Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001
Maria Cofinas, Colin Creighton
National Land and Water Resources Audit, 2001
ISBN 0 642 37128 8
Major vegetation groups and their status in each State & Territory
New South Wales
Dicksonia antarctica swamp, near Monga, NSW
Photo: Murray Fagg
Key features
The vegetation of New South Wales includes major examples of a broad range of plant communities. They occur in subtropical, alpine and arid environments and reflect the diversity of geologic patterns and climatic variability. New South Wales shares many vegetation communities with the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia (Figure 23, Table 18).
Eastern New South Wales is dominated by eucalypt open forests moving to landscapes dominated by acacia shrublands and chenopod and samphire shrublands in the west. Eucalypt woodlands occur throughout the State. Although the State contains many endemic plants, the sandstone communities of the Sydney Basin represent the major expression of plant communities confined specifically to this State.
Grasslands are widespread throughout central and eastern New South Wales and are composed of native and 'derived' grasslands. Derived grasslands occur in areas where the tree or shrub cover has been removed by clearing or other factors (Benson 1999).
Bioregions in New South Wales
Channel Country
Most of this bioregion occurs in Queensland with parts in the Northern Territory and South Australia. It has an arid climate with very dry hot summers and short dry winters and is characterised by vast braided, flood and alluvial plains.
- Dominated by tussock grasslands, pockets of acacia shrublands and acacia forests and woodlands along drainage depressions in the west.
- In the east chenopod and samphire shrublands, grasslands and acacia shrublands dominate.
Major land uses are grazing and nature conservation including the major part of the Sturt National Park.
Broken Hill Complex
This bioregion extends into South Australia and includes the entire length of the Barrier Ranges. It has a dry, hot to warm climate.
- Acacia shrublands, chenopod shrublands and casuarina forests and woodlands dominate with a small area of callitris.
- A range of vegetation groups occur along water courses including eucalypt low open forests, and eucalypt woodlands.
Livestock grazing is the major land use with some nature conservation and native forestry.
Mulga Lands
Most of this bioregion occurs in Queensland. It is characterised by flat to gently undulating plains. Rainfall is summer dominant with increasing winter rain towards the south.
- Dominated in the west by acacia shrublands and in the east with acacia forests and woodlands.
- Other vegetation includes eucalypt open forests, casuarina and chenopod communities in drainage depressions and small areas of eucalypt woodland.
Livestock grazing is the dominant land use with some nature conservation.
Simpson-Strzelecki Dunefields
Most of this bioregion occurs in South Australia and the Northern Territory with a smaller part in Queensland.
- Dominated by dune vegetation of acacia shrublands with a spinifex (hummock grassland) understorey and linear strips of eucalypt low open forests along drainage depressions.
Dominant land uses are grazing and nature conservation including the north-west corner of the Sturt National Park.
Murray-Darling Depression
This bioregion extends into South Australia and Victoria and is characterised by gently undulating sandy and clay plains frequently overlain by dunes.
- Dominated by mallee woodlands and shrublands, casuarina forests and woodlands, acacia shrublands with some chenopod and samphire communities, grasslands and low closed forests and closed shrublands in the south.
- Pockets of callitris forests and woodlands and eucalypt woodlands occur in the north.
- Two small parts of the region in the east are dominated by mallee communities (Nombinnie Nature Reserve) in the north and grasslands in the south.
Major land uses are grazing and nature conservation (e.g. Mallee Cliffs National Park, Willandra World Heritage Area). Limited clearing of mallee, casuarina and chenopod communities has occurred in the far south.
Riverina
This bioregion extends into Victoria and a small part of the Murray River into South Australia. It has a dry climate and includes parts of the Murrumbidgee, Lachlan and Murray rivers.
- Chenopod shrubs (bladder saltbush) and tussock grasslands dominate.
- Low closed forests and closed shrublands occur along drier watercourses with eucalypt open forests, eucalypt woodlands and casuarina communities along the major watercourses.
Large areas in the south and south east of this region have been cleared. Major land uses are livestock grazing with large areas of irrigation, some dryland agriculture, native forestry and nature conservation (Willandra National Park).
Darling Riverine Plain
This bioregion extends partly into Queensland, contains the Darling River system and is characterised by alluvial fans and plains with a hot dry climate in the west and less dry in the east.
- Dominated along the Darling River by eucalypt open forests, tussock grassland and chenopod and samphire shrubs.
- Remaining area contains a wide variety of vegetation groups including chenopod and samphire shrublands, grasslands, acacia forests and woodlands, eucalypt woodland, eucalypt open woodland, low closed forests and closed shrublands and eucalypt tall open forests along the Barwon River.
Major land uses are grazing and dryland cereal cropping with some nature conservation, grazing of modified pastures, native forestry, and irrigated cropping and pastures. This bioregion spans parts of the western and central regions of New South Wales with much of the vegetation in the east and south cleared for dryland and some irrigated agriculture (cotton and cereals) or under threat of clearing for cropping.
Cobar Peneplain
This region consists of rocky outcrops with limited alluvial soils with a warm to hot dry climate.
- Dominated in the western part by eucalypt woodland, acacia shrublands, callitris forests and woodlands with small areas of acacia forests and woodlands. This area remains uncleared and is primarily used for livestock grazing.
- Patchy areas of eucalypt open woodland and grasslands occur in the east of the region which has undergone clearing for dryland agriculture.
Eleven percent of the bioregion is cleared. Major land uses are grazing of native pastures, cropping and some grazing of modified pastures, native forestry, nature conservation and irrigated cropping (cotton in the north).
Brigalow Belt South
Most of this bioregion occurs in Queensland. It has been substantially cleared for grazing and cropping.
- Eucalypt open woodlands and woodlands and mallee woodlands and shrublands dominate the remaining vegetation.
- Scattered remnants of eucalypt open forests, callitris and acacia forests and woodlands and acacia open woodlands remain.
Major land uses are grazing of native and modified pastures, native forestry and dryland agriculture (cereals, legumes, cotton, oilseeds and oleaginous fruit) with some nature conservation (e.g. Pilliga Nature Reserve) and irrigated cotton.
New South Wales South Western Slope
This bioregion has a small part within Victoria and is characterised by foothills and isolated ranges with a warm to hot and dry climate. It has been extensively cleared (66%) of eucalypt woodlands for cropping and grazing with introduced pastures.
- Remnants of eucalypt woodland, eucalypt open forests and grasslands occur with scattered occurrences of callitris, heath and chenopod and samphire shrublands.
Major land uses are dryland agriculture (cereals, legumes, oilseeds and oleaginous fruit), irrigated cropping (cereals and cotton), irrigated pastures and irrigated horticulture (e.g. tree fruits).
New South Wales North Coast
This biorregion is characterised by a series of escarpments, foothills and coastal plains and has a subtropical (summer and winter rainfall) to temperate climate further inland.
- Large areas of eucalypt open forests, rainforests and mangroves occur on the coast.
- Large areas on the foothills and coast plains have been cleared.
- More detailed mapping and survey has shown that this area has a high diversity of vegetation and plant species.
The area has been extensively cleared (38%) primarily for grazing of native and modified pastures with other major land uses including minimal use, native and some plantation forestry and nature conservation. The largest areas of rainforest are protected, as are many coastal communities (e.g. Oxley Wild Rivers, Barrington Tops, Myall Lakes and Lamington National Parks). Irrigation occurs along the coast and the south and dryland cropping for cereals and sugar.
New England Tableland
This bioregion consists of undulating elevated plateaus of hills and plains with a temperate (dry and hot summer) climate and extends into southern Queensland.
- Dominated by eucalypt open forests, woodlands and open woodlands.
The area has been cleared primarily for grazing of native and modified pastures, minimal use, some nature conservation, native forestry and dryland cropping (cereals).
Cattle grazing, north-west NSW
Photo: Maria Cofinas
Nandewar
This bioregion extends into southern Queensland and is located on the north western slopes of New South Wales with a temperate (hot summer) climate with winter and summer rain.
- Dominated by eucalypt open forests and open woodlands and mallee woodlands and shrublands.
The area has been extensively cleared primarily for grazing of native pastures, dryland cropping (cereals and legumes) and some grazing of modified pastures. Other land uses include minimal use, nature conservation( Kaputar National Park is the largest protected area) and native forestry.
Sydney Basin
This bioregion is characterised by dissected plateaus (sandstones and shales) with a temperate (mild to hot summer) climate.
- Dominated by a large range of vegetation types including eucalypt woodlands, eucalypt open forests and scattered patches of eucalypt tall open forests, eucalypt low open forests, eucalypt woodland, heath, mallee, rainforest, mangroves, grasslands and samphire communities.
Thirty-two percent of the bioregion has been cleared (particularly on the Illawarra and Cumberland Plains) for grazing of native pastures, urban development and small areas of irrigation, forestry and grazing of modified pastures. Large areas of vegetation are protected such as the Wollemi, Yengo, Blue Mountains, Nattai and Morton National Parks.
South East Corner
This bioregion extends into Victoria and is characterised by a series of deeply dissected near coastal ranges, gently undulating terraces, coastal plains, dunes and inlets. It has a temperate, mild to warm summer climate.
- Dominated by eucalypt open forests and eucalypt tall open forests on the steep escarpment and undulating foothills.
- Scattered patches of rainforest, eucalypt woodland and open woodland, acacia forests, woodlands and shrublands, heath, mangroves and other wetland vegetation.
Major land uses include native forests, nature conservation and grazing. Clearing of eucalypt open and tall open forests and heath and grasslands on the coast has occurred mainly for urban expansion, livestock grazing and cropping.
South East Highlands
This bioregion extends into the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria. The region consists of undulating plateaus and steep dissecting ranges.
- Dominated by eucalypt woodlands and tussock grasslands in the south.
- Scattered patches of heath, eucalypt tall open forests, rainforest and swamps occur throughout the region.
The region has been extensively cleared with grazing of native and modified pastures the major land uses. Other land uses include plantations, native forests, dryland cropping, nature conservation and some irrigated cropping.
Australian Alps
This bioregion extends into Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory. The alpine region in southern New South Wales is characterised by a series of high elevation plateaus.
- Contains the only alpine and the majority of the subapline vegetation in New South Wales and is often snow covered in winter.
- Dominated by eucalypt open forests and woodlands and tussock grassland.
- Small areas of eucalypt open woodlands and heath are present.
The majority of this region is protected in the Namadgi and Kosciuszko National Parks. The region is recovering from past grazing and soil erosion. The Kosciuszko National Park is under pressure from tourism and ski development. It is the location of major water impoundments for diversion to the Murray and Murrumbidgee rivers.
| Major vegetation group | Present | Pre-European |
|---|---|---|
| Eucalypt open forests | 90,979 | 138,576 |
| Acacia shrublands | 77,017 | 77,081 |
| Eucalypt woodlands | 68,306 | 207,980 |
| Other grasslands, herblands, sedgelands and rushlands | 65,761 | 65,917 |
| Chenopod shrubs, samphire shrubs and forblands | 62,322 | 68,766 |
| Casuarina forests and woodlands | 40,698 | 42,580 |
| Mallee woodlands and shrublands | 33,889 | 36,746 |
| Eucalypt open woodlands | 31,245 | 31,247 |
| Callitris forests and woodlands | 22,132 | 23,724 |
| Acacia forests and woodlands | 21,184 | 26,099 |
| Tussock grasslands | 19,318 | 40,790 |
| Eucalypt low open forests | 10,883 | 10,894 |
| Mangroves, tidal mudflats, samphires and bare areas, claypans, sand, rock, salt lakes, lagoons, lakes | 5,411 | 5,670 |
| Other shrublands | 5,117 | 5,294 |
| Eucalypt tall open forests | 4,405 | 8,567 |
| Low closed forests and closed shrublands | 3,725 | 3,761 |
| Rainforest and vine thickets | 2,218 | 4,836 |
| Heath | 1,154 | 1,245 |
| Other forests and woodlands | 141 | 189 |
| Acacia open woodlands | 138 | 138 |
| Melaleuca forests and woodlands | 14 | 130 |
| Hummock grasslands | 4 | 4 |
| Note: * in order of greatest to smallest area. | ||
Wheat harvest, Narromine, NSW
Photo: Murray-Darling Basin Commission
Vegetation change
In New South Wales, 30%, or 23.4 million hectares, of native vegetation has been removed in the coastal lowlands and floodplains of northern New South Wales, the central coast from the Hunter to Illawarra and the south coast around Bega district. The alluvial plains, adjoining north-west slopes and New England Tableland of the Murray-Darling Basin have also been extensively cleared, as have the south-west slopes and southern highlands such as the Monaro Tableland. New South Wales has one of the largest areas of cleared land in Australia.
The main cause of decline and change to native vegetation since European settlement have been clearing for cropping and grazing by stock, grazing by feral animals, logging, weed invasion, mining, soil degradation through compaction, salinisation and acidification and pollution including nutrification of waterways (Benson 1999).
Major vegetation groups most affected are the eucalypt woodlands, tussock grasslands, acacia forests and woodlands, chenopod shrublands, eucalypt open forests, eucalypt tall open forests and rainforest and vine thickets.
Much of the New South Wales mapped data available for compilation in the National Vegetation Information System does not reflect the current extent of native vegetation. The data over-represents the amount of tree cover in the State as clearing has occurred since the mapping was undertaken. More recent extent figures summarised by subregion are presented in the Landscape Health report (NLWRA 2001c) and are available from New South Wales Department of Land and Water Conservation. Pre-European data is interim and area estimates from this comparison have been included for indicative purposes. Currently a program exists to map pre-European vegetation at a finer level of mapping across the State.
The Audit's assessment of landscape health provides a summary on a subregional basis of the landscape stresses in New South Wales including clearing, grazing, feral animals and weeds (NLWRA 2001c).
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