Birds Desert Uplands Bioregion

Mackay Conservation Group Submissions on Waratah Coal draft EIS Galilee Coal Project China First V2 Mine Chapter 6 Terrestrial Ecology Biodiversity Values of Bimblebox Nature Refuge The Coordinator-General C/- EIS project manager – Galilee Coal project Significant Projects Coordination Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation Mrs Patricia Julien Coordinator Mackay Conservation Group P.O. Box 826 Mackay 4740 Ph: (07) 4966 8025 E: [email protected] 19th December, 2011

6.2.1 The Desktop Assessment will need to be updated in light of later biological survey information reported to DERM and SEWPac and supplied in this submission. Survey information we gave to Waratah Coal’s environment officer last year has not been included. Traditionally desktop assessments provide limited information as biological research in the Desert Uplands has been restricted. A thorough on-ground assessment of areas of high conservation value within the mine’s footprint is expected, especially for Bimblebox Nature Refuge, a protected area of State Biodiversity Significance within the National Reserve System classed by SEW Pac as IUCN IV. Under this classification no mining is permitted, and IUCN VI by the Queensland’s Department of the Environment and Resource Management (DERM) where only actions that will not adversely impact environmental values are allowed. We have provided information collected on bird species within Bimblebox Nature Refuge as birds are a good indicator of biodiversity condition and attest to the high environmental conservation values of this Nature Refuge.

6.2.2 Field Surveys The Australian Natural Resources Atlas Biodiversity Assessment reported: http://www.anra.gov.au/topics/vegetation/assessment/qld/ibra-desert-uplands.html#birds Birds Desert Uplands Bioregion Although the avifauna of the Desert Uplands is typical of tropical woodlands across northern Australia, it appears to contain the last substantial population of the southern subspecies of Black-throated Finch, a taxon that has disappeared from most of its range in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales since the first Atlas period. There are few introduced species in the bioregion, but there have been significant declines in the reporting rate of many woodland taxa and ground feeding insectivores. This may be related to the extensive land clearance that has occurred in recent decades

Rare and threatened: Black-throated Finch in patches where grassy woodland are grazed conservatively.

There have been two observations of the black-throated finch within Bimblebox Nature Refuge by Birds Australia observers, one in May and another in November 2011.

Indicators: Emu, Australian Bustard, Banded Lapwing, Brown Treecreeper, Noisy Miner, Hooded Robin, Jacky Winter, Grey-crowned Babbler, Varied Sittella.

All Indicator Species except the banded lapwing have been recorded in Bimblebox Nature Refuge.

Trend: Lower reporting rates of grassland and many woodland species as well as ground- feeding insectivores.

Scenario: Continued loss of woodland species as clearance continues and fragments are degraded.

Actions: Secure a functional landscape against clearance and over-grazing, including adequate representative areas of each community. Ensure pastoral areas with remnant Black- throated Finch populations are grazed conservatively. Maintain integrity of wetlands.

The Australian Natural Resources Atlas Biodiversity Assessment also listed Proportion of sightings of the 238 resident bird species in the Desert Uplands Bioregion as ranging from low to medium to high. Of the 145 bird species recorded in Bimblebox Nature Refuge in the Alice Tableland region of the Desert Uplands twenty-one species were listed as low (14%), eighty-seven as medium (61%) and thirty-four as high (24%). An additional three were not listed i.e. letter-winged kite (Near-threatened IUCN); painted button-quail(?); and fuscous honeyeater. The identification of the painted button-quail is not confirmed so is listed as an unidentified button-quail.

Those classed as a low proportion of sightings and found in Bimblebox Nature Refuge were: brown quail; wandering whistling duck; black falcon; black-shouldered kite; little button- quail; red-chested button quail; yellow-tailed black cockatoo; brush cockatoo; black-eared cockatoo; shining bronze-cuckoo; barn owl; speckled warbler; inland (brown) thornbill; chestnut-rumped thornbill; white-eared honeyeater; black-chinned honeyeater; golden whistler; spangled drongo; figbird; dusky woodswallow; brown songlark.

All bird species within the class of low recorded sightings in the Desert Uplands Bioregion within Bimblebox Nature Refuge should be protected because of their low numbers. This applies even more so to those species whose status is Conservation Significance for the Desert Uplands Bioregion: These are the black falcon; speckled warbler, inland (brown) thornbill, white-eared honeyeater and the black-chinned honeyeater.

Tables 1 and 2 show that significant percentages of habitat for almost all conservation significant species will be lost to open cut mining within Bimblebox Nature Refuge if this project is approved. As there is no possibility of a suitable offset, the Waratah Coal project presents a net loss for biodiversity in the Desert Uplands Bioregion. For this reason the mining of Bimblebox Nature Refuge and a buffer zone around it should not proceed.

Half of this nature refuge will be lost to open cut mining and infrastructure. The rest will suffer underground mining. What will remain will be a modified native vegetation fragment half of its original size. The draft EIS is deficient in that it does not address which conservation significant species will be affected severely by the restriction of their habitats and how they will be affected.

Table 1(a). Bird Species of Conservation Significance for the Desert Uplands within the class of low recorded sightings in the Desert Uplands Bioregion within Bimblebox Nature Refuge that will be directly impacted by the proposed open cut mining pits. Based on observations to date. Common Bird Species Total Observations Observations within or very Percentage of observations Names close to proposed open cut within or very close to open mine pits in Bimblebox cut mine pits in Bimblebox Nature refuge Nature Refuge black falcon 6 6 100% speckled warbler (LC-IUCN) 4 2 50% inland (brown) thornbill 7 2 29% white-eared honeyeater No exact location data unknown unknown black-chinnned honeyeater 3 3 100% (NT-IUCN)

Table 1(b). Bird Species of Conservation Significance within the class of medium recorded sightings in the Desert Uplands Bioregion within Bimblebox nature refuge that will be directly impacted by the proposed open cut mining pits. Based on observations to date. Common Bird Species Total observations Observations within or very Percentage of observations Name close to proposed open cut within or very close to open mine pits in Bimblebox cut mine pits in Bimblebox Nature Refuge Nature Refuge Australian bustard (LC- 6 3 50% IUCN) black-necked stork No exact location data unknown unknown bush stone-curlew 2 2 100% squatter pigeon No exact location data unknown unknown brown treecreeper (NT- 36 24 67% IUCN) hooded robin (NT-IUCN) 26 15 58% black-throated finch (E-QLD 2 2 recordings southwest of 100% NCA & EPBC) (V-IUCN) proposed B South Pit

Table 1(c). Birds of Conservation Significance within the class of high recorded sightings in the Desert Uplands Bioregion within Bimblebox Nature refuge that will be directly impacted by the proposed open cut mining pits. Based on observations to date.

Common Bird Species Total observations Observations within or very Percentage of observations Name close to proposed open cut within or very close to open mine pits in Bimblebox cut mine pits in Bimblebox Nature Refuge Nature Refuge Grey-crowned babbler (LC- 30 19 63% IUCN). Listed as high but reports from a QLD Herbarium botanist are that it is rarely seen.

Table 2a. Migratory EPBC-listed bird and butterfly species within proposed open-cut mine areas in Bimblebox Nature Refuge.

Common Bird Species Total observations Observations within or very Percentage of observations Name close to proposed open cut within or very close to open mine pits in Bimblebox cut mine pits in Bimblebox Nature Refuge Nature Refuge Rainbow bee-eater 9 6 67% Horsefield’s bronze cuckoo 2 1 50% Great egret 1 1 100% Wanderer butterfly 1 1 100%

Table 2b. Threatened EPBC-listed marine bird species within proposed open-cut mine areas in Bimblebox Nature Refuge.

Common Bird Species Total observations Observations within or very Percentage of observations Name close to proposed open cut within or very close to open mine pits in Bimblebox cut mine pits in Bimblebox Nature Refuge Nature Refuge Wandering whistling duck 1 1 100% Straw-necked ibis 1 1 100% Whistling kite 1 1 100% Great egret 2 2 100% Black-faced cuckoo-shrike 4 4 100% White-bellied cuckoo-shrike 3 3 100% Horsefield’s bronze cuckoo 2 1 50% Channel-billed cuckoo 1 1 100% Southern boobook 1 1 100% Sacred kingfisher 4 2 50% Rainbow bee-eater 9 6 67% Spangled drongo 1 0 0 Richard’s pipit 1 0 0 tree martin 4 4 100% Rufous night heron 1 1 100%

The Desert Uplands is a semi-arid region with high climatic variability. One or two on-ground surveys are insufficient to comprehensively represent biodiversity in such a region where flora and fauna changes dramatically in wet and dry years. Ideally seasonal surveys over a decade should be undertaken to capture the full ranges of flora and fauna in such a region of high climatic variability. A good example is the fact that it took three years of seasonal surveys by experienced Birds Australia bird observers to find two records of the endangered black-throated finch (commonwealth EPBC and Queensland NCA legislation) within Bimblebox Nature Refuge. New species continue to be recorded in ongoing surveys. Waratah Coal’s ecologists conducted thirty-one flora sites and eight fauna sites over 20 days from October 2009 through April 2010, a six month period covering an average Wet Season. They covered eight flora sites and only two fauna sites (0ne was a bat recording site) within Bimblebox Nature Refuge (Fig.1). They also did 14 person-days for the black-throated finch. They failed to find the black-throated finch and most of the 145 bird species and twelve birds of Conservation Significance for the Desert Uplands recorded within Bimblebox Nature Refuge by Birds Australia surveyors and scientists from 2003 through November 2011. Waratah Coal obtained their coal exploration license in June 2006. They have had six and a half years to conduct seasonal surveys and more adequately describe the environmental and ecological values of the mine site including 5

Bimblebox Nature Refuge, but failed to do so. Therefore the EIS with regard to biodiversity is incomplete.

Only a few flora and fauna sites were surveyed in Bimblebox Nature Refuge by Waratah Coal’s ecological consultant i.e. FAUNA: FF01 – fauna (within the northern section RE10.5.5 of the proposed open cut mine site); a bat recording site on the northern border of the proposed underground mine site on the fence line where land is completely cleared on the neighbouring Kiora property and a woodland road in Bimblebox Nature refuge runs along the fence line; FLORA: BB1 and BB14 – flora within the northern half of the proposed open cut mine site; and BB 2, BB3, BB5, BB16 and BB17 – flora within the proposed underground mine site. Bimblebox Nature Refuge is an area of State Significance for Conservation and should have been extensively monitored. There has been ample time for Waratah Coal to conduct on-going flora and fauna surveys. Western Central Queensland has a highly variable semi-arid climate. Ideally seasonal surveys should be conducted over a decade to try to capture the full range of flora and fauna within the projected mine site in wet, dry and average climate years. Because only a few surveys have been done there an endangered species and many of the bird species of Conservation Significance for the Desert Uplands have been missed by Waratah Coal’s ecological consultants.

Mackay Conservation Group coordinated Birds Australia members to conduct seasonal bird surveys over the past few years and found to date (Nov 2011) in conjunction with earlier scientific surveys 145 bird species (Appendix 1), 12 bird species of Conservation Significance for the Desert Uplands Bioregion, and an endangered species, the black-throated finch (EPBC and QLD NCA) (Appendix 2) and remaining EPBC-listed species (Appendix 3). The appendices also show distribution maps for conservation significant species.

Adapted from Fig. 1 Regional Ecosystems V2 Mine Chapter 6 Terrestrial Ecology 6

In appendices 2-3 where location data was available distribution maps of bird species are shown within Bimblebox Nature Refuge. Based on available survey data the distribution maps show that the brown tree-creeper is the most common and widespread of the twelve species of regional conservation significance, followed by the grey-crowned babbler and the hooded robin. All are found within the area proposed for open cut mining area within Bimblebox NR.

Evaluation of Waratah Consultant’s Flora and Fauna Survey Sites within Bimblebox Nature Refuge Vol. 2 Mine Chapter 6 Fig.1 Regional Ecosystems map shows the fauna and flora monitoring sites for Waratah Coal’s proposed mining activities. There are only two fauna monitoring sites within Bimblebox nature refuge, six flora monitoring sites and a bat ultrasound recording and mist net site within the mine and vegetation clearing footprint .

Thirteen (57%) of the twenty-three bird species of Conservation Significance for the Desert Uplands have been observed within Bimblebox Nature Refuge. Bird species are usually associated with one or more regional ecosystems. Bimblebox Nature Refuge has six regional ecosystems: 10.3.3, 10.3.12, 10.3.27, 10.3.28, 10.5.5 and 10.5.12.

We looked at the number of bird species associated with each regional ecosystem in Bimblebox Nature Refuge compared with the number of bird species actually recorded there to date. Of the five associated with RE10.3.3 four (80%) are in Bimblebox NR. Of the two associated with RE10.3.12 both (100%) are found in Bimblebox NR. Of the four associated with RE10.3.27 four (100%) are found in Bimblebox NR. Of the nine associated with RE10.3.28 seven (78%) are in Bimblebox NR.

Of the thirteen associated with RE10.5.5 ten (77%) have been found in Bimblebox Nature Refuge. Of the three associated with RE10.5.12 none were found in Bimblebox NR (Table 3).

Table 3. Location of recorded observations of Birds of Conservation Significance for the Desert Uplands in relation to the proposed open cut mine pits within Bimblebox Nature Refuge.

Most of Bimblebox Nature Refuge is covered with RE10.5.5 and this regional ecosystem supports the highest number of birds of conservation significance for the Desert Uplands that have been found to date in Bimblebox Nature Refuge, followed in order by REs 10.3.28, 10.3.3, 10.3.27 and 10.3.12 with none associated with RE10.5.12. The fact that all REs associated with bird species of conservation significance for the bioregion have a strong representation (77-100%) in Bimblebox NR attests to the excellent condition and high environmental values of habitats within this Refuge. It should not be mined as there is no suitable offset. Bimblebox Nature Refuge: Greatest Understorey Floristic Biodiversity in the Bioregion. 8

Ninety-five per cent of Bimblebox Nature Refuge has never been cleared and has understorey condition rated in the commonwealth Nature Refuge agreement with the landowners as in the best condition in the Desert Uplands Bioregion. “Sites within the property contain the greatest understorey floristic biodiversity for these vegetation types within the region.”

Agreement between the COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA represented by the Department of the Environment and Heritage and Ian Henry HERBERT, Catherine HERBERT, Carl Damon RUDD and Kerri Elizabeth RUDD in relation to Financial Assistance for the purchase of land to establish a Private Protected Area which will be part of the National Reserve System

8. Principles of Management of Protected Area The Organisation agrees/acknowledges that the land is to be managed as a Protected Area in accordance with the IUCN Guidelines and will be managed in accordance with the IUCN Category designated in Item L. i.e. IUCN IV where mining is not recommended. http://data.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/html/PAPS-016/5.%20Using%20the%20categories.html The categories were originally designed as a way of classifying and recording protected areas – already a huge task. Gradually new uses have been added, including in particular a role in planning protected area systems and in developing coherent conservation policy: after initial reluctance IUCN members themselves endorsed this approach through a recommendation that governments ban mining in category I–IV protected areas.

“IUCN No Go position on mining in categories I to IV”. This recommendation (number 2.82) was adopted by the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Amman in 2000. It recommended, inter alia “IUCN Members to prohibit by law, all exploration and extraction of mineral resources in protected areas corresponding to IUCN Protected Areas Management Categories I to IV”. This recommendation played an important role in the adoption by Shell and ICMM of a “No-Go” commitment in natural World Heritage sites. It represented a new application of the IUCN categories system (for protected areas) in that it linked restrictions on resource use to the system itself but also raised important questions about whether the system was rigorous enough for these purposes.

If the commonwealth SEWPac and Queensland DEEDI allow the complete mining of a Category IV Nature Refuge in a region where all of the Galilee Basin is covered with mining exploration permits it would demonstrate that the IUCN system of protected areas classification as applied in Australia is not rigorous enough to ensure biodiversity conservation.

8.1 The Organisation agrees to manage the land in accordance with the requirements of Item L. 8.3 The Organisation agrees/acknowledges that the land is to be managed for 999 years in accordance with the following general principles for the management of protected areas: - preserve and protect the land in its natural condition as part of the National Reserve System - preserve and protect indigenous flora and fauna and habitats - exterminate or control exotic flora and fauna - preserve and protect specific ecological, scenic, cultural and other nominated features - protect from injury by fire - provide for limited visitor use - other uses as detailed in Item L

All of these conditions have been met by the owners of Bimblebox Nature Refuge ... K. Acquisition of Land 1.1 Objectives for the Land The Land is to be purchased for the purpose of establishing a private protected area to protect the significant values of the site. 1.2 Significant features of the Land 9

region and three regional ecosystems, which are currently the focus of land development. These are poplar box and silver leaved ironbark woodlands on texture contrast soils, silver leaved ironbark woodlands on alluvial soils and poplar box woodlands on alluvial soils. There is a small area of river red gum and coolibah on channels with brigalow in clumps.

Sites within the property contain the greatest understorey floristic biodiversity for these vegetation types within the region.

L. Management of Land 1. The Land will be managed in accordance with the intent of IUCN Category IV, Habitat/Species Management Area: Protected area managed mainly for conservation through management intervention. DEFINITION: Area of land and/or sea subject to active intervention for management purposes so as to ensure the maintenance of habitats and/or to meet the requirements of specific species.

OBJECTIVES OF MANAGEMENT to secure and maintain habitat conditions necessary to protect significant species, groups of species, biotic communities or physical features of the environment where these require specific human manipulation for optimum management.

The protected area should be of sufficient size and natural or manipulated quality to maintain a species in its habitat or to maintain a portion of the life cycle of a particular species. Manipulation is selective alteration of habitats to favour a certain species.

to facilitate scientific research and environmental monitoring as primary activities associated with sustainable resource management.

http://www.iucn.org/about/work/programmes/pa/pa_products/wcpa_categories/pa_categoryiv /

Primary objective To maintain, conserve and restore species and habitats. Other objectives:

To protect vegetation patterns or other biological features through traditional management approaches;

-scale conservation strategies;

Role in the landscape/seascape Category IV protected areas frequently play a role in “plugging the gaps” in conservation strategies by protecting key species or habitats in ecosystems. They could, for instance, be used to:

 Protect critically endangered populations of species that need particular management interventions to ensure their continued survival e.g. black-throated finch;

 Protect rare or threatened habitats including fragments of habitats;

 Secure stepping-stones (places for migratory species to feed and rest) or breeding sites;   Provide flexible management strategies and options in buffer zones around, or connectivity conservation corridors between, more strictly protected areas that are more acceptable to local communities and other stakeholders;

 Maintain species that have become dependent on cultural landscapes where their original habitats have disappeared or been altered. 10

What makes category IV unique? Category IV provides a management approach used in areas that have already undergone substantial modification, necessitating protection of remaining fragments, with or without intervention.

... Category VI Management interventions in category IV protected areas are primarily aimed at maintaining species or habitats ...

Since the commonwealth and Queensland Nature Refuge agreements have been signed with the owners of Bimblebox Nature Refuge, the landowners, in compliance with their Nature Refuge agreements with the Queensland and commonwealth government have improved ground cover quality, as witnessed by scientists visiting the refuge. This makes it even less likely that a suitable offset of comparable value can be found in the Desert Uplands to compensate for the mining of this refuge.

As ninety-five per cent of this refuge has never been cleared it is likely to have plant species that may never have been discovered or other rare and threatened species (communication John Thompson, flora expert for the Desert Uplands, Queensland Herbarium). Clearing of regional ecosystems for over forty per cent of the Refuge is a high risk to such species and careful and seasonal long-term monitoring is required to assess the risk. Mining in protected areas is not part of a “coherent conservation policy” as implied below out by IUCN.

“Gradually new uses have been added, including in particular a role in planning protected area systems and in developing coherent conservation policy: after initial reluctance IUCN members themselves endorsed this approach through a recommendation that governments ban mining in category I–IV protected areas.”

Underground mining is likely to change surface eco-hydrology as the surface slumps. Given this information it is clear that more ecological monitoring needs to take place to fully describe the environmental values of Bimblebox Nature Refuge before open-cut and underground mining is contemplated. Under IUCN mining of Class 1-IV protected areas is not recommended precisely because of the damage to biodiversity that results. Damage to Bimblebox NR will last for 50-100 years and changes to hydrology are likely to be permanent. If offsets are not feasible which appears likely from what we have found, mining of this Refuge should not proceed. 6.3 Existing Environment SEW Pac: The Desert Uplands is a Hotspot for Biodiversity. SEW Pac defines biodiversity hotspots as areas that support natural ecosystems that are largely intact and where native species and communities associated with these ecosystems are well represented. They are also areas with a high diversity of locally endemic species, which are species that are not found or are rarely found outside the hotspot. In the Desert Uplands alone there are 22 rare or threatened animals, including the Masked Owl and the Julia Creek Dunnart, and 29 rare or threatened plants. SEW Pac defines tree clearing as a threat to the Desert Uplands.

The current, planned or potential management activities in hotspots place the natural values at risk, and it is likely this risk will increase in the future in the absence of active conservation management. Because the natural values of hotspots are largely intact, undertaking action now to maintain these values has the potential to provide value-for-money in contributing to our efforts in biodiversity conservation. 11

Any mining in the bioregion should avoid environmental damage, yet at least five massive coal mines, among the biggest in the world are proposed. All these coal mine line or are within the Belyando River within the Burdekin River Basin.

Given that the Belyando River can be 30km across in a large flood, and that thousands of hectares of woodland are to be cleared, the combined impacts on environmental values are likely to be extremely significant, especially for water quality and endangered species that have their range limits within the bioregion e.g. the black-throated finch. Where woodland clearing was extensive as in widespread clearing for agriculture in N.S.W. woodland bird species numbers dropped dramatically as habitat disappeared and became threatened species. Many of the same species of regional conservation significance there are in the Desert Uplands including Bimblebox NR, such as the hooded robin, speckled warbler, grey-crowned babbler etc. How this will be avoided within the Desert Uplands has not been directly addressed by DERM or the coal and gas mining industries who are now the only industry permitted to clear large areas of endangered and of concern regional ecosystems and use diversions to mine within rivers and creeks. Coal exploration permits cover all the Galilee Basin and 38% of Queensland. Coal seam gas exploration permits cover 50% of Central Queensland.

While establishment of bio-corridors across the Desert Uplands Bioregion may help to lessen biodiversity loss in the face of extensive mining, Vegetation and Biodiversity Offsets simply do not work to prevent a net loss of biodiversity in a region where most of it will be mined, and where the offset itself can be mined in the future. Offsets are very likely to be mined as the whole Galilee Basin is covered with multi-layers of very large coal and petroleum exploration permits.

Neither DER, DEEDI nor Waratah Coal proposal have clearly demonstrated how they will avoid irreversible damage to places of high environmental conservation significance within the mine, rail and port sites, especially cumulative impacts in conjunction with many closely adjoining other large mining operations planned in the Galilee Basin. Strategic assessment of the cumulative impacts of all proposed mining operations within the Belyando River catchment is needed to show the scale of the environmental impacts the Waratah Coal’s coal mining and rail project will have.

DEEDI and DERM’s approach of one coal mining project assessment at a time completely misses cumulative impacts at the bioregion and river basin scales. This ignores the Precautionary Principle. It leaves endangered species such as the black-throated finch, found in the Carmichael Mine, Hancock Mine and Waratah Mine areas and with suitable habitats in remaining mine areas in the Belyando River catchment extremely vulnerable. Similarly species of conservation significance for the Desert Uplands are also vulnerable especially all woodland arboreal species. Common species across every mine site also are at risk of becoming threatened under the large scale mining projects that are proposed. Not even baseline environmental monitoring, the first requirement for measuring change, has been done comprehensively for most of the Galilee and Bowen Basins. Class IV through Class VI protected areas are at higher risk of adverse impacts from climate change, and mining will only exacerbate this vulnerability by decreasing resilience.

http://data.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/html/PAPS-016/5.%20Using%20the%20categories.html

“Species and habitats at the edge of their geographical range are more likely to be adversely affected by global climate change. Protected areas including Nature Refuges will be able to play a role in mitigating climate change, by providing buffers against extreme climate events.” 12

Bimblebox NR is located at the edge of the current geographical range for bird species found within Bimblebox NR e.g. the endangered black-throated finch. Waratah Coal does not address their project’s impacts on such species at all in their draft EIS.

The endangered black-throated finch is present in Bimblebox Nature Refuge and the two observations (one sighting of a flock in May 2011 and the other a recording of the sounds of this species near the same spot in November 2011 by bird observers from Birds Australia) confirm its presence. These records are the most south-western of its range in recent years, and indicate it will be vulnerable to climate change in this area. Bimblebox Nature Refuge is providing a buffer against this as it also is for common species and species of Conservation Significance for the Desert Uplands, especially for the grey-crowned babbler, a bird species of conservation significance for the DU now rarely seen in the Alice Tableland. Yet nests and this species are common in Bimblebox Nature Refuge.