d n an 9 7 e r M Cu se 1 S 174 1 M 191: S sh 193: Ta c 169: a 17 Ri 17 Gr on re Bior Pene on m I I i R y t S SI up SR S n o o WS W r ma r M M MWSI MW MWSI G MWSR MW MW or Ac F 418 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 2 1 2 2 2 M M E3 E2 E3 E3 E1 E2 E E E E2 E E3 E3 E2 E3 E2 E1 E3 E3 ) & ha 5 6 5 E 1 Code 68 55 07 57 14 29 94 01 43 11 06 75 25 29 05 57 re- 1 4 .2 a ( 0. 0. 0. 4. 9. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 1. 0. 0. 0. 0. 1 3. f P re 0 0 0 0 0 g A 0 1 0 0 % o 50 0 0 0 00 50 250 50 00 00 50 European 50 23 50 20 4 3 ,3 ,000 31 200 17 30 5 10 500 Ve Accuracy 1, 3, 2, 3, 1 1, 2 1, 5 4 1 8 6 7 2 82 28 42 82 32 68 27 22 36 773 2 37 2 759 93 704 768 282 830 06 42 2 7 759 23 ,4 ,1 ,6 , ,830 ,0 1, 1, 4, 0, 4, 1, 8, 1 1 (ha) ) 64, 1 72 13 21, 71 76 6 3 2 30, 7 64, 108, 1 176, 338, 33 es ze Si op Sl nd e a estern am FR a N * n W * P * HS P R re NP N R R ll R* R o o NR NP NP NR N R g N N fe untain ls NR ng n a N e NR la R r i d A k li e N ke k e N en er R ll e N rl Mo p pe ar a he = a NP N oo ooka La La p p g N Gr P Hi ch booka b inni n rr -D -D a NP i le (* na na baggi an o t N k r ya unt o r rt mb nd ndab dk l r und dk i u anchonel ocolec a a unda ed e tu aroo ar Protecte G Cool K No Ro Scrubby Yathon Mo Pl M Gu L N P S L Noco St Gu Narran N P r ir ir di t t t t st in ee y yd yd es es es es D n n n n n n n n dg n n i i i We r ay o o Gw la er la la e er bi l W l W l W l W r M mo ster ster st ster st st ster m R/Gw R/ R/Gw ch ch ch am am ra e A r we ru Na N N Murr ntra ntra nt ntra La entral La La r We We We We We W We de Lo rder r rder ommunity CM Ce Ce Ce Ce % o Mu 0% 0% %C Bo B Bo 30% 3 30 30% f C <30% <30% <30% < <30% <30% < >70% >7 < 70 <30% < >70% >70% % >70% >70% <30% <30% <30% 30 30- <30% % o <30% <30% < L n y P P P S L L V D P P S C SS I D UL UL R CP R RP SD BB f DR DR D CP CP CP MU S SS BBS BB DR CH MU MU MD %R %N % %M %M oregio %D %D 0% 0% 70% % o 0 70 0% 70 70% 70 70% 70 70 - -7 - Bi -7 - 30 - - - <30% >70% >70% <30% <30% <30% <30% <30% < <3 30- <3 <30% <30% <30% 30 30- 30 30 30 30 Communit in 30 30 30 ) n) a ) an ) e ) ) ) ) ) ) ) % ) ) % ) ) ha ha pe : % % % %) ) ha a ) a ) % h ha ha ha ha % %) ) ) 0 0 % %) 6 % ha 0 % ) 0 % 10 e 7 % 70 90 50 170 5 % ) h NT ) 1 % .6 5. 1 % 00) 0) 11 17 9 % 1 - 14 60 000 - 8 000) 7. 24 04 8 - ng - - 2 - 1 -Europ ,0 - 1 00 - .3 1 % 3. - 0, 000) 00 000) 000) 000) 0. 5 - TE 5 - , 000 3 - - 2 - 19 ,0 5 2 7 - ra 1. re 9 - 32 6 - ( 2, 5, .6 - 0 78 29 49 2 X ( 0. 260, (9.1 p ( ( (5 ( ( 220 6. 2. 36, 45, 60 ( 5 - 2. pre-Euro (2 15 15, - - 5 (7.1 ( 73 (3.6 ( (0 n ( - 5 - - 6 3 - a ha ha a ha a ( a 0 0. a ha ha ha ha ha 0 - 0 - 0 - 033 0. DE ha ha 0 - 00 0 - (% 004 ha 0 h ha (% 00 00 0 0 h 00 0 0 00 E pe 0. a ( 00 0 h 0 h , 00 0. a ( 0 00 0 ( e 00 ,0 00 ,0 , o 00 00 ,0 ( T ge 00 000 000 40 ,0 5 g r ,0 ,0 00 70 5, 5, ,0 00 a 0 h 000 ,800 35 20 5 h ,300 ( ha n u 1, (75,00 (30,00 (18,000 (2 ( an 3, 2, 60 (140, (180 3, 45, 34, 300 58 42, 37 - 0 ( 12 150, 70 MA - 3 0 ( 0 h 10, - 5 - 2 ------E 15 00 - - I Ra 0 00 00 00 e 0 - 0 - 0 - 00 00 00 0 0 0 - 0 d R , ,0 00 T 000 r 0 - - 3 0 0 ,0 ,0 ,0 45 0 - 00 0 00 30 ,0 5 - 00 S p 00 200 00 50 5 nt te 300 70 0 000 00 0 00 , 10 0 10 30 ,0 38 ,0 , 1, e c 33 3 35 50, 40, E 1 ,0 40 1, 1, 0, 3 1, 1, 150,000 4, 2 200, 35 3, te 28, 13, 15 24, 32 rr 84 100 o r Cu P d n l s e t) an e a e - l of s d o te c Belt d ) ll ho n he t th in t a o a pi s o nd l me ood ma ne in la or d ( m ow ro of a la a in p li (h li l ri RP l c a C bt la pl e n ioregion d rb sa a -a id i w w t e nd i o igal r r re wood id th n N su f n l p n D e a lo la in m s B r en -a - e ar e Br ia e of W in P he se in ub mo in e t in d A nd P mi mi r st r d egio uv e nd la e a a al m n la NS t ll se se h on of e sh s P ss b a c l e e d a e P al ub f t d s f a es b Co e z Bior r r te nd Co nd ri nd e o pr th u o pr a at r nt s o sh n -a in r ty Rosewood e r d a we of s dl i Cy S a a m nd sh e P l Cy w ri iverin mi t n li d p la ne og t/ a oo n c e ck lo e osewood BB ga dune se as a it a l H an d c od zo l s i g R rt h u he en o s ( e estern ll t dl re n w e e o he nd n R in mi t mmu h is w M tic -B in n th r P rl r oo i a a -W - n ma s a T a l hu ope -W f ssw . - a a ster Co n a b ee a ba m e ) l D s i i ns on d 3 ee -S e 4a o l ood la t a k w / l l s o /3 /5 /3 d p D: ub a l cl l ns c n gi 5b n e w I T T/5a T/4a We oo / /5 C/ C al r plai a r nd o il nd a d l s ja r G mi i M - n C d a l N LC LC L L E NT/4 a h g w r r hi ssion l g M M n le a P ma s s h egio te arid hu p : : : :E :N p : :N en y ga y i itewood re r re - sa Ve pica e e ut e 8 6 7 0 6 4 mp p il o ne ne b ende este r ke r io o eo a up 5 3 1 4 8 n nd o o ocky 1 2 G Sl z 2 Gr wood Bi 062: S la 1 G r B w Wh o a 1 L 145: W tr So 14 Wh su 264: S 018 de z on m i I I I I I R R y t up SL SL S SR G G G n I o o DG DG D D WS W W r ma r WI RD R R R R S SW G M M M or Ac F Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 419 2 M M E2 E1 E2 E1 E3 E2 E2 E1 7 4 E 8 90 0. 0.01 0.11 3.33 1.04 4.34 2.14 13.33 rea (ha) rea of Pre- of g A % % 1 European & & European 11 45 200 800 100 417 350 Ve Accuracy Code Accuracy 1,737 1,070 6,000 a) 4,354 4,354 ) 33,445 28,849 64,528 28,849 44,441 24,965 21,830 338,232 176,427 Size (h Size nd nd d d d te te te a A ec ec ec stern Slopes stern me ot ot ot We t Pr t Pr t Pr A * Uni VC Uni Uni VCA Uni NR NR NR Area Na Area ke rling NP rling NP La NP Da Lake Lake n n a Ballarat a Ballarat (* = also on on also = (* hega oo- rt NP ny rra ny arie arie rawi NR rawi otia AWC VC AWC otia ar tu Protected No No Ne Ta Na Sc Kinc Ne Culgoa Na Na No

st n n S n n P n n ty in i y er l We st mo uni A mm Lower MD Lower MD Lower Centra CM <30% Na <30% Murra 70% >70% Wester <30% Wester >70% Wester 70% >70% Wester >70% Wester of Co of 30-70% We >70% Lower MD >70% Lower MD >70% Lower MD 30-70% % %

L L n D D D P P C C D > D > ty P P C V

SSD SSD SSD DR DR CH CH uni of % % mm Bioregio <30% CP <30% RI <30% DR >70% DR <30% BH >70% MD >70% MD 30-70% 30-70% 30-70% Co 30-70% 30-70% 30-70% 30-70% in 30-70% MU 30-70% MU 30-70% MD 30-70% MD 30-70% MD ) ) ha ha ha ) ha ha ha ha ha ha TENT: ha re-European re-European (67 - 600 %) (17 - 150 %) (27 - 230 %) p p (33 - 300 %) (35 - 290 %) (33 - 300 %) (2.7 - 14 %) (6.3 - 34 %) (31 - 270 %) (1.3 - 7.2 %) ha (18 - 570 %) (23 - 210 %) ha ha (1.9 - 10 %) (4.9 - 18 %) ha ha ha ha ha (0.2 - 21 %) ha ha (0 - 0 %) (0 - 0 %) (0 - 0 %) (54 - 190 %) (49 - 170 %) ha ha ha ha e (% e ha ha ha ha TED EX ha ha ng 50 (35 - 65) MA 0 - 0 0 - 0 0 - 0 Ra 3,000 (900 - 5,100) 35 - 65 32 - 58 10 - 190 pre-European (range pre-European 5,000 (2,500 - 7,500) 2,000 (1,000 - 3,000) 140 - 260 740 - 890 9,000 (4,500 - 13,000) 10,000 (5,000 - 15,000) 10,000 (5,000 - 15,000) 900 - 5,100 700 - 2,100 ESTI 40,000 (20,000 - 60,000) 45,000 (23,000 - 67,000) 50,000 (25,000 - 75,000) 1,600 - 2,800 4,200 - 7,800 2,300 - 6,700 1,000 - 1,800 5,000 - 15,000 4,500 - 13,000 5,000 - 15,000 10,000 - 30,000 18,000 - 52,000 50,000 - 150,000 Current Range (% Range Current Protected

f

o d d nd nd of

d d

s nds s nds

ils bla -ari ed tla -ari

so and and d d ru arid me mi -b zone e e d d mi of sh wetla e e se t we Na -ari n se y y h h at scalds in nd nd lake -ari n n en e e io at nd nd ar mi salin e e nd nd a irregularly mi an or eg th bla He of s e e lin clim se or ru rm a- mmo mp as a arid e e s in nd nd th m) sh Bi te pe Se e e zone of th w-sa n n - e e e rise en en e e rbla play th lo (war ty Co ty nd nd at s in of Plai fo on on

eed eed d d of on salin salin uni ender Glasswort open Glasswort ender w, op w, rbla ons dge ne nd nd nd nd nd ons of of s -ari r W ri e Sl gi fo ) clim reat/Protected Area Code Area reat/Protected a a i lo bla ssi mi mm h h ve re - sparse rbla rbla or or le hot s ru zone d d se

lake us one fl fl b a b b a a b b pre e e ace z sh tly t Co t - Wate one nd de on on one at 1c -ari 5b gf one ral fo ral fo ged ged ged re z a e e en z saltb z rling Ri rling NT/5 Lignum LC/4 V/ LC/5 NT/3 LC/3 LC/5 V/ LC/5 LC/5 arid ous mi nd nd g ID: Th er er hi sarcia ly Plan e e m) y y ts Pi sist clim arid arid Da pse lo Ve heme heme in arse bm bm mp er rbla salin ur arid th e e e e 063: Sp fo arid 064: Sa of (war 065: Ha se and 162: St th 189: Ep th 198: Sp se and arid the of lakes inundated (p 212: Ep th 253: Gy and arid plains 262: Su of 263: Su of m L L L L L L L L L L ation ation Group Group SWIS SWIS SWIS SWIS SWIS SWIS SWIS SWIS SWIS SWIS Acrony Form 420 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains

Plant communities fields of information) or short format (28 fields) and can be generated from the copy of the NSWVCA database on the A total of 213 plant communities are classified and assessed CD in the back pocket of this journal. The search routine for the NSW Western Plains. Query reports in the NSWVCA in the database can be used to select communities by ID database (described in Benson 2006) list plant communities number, common name, scientific name, Formation Group, for bioregions, bioregion sub-regions, CMA areas, Local Bioregion, sub-region, CMA area, Botanical Division and Government Areas, conservation reserves, secure property Local Government Area. agreements, Formation Groups, NSW Vegetation Classes (Keith 2004), the major Australian vegetation sub-groups An All Records Full Report from the NSWVCA database in the National Vegetation Information System (NLWRA of the 213 Western Plains plant communities is presented in 2001, ESCAVI 2003) and communities selected using the Appendix A in Folder 3 on the CD accompanying this paper. ‘search’ mode of the database (eg all communities with This includes all information recorded in the database for Eucalyptus camaldulensis (River Red Gum) in the ‘scientific each community and up to three low resolution photographs. name’ field). These reports are available in full format (90

Table 4. Cross reference of 213 plant communities classified in the NSW Western Plains with 19 Formation Groups classified in the NSWVCA for that section of NSW.

Formation Group Acronym NWVCA Veg. ID Numbers No.

Acacia Woodlands and Shrublands of the Inland ASAZ 23, 26, 27, 29, 31, 35, 77, 118, 119, 120, 121, 123, 124, 25 Slopes and Plains 125, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 134, 136, 139, 199, 220

Casuarina Communities of the Inland Slopes and Plains CCI 20, 22, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59, 60, 221, 228, 254 11 Chenopod (Halophytic) Shrublands of the Inland CHS 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 163, 164, 166, 22 168, 195, 196, 210, 211, 216, 222, 224, 225, 236 Cypress Pine (Callitris) woodlands mainly of the Inland CPW 19, 21, 28, 48, 68, 69, 70, 72, 106, 245, 246 11

Ephemeral Grasslands in Semi-arid and Arid Regions EGA 150, 167 2 Eremophila, Melaleuca and Dodonaea Shrublands EMDI 115, 138, 140, 142, 143, 194, 213, 229, 232, 252, 261, 271 12 of the Inland Eucalyptus Box Woodlands of the Inland Plains EBWP 56, 75, 76, 80, 82, 83, 86, 87, 88, 98, 103, 104, 105, 108, 22 109, 110, 122, 201, 207, 244, 248, 258 Eucalyptus Communities of Inland Watercourses EIW 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 67, 29 and Inner Floodplains 74, 197, 200, 206, 208, 230, 231, 233, 234, 237, 249, 251 Eucalyptus Corymbia Communities of the Tropics EWT 71, 100, 133 3 Eucalyptus Ironbark Woodlands and Forests of the EIWI 192, 217, 227, 243 4 Inland Plains and Peneplains Eucalyptus Woodlands on Rocky Hills of the Inland EWRHI 184, 185, 186, 188, 239, 257 6 Freshwater Wetlands: Inland Freshwater Aquatic, FWI 12, 17, 25, 53, 66, 161, 181, 182, 205, 226, 238, 240, 241, 247 14 Swamp and Shrubland Communities Grasslands of Freshwater Aquatic Habitats or GFAPF 24, 47, 50, 204, 242 5 Periodically Flooded Soils

Grasslands on Fine Texture Soils on the Inland GTP 43, 44, 45, 46, 49, 52, 61, 149, 165, 183, 214, 215, 250 13 Slopes and Plains Hummock Grasslands and Woodlands of the Inland HGI 117, 151, 235 3 Plains and Peneplains Mallee Woodlands and Shrublands of Inland MWSI 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 190, 191, 193 8 Sandplains and Sand Dunes Mallee Woodlands and Shrublands of Inland MWSR 169, 175, 176, 180, 218, 256 6 Stony Ridges

Rainforest-derived Genera Woodlands and Shrublands RDGI 137, 144, 145, 146, 264 5 of the Inland Slopes and Plains Saline Wetlands: Saline and Clay Lakes (Playas) SWISL 18, 62, 63, 64, 65, 162, 189, 198, 212, 253, 262, 263 12 of the Inland Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 421

The communities are also listed under the 19 higher hierarchy The common name, estimated extents and distribution of Formation Groups that occur in western NSW. each plant community is summarised in Table 3 that forms the main meta-analysis of the vegetation classification An All Records Short Report from the database is presented and assessment. Table 3 lists all communities in order of in Appendix B in Folder 3 on the CD. This lists all the plant 19 Formation Groups recording their ID number, threat/ communities in one file in order of the Formation Group protected area code and common name; estimated pre- names. The 28 fields in the short report include characteristic European, current, and protected area extents with confidence species and the vegetation description but exclude most of ranges; proportion in bioregions and CMAs; and extent in the physiographic and location data fields. each protected area with an accuracy code.

Table 5. Cross reference of the 213 plant communities classified in the NSW Western Plains in the NSWVCA database with the 32 Vegetation Classes mapped in Keith (2004) that occur wholly of partly in the NSW Western Plains. * indicates Vegetation Classes in Keith (2004) that predominantly occur outside the NSW Western Plains and therefore are incompletely classified at this point in NSWVCA.

Vegetation Class (Keith 2004) NSWVCA Veg. ID Numbers Total

Aeolian Chenopod Shrublands 152, 153, 154, 222 4 Brigalow Clay Plain Woodlands 29, 31, 35, 55, 145 5 Desert Woodlands 100, 133 2 Dune Mallee Woodlands 171, 172, 191 3 Floodplains Transition Woodlands 56, 74, 76, 80, 82, 237, 248, 251 8 Gibber Chenopod Shrublands 61, 136, 150, 155, 156, 167, 183, 210, 224 9 Gibber Transition Shrublands 118, 131, 197 3 Inland Floodplain Shrublands 17, 24, 25, 115, 160, 161, 240, 241, 247, 261, 271 11 Inland Floodplain Swamps 12, 47, 53, 66, 181, 182, 204, 205, 225, 226, 238 11 Inland Floodplain Woodlands 13, 15, 16, 83, 207, 5 Inland Riverine Forests 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 36, 208, 233, 234, 249 12 Inland Rocky Hill Woodlands 104, 106, 122, 175, 176, 180, 184, 185, 188, 218, 239, 256, 257, 258 14 Inland Saline Lakes 18, 62, 63, 64, 65, 149, 162, 166, 189, 198, 253, 262, 263 13 North-west Alluvial Sand Woodlands 71, 137, 192, 206, 227 5 North-west Floodplain Woodlands 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 67, 87, 200, 230, 231 10 North-west Plain Shrublands 77, 125, 144, 213, 229, 264 6 North-west Slopes Dry Sclerophyll Woodlands* 70, 228 2 Pilliga Outwash Dry Sclerophyll Forests* 88, 235 2 Riverine Chenopod Shrublands 157, 158, 159, 163, 164, 168, 195, 196, 211, 212, 216, 236, 254, 13 Riverine Plain Grasslands 44, 45, 46, 165 4 Riverine Plain Woodlands 26, 27 2 Riverine Sandhill Woodlands 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 28, 48, 75, 86 9 Sand Plain Mallee Woodlands 142, 170, 173, 174, 190, 193 6 Sand Plain Mulga Shrublands 69, 119, 124, 128, 129, 139, 140, 143, 151, 199, 215, 220, 232 13 Semi-arid Floodplain Grasslands 43, 49, 50, 52, 214, 242 6 Semi-arid Sand Plain Woodlands 57, 58, 59, 221, 252 5 Stony Desert Mulga Shrublands 60, 68, 120, 121, 123, 127, 130, 132, 138, 169, 194 11 Subtropical Semi-arid Woodlands 117, 146 2 Western Peneplain Woodlands 72, 98, 103, 105, 134, 108, 109, 244, 245, 246 10 Western Slopes Grasslands* 250 1 Western Slopes Grassy Woodlands* 201 1 Western Slopes Dry Sclerophyll Forests* 54, 110, 186, 217, 243, 5 422 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains

Table 6. Cross reference of 213 NSWVCA communities with the 32 major sub-groups (version 3, 2005) of the National Vegetation Information System (ESCAVI 2003) that occur in the Western Plains of NSW. Note: as NSWVCA progresses to eastern areas of NSW additional plant communities will be assigned to some of these NVIS sub-groups and to other sub-groups not listed here.

NVIS Major Sub-group V3, 2005 NSWVCA Veg. IDs Total

Allocasuarina woodland and open woodland with hummock grass 235 1 Arid and semi-arid Acacia low open woodlands and shrublands with chenopods 127, 139, 220 3 Arid and semi-arid Acacia low open woodlands and shrublands with 124, 128, 129, 130, 131, 134, 136 7 tussock grass Arid and semi-arid hummock grasslands 117, 151 2 Blue grass (Dicanthium) and tall bunch grass (Chrysopogon) tussock 52 1 grasslands Brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) forests and woodlands 29, 31, 35 3 Callitris forests and woodlands 19, 21, 28, 48, 68, 69, 70, 72, 106, 245, 246 11 Casuarina and Allocasuarina forests and woodlands 20, 22, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59, 60, 221, 228, 254 11 Chenopod shrublands 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 22 163, 164, 168, 195, 196, 201, 211, 216, 222, 224, 225, 236 Eucalyptus forests with a grassy understorey 2, 5, 7, 36 4 Eucalyptus forests with a shrubby understorey 11 1 Eucalyptus low open woodlands with a chenopod or samphire understorey 169, 197 2 Eucalyptus low open woodlands with a grassy understorey 16, 37, 40, 207 4 Eucalyptus low open woodlands with a shrubby understorey 38, 100, 133 3 Eucalyptus open woodlands with a shrubby understorey; 109, 122 2 Eucalyptus woodlands with a grassy understorey 8, 9, 56, 74, 75, 76, 83, 86, 87, 88, 105, 108, 188, 192, 23 227, 230, 233, 237, 244, 248, 249, 251, 257 Eucalyptus woodlands with a shrubby understorey 10, 13, 15, 39, 41, 67, 71, 80, 82, 98, 103, 104, 110, 25 184, 185, 186, 200, 206, 208, 217, 231, 234, 239, 243, 258 Freshwater dams, lakes, lagoons and aquatic plants 238 1 Mallee Eucalyptus low open woodlands 170, 173, 174, 175, 176, 180, 190, 193, 218, 256 10 Mallee heath and shrublands 171, 172, 191 3 Melaleuca open forests and woodlands 138, 140, 142, 261 4 Mitchell grass (Astrebla) tussock grasslands 43, 61 2 Mixed chenopod, samphire and forblands 18, 62, 63, 64, 65, 162, 198 7 Mulga (Acacia aneura) woodlands and tall shrublands with tussock grass 119, 120, 123, 125, 132 5 Naturally bare sand, rock, claypan 24, 166, 189, 212, 253 5 Other Acacia forests and woodlands 26, 27, 118 3 Other Acacia open shrublands and shrublands 23, 77, 240, 241 4 Other low open woodlands and shrublands with tussock grass 121, 137, 144, 146, 152, 264 6 Other shrublands 17, 25, 115, 143, 145, 194, 199, 210, 213, 229, 232, 13 247, 271 Other tussock grasslands 44, 45, 46, 47, 49, 149, 150, 165, 167, 183, 214, 215, 13 250 Salt lakes and lagoons 262, 263 2 Wet tussock grassland, herbland, sedgeland and rushland 12, 50, 53, 66, 181, 182, 204, 205, 226, 242 10 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 423

An example of a Full Report database record of plant floodplain depression woodlands dominated by Eucalyptus communities is in Appendix D. An example of a Short camaldulensis (River Red Gum), Eucalyptus largiflorens Report database record is in Appendix E. Some of the plant (Black Box) and Eucalyptus coolabah (Coolabah); communities are shown in Figures 9–36. Eucalyptus box woodlands on alluvial plains including those dominated by Eucalyptus populnea (Poplar Box), Eucalyptus Range of plant communities microcarpa (Inland Grey Box) and Eucalyptus melliodora (Yellow Box); low open woodlands dominated by Alectryon The plant communities vary greatly in their species oleifolius (Western Rosewood) and Belah/Black Oak heterogeneity, species richness, extent, range and condition. (Casuarina cristata and C. pauper); shrublands dominated In summary, they comprise of tussock grasslands occurring by species of Hakea, Dodonaea, Melaleuca or Eremophila; on fine grained soils; hummock grasslands on sandier soils; mallee (Eucalyptus spp.) shrublands and woodlands on sand chenopod shrublands on loams and clays; samphire shrublands dunes and sand plains; hill mallee woodlands on outcropping in saline depressions; dry lake forblands; Acacia woodlands substrates; Callitris (cypress pine) dominated woodlands on clayey soils including: Acacia pendula (Weeping Myall), on rocky hills, alluvial plains and sand dunes; a range of Acacia harpophylla (Brigalow) and Acacia cambagei wetland types are dominated by structurally distinct species (Gidgee) woodlands; Acacia shrublands and low woodlands including trees, shrubs, sedges, rushes, grasses and forbs. on sandplains or washouts including those dominated by: Some plant communities are restricted to small areas due to Mulga (Acacia aneura sens lat.), Acacia excelsa (Ironwood), physiographic factors such as unusual geological formations Acacia cana (Cabbage-tree Wattle) and Gidgee; Acacia or soil types (e.g. ID132 Mulga — Rock Fuchsia on Silcrete shrublands on rocky outcrops dominated by Acacia aneura scarps). Others span vast areas on widespread landforms and sens lat. (Mulga), Acacia tetragonophylla (Dead Finish) and soils (e.g. ID119 Sandplain Mulga). Acacia brachystachya (Umbrella Mulga); riparian forests and

Table 7. Plant communities in the eight IBRA Bioregions (Version 6) that comprise the Western Plains Section of New South Wales. Note: Many communities occur in more than one bioregion.

IBRA Region & No. Communities ID Numbers of Plant Communities

Broken Hill Complex 37 24; 38; 41; 43; 59; 60; 68; 69; 119; 120; 123; 124; 127; 128; 129; 130; 136; 138; 143; 150; 153; 154; 155; 156; 160; 161; 167; 169; 183; 198; 207; 220; 221; 222; 224; 234, 271 Channel Country 32 24; 25; 38; 41; 61; 69; 119; 123; 124; 127; 131; 132; 133; 137; 138; 149; 153; 156; 158; 160; 161; 162; 167; 170; 198; 199; 200; 207; 210; 230; 234, 271 Cobar Peneplain 66 11; 13; 23; 26; 29; 37; 55; 56; 57; 58; 59; 69; 70; 72; 77; 82; 100; 103; 104; 105; 106; 108; 109; 110; 119; 123; 125; 130; 134; 138; 139; 142; 144; 153; 154; 158; 165; 173; 174; 175; 176; 180; 181; 184; 185; 186; 193; 201; 207; 208; 212; 215; 218; 229; 233; 239; 243; 245; 246; 248; 250; 251; 256; 257; 258, 271 Darling Riverine Plains 88 8; 13; 15; 16; 17; 24; 27; 35; 36; 37; 39; 40; 43; 45; 49; 50; 52; 53; 54; 55; 56; 59; 62; 63; 64; 69; 70; 71; 77; 83; 87; 88; 98; 109; 115; 117; 118; 119; 124; 128; 130; 134; 137; 139; 143; 144; 145; 146; 151; 152; 153; 154; 157; 158; 159; 160; 161; 166; 168; 170; 181; 182; 188; 189; 192; 195; 197; 199; 204; 205; 206; 211; 212; 213; 214; 215; 220; 227; 228; 235; 238; 241; 242; 244; 247; 249, 264, 271 Mulga Lands 69 18; 24; 25; 29; 31; 36; 37; 38; 39; 40; 41; 43; 50; 53; 59; 60; 61; 62; 66; 67; 68; 69; 98; 100; 104; 109; 117; 118; 119; 120; 121; 122; 123; 127; 129; 134; 137; 139; 143; 144; 149; 150; 153; 154; 155; 156; 157; 158; 161; 166; 167; 181; 182; 183; 192; 194; 195; 197; 198; 199; 200; 207; 215; 234; 238; 261; 263, 264, 271 Murray-Darling Depression 71 10; 11; 15; 16; 17; 18; 21; 22; 23; 24; 28; 38; 57; 58; 63; 64; 65; 70; 82; 103; 104; 105; 106; 108; 119; 125; 128; 130; 134; 139; 142; 143; 150; 151; 152; 153; 154; 156; 157; 159; 160; 163; 164; 165; 166; 170; 171; 172; 173; 176; 181; 182; 184; 189; 190; 191; 193; 196; 199; 207; 215; 216; 220; 221; 238; 240; 245; 246; 252; 253; 254 Riverina 56 2; 5; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13; 15; 16; 17; 18; 19; 20; 21; 23; 24; 26; 28; 44; 45; 46; 47; 48; 50; 53; 58; 63; 74; 75; 76; 80; 86; 152; 153; 154; 157; 159; 160; 163; 164; 165; 166; 181; 182; 216; 217; 236; 237; 238; 240; 242; 243; 249 Simpson-Strzelecki Dunefields 25 24; 25; 38; 41; 62; 69; 119; 120; 124; 131; 137; 140; 149; 151; 155; 156; 162; 163; 225; 226; 231; 232; 238; 262; 263 424 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains

While floristic variation is the main consideration in the Based on floristic, structural and geographical information, classification, landform or geomorphology is used asa the Western Plains plant communities have been cross- determinant in some cases. For example, the plant community referenced to three broad scale classifications of vegetation: ID66 covers all the mound springs of the inland plains, • Table 4 shows the plant communities distributed even though there is considerable variation in their floristic between the 19 Formation Groups used as a higher order composition (Pickard 1992). hierarchy in the NSWVCA. A mean of about 12 (S.D. 8) Most plant communities (160) are considered to have been communities are listed under each Formation Group; ‘originally common’ before European settlement with an • Table 5 lists the plant communities grouped under extent greater than 10 000 ha, 39 are estimated to have been 32 Vegetation Classes from the NSW State Compilation restricted to 1000–10 000 ha and 17 are estimated to have Vegetation Map of Keith (2004). (Including Vegetation been rare with less than 1000 ha prior to European settlement Classes that predominantly occur in the NSW Western (Table 2). Slopes) A mean of about 7 (S.D. 4) communities are listed under each vegetation class;

Table 8. Plant communities in NSW Catchment Management Authority areas in the NSW Western Plains. Notes: the Western Plains Section of NSW covers all of the Western and Lower Murray/Darling CMAs and the western parts of BorderRivers/ Gwydir, Namoi, Central West, Lachlan, Murrumbidgee and Murray CMAs. Many communities occur in more than one CMA.

CMA & No. Communities ID Number of Plant Communities

Border Rivers/Gwydir 42 27; 35; 36; 37; 39; 40; 43; 49; 50; 52; 53; 55; 56; 70; 71; 87; 88; 98; 115; 144; 145; 146; 158; 161; 168; 181; 182; 192; 195; 204; 205; 206; 211; 214; 227; 228; 235; 238; 241; 242; 244; Central West 74 24; 26; 27; 35; 36; 37; 39; 40; 43; 45; 49; 50; 53; 54; 55; 56; 57; 70; 77; 82; 83; 87; 88; 98; 100; 103; 104; 105; 106; 108; 109; 118; 125; 134; 141; 144; 145; 146; 153; 157; 158; 168; 173; 174; 175; 176; 180; 181; 182; 184; 188; 193; 195; 201; 204; 206; 208; 211; 212; 214; 217; 227; 228; 238; 241; 242; 244; 247; 248; 249; 250; 256; 257; 258, 271 Lachlan 81 7; 10; 11; 12; 13; 15; 16; 17; 18; 23; 24; 26; 28; 29; 45; 46; 47; 50; 53; 54; 56; 57; 58; 70; 72; 74; 76; 77; 80; 82; 103; 104; 105; 106; 108; 110; 134; 142; 143; 153; 154; 157; 159; 160; 163; 164; 165; 166; 170; 171; 173; 174; 175; 176; 180; 181; 182; 184; 185; 186; 190; 193; 201; 208; 216; 217; 236; 237; 238; 239; 240; 242; 243; 244; 248; 249; 250; 251; 256; 257; 271 Lower Murray/Darling 58 8; 11; 12; 13; 15; 16; 17; 18; 20; 21; 22; 23; 24; 28; 50; 58; 63; 64; 65; 119; 123; 124; 128; 139; 143; 150; 151; 152; 153; 154; 155; 156; 157; 159; 160; 163; 164; 165; 166; 170; 171; 172; 181; 182; 189; 190; 191; 196; 199; 216; 220; 221; 238; 240; 242; 252; 253; 254 Murray 52 2; 5; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13; 15; 16; 17; 18; 19; 20; 22; 23; 24; 26; 28; 44; 45; 47; 48; 50; 53; 58; 63; 74; 75; 76; 77; 80; 86; 110; 157; 159; 160; 163; 164; 166; 170; 181; 182; 185; 186; 216; 237; 238; 240; 242 Murrumbidgee 64 2; 5; 7; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13; 15; 16; 17; 18; 22; 23; 24; 26; 28; 44; 45; 46; 47; 48; 50; 53; 57; 58; 74; 75; 76; 77; 80; 110; 142; 143; 153; 154; 157; 159; 160; 163; 164; 165; 166; 170; 173; 181; 182; 185; 186; 201; 216; 217; 236; 237; 238; 239; 240; 242; 243; 249; 250; 251 Namoi 40 24; 27; 35; 36; 37; 39; 40; 43; 49; 50; 52; 53; 55; 56; 70; 71; 83; 87; 88; 98; 115; 144; 145; 146; 161; 168; 181; 182; 195; 204; 206; 211; 212; 214; 227; 238; 241; 242; 244; 247 Western 123 18; 23; 24; 25; 27; 29; 31; 35; 36; 37; 38; 39; 40; 41; 43; 52; 53; 55; 58; 59; 60; 61; 62; 66; 67; 68; 69; 72; 82; 87; 100; 103; 104; 105; 106; 108; 109; 115; 117; 118; 119; 120; 121; 122; 123; 124; 125; 127; 128; 129; 130; 131; 132; 133; 134; 136; 137; 138; 139; 140; 143; 144; 149; 150; 151; 152; 153; 154; 155; 156; 158; 160; 161; 162; 163; 165; 166; 167; 168; 169; 170; 171; 174; 175; 176; 180; 183; 184; 189; 192; 194; 195; 197; 198; 199; 200; 207; 208; 210; 212; 213; 215; 218; 220; 222; 224; 225; 226; 229; 230; 231; 232; 233; 234; 238; 245; 246; 257; 261; 262; 263, 264, 271 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 425

Table 9. Number and area of different types of protected areas in New South Wales and in the NSW Western Plains, December 2005.

Protected Area Type No. in NSW Area % of NSW (ha) No. in NSW Area (ha) NSW % of in NSW Western Plains in Western NSW Plains Western Plains

Aboriginal Areas 14 12,075 0.015 1 11,790 0.026 Historic Sites 16 3,236 0.004 3 1,983 0.004 Karst Conservation Reserves 4 4,555 0.006 0 0 0.000 National Parks 173 5,064,165 6.335 13 1,020,280 2.243 Nature Reserves 388 899,112 1.125 30 424,883 0.934 Regional Parks 13 5,463 0.007 0 0 0.000 State Conservation Areas 84 347,580 0.435 3 119,918 0.264 Other Secure DEC Areas 1 9 0.000 0 0 0.000 Total all DEC reserves 693 6,336,195 7.926 50 1,578,853 3.470 Flora Reserves 86 33,317 0.042 12 4,611 0.010 Total all public reserves 779 6,369,512 7.968 62 1,583,464 3.481 Secure PAs (NVC Act) 55 5,542 0.007 16 2,841 0.006 VCAs (NPW Act)* 183 107,164 0.134 5 93,452 0.205 Bush Heritage Reserves 3 988 0.001 0 0 0.000 Total non-public protected areas 241 113,695 0.142 21 96,293 0.212 Total for all protected areas 1,020 6,483,207 8.11 83 1,679,757 3.69

Notes: The areas in the DEC conservation reserves include all areas that were held as acquired lands in December 2005. The figures exclude 163,200 ha of marine parks in coastal waters of NSW and 10,877 ha of land in 10 Crown Reserves managed by DEC in eastern NSW. DEC Acquired lands are allocated to reserve types based on advice from DEC Parks and Wildlife Division expertise. It is assumed that the newly acquired in south-west NSW will be about 70,600 ha once cleared areas are excised from it and the present Yanga NR is amalgamated with it. Parts of Narran Lake Nature Reserve, Strahorn Flora Reserve, property agreements AL9921 and CD9910 fall outside the Western Plains and are excluded. For example, only 3,534 ha of the 15,239 ha Narran Lake Nature Reserve is within NSW Western Plains. Data sources are: NSW Department of Environment and Conservation Estates GIS layer, December 2005; DEC Acquired Lands GIS layer, December 2005; DEC database on Voluntary Conservation Agreements, December 2005; NSW State Forests Flora Reserves GIS layer, December 2003; Property Agreement data from the NSW Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources PANet database and GIS layers, December 2003 - PAs in perpetuity were selected using shape files coded as being remnant vegetation (i.e. excluding cleared land being re-vegetated). *Assumes that VCAs are being made over the 28,906 ha ‘Nanya Station’ owned by Ballarat University and the 64,653 ha ‘Scotia Sanctuary’ owned by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy. Calculations were undertaken in Arcview Version 3.3 (ESRI Inc. 1992-2002) in Lamberts projection and AGD66. 426 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains

• Table 6 shows the plant communities allocated to the heterogeneity of physical environments in the bioregions, 32 major sub-groups in the National Vegetation Information arid versus wetter climes between the bioregions, differences System (NVIS) classification (ESCAVI 2003) that occur in sizes of the bioregions and differences in the detail of in the NSW Western Plains. A mean of about 7 (S.D. 6) information on the vegetation. communities are listed under each NVIS major sub- group. Table 8 lists the communities by Catchment Management Authority areas (CMAs). While the classification totally covers the Western and Lower Murray/Darling CMAs it only Frequency in bioregions covers the western part of the six CMAs that run westwards off the NSW Tablelands (Figure 1). The Western CMA area Of the 213 communities 92 are restricted to one bioregion, contains 123 communities but it is also the largest CMA in 56 to two bioregions, 35 to three bioregions, 17 to four NSW covering 29% of the State. bioregions, six to five bioregions, two to six bioregions and three to seven bioregions (Table 7). 148 (70%) of the 15 of the 213 communities are considered to be derived from communities occur in one or two bioregions and in most cases a previous vegetation structure and floristic composition. the second bioregion occurrence is mostly less than 30% of These are the veg. IDs 143, 150, 160, 163, 164, 165, 166, the community’s distribution. The number of communities 168, 183, 212, 216, 224, 229, 236 and 250. Some other native per bioregion ranges from 86 in the Darling Riverine Plains grassland communities could be derived from previous Bioregion to 25 in the Simpson-Strzelecki Dunefields shrublands or woodlands but there was not enough evidence to Bioregion. Differences in numbers of communities in designate them as such. These derived plant communities are each Bioregion may be due to differences in the relative still ‘native vegetation’ but are considered to be substantially

0 5 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 1,000,000 Total Protected Area 1,679,757 ha 13 NP 30 NR 1,020,280 100,000 424,883 3 SCA 21 Private Average 119,918 96,293 10,000 20,238 ha 1 AA

(ha) 12 FR 11,790 1,000 3 HS 4,611 Area 1,983 Log

100

10

1 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 % of Protected Areas

Fig. 6. Area of all protected areas in the Western Plains Section of NSW as of December 2005 assuming all DEC acquired lands at that time are added to reserves. Thin columns in foreground are areas of individual protected areas. Wide columns in background are cumulative areas for each protected area type. The number, type and area of each protected area type is shown in the white boxes. Columns are: checked = Historic Sites, dark grey = Flora Reserves, light grey = Aboriginal Areas, brick pattern = State Conservation Areas, white = secure property agreements under National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 and Native Vegetation Act 2003, black = Nature Reserves, and diagonal stripe = National Parks. The two National Reserve System purchased private properties ‘Scotia Sanctuary’ and ‘Nanya Station’ are included as VCAs but they are much larger than average property agreements. Only 6,194 ha of the total 15,239 ha area of Narran Lake Nature Reserve is included because most of this reserve is in the Brigalow Belt South Bioregion in the NSW Western Slopes Section. Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 427 different in species composition and/or vegetation structure 1916, are in the Western Plains. About half of these are compared to what they would have been prior to European located in the River Red Gum forests along the Murray settlement. River. 55 of the 213 plant communities that occur on the Western Secure property agreements include Conservation Plains also occur on the NSW Western Slopes. The Eucalyptus Agreements (VCAs) under the NSW National Parks and box woodlands, ironbark forests and communities that are Wildlife Act 1974 and some property agreements under found on the NSW Western Slopes will be described in the the Native Vegetation Conservation Act 1997 and Native Part 2 of the NSWVCA project. Vegetation Act 2003 (Benson 2006). By December 2005, there were 183 VCAs in NSW with only five in the NSW A photographic collection of about 4000 images of the Western Plains. These five include two large, recent VCAs plant communities of the Western Plains has been collated, covering former Western Lands Leases in far south-western labelled and stored at the Botanic Gardens Trust, Sydney. NSW (Nanya 28 906 ha and Scotia 64 653 ha). The other About 500 of these images have been scanned for use in three VCAs are small in area totaling less than 3000 ha. reports or publications. Complementing the VCAs are 16 secure property agreements under the Native Vegetation Conservation Act 1997. These Protected areas in the NSW Western Plains cover 2841 ha or 0.006% of the Western Plains. Summing both types of secure property agreements reveals that a As of December 2005, 8.1% of NSW was held in 1020 miniscule 0.2% of the Western Plains was held under secure protected areas, comprising all types of public conservation property agreements in December 2005 (Table 9). reserves and all secure property agreements, as defined and discussed in Benson (2006) (Table 9). In the NSW Western There are a large range of sizes in the 83 protected areas Plains there were 83 protected areas covering 3.7% of that (graphed on a log scale in Figure 6). The average size of section of NSW – a significantly lower proportion than for protected areas is 20 238 ha but this is bounded by a very the State as a whole. large standard deviation of 46 943 ha (Figure 6). The largest conservation reserve is Sturt National Park at Of the 779 public reserves in NSW, 62 covering over 338 231 ha. Other large reserves include Paroo-Darling 1.5 million hectares are in the Western Plains (Table 9, National Park (175 683 ha), Nombinnie Nature Reserve Figure 5). A small number (13 of 173) of NSW national parks (125 871 ha), (108 768 ha), are in the Western Plains, covering 1 020 280 ha or about (92 121 ha), Mungo National 2.2% of the region. Similarly, only 30 of the 388 nature Park (89 502 ha) and (71 040 ha) reserves in NSW are in the Western Plains, covering and the newly acquired Yanga National Park, that will be 424 883 ha or 0.9% of the region though some of the nature about 70 600 ha once cleared areas are excised from it and reserves such as Yathong, Nombinnie and Nocoleche are Yanga Nature Reserve is amalgamated with it. The smallest large compared to those in eastern NSW. 12 of the 86 Flora protected area is the secure property agreement LE9801 Reserves in NSW, protected under the NSW Forestry Act covering 11 ha. About one quarter or 21 of the 83 protected areas are above the average size with 62 being less than the Table 10. Proportion of protected areas in the eight bioregions that average size. Public reserves such as national parks and comprise the NSW Western Plains nature reserve are, on average, larger than secure property agreements that mainly apply over private land (Figure 6).

IBRA Bioregion Protected Area (ha) % of Bioregion A number of public conservation reserves are located in Protected the NSW Western Slopes near the boundary of the Western Plains in the Brigalow Belt South and NSW South Western Broken Hill Complex 75,440 2.0 Slopes Bioregions. These contain plant communities that Channel Country 231,098 9.9 occur in the Western Plains (Table 2). In the Brigalow Belt Cobar Peneplain 187,538 2.5 South Bioregion, reserves close to the boundary of the Western Plains are Brigalow Park (455 ha), Careunga Nature Darling Riverine 157,972 1.7 Reserve (469 ha), Kirramingly Nature Reserve (1306 ha) and Plains 11 705 ha of the 15 239 ha of Narran Lake Nature Reserve. Mulga Lands 222,815 3.4 In the NSW South Western Slopes Bioregion reserves Murray Darling 535,891 6.8 close to the boundary of the Western Plains are Wiesners Depression Swamp Nature Reserve (103 ha), The Rock Nature Reserve Riverina 130,349 1.9 (347 ha), Buckingbong Flora Reserve (155 ha), Wilbertroy Flora Reserve (134 ha) and Narrandera Nature Reserve Simpson Strzelecki 118,923 10.8 (58 ha). Narrandera Nature Reserve contains similar Dunefields vegetation to the nearby Narrandera Flora Reserve indicating Total 1,660,025 3.7 the need for minor adjustments to bioregion boundaries. for Western Plains 428 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains

Table 11. Plant communities identified by their NSWVCA database ID number listed under a range of proportions of estimated pre- European extent in protected areas Note: This includes occurrences of plant communities that extend to the NSW Western Slopes and occur in protected areas there. Several derived communities are in 50-100% category because it is considered they may either have not existed in 1788 or have expanded.

Protected pre-European Community ID Number Number of plant Extent communities 0 22, 48, 83, 86, 115, 136, 169, 175, 183, 188, 195, 205, 211, 221, 222, 224, 225, 226, 228, 235, 242, 246, 248, 249, 253, 254, 257, 258, 262, 263, 271 31 >0 - <0.2% 10, 16, 20, 26, 27, 29, 44, 47, 50, 55, 56, 70, 74, 76, 80, 88, 145, 146, 159, 201, 237, 238, 241, 244 24 0.2 - <0.5% 35, 52, 69, 75, 82, 87, 168, 206, 227, 233, 251 11 0.5 - <1% 17, 18, 31, 45, 71, 98, 100, 105, 110, 118, 125, 156, 157, 158, 167, 192, 214, 243, 252, 256 20 1 - <2% 5, 8, 21, 25, 28, 37, 40, 53, 77, 103, 104, 119, 129, 144, 154, 182, 196, 204, 247, 264 20 2 - <5% 9, 12, 15, 19, 23, 24, 36, 39, 43, 49, 54, 58, 62, 63, 106, 108, 109, 117, 120, 123, 128, 130, 142, 153, 162, 170, 184, 185, 212, 240 30 5 - <10% 7, 13, 46, 57, 59, 60, 64, 67, 68, 72, 133, 134, 137, 138, 149, 151, 160, 176, 189, 193, 194, 207, 208, 217, 218 25 10 - <15% 2, 11, 38, 66, 139, 140, 155, 161, 171, 172, 174, 180, 181, 197, 198, 199, 200, 213, 215, 220, 234, 245 22 15 - <20% 41, 61, 124, 152, 173, 186, 230 7 20 - <50% 131, 150, 164, 190, 216, 231, 232, 239, 250, 261 10 >=50% 65, 121, 122, 127, 132, 143, 163, 165, 166, 191, 210, 229, 236 13

Fig. 7. Proportions of the 213 plant communities classified for NSW Western Plains in protected areas. The percentage divisions are derived by comparing the estimated existing area in protected areas to an estimate of pre-European extent. 75% of the plant communities have less than 10% of their pre-European extent in protected areas Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 429

Table 12. NSW Western Plains plant communities that are part of critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable ecological communities listed or nominated under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 and/or the Australian Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 as of December 2005. Note: The plant communities defined in the NSWVCA do not necessarily match the definitions of listed or nominated ecological communities under these laws. This list ignores three broadly defined inland aquatic endangered ecological communities listed under the NSW Fisheries Act that cover vertebrates and invertebrates.

ID No. Common Name TSC Act EPBC Act

20 Buloke - Moonbah - Black Box open woodland on sandy rises of semi arid (warm) climate zone Nominated Listed 22 Semi-arid shrubby Buloke - Slender Cypress Pine woodland Nominated Listed 23 Yarran shrubland of the sandplains and plains of the semi-arid (warm) and arid climate zones Nominated - 26 Weeping Myall open woodland of the Riverina and NSW South Western Slopes Bioregions Listed Nominated 27 Weeping Myall open woodland of the Darling Riverine Plains and Brigalow Belt South Listed Nominated Bioregions 29 Brigalow open woodland on red earth and clay plains mainly in the Mulga Lands Bioregion Nominated Listed 31 Brigalow-Gidgee open woodland on clay plains west of the Culgoa River, Mulga Lands Nominated Listed Bioregion 35 Brigalow - Belah woodland on alluvial often gilgaied clay soil mainly in the Brigalow Belt Listed Listed South Bioregion. 37 Black Box woodland on floodplains mainly in the Darling Riverine Plains Bioregion. Listed Nominated 39 Coolabah - River Coobah - Lignum woodland of frequently flooded channels mainly of the Listed Nominated Darling Riverine Plains Bioregion 40 Coolabah open woodland with chenopod/grassy ground cover on grey clays on higher floodplains Listed Nominated 44 Forb-rich Speargrass - Windmill Grass - White Top grassland of the Riverina Bioregion - Nominated 45 Plains Grass grassland on alluvial dark grey clays of central New South Wales - Nominated 46 Curly Windmill Grass - speargrass - wallaby grass on alluvial clay and loam on the Hay Plain, - Nominated Riverina Bioregion 47 Swamp grassland of the Riverine Plain - Nominated 52 Queensland Bluegrass - Cup Grass - Mitchell Grass - Native Millet alluvial plains grassland - Listed 54 Buloke - White Cypress Pine woodland mainly in the NSW SW Slopes Bioregion Nominated Listed 65 Halosarcia lylei low, open shrubland of arid and semi-arid regions Listed - 66 Artesian Mound Spring forbland/sedgeland/grassland mainly of the Mulga Lands Bioregion Listed Listed 71 Carbeen woodland on alluvial soils Listed - 76 Inland Grey Box tall grassy woodland on alluvial loam and clay soils in the NSW South Nominated Nominated Western Slopes and Riverina Bioregions 77 Yarran shrubland on peneplains and alluvial plains of central-northern NSW Nominated - 80 Inland Grey Box - White Cypress Pine tall woodland on sandy loam soil on alluvial plains Nominated Nominated of NSW South-western Slopes and Riverina Bioregions 81 Inland Grey Box tall grassy woodland on clay soils in the Brigalow Belt South and Nominated Nominated Nandewar Bioregions 82 Inland Grey Box - Poplar Box - White Cypress Pine tall woodland on red loams mainly of the Nominated Nominated eastern Cobar Peneplain Bioregion 86 Yellow Gum tall woodland of the Murray River floodplain, Riverina Bioregion Nominated - 110 Inland Grey Box - Black Cypress Pine shrubby woodland on stony slopes NSW South Western Nominated Nominated Slopes and Riverina Bioregions 128 Nelia tall open shrubland of semi-arid sandplains Listed - 158 Old Man Saltbush shrubland of the semi-arid hot (persistently dry) and arid climate zones Nominated Nominated (north-western NSW) 159 Old Man Saltbush shrubland mainly of the semi-arid (warm) climate zone (south western NSW) Nominated Nominated 201 Fuzzy Box - Inland Grey Box on alluvial brown loam soils mainly in the NSW South Listed - Western Slopes Bioregion 220 Purple Wood wattle shrubland of the arid zone sandplains Nominated - 237 Riverine Inland Grey Box grassy woodland of the semi-arid (warm) climate zone Nominated Nominated 430 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains

Table 13. Number of plant communities in threat categories in relation to protected area codes Notes. Explanations of the protected area and threat codes are provided in Benson (2006). See Appendix B in Benson (2006) for explanation of the threat categories.

No. of Extant NSW Western Plains Plant Communities Protected Area Code Threat Category 1a 1b 1c 2a 2b 2c 3a 3b 3c 4a 4b 4c 5a 5b 5c Total Critically ------5 4 2 11 Endangered (CE) Endangered (E) ------1 - - 8 - - 16 4 2 31 Vulnerable (V) - - 1 - - - 5 - - 6 1 - 11 4 - 28 Near Threatened (NT) - - - 1 - - 14 - 2 15 1 - 19 6 4 62 Least Concern (LC) 7 8 - 4 3 - 19 1 - 13 5 1 7 11 2 81 Total 7 8 1 5 3 - 39 1 2 42 7 1 58 29 10 213

Table 14. Number of plant communities with different threat categories distributed across the eight bioregions that comprise the NSW Western Plains. Figures in brackets ( ) indicate the number of plant communities (of the total) that are restricted to a single IBRA Bioregion. Bioregions: BHC = Broken Hill Complex, CHC = Channel Country, CP = Cobar Peneplain, DRP = Darling Riverine Plain, MDD = Murray Darling Depression, ML = Mulga Lands, RIV = Riverina, SSD = Simpson-Strzelecki Dunefields. See Appendix B in Benson (2006) for explanations of the threat categories.

No. of Extant NSW Western Plains Plant Communities IBRA Bioregion v6

Threat Broken Hill Channel Cobar Darling Mulga Murray-Darling Riverina Simpson- Total Category Code Complex Country Peneplain Riverine Lands Depression Strzelecki Western Plain Dunefields Plains Critically Endangered 1 - 2 4 (1) 1 (1) 3 6 (1) - 11 (3) Endangered 1 1 8 19 (2) 4 5 (1) 7 (3) - 31 (6) Vulnerable 1 - 8 (1) 18 (4) 6 9 (3) 10 - 28 (8) Near Threatened 15 9 22 (3) 29 (2) 25 (2) 26 (1) 18 (2) 9 (1) 62 (11) Least Concern 19 (4) 22 (4) 26 (6) 18 33 (4) 28 (5) 14 (3) 16 (5) 81 (31) Total 37 (4) 32 (4) 66 (10) 88 (9) 69 (7) 71 (10) 55 (9) 25 (6) 213 (59)

Table 15. Number of plant communities with different threat categories distributed across eight Catchment Management Authority areas that are fully or partly in the NSW Western Plains. Figures in brackets ( ) indicate the number of plant communities (of the total) that are restricted to a single CMA area. *This assessment does not represent an entire list of plant communities for the Border Rivers/Gwydir, Namoi, Central West, Lachlan, Murrumbidgee or Murray CMAs because only the western part of these CMAs are in the NSW Western Plains. See Appendix B in Benson (2006) for an explanation of the threat categories. No. of Extant NSW Western Plains Plant Communities Catchment Management Authority Areas

Threat Lower Western Murray* Murrumbidgee* Lachlan* Namoi* Border Central Total Category Murray/ Rivers/ West* Western Code Darling Gwydir* Plains Critically 4 3 (1) 6 6 4 1 2 (2) 3 11 (3) Endangered Endangered 3 10 9 (2) 8 10 (1) 15 15 (1) 19 31 (4) Vulnerable 8 (3) 8 (1) 8 12 13 (1) 11 11 16 28 (5) Near 22 (1) 40 (14) 15 19 24 7 10 (1) 18 (2) 62 (18) Threatened Least Concern 21 (5) 62 (40) 13 18 29 6 4 18 81 (45) Total 58 (9) 123 (56) 51 (2) 63 80 (2) 40 42 (4) 74 (2) 213 (75) Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 431

Only three bioregions have greater than 5% of their extent al. 2000, Gillespie 2000). Native vegetation, whatever its sampled in protected areas (Table 10). These are the threat status, may also important in Aboriginal and European Simpson-Strzelecki Dunefields Bioregion with 10.8%, the cultural life (Lambert & Elix 2000). Channel Country Bioregion with 9.9% and the Murray- This threat assessment of the plant communities of the Darling Depression Bioregion with 6.7%. Sturt National Park NSW Western Plains complements previous assessments of accounts for most of the protected area status in the Simpson- restricted or rare plant species in the region (Pressey et al. Strzelecki Dunefields and Channel Country Bioregions. 1990, Bowen & Pressey 1993). Conversely, bioregions with very poor representation in protected areas include the Riverina Bioregion with 1.9%, As of December 2005, 8 NSWVCA defined plant communities Darling Riverine Plains with 1.7%, Broken Hill Complex were listed and 17 were nominated for listing under the with 2.0% and Cobar Peneplain with 2.5%. Therefore, if a target of sampling 10% of a bioregion in protected areas is adopted, reflecting IUCN (1994) guidelines, then only one bioregion (the Simpson-Strzelecki Dunefields) meets the target with the Channel Country Bioregion just below it. The vast majority of the 213 plant communities in the NSW Western Plains are very poorly represented in protected areas (Table 11, Figure 7). 31 or 15% have no known representation in protected areas. 86 or 40% have between 0–1% of their estimated pre-European extent in protected areas, 50 or 23% have between 1 and 5% and 47 or 22% have between 5 and 15% (Table 11). 52 or 24% of the 213 plant communities classified for the NSW Western Plains meet the international target of sampling 10% of extent in protected areas (IUCN 1994). The Australian forest protection criteria in JANIS (1997) prescribe adequate protection as being at least 15% of the original extent of a community in protected Fig. 8. Land clearing of Eucalyptus intertexta (Smooth-barked areas (ignoring the higher threshold protection requirements Coolabah) woodland (ID104) north-west of Nyngan in central of restricted or rare communities used in JANIS); only 30 western NSW. Clearing remains the major threat to some plant or 14% of the 213 plant communities currently meet this communities in western NSW including on the eastern edge of the standard. NSW Western Division. Photograph, Jaime Plaza, 27/8/2003. Taking the above statistics into account, it can be stated that less than one quarter of the plant communities in the NSW Western Plains are adequately represented in protected areas when applying international targets for representation. The corollary of this is that three quarters are under-represented in the protected area system.

Assessment of threats to the vegetation

It is important to emphasise that a caveat should apply to any species or ecological community threat assessment and categorization. The main purpose of threat status assessment is to assist with setting priorities for management and conservation action. If an ecological community is judged not to be threatened, at a particular juncture, it does not imply that areas of it do not contain important wildlife or landscape values worthy of protection. In the fragmented and degraded Fig. 9. Isolated Callitris glaucophylla (White Cypress Pine) on landscapes of NSW, every patch of bush may be important eroded lake lunette (ID152) near Lake Nitchie in the Darling Ana for certain animal or plant species or for protecting landscape Branch in far south western NSW. Accelerated erosion due to high stocking rates degraded large areas of western NSW in the late features or ecological processes including lowering saline 1800s and early 1900s. Some areas have not recovered. Natural water tables, mitigating soil erosion and providing services erosion may also have been occurring on these ancient lunettes. such as pollinators for crops or shade for stock (Smith et Photograph, Jaime Plaza, 14/4/2002. 432 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains

Australian Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Applying the threat criteria and threat categories outlined in Conservation Act 1999. 11 NSWVCA communities were Appendix B of Benson (2006), to the 213 plant communities listed and 17 were nominated for listing as threatened in the NSW Western Plains, 71 or one third of them (33%) ecological communities under the NSW Threatened Species are judged to be threatened, that is, ‘critically endangered’ Conservation Act 1995 (Table 12). The NSWVCA plant (CE), ‘endangered’ (E) or ‘vulnerable’ (V) (Table 13). Of communities do not necessarily equate precisely in definition these 11 are considered to be ‘critically endangered’ and to these legal listings. Some are equivalent to them and 31 ‘endangered’. Another 62 communities are considered others form part of the listings or nominations. Given the to be ‘near threatened’ and 81 as being of ‘least concern’. suggested threat status of other communities classified in the However, many of the ‘least concern’ and ‘near threatened’ NSWVCA, it is anticipated that more communities will be categorized communities may become threatened over the listed under these laws in the future. coming decades if particular threatening processes are not mitigated. The four main threats are high, continuous grazing pressure throughout the Western Plains, vegetation clearing in the eastern third of the region, rises in saline water tables (NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation 1999) and reductions in natural flooding regimes on floodplains. Reducing total grazing pressure includes controlling feral animal numbers, particularly rabbits and goats, not just dealing with grazing regimes of domestic stock. Most threatened (CE, E, V) plant communities are poorly represented in protected areas (i.e. with a protected area code of 4 or 5), however a few are moderately well protected (i.e. with a protected area code of 3) (Table 13). All but one of the communities that are well represented in protected areas (protected area codes 1 and 2) are recorded as either ‘near threatened’ or ‘least concern’ — probably because most occur in the arid, far western parts of NSW beyond the main Fig. 10. Eucalyptus camaldulensis (River Red Gum) woodland clearing belt. lining the Bogan River in the Darling Riverine Plains Bioregion (ID36). Although large areas of River Red Gum remain along the Since many threatening processes affect whole landscapes Murray River in southern NSW, vegetation lining inland river irrespective of land tenure, it is important not to consider systems in the NSW central-northern wheatbelt have been affected a community as ‘safe’ just because it is well represented in by clearing, weed invasion, trampling by stock and reduced flooding protected areas. Some threatening processes in the Western regimes. Photograph, Jaime Plaza, 27/10/01. Plains extend into national parks and nature reserves – for example weed invasion, feral herbivores, soil erosion, flooding regime change and climate change. The threatened (CE, E, V) communities are distributed unevenly across the eight bioregions in the Western Plains (Table 14). 6 of the 11 ‘critically endangered’ communities occur in the Riverina Bioregion while none occur in the arid climate zone Channel Country or Simpson-Strzelecki Dunefields Bioregions (Table 14). 23 of the 42 ‘critically endangered’ and ‘endangered’ communities occur in the Darling Riverine Plains Bioregion with only a few occurring in the arid zone bioregions to the west (Table 14). There are similar patterns for ‘vulnerable’ communities. These findings reflect the impact of land clearing in the wetter climate regimes and in the alluvial soil-dominated Riverina and Darling Riverine Plain Bioregions compared to the sand Fig. 11. Eucalyptus coolabah (Coolabah) open woodland ID40) plains and rocky ranges of the drier, far inland bioregions. with a grassy ground cover south of Goodooga north-west plains of Similar trends are repeated with the CMA areas (Table 15). NSW. Coolabah is largely cleared in the NSW Central Division with Compared to the fully assessed Western and Lower Murray/ some larger patches remaining in the Western Division. The long Darling CMA areas, there are more threatened communities term survival and regeneration of Coolabah woodland is threatened recorded in the Murrumbidgee, Murray, Lachlan and Central by clearing and reduction in floodplain flooding due to the draw-off of river flow for irrigation. Photograph, J.Plaza, 21/10/01. Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 433

West CMAs even though the vegetation of the eastern • Exotic weed invasion, most prevalent in highly fragmented half these CMAs is not included in this classification or plant communities on richer soils including riparian assessment. zones; The most common threatening processes, recorded in the • Dieback due to disease. For example, saltbush dieback in NSWVCA database, to the plant communities in the NSW the Riverina Bioregion (Cliff et al. 1987, Semple 1989); Western Plains are: • Increased extent of salinity (Bradd & Gates 1996, NSW • Land clearing that affects plant communities in the wetter, Department of Land and Water Conservation 1999) (Figure eastern third of the Western Plains including the Eucalyptus 14). box woodlands (Figure 8), Casuarina and Acacia The main consequences of these impacts on the vegetation woodlands and a variety of native tussock grasslands and are a loss of extent, simplification of vegetation structure wetlands; and loss of biomass, changes in plant species composition • Wind and sheet soil erosion, due to 150 years of grazing by stock and feral animals such as rabbits and goats (Figure. 9); • Altered hydrological regimes, due to irrigation draw off of water from rivers and artesian aquifers that threatens riparian and floodplain forests and woodlands including Eucalyptus camaldulensis (River Red Gum) (Figure 10), Eucalyptus coolabah (Coolabah) (Figure 11) and Eucalyptus largiflorens (Black Box) (Figure 12) woodlands and mound springs (Figure 13). Wetlands in the eastern half of the Western Plains are highly threatened, including some registered on international RAMSAR wetland list such as the Macquarie Marshes that has been reduced from about 200 000 ha to about 50 000 (W. Johnson pers. comm.) and the Gwydir River wetlands that are now surrounded by irrigated crops and have been reduced from an estimated 50 000 ha to about 1000 ha (Southeron 2002). Other Fig. 13. Artesian mound spring sedgeland-grassland (ID66) at in threatened wetlands include the Lowbidgee wetlands on the arid zone at Peery Lake in Paroo-Darling National Park, Mulga the floodplain of the lower Murrumbidgee River that have Lands Bioregion. This is one of the only remaining active mound been cleared and drained, and the Culgoa River floodplain springs in NSW. Most mound springs have become ‘extinct’ due to in the Darling Riverine Plains Bioregion where regular draw down in artesian hydrostatic pressure from the use of bores flooding is now rare due to upstream irrigation over the last 100 years. Three threatened plant species occur on this development in Queensland; spring. Photograph, Jaime Plaza, 23/10/01.

Fig. 14. Dead Eucalyptus largiflorens (Black Box) woodland Fig. 12. Eucalyptus largiflorens (Black Box) woodland (ID37) (formally ID13) between Echuca and Barham on the Murray River with Atriplex nummalaria (Old Man Saltbush) in the understorey floodplain in south western NSW. This low lying woodland has at Marra Creek, west of Byrock, Darling Riverine Plains Bioregion. been killed by a rising saline watertable due to over-clearing of This community has largely been cleared for grazing and cropping. native vegetation in the catchment since European settlement in the Photograph, Jaime Plaza, 27/8/03. 1840s. Photograph, Jaime Plaza, 10/4/2002. 434 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains

and loss of fauna species. There has generally been a 1901 Royal Commission into the Western Division based on loss of ground cover and recruitment is limited for most the impacts on soil erosion and vegetation cover changes due palatable, perennial plant species – many of which are major to over-grazing and drought in the late 19th Century. In the components of plant communities. In the long term this latter half of the 20th Century cropping began to expand into could lead to further structural and compositional changes areas of the Western Division that had previously been used as woody native trees and shrubs become senescent and are for extensive grazing. A 1984 NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into replaced by less palatable shrubs, grasses and forbs. the Western Division raised concerns about this expansion of cropping because of its impacts on degradation. Most of the NSW Western Plains is in the NSW Western Division, an administrative part of NSW (see Figure 1 in The NSW wheatbelt in the Central Division of NSW (see Benson 2006) where the main land tenure is leasehold. This Figure 1 in Benson 2006) comprises the eastern third of the arid and semi-arid region reverted from freehold tenure to NSW Western Plains. It is mainly cleared (Benson 1999, leasehold as a consequence of the recommendations in the Bedward et al. 2001). In some parts of the wheatbelt less than

Fig. 17. Atriplex nummularia (Old Man Saltbush) chenopod Fig. 15. Callitris glaucophylla (White Cypress Pine) woodland shrubland (ID159), near Balranald, far south western New South (ID19) on a source-bordering dune in Millewa State Forest on the Wales. Old Man Saltbush has been eliminated by domestic stock Murray River floodplain. Regeneration of the pine on this dune was and the shrubland is now restricted in extent and endangered. severely impaired by rabbit grazing. Fencing the dune has assisted Photograph, Jaime Plaza, 12/4/02. with regeneration. Photograph, Jaime Plaza, 10/4/02.

Fig. 18. Atriplex vesicaria (Bladder Saltbush) and Disphyma Fig. 16. Swainsona formosa (Sturts Desert Pea) in plant community crassifolium subsp. clavellatum (Round-leaf Pigface) chenopod ID133 Western Bloodwood Corymbia tumescens (Western shrubland (ID157), on alluvial clay plains north of Maude in the Bloodwood) - Atalaya hemiglauca (Whitewood) low open woodland Riverina Bioregion. Limited areas of this community is presently on Tibooburra Granite. This spectacular plant is endangered in NSW sampled in protected areas as of 2005 and Bladder Saltbush due to 150 years of grazing by domestic stock and is restricted to a shrubland has retracted in extent over the last 100 years due to few sites where grazing has been limited. Photograph, Jaime Plaza, grazing pressure and dieback caused by insect attack. Photograph, 24/8/2003. Jaime Plaza, 12/4/02. Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 435

20% of native woody vegetation remains (Benson 1999). Stock and feral animal grazing continue to degrade native Clearing continues in the northern part of the wheatbelt vegetation throughout the NSW Western Plains (Auld mainly for crops such as wheat and cotton. Cropping 1995, Lang & Graham 1983, Pickard 1991a, 1991b, 1993). continues to expand westwards affecting large tracts of While grazing management by domestic stock has generally country that could be termed ‘marginal’ due to low rainfall improved since the mid 20th Century, goats and rabbits and average soil. This particularly affects the Nyngan-Walgett continue to impair the recruitment of native plant species. region of central-north NSW. Clearing on the eastern edge Grazing is notably inhibiting the regeneration of key plant of the Cobar Peneplain, often justified as clearing ‘woody species in Acacia shrublands on sandplains and rocky weeds’, is also clearing mature Eucalyptus trees such as ranges, Casuarina cristata/pauper – Alectryon olieofolius Eucalyptus intertexta (Smooth-barked Coolabah) (Figure (Belah-Western Rosewood) low woodlands and dune 8) that appears to have low recruitment compared to other Callitris (cypress pine) communities (Figure 15). Inflated species of Eucalyptus (J. Benson pers. obs.) numbers of kangaroos, due to the provision of bore water, are also impacting on vegetation regeneration, for example

Fig. 19. Atriplex vesicaria (Bladder Saltbush) chenopod shrubland on the Barrier Range (ID156) composed of metamorphic and Fig. 21. Samphire chenopod shrubland (ID64) dominated by sedimentary substrates, near Corona north of Broken Hill in the Halosarcia pergranulata subsp. pergranulata and Halosarcia indica arid climate zone. This community is widespread but very poorly subsp. leiostachya on a dry lake on Nanya Station. Although most represented in protected areas as of 2005. Photograph,Jaime Plaza, of the samphire communities in western NSW are not threatened, 24/10/01. they are poorly represented in protected areas. Photograph, Jaime Plaza, 15/4/02.

Fig. 20. Maireana astrotricha (Low Bluebush) low open chenopod shrubland (ID222) on gibber downs, ‘The Veldt’ station, Coko Fig. 22. Acacia aneura (Mulga) shrubland (ID119) on a sand plain Range, west of the Silver City Highway, far north western NSW. west of Bourke, north western NSW. Mulga is very widespread on This community is not represented in protected areas in NSW and sand plains (ID119) and stony rises (ID120). It has been partially is more common in South Australia. Photograph, Jaime Plaza, cleared and is often cut for fodder. Goat grazing is threatening 22/8/03. Mulga on rocky ranges. Photograph, Jaime Plaza, 22/10/01. 436 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains in Sturt National Park. The Desert Pea (Swainsona formosa) If carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions (Figure 16) is an example of a palatable plant species that continue unabated, temperatures in western NSW may rise was widespread and is now restricted to a few locations due between 0.5 degrees and 3 degrees by 2030 and between to grazing. Even after the release of the Rabbit Calicivirus 1 and 7 degrees by 2070 (Hennessy et al. 2004). North- Disease in 1995, that significantly lowered rabbit populations western NSW is predicted to suffer the highest temperature in arid and semi-arid climatic regions, the regeneration rises. Rainfall is expected to decrease on average by up to of palatable shrubs has been demonstrated to be slow or 15% in 30 years, and by up to 60% in some seasons by 2070 non-existent — even in reserves where domestic stock are (Hennessy et al. 2004). Due to an increase in the frequency excluded (Denham & Auld 2004). This may be explained of El Nino climatic events droughts are likely to occur every by the slow growth rate of perennial plant species in regions 2–4 years over the next 70 years rather than every 7 years as with low rainfall. is the current case (Hennessy et al. 2004). These statistics are guarded by large confidence levels but the indisputable While protected areas can be de-stocked and feral animals trend is for hotter conditions in the inland regions of NSW. controlled, some threats to vegetation cannot be mitigated While little is known about the adaptability of native plant through site management. These include maintaining flooding and animal species to such rapid climatic changes, some regimes in river systems where irrigation has substantially species may become extinct, at least locally. Due to increased reduced natural flooding, and the ramifications of climate vegetation clearing and habitat fragmentation there are change on species survival and ecosystem functioning. also increasing barriers to species movement over time to locations with suitable climatic regimes.

Management and conservation priorities

The reservation status of land units in the Western Division part of the NSW Western Plains was investigated by Pressey & Nicholls (1989) applying a minimum-set approach to mapped land systems. Subsequently Pressey & Logan (1995) investigated the protected area status of the Western Division in relation to coarseness of land classifications. Since those analyses, there has been an increase in the number and area of conservation reserves in the Western Plains including major extensions to Paroo-Darling, Sturt, Mungo and Gundabooka National Parks, and in the Riverina Bioregion the dedication of Yanga National Park and several other reserves. However, Fig. 23. Acacia harpophylla (Brigalow) regrowth woodland (ID35) protected areas still only cover 3.7% of the NSW Western in Brigalow Park Nature Reserve near Moree in the northern Plains and 75% of the plant communities in the Western Plains wheatbelt of NSW. This Brigalow community is endangered with less than 5% remaining and much of it is regrowth from previous cutting and clearing. Photograph, J.Plaza, 19/10/01.

Fig. 25. Acacia pendula (Weeping Myall) woodland (ID27), north of Warren in the Darling Riverine Plains Bioregion. Weeping Myall Fig. 24. Acacia cambagei (Gidgee) woodland (ID118), 40km ESE woodland is endangered throughout its range due to clearing being of Wanaaring, far north western plains of NSW. Photograph, Jaime focused on the alluvial clay soils on which it grows. Photograph, Plaza, 26/8/03. Jaime Plaza, 17/8/03. Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 437 have less than 10% of their pre-European estimated extent ‘endangered’ or ‘vulnerable’, should be given priority for sampled in protected areas. Therefore, more protected areas protection in future reserves and secure property agreements. are required to reach the minimal international standards set These communities can either be gleaned from Table 2 or in IUCN (1994) or the national standards set out in the Natural derived by manipulating the spreadsheet in Appendix F on Resource Management Ministerial Council directions for an the CD that contains a list of the communities by ID Number Australian National Reserve System (NRMMC 2004). and common name, their threat category, protected area code and percentage in protected areas. It is also possible to select The ‘key sites for protection’ field in the NSWVCA database plant communities by protected area status of threat category provides some guidance to sites or regions to investigate though the query mode in the full version of the NSWVCA for new protected areas. The ‘planning and management’ database. This is not possible to do on the read-only database database field comments on management priorities. version. Plant communities that are poorly represented in protected Planning for other factors such as climate change may alter areas, for example, with less than 5% of their original extent priorities. For example, it may be deemed to be as important protected, coupled with those that are ‘critically endangered’, to provide habitat linkages in well protected or non-threatened communities as concentrating conservation planning on protecting threatened or poorly reserved communities. Strategies for protecting the plant communities should vary from region to region. New reserves could be established at a relatively low cost to improve the sampling of plant communities that occur in the semi-arid and arid rangelands. This system could be complemented by secure property agreements over Western Lands Leases where landholders would be encouraged and if possible, paid to manage their land holdings for conservation values. The main ongoing management cost for protected areas in such regions is the control of feral animals, particularly goats. When considering the higher rainfall, eastern parts of the NSW Western Plains (the wheatbelt) where clearing has left few large patches of native vegetation, it would be rarely possible to purchase Fig. 26. Eucalyptus microcarpa (Inland Grey Box) woodland and reserve large parcels of land. Achieving a target of (ID76) near Berrigan in the Riverina Bioregion. About 95% of protecting 10% of the original extent of some of these over- this community has been cleared and it is endangered. Inland Grey cleared communities would require revegetation. A two Box also occurs in several other communities in central NSW. pronged approach is recommended for the wheatbelt. Some Photograph, Jaime Plaza, 9/4/02. sites containing threatened or poorly protected communities in good condition, in terms of their species composition and vegetation structure, could be acquired and dedicated as public conservation reserves. However, the majority of protected areas should be long term property agreements with landholders. These should be pursued as part of the Property Vegetation Planning Process (PVP) instigated in New South Wales under the Native Vegetation Act 2003 that is administered by 13 Catchment Management Authorities and the NSW Department of Natural Resources. The NSWVCA database and its linked spreadsheet tables could be used to set priorities for PVPs and monitor changes in the protected area status of plant communities over time. While it would be unwieldy to describe all the plant communities requiring special management or conservation action, some notably poorly protected and/or highly threatened plant communities include:

Fig. 27. Eucalyptus populnea subsp. bimbil (Poplar Box) grassy • Chenopod shrublands including the endangered Atriplex woodland occurring on loamy soils on the alluvial plains of the nummularia (Old Man Saltbush) communities (IDs 158, Darling Riverine Plains and Brigalow Belt South Bioregions 159) (Figure. 17); the Atriplex vesicaria (Bladder Saltbush) (ID244) is threatened because most of it has been cleared for (IDs 156, 157 & 197) dominated communities on the grazing or cropping. Photograph, Jaime Plaza, 27/10/01. 438 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains alluvial plains of the Riverina and Darling Riverine Plains (Figure 24); Acacia pendula(Weeping Myall) (IDs 26, Bioregions (Figure 18) and on the stony downs in the 27) (Figure 25) and Acacia melvillei/homalophylla Barrier Range in the Broken Hill Complex Bioregion (Figure complex (Yarran) (IDs 27, 77) are poorly represented in 19); Mairaena (bluebush) shrublands on alluvium IDs 153, protected areas and some communities are highly 154) and Bluebush shrublands on stony ranges (IDs 155, threatened even inside reserves (Porteners 2001). Stands 222) (Figure 20); and Halosarcia, Frankenia, Sclerostegia of Brigalow and Gidgee occur in the Mulga Lands spp. (samphire shrublands) (IDs 18, 62, 63, 64, 65) (Figure Bioregion between and Ledknapper 21) of saline areas mainly in the arid climate zone; Nature Reserve. Small remnants of Weeping Myall (Acacia pendula) occur on the alluvial soils in central NSW; • Acacia woodlands or shrublands including Acacia aneura sens lat. (Mulga) (IDs 119, 120) (Figure 22); • Grassy Eucalyptus box woodlands in the eastern part Acacia harpophylla (Brigalow) (IDs 29, 31, 35) (Pulsford of the Western Plains including in the NSW wheatbelt 1984)(Figure 23); Acacia cambagei (Gidgee) (ID118) are generally poorly represented in protected areas. They have been substantially cleared and most are exposed to a number of threatening processes. These include woodlands dominated by Eucalyptus microcarpa (Inland Grey Box) (IDs 76, 80, 82, 110, 237) (Figure 26), Eucalyptus populnea subsp. bimbil (Poplar Box) (IDs 56, 87, 88, 244) (Figure 27), Eucalyptus melliodora (Yellow Box) (IDs 74, 75, 83), Eucalyptus conica (Fuzzy Box) (ID201) (Figure 28) and the restricted occurrences of Eucalyptus leucoxylon subsp. pruinose (Yellow Gum) (ID86) in the Riverina (Fig.29); • Riverine and floodplain forests and woodlands dominated by Eucalyptus camaldulensis (River Red Gum) (IDs 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 36) (Figures 10 and 30), Eucalyptus coolabah (Coolabah) (IDs 39, 40) (Figure 11) and Eucalyptus largiflorens (Black Box) (IDs 13, 15, 16, 37) (Figure 12) that are widespread across western NSW, are poorly represented in the protected area system and Fig. 28. Eucalyptus conica (Fuzzy Box) woodland (ID201) are threatened by altered flooding regimes, weed invasion predominantly occurs on the NSW Western Slopes such as this site and clearing. Only the arid zone River Red Gum community near Forbes. It is rare on the Western Plains. Fuzzy Box communities (ID41) could be considered reasonably well protected in in NSW are endangered because they occur on alluvial and reserves such as Mutawintji and Sturt National Parks. colluvial loamy soils that have largely been cleared for agriculture. Remnants are often infested with exotic weeds. Photograph, Jaime Small areas of River Red Gum and Black Box are Plaza, 10/10/02. represented in flora reserves and nature reserves along the Murray and Murrumbidgee Rivers; • Callitris glaucophylla (White Cypress Pine) woodlands on sandy rises and sandplains in central and far western NSW (IDs 28, 48, 69, 70) (Figure 15); • The restricted Corymbia tessellaris (Carbeen) (ID71) (Figure 31) woodland in the Darling Riverine Plains Bioregion; • Central NSW mallee communities (IDs 173, 174, 193) that have largely been cleared and heavily grazed (Mabbutt 1982); • Allocasuarina luehmannii (Buloke) (Figure 32) and Callitris gracilis subsp. murrayensis (Slender Cypress Pine) (IDs 19, 20, 21, 22) on source-bordering dunes and other sandy rises in south-western NSW (Sluiter et al. 1997); Fig. 29. Eucalyptus leucoxylon subsp. pruinosa (Yellow Gum) woodland (ID86), Yarrein Creek, west of Moulamein in the Riverina • Tussock grasslands including (IDs 43, 44, 45, 47, 49, Bioregion. This community is rare in NSW and is threatened by 50, 52, 214, 215 and 242) (Figs. 33 and 34) are poorly lack of regeneration, clearing and salinity. Stands on private land represented in protected areas. Most of these grasslands urgently need to be fenced off from stock grazing. Photograph, occur in the wetter, eastern parts of the Western Plains and Jaime Plaza, 11/4/02. Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 439

Fig. 32. Allocasuarina luehmannii (Buloke) woodland (ID20) on sandy rises on the Murray River floodplain on the Echuca-Barham Fig. 30. Eucalyptus camaldulensis (River Red Gum) tall open Rd in the Riverina Bioregion. This is a highly threatened and forest with Poa labillardierei (snow grass) ground cover (ID5) in restricted community that has mainly been cleared and is lacking the Millewa State Forest, Riverina Bioregion. Although much of regeneration due to grazing pressure from rabbits and domestic the original extent of this forest remains, most has been logged stock. Photograph, Jaime Plaza, 11/4/02. resulting in younger age classes. Exotic weeds dominate the ground cover in some locations. Maintaining flooding regimes is critical to the regeneration of River Red Gum forests. Photograph, Jaime Plaza, 10/4/02.

Fig. 33. Forb-rich native grassland dominated by Danthonia spp., Austrostipa spp., Chrysocephalum apiculatum, Swainsona behriana and Wahlenbergia gracilis (ID44) near Jerilderie in the Riverina Bioregion. Most of the native grasslands in the Riverina have been affected by grazing or cropping. Areas in good condition are mainly restricted to roadsides and stock routes. Photograph M.F. Porteners, 1995.

Fig. 34. Native grassland dominated by Dichanthium sericeum (Queensland Bluegrass) and Astrebla lappacea (Curly Mitchell Fig. 31. Corymbia tessellaris (Carbeen) woodland (ID71) in the Grass) (ID52) on black cracking, clay, alluvial soils in Kirramingly northern NSW wheatbelt. Carbeen occurs on sandy rises or clays Nature Reserve south-west of Moree. Most of this grassland has been on alluvial plains but has largely been cleared and is now restricted ploughed for crops. The spiny native shrub Vachellia farnesiana is to a few locations. Photographer R. Dick, 30/4/86 abundant in some areas. Photograph, Jaime Plaza, 20/10/01. 440 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains

have been substantially destroyed by agriculture. In The classification and data in the NSW Western Plains contrast, the Mitchell Grass Grassland of the arid zone section of the NSWVCA will evolve over time as knowledge (ID61) (Figure 35) is well represented in Sturt National increases and experts deliberate and comment on it. The Park. maintenance of the NSWVCA, including the database, is • Sedge-dominated wetlands or grasslands (IDs 53, 205, discussed in Benson (2006). 206) in wetland swamps on floodplains (Figure 36). Most The next stage (Part 2) of the NSWVCA project will deal with inland swamps are threatened by a lack of flooding due to the vegetation of the NSW Western Slopes that abut the NSW increases in irrigated cropping over the last 40 years. Western Plains to the east and include three bioregions: NSW South Western Slopes, Brigalow Belt South and Nandewar. Future progress of the NSWVCA Over 50 plant communities that occur on the Western Plains extend into the western margins of the Western Slopes. It would be beneficial to complete the classification and assessment of the native vegetation of all eight CMA areas west of the because they contain many of the most degraded environments in NSW and Australia. This would require completing the classification and assessment of the vegetation in the NSW Western Slopes and the western part of the NSW Tablelands. The completion of the classification and assessment of the vegetation of all of New South Wales, including the highly diverse vegetation on the coast, will take a commitment of resources and expertise over the next decade.

Acknowledgements

The project was supported by the New South Wales Biodiversity Strategy and the National Heritage Trust Fig. 35. Astrebla pectinata (Barley Mitchell grass) grassland with low chenopod shrubs on gibber downs in the arid zone approximately Fund. Peter Smith, Paul Adam and David Keith formed 20km NNW of Tibooburra in the Channel Country Bioregion the Technical Working Group that provided advice on the (ID61). While heavily grazed this community is widespread and project under the NSW Biodiversity Strategy. This work well protected in Sturt National Park. Photograph, Jaime Plaza, could not have been completed without the cooperation 25/8/03. of the geographical information system and estates and property agreement sections of the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation, NSW State Forests and the NSW Department of Natural Resources who provided regular updates of GIS layers, GIS vegetation maps, reserve boundaries and property agreement GIS and database data. Threatened Species Officers of the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation assisted with threatened plant and animal species lists for some of the plant communities. Many botanists and ecologists supplied information on the Western Plains vegetation, commented on the plant community classification and provided photographs of plant communities. In this regard, special thanks go to John Brickhill, Martin Westbrooke, John Hunter, Lisa Metcalfe, Stephen Lewer, Gillis Horner, Marianne Porteners, Miranda Kerr, Geoff Cunningham, Martin Driver, Greg Steenbeeke, Kat Miller, Ross Figure 36. Sedge marsh dominated by Marsilea drummondii and Sawtell, Bruce Peasley, Peter Dykes and Dayle Green. Cyperus eragrostis near Moomin Creek, Darling Riverine Plains I thank staff at the Cobar, Bourke, Dubbo, Griffith and Bioregion (ID53). This community has been affected by clearing Tibooburra NSW DEC (NPWS) offices for information and altered flooding regimes but it is also ephemeral and its on reserves. Interstate information was supplied by the composition changes depending on the time since last rainfall or Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment, flooding. Photograph, Jaime Plaza, 20/10/01. Queensland Department of the Environment and the Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 441

South Australian Department of Planning. The BGT Cannon, G., Cannon, M., Harding, W., McCosker, R., Spunner, photographer, Jaime Plaza, took thousands of photographs B., Steenbeeke, G. & Watson G. (2002) Native vegetation map of western vegetation and helped with the field work. report No 3: Bellata, Gravesend, Horton and 1:100 000 map sheets. (NSW Department of Infrastructure, Planning Vickie Wood of KE Software Pty Ltd programmed the and Natural Resources). NSWVCA MS Access database. Clift, D.K., Semple, W.S. & Prior, J.C. (1987) A survey of Bladder Saltbush (Atriplex vesicaria Heward ex benth.) dieback on the References Riverine Plain of south-eastern Australia from the late 1970s to 1983. Australian Rangeland Journal 9(1): 39–48. Cunningham, G.M., Mulham, W.E., Milthorpe, P.L. & Leigh, J.H. Note: A bibliography of all references used in the classification (1981) Plants of Western New South Wales. 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Environmental Consultants (1990) Floristic Sydney). communities. In River Murray Riparian Vegetation Study. Porteners, M.F. (1993) The natural vegetation of the Hay Plain: (Murray-Darling Basin Commission: Canberra). Booligal-Hay and Deniliquin-Bendigo 1:250 000 maps. Smith, P.L., Wilson, B., Nadolny, C. & Lang, D. (2000) The Cunninghamia 3(1): 1–122. ecological role of the native vegetation of New South Wales. Porteners, M.F. (2001) . Threatened Acacia Background Paper 2 (Department of Land & Water Conservation shrublands survey. Unpublished report (NSW National Parks & on behalf of the Native Vegetation Advisory Council of NSW: Wildlife Service: Lower Darling Area). Sydney). Porteners, M.F., Ashby, E.M. & Benson, J.S. (1997) The natural Southeron, J. (2002) Old Dromana, part of a wetland under vegetation of the Pooncarie 1:250 000 map. Cunninghamia a Ramsar agreement. Bush Matters 2: 4–5. Newsletter of 5(1): 139–232. the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service Conservation Preece, P.B. (1971a) Contributions to the biology of mulga. I. Partners program (NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service: Flowering. Australian Journal of Botany 19: 21–38. Hurstville). Preece, P.B. (1971b) Contributions to the biology of mulga. II. Sturt, C. (1833) Two expeditions into the interior of southern Germination. Australian Journal of Botany 19: 39–49. Australia during years 1828–1829 and 1839–1841. Australian Pressey, R.L., Bell, F.C., Barker, J., Rundle, A.S. & Belcher, C.A. Facsimile Edition No. 5. Libraries Board of South Australia (1984) Bio-physical features of the Lachlan-Murrumbidgee 1965. Confluence, south-western New South Wales. (NSW National Thackway, R. & Cresswell, I. (1995) (eds.) An interim biogeographic Parks and Wildlife Service: Sydney). regionalisation of Australia. (Australian Nature Conservation Pressey, R.L. & Nicholls, A.O. (1989) Application of a numerical Agency: Canberra). algorithm to the selection of reserves in semi-arid New South Westbrooke, M.E. & Miller, J.D. (1995) The vegetation of Mungo Wales. Biological Conservation 50: 263–278. National Park, western New South Wales. Cunninghamia 4(1): Pressey, R.L., Cohn, J.S. & Porter, J.L. (1990) Vascular plants with 63–80. restricted distributions in the Western Division of New South Westbrooke, M.E., Miller, J.D. & Kerr, M.K.C. (1998) The Wales. Proceedings of the Linnaean Society of NSW 112: 213– vegetation of the Scotia 1:100 000 map sheet, western New 227. South Wales. Cunninghamia 5(3): 665–684. Pressey, R.L., & Logan, V.S. (1995) Reserve coverage and Westbrooke, M., Leversha, J., Gibson, M., O’Keefe, M., Milne, R., requirements in relation to partitioning and generalization Gowans, S., Harding, C. & Callister, K. (2003). The vegetation of land classes: analyses for western New South Wales. of Peery Lake area, Paroo-Darling National Park western New Conservation Biology 9: 1506–1517. South Wales. Cunninghamia 8(1): 111–128. Pressey, R.L., Hager, T.C., Ryan, K.M., Schwartz, J., Wall, S., Westbrooke, M. (2004) The vegetation of Gundabooka National Ferrier, S. & Creaser, P.M. (2000) Using abiotic data for Park. Unpublished report to NSW National Parks & Wildlife conservation assessment over extensive regions: quantitative Service. methods applied across NSW. Biological Conservation 96: White, M. (2002a) The reconstructed distribution and extent of 55–82. indigenous vegetation types in the Moree Plains Shire (Ecology Pulsford, I.F. (1984) Conservation status of Brigalow Acacia Australia Pty. Ltd.: Fairfield, Victoria). harpophylla in New South Wales. pp. 161–175 in Bailey, A. White, M. (2002b) Pre-European mapping of the Riverina (Ecology (ed.) The Brigalow belt of Australia. (The Royal Society of Australia: Fairfield, Victoria). Queensland). Resource and Conservation Assessment Council of NSW (RACAC) Manuscript accepted 14 March 2006 (2004) Joint vegetation mapping project, Brigalow Belt South Western Regional Assessment Stage 2 (Resource and Conservation Division, Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources: Sydney) Scott, J.A. (1992) The natural vegetation of the Balranald — Swan Hill area. Cunninghamia 2(4): 597–652. Semple, W.S. (1989) Further comments on the dieback and regeneration of Bladder Saltbush. Technical Report No. 23 (Soil Conservation Service of New South Wales: Sydney). Shepherd, G. (2004) The ecosystem approach: five steps to implementation (IUCN: Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK). Sivertsen, D. & Metcalfe, L. (1995) Natural vegetation of the southern wheat-belt (Forbes and Cargelligo 1:250 000 map sheets). Cunninghamia 4(1): 103–128. 444 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains

Appendix A. Appendix B is located as a digital file in Folder 3, Part 1 Western Plains folder on the CD in the back pocket of the All Records Full Report of NSW Western Plains plant journal. The short report includes 28 of the 90 fields of communities divided into plant communities in 19 Formation information in the NSWVDA database. The communities are Groups, December 2005. grouped by alphabetical order of the Formation Groups, then in ID number order within each Group. The full text reference Appendix A is located as a digital file in the Part 1 Western for the reference numbers in the Reference List field can be Plains folder in Folder 3 on the CD in the back pocket of the looked up in Appendix C. journal. It contains the full descriptions from 90 fields in the NSWVCA database of 213 plant communities classified for the NSW Western Plains. It is about 800 A4 pages in length. Appendix C. Due to its size, the plant communities also are divided into the 19 Formation Groups for the Western Plains. These are Bibliography. arranged as sub-folders in Folder 3 Part 1 NSW Western Plains on the CD. A bibliography of the references used to classify the native vegetation of the NSW Western Plains is in the Part 1 Western Appendix B. Plains folder (Folder 3) on the CD in the back pocket of the journal in the MS Excel spreadsheet titled NSW Western All Records Short Report of NSW Western Plains plant Plains Bibliography.xls on the CD. communities, December 2005.

Appendix D

An example of a NSWVCA database full report containing 90 fields of information including full references of a broadly classified plant community with a wide distribution, is critically endangered and is poorly represented in protected areas.

Common Name: Weeping Myall open woodland of the Riverina and NSW South Western Slopes Bioregions Scientific Name:Ac acia pendula/ Rhagodia spinescens –Maireana decalvans / Austrodanthonia caespitosa – Atriplex semibaccata –Alternanthera denticulata –Austrostipa aristiglumis Veg. Comm. ID.: 26 Original Entry: John Benson 31/12/2005 Photo 1: noimage.bmp Acacia pendula woodland, Lake Urana Nature Reserve, (AGD66) 35°16’09. 8’146°08’32.9’; 9/4/02; J.Plaza. Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 445

Photo 2: noimage.bmp Acacia pendula woodland Grenfell-West Wyalong Road, (AGD66) 33°48’02.1’ 147°37’15.9’; 19/4/02; J.Plaza.

Characteristic Vegetation: (Combination of Quantitative Data and Qualitiative Estimate) Trees: Acacia pendula; Casuarina cristata; Eucalyptus largiflorens; Eucalyptus camaldulensis subsp. camaldulensis; Eucalyptus melliodora. Shrubs/Vines/Epiphytes: Rhagodia spinescens; Maireana decalvans; Atriplex nummularia; Chenopodium nitrariaceum; Maireana aphylla; Maireana pentagona; Muehlenbeckia florulenta; Acacia stenophylla; Acacia oswaldii; Acacia salicina; Hakea tephrosperma; Santalum lanceolatum; Amyema quandang var. quandang. Ground Cover: Austrodanthonia caespitosa; Atriplex semibaccata; Alternanthera denticulata; Austrostipa aristiglumis; Atriplex spinibractea; Atriplex leptocarpa; Enchylaena tomentosa; Austrostipa nodosa; Austrodanthonia setacea; Sporobolus caroli; Einadia nutans subsp. nutans; rhizocephalus; Centipeda cunninghamii; Rhodanthe corymbiflora; Vittadinia cuneata var. cuneata f. cuneata; Lepidium pseudohyssopifolium Weed Species: Xanthium occidentale; Echium plantagineum; Medicago polymorpha; Medicago truncatula; Bromus madritensis; Hordeum leporinum; Lolium perenne; Vulpia myuros; Bromus diandrus; Sonchus oleraceus; Trifolium angustifolium; Cotula bipinnata; Hordeum leporinum. Weediness: Medium (5–15%) with 10–30% cover. Threatened Plants: Swainsona plagiotropis (E); Swainsonia murrayana (V); Brachyscome chrysoglossa (E); Lepidium monoplocoides (E). Threatened Fauna: Painted Honeyeater, Superb Parrot. Mean Species Richness: 39 ± 2 (Lewer et al. 2003 in 20x20 m plots). Rainforest Structure (Webb): Not applicable. Structure (WH): Isolated Trees; Open Woodland; Woodland. Height Class (WH): Low; Mid-High. Vegetation Description: Mid-high open woodland up to 8 m high dominated by Weeping Myall (Acacia pendula). Other tree species include Belah (Casuarina cristata), while Black Box (Eucalyptus largiflorens) and River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) may occur in depressions. Chenopod shrubs may be common or absent. They include Rhagodia spinescens, Maireana decalvans, Atriplex nummularia, Chenopodium nitrariaceum and Maireana aphylla. The ground cover may be dense or sparse depending on rainfall. It is dominated by grass species such as Austrodanthonia caespitosa, Austrodanthonia setacea, Austrostipa aristiglumis, Austrostipa scabra, Austrostipa nodosa and Sporobolus 446 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains caroli. Saltbush species include Atriplex spinibractea, Atriplex leptocarpa and Atriplex semibaccata. Forb species include Alternanthera denticulata, Myriocephalus rhizocephalus, Centipeda cunninghamii, Rhodanthe corymbiflora andVittadinia cuneata var. cuneata. Occurs on brown clays or loam soils on alluvial plains mainly in the Riverina and NSW South Western Slopes Bioregions of south-western NSW. Apparently extinct in Victoria. Prior to European settlement this community probably contained a dense understorey of saltbush. Much of its original extent has now altered to be a derived native grassland dominated by native grasses and forbs. Weeping Myall is a threatened community due its past extent of clearing and overall is in poor condition. Level of Classification:Sub-formation. Classification Confidence Level:High. Formation Group: Acacia Woodlands and Shrublands of the Inland Slopes and Plains. State Veg Map (Keith 2004): Riverine Plain Woodlands. State Landscape (Mitchell 2002): Not Assessed. NVIS Major Veg Sub-Groups: Other Acacia forests and woodlands. Forest Type (RN 17): 214 –Wattle (P); 224 –Scrub (P). Authority(s): (Combination of Expert Opinion and Quantitative Data). Beadle (1948 and 1981) breaks Weeping Myall alliance into north and south communities based on different understorey species composition. This southern community has been mapped on Hay Plain ascommunity 25 by Porteners (1993) and Scott (1992). Map unit 12 in Horner et al. (2002) covering part of the Hay Plain. Moore (1953,1953a) maps it on the south western slopes. Coarsely mapped in Leigh & Mulnam (1977). Eardley (1999) maps Weeping Myall forRiverina Bioregion using RBG mapping and Landsat Satellite Imagery extension mapping. Miles (2001) maps pre-European distribution inMurray catchment. Western Riverina Vegetation Management Committee (2001) map and describe this community. Modelled andmapped in central Lachlan River region by Austin et al. (2001). Map unit R5 in Sivertsen & Metcalfe (1995) in the Forbes and Cargelligoregions. Floristic group 7 and part of map unit ALP3 in Lewer et al. (2003) for the Lachlan River region. Interstate Equivalent(s): None known. May have occurred in Victoria prior to clearing and may be extinct there. Mapped/Modelled: Current extent partly mapped. Plot Sampling: Inadequate. Mapping Info: Mapable with good quality aerial photographs but Satellite imagery often fails to detect Weeping Myall. Mapped in part around Forbes and Cargelligo (Siversten & Metcalfe 1995), by Porteners (1993) and Horner et al. (2002) for western Riverine Plain. The Jerilderie and Lockhart regions are not yet mapped as of 2003. Some pre-European mapping by Miles (2001) and WRVMC (2001). Climate Zone: Temperate: no dry season (hot summer); Semi-arid: warm (winter rain). IBRA Bioregion (v6): Cobar Peneplain (1–30%); NSW South-western Slopes (30–70%); Riverina (30–70%). IBRA Sub-Region: Lachlan (1–30%); Lower Slopes (30–70%); Murray Fans (1–30%); Murrumbidgee (30–70%); Nymagee (1–30%). Botanical Division: Central Western Slopes (CWS) (1–30%); South Western Plains (SWP) (>70%); South Western Slopes (SWS) (1–30%). Local Govt. Areas: Berrigan (1–30%); Bland (1–30%); Carrathool (1–30%); Conargo (1–30%); Coolamon (1–30%); Culcairn (1–30%);Deniliquin (1–30%); Forbes (1–30%); Jerilderie (1–30%); Lachlan (1–30%); Maclean (1–30%); Wagga Wagga (1–30%). CMAs: Central West (1–30%); Lachlan (1–30%); Murray (1–30%); Murrumbidgee (30–70%). MD Basin: Yes. Substrate Mass: Alluvium. Lithology: Clay. Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 447

Great Soil Group: Brown clay; Grey clay; Red-brown earth. Soil Texture: Heavy clay; Medium heavy clay; Sandy clay loam. Landform Patterns: Plain; Rises; Stagnant alluvial plain. Landform Elements: Plain. Land Use: Cropping and Horticulture; Grazing. Impacts of European Settlement: Major reduction (>70%) of extent and/or range; Major alteration of understorey. Pre-European Extent: 1 600 000 ha ± 30%. Estimated from pre-European map. Pre-European Extent Comments: Based on estimates of 1 100 000 ha from pre-European mapping in Western Riverina draft RVM Plan (WRC 2001). This was partly based on mapping of western Riverina by Porteners (1993). Areas occur to the east of this. Miles (2001)estimates that about 500 000 ha of Weeping Myall occurred in the Murray catchment. Current Extent: 160 000 ha ± 30% or 10% ± 50% of pre-European extent remaining. Current Extent Comments:(Estimated from a more broadly classified vegetation map). WRVC (2001) estimate that 107 000 ha remains inthe western Riverina. Additional areas are added to this as this community extends to the east of the WRVC area. However, little remainsin the southern/central wheatbelt — only 215 ha is mapped in the Forbes area. Horner et al. (2002) map over 11 000 ha on part of the HayPlain. Conservation Reserves: Lake Urana NR 10 (E3); Oolambeyan NP 715 (M). Reserves Total Area: 725 ha. No. Representatives in Reserves: 2 Protected Area Explanation: No large areas are known to be reserved as of 2001. Areas in Oolamebeyan National Park mapped by Roberts & Roberts (2001). A small patch occurs in Lake Urana NR (NPWS 2001a and Benson 1999–2004). Porteners (1993) mappedareas that warrant investigation. PA DE9905 from overlaying Porteners (1993). Secure Property Agreements: DE9905 PA 88 (M). Secure PAs Total Area: 88 ha. No. Representatives in Secure Property Agreements: 1 Protected Current Extent: 0.5% 813 ha ± 10%. No. Representatives in Protected Areas: 3 Protected Pre-European Extent: 0.05% which is inadequately protected across distribution. Common in 1750: Code 5a: <1% of pre-European extent in protected areas (>10 000 ha). Key Sites for Protection: The report by Eardley (1999) for the Riverina Bioregion highlights areas of potential conservation importance for arange of vegetation communities. Regions north of Jerilderie may be important. Degree of Fragmentation: Human induced highly fragmented small stands with <30% extent remaining and high edge to area ratio. Recoverability: Poor health as structure and/or composition significantly altered. But sufficient biota remain for natural regeneration ifcausal factors and their secondary impacts removed and dynamic processes reinstated. Variation & Disturbance: Much of the present Austrodanthonia grasslands of the Riverina may have been derived from a pre-European Acacia pendula — Atriplex nummularia woodland/shrubland. The chenopods, and presumably Weeping Myall, were eliminated from vast regions through a combination of clearing and over-grazing. Fire Regime: Unknown — occasional wildfire sweeps across the plains — an extensive fire burnt part of the Riverina in 1991. This resultedin the mass germination of Swainsona and other legume species. Presumably, the seed of Acacia pendula is long-lived and maygerminate after fire. 448 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains

Adjoining Communites: Grades into grassland, Bladder Saltbush, White Cypress Pine or Buloke communities and Black Box along creeks or in depressions. Threatening Processes: A critically endangered and very poorly reserved community. Mostly cleared for grazing and crops in the southern wheatbelt and in the Riverina. Existing remnants threatened by further clearing. Continuous grazing by stock and rabbits have altered the understorey. Threatening Process List: Clearing for agriculture; Dryland cropping; Irrigated cropping; Major impacts on structure due to logging; Salinity; Unsustainable grazing and trampling by stock; Unsustainable grazing by feral animals; Weed (exotic) invasion. Threat Category: Critically Endangered. Threat/Protected Area Code: CE/5a Threat Criteria:1; 4; 5. Planning Controls: Listed TSC Act Planning and Management: The Lachlan, Murrumbidgee and Murray Catchment Management Plans should protect what remains of this community. No more clearing of this community should be allowed under these plans and some areas should be encouraged to regrow through fencing schemes. Listed Under Legislation: Listed TSCA (NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act); Nominated EPBCA (Com. Environmental Protection Recovery Plan: Doesn’t exist, but required. Reference List: (183; 73; 3; 308; 16; 289; 145; 293; 293; 67; 246; 166; 144; 14; 247; 13; 34; 146). Austin, M.P., Cawsey, E.M., Baker, B.L., Yialeloglou, M.M., Grice, D.J. & Briggs, S.V. (2000) Predicted vegetation cover in the central Lachlan region. National Heritage Trust Project AA 1368.97. (CSIRO Division of Wildlife and Ecology: Canberra); Beadle, N.C.W. (1948) The vegetation and pastures of western New South Wales. (NSW Department of Conservation: Sydney); Beadle, N.C.W. (1981) The vegetation of Australia. (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge); Benson, J.S. (1999–2005) Unpublished field note books recording species at various locations in western NSW. (Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust: Sydney); Eardley, K.A. (1999) A foundation for conservation in the Riverina Bioregion. Unpublished Report. (NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service); Horner, G., McNellie, M., Nott, T.A., Vanzella, B., Schliebs, M., Kordas, G.S., Turner, B. & Hudspith, T.J. (2002) Native vegetation map report series: No. 2 Dry Lake, Oxley, Hay, One Tree, Moggumbill & Gunbar 1:100 000 map sheets. (NSW Department of Infrastructure Planning and Natural Resources: Sydney); Leigh, J.H. And Mulham, W.E. (1977) Vascular plants of the Riverine Plain of New South Wales with notes on distribution and pastoral use. Telopea 1(4): 225–291; Lewer, S., Ismay, K., Grounds, S., Gibson, R., Harris, M., Armstrong, R., Deluca, S. & Ryan, C. (2003) Native vegetation map report Bogan Gate, Boona Mount, Condobolin, Dandaloo, Tottenham and Tullamore 1:100 000 map sheets. (NSW Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources). Submitted to Cunninghamia; Lewer, S., Ismay, K., Grounds, S., Gibson, R., Harris, M., Armstrong, R., Deluca, S. & Ryan, C. (2003) Native vegetation map report Bogan Gate, Boona Mount, Condobolin, Dandaloo, Tottenham and Tullamore 1:100 000 map sheets. (NSW Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources). Submitted to Cunninghamia; Mid-Lachlan Regional Vegetation Committee (1999) Plan Draft Mid-Lachlan Regional Vegetation Management Plan for Public Exhibition. (Mid-Lachlan RVC: Forbes); Miles, C. (2001) NSW Murray Catchment: biodiversity action plan. (Nature Conservation Working Group Inc.: Albury); Moore, C.W.E. (1953a) The vegetation of the south-eastern Riverina, New South Wales 1: the climax communities. Aust. J. Botany 1: 485–547; Moore, C.W.E. (1953b) The vegetation of the south-eastern Riverina, New South Wales 2: the disclimax communities. Aust. J. Botany 1: 548–567; Porteners, M.F. (1993) The natural vegetation of the Hay Plain: Booligal-Hay and Deniliquin-Bendigo 1:250 000 maps. Cunninghamia 3(1) 1–122; Roberts, I. & Roberts, J. (2001) Plains Wanderer (Pedionmus torquatus) habitat mapping, including woody vegetation and other landscape features Riverina Plains NSW. Report to NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. (Earth Resources Analysis Pty. Ltd.); Scott, J.A. (1992) The natural vegetation of the Balranald -Swan Hill area. Cunninghamia 2(4): 597–652; Sivertsen, D. & Metcalfe, L. (1995) Natural vegetation of the southern wheat-belt (Forbes and Cargelligo 1:250 000 map sheets). Cunninghamia 4(1): 103–128; Western Riverina Regional Vegetation Committee (2001) Draft Western Riverina Regional Vegetation Management Plan. (Western Riverina RVC: Deniliquin). Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains 449

Appendix E

An Example of a NSWVCA database Short Report with 28 fields of information for a plant community that is widespread, has a threat status of Least Concern and is well represented in protected areas.

Common Name: Spinifex linear dune mallee mainly of the Murray-Darling Depression Bioregion Scientific Name:Eucalyptus socialis –Eucalyptus dumosa —Eucalyptus gracilis —Eucalyptus costata / Acacia colletioides —Dodonaea viscosa subsp. angustissima —Eremophila glabra / Triodia scariosa subsp. scariosa —Vittadinia cuneata —Austrostipa nitida Veg. Comm. ID.: 171 Photo 1: ID171 Eucalyptus socialis—Eucalyptus dumosa linear dune mallee shrubland, Tarawi Nature Reserve, (AGD66) 33°24’06.6’ 141°18’ 09.6’; 14/4/02; J.Plaza.

Original Entry: 31/12/2005 John Benson Characteristic Trees: Eucalyptus socialis; Eucalyptus dumosa; Eucalyptus gracilis; Eucalyptus costata; Callitris verrucosa; Eucalyptus leptophylla; Eucalyptus oleosa. Shrubs/Vines/Epiphytes: Acacia colletioides; Dodonaea viscosa subsp. angustissima; Eremophila glabra; Eremophila sturtii; Olearia pimeleoides; Maireana pentatropis; Acacia wilhelmiana; Senna form taxon ‘filifolia’; Bossiaea walkeri; Chenopodium curvispicatum; Grevillea huegelii; Eutaxia microphylla; Dodonaea bursariifolia; Beyeria opaca; Exocarpos sparteus; Alectryon oleifolius subsp. canescens; Westringia rigida; Acacia brachybotrya; Acacia sclerophylla var. sclerophylla; Capparis lasiantha; Maireana triptera. Groundcover: Triodia scariosa subsp. scariosa; Vittidinia cuneata; Austrostipa nitida; Sclerolaena diacantha; Enchylaena tomentosa; Sclerolaena parviflora; Chenopodium desertorum subsp. desertorum; Halgania cyanea; Vittadinia cuneata; Lomandra effusa; Atriplex stipitata; Ptilotus exaltatus var. exaltatus; Sclerolaena obliquicuspis; Podolepis capillaris; Lomandra leucocephala subsp. leucocephala; Chenopodium desertorum subsp. anidiophyllum. Structure (WH): Mallee Shrubland; Open Mallee Shrubland. Vegetation Description: Mallee shrubland or open shrubland most about 5 m tall but up to 8 m, most often in a whipstick habit, dominated by a number of mallee species including White Mallee (Eucalyptus dumosa), Red Mallee (Eucalyptus socialis) and Snap and Rattle (Eucalyptus gracilis) and Ridge-fruited Mallee (Eucalyptus costata). Narrow-leaved Red Mallee (Eucalyptus leptophylla) is also often present along with Sand Dune Pine (Callitris verrucosa). This community 450 Cunninghamia 9(3): 2006 Benson et al, Plant Communities of the New South Wales Western Plains

contains a species-rich understorey that is dominated by Porcupine Grass (Triodia scariosa). A mid-dense to sparse shrub cover includes Acacia colletioides, Dodonaea viscosa subsp. angustissima, Eremophila glabra, Olearia pimelioides, Maireana pentratropis, and Grevillea huegeilii. Mulga (Acacia aneura) and Wilga (Geijera parviflora) may occur in northern and eastern areas. Besides Porcupine Grass, the ground cover includes fuzz-weed (Vittadinia cuneata), Austrostipa nitida, Podolepis capillaris and copperburrs such as Sclerolaena diacantha and Sclerolaena obliquicuspis. After rainfall many ephemeral species germinate including daisies and other forbs. Weeds are low in number and cover but Onion Weed (Asphodelus fistulosus) can be a localised problem. The swales between the dunes are most often more loamy-clay and often contain different vegetation such as belah or box woodlands. This community occurs on calcareous brown-red sand or loamy sand sometimes overlying grey clay on east-west linear sand dunes mainly in the Murray-Darling Sands Bioregion in south far western plain of NSW extending into South Australia and Victoria. Mainly restricted to the arid zone and semi- arid (warm) climatic zones in NSW. In relatively good condition compared to most other inland plant communities due to a low proportion having been cleared and low stocking rates. Rabbits are a problem in some areas. Burnt by wildfires every two or three decades or more regularly by landholders. Frequent fire may threaten the survival of mallee species. IBRA (v6): Murray-Darling Depression (>70%). CMAs: Lachlan (1–30%); Lower Murray/Darling (>70%); Western (1–30%). Pre-European Extent: 800 000 ha ± 30%. Current Extent: 650 000 ha ± 30%. Percent Remaining: 81% ± 50%. Conservation Reserves: TOTAL AREA 66893 ha: Mallee Cliffs NP 17300 (E2); Mungo NP 6000 (E2); Nombinnie NR 250 (E1);Nombinnie SCA 200 (E1); Round Hill NR 143 (M); Tarawi NR 9000 (E1); Yathong NR 34000 (E2). Secure Pty. Agreements: TOTAL AREA 36680 ha: Nanya Ballarat Uni VCA 10530 (E1); Scotia AWC VCA 26150 (E1). Protected Current: TOTAL AREA 103573 ha (15.93%) ± 30%, or 12.94% of pre-European extent. Threat Category: Least Concern. Threat/Protected Area Code: LC/3a. Threat Criteria: 4; 1. Reference List: 39; 282; 12; 216; 17; 43; 25; 13; 244; 33; 41; 232; 78.

Appendix F

This is located in Folder 3 on the CD accompanying this journal. It is a spreadsheet listing of the 213 plant communities in the NSW Western Plains by ID number and common name with their threat code, protected area code, current extent, pre- European extent proportion of extent in protected areas compared to estimated pre-European extent, occurances in CMA areas, occurence in bioregions. The spreadsheet format facilitates ordering the plant communities by threat code, protected area status or percentage in protected areas.