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Publications

Refugia for Biological Diversity in Arid and Semi-arid Australia

Biodiversity Series, Paper No. 4
Biodiversity Unit

S.R. Morton, J. Short and R.D. Barker
with an Appendix by G.F. Griffin and G. Pearce


14.7. Reference Number NSW7

Refuge area Booligal wetlands

Biogeographic region Riverina

Type of refuge Wetlands

Lat./Long. 33o 42’ S / 144o 51’ E

Quality of refuge Significant (1)

Area (km2) <1,000

Chief refuge value

A wetland providing a wide range of breeding habitats and a major drought refuge for waterbirds.

General description

Low-gradient braided channels situated on the Merrimajeel and Muggabah Creeks, distributaries of the Lachlan River. The creeks and channels are surrounded by lignum Muehlenbeckia cunninghamii and scattered stands of river red gum Eucalyptus camaldulensis, black box E. largiflorens and river cooba Acacia stenophylla. Several depressions along each of the creeks retain water after the creeks cease to flow. Large numbers of waterbirds congregate to breed and forage in the area during flood years, and so the Booligal wetlands provide valuable drought refuge habitat when wetlands in other parts of the inland are dry1,2,3,4.

ANZECC-listed species

None identified.

Regional endemics

None identified.

Relict species

None identified.

Other significant species

None identified.

Key threats

None identified.

Land tenure

Freehold land.

Key references

1. Briggs et al. (1985)

2. Briggs and Maher (1985)

3. Kingsford et al. (1990)

4. Wettin et al. (1993)

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