Refugia for biological diversity in arid and semi-arid Australia
Biodiversity Series, Paper No. 4
S.R. Morton, J. Short and R.D. Barker, with an Appendix by G.F. Griffin and G. Pearce
Biodiversity Unit
Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories, 1995
13. Refugia in Queensland (continued)
13.4. Reference number QLD4
Refuge area: Lakes Numalla, Wyara and Bindegolly
Biogeographic region: Mulga Lands
Type of refuge: Wetlands
Lat./Long. 28°45’S / 145°19’E, 28°42’S / 144°14’E, and 28°01’S / 144°12’E
Quality of refuge: Significant (2)
Area (km²): <1,000
Chief refuge value
Wetlands of great significance to waterbirds of arid Australia.
General description
Lake Numalla is a permanent, freshwater to brackish waterbody northwest of Hungerford, and Lake Wyara is a large permanent saline lake adjacent to it. Lake Numalla may occasionally connect with the Paroo River, but Lake Wyara may have completely internal drainage. There are large areas of open water habitat, fringing areas of low open samphire shrubland, woodlands of black box, and claypans. The Lake is an important freshwater body in an arid area, a major habitat for waterbirds (including migratory waders), and an important drought refuge area1, 2.
Lakes Bindegolly lies east of Thargomindah. It contains slightly saline, permanent waterbodies as well as surrounding areas that flood in wet years. There are open water habitats, seasonally-flooded areas with samphire and woodland, and ephemerally-flooded areas with claypans. The lake is a major breeding habitat and drought refuge for water and other birds typical of southern arid Queensland1.
ANZECC-listed species
None identified.
Regional endemics
None identified.
Relict species
None identified.
Other significant species
The dunes surrounding Lake Bindegolly support the rare plant species Acacia ammophila1.
Key threats
Minor disturbance by feral pigs, and overgrazing in catchments outside the National Parks.
Land tenure
Currawinya Lakes National Park (Lakes Numalla and Wyara), Lake Bindegolly National Park and a pastoral holding (Lake Bindegolly).
Key references
1. Blackman et al. (1993)
2. Kingsford and Porter (1994)
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