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
Western Australia
Eucalyptus papuana, Red Rock Creek, Bungle Bungle Ranges, Kimberley Region, WA
Photo: Murray Fagg
Key features
Western Australia represents almost a third of the Australian continent and spans from the Great Australian Bight to the tropical coasts of the Timor Sea. It is world famous for its eucalypt tall open forests (karri and tingle communities) in the south-west and the spectacular wildflowers of the coastal heaths and subcoastal plains. Vegetation in Western Australia is more typically acacia woodlands, chenopod shrublands, hummock grasslands and mallee communities of the arid interior, with acacia shrublands and tussock grasslands in the north (Figure 29, Table 25).
Bioregions in Western Australia
Northern Kimberley
This bioregion consists of dissected plateaus and estuaries with a dry, hot, tropical climate with summer rainfall.
- Dominated by tropical eucalypt woodland/grasslands with mangrove group, grasslands and rainforests on the coast.
Major land uses are traditional Indigenous uses, nature conservation (Prince Regent Nature Reserve and Drysdale National Park), minimal uses (vacant crown land, reserved crown land - Aboriginal and defence reserves) and grazing.
Victoria Bonaparte
This region extends into the Northern Territory and consists of a number of basins and the interior is dominated by the Victoria River Plateau, a large, highly dissected plateau up to about 350 m above sea level. The climate is semi-arid with a dry, warm monsoonal climate.
- Dominated by tropical eucalypt woodland/grasslands, tussock and hummock grasslands and mangroves and lakes.
Major land uses are grazing, nature conservation, minimal use (vacant crown land) and irrigated agriculture (cropping, modified pastures and seasonal horticulture).
Ord Victoria Plain
This bioregion extends into the Northern Territory and consists of level to gently undulating plains with scattered hills and a climate which is dry, hot and tropical with summer rainfall.
- Dominated by tropical eucalypt woodland/grasslands, tussock and hummock grasslands, other grasslands and acacia shrublands in the far west.
Major land uses are grazing, minimal use (vacant crown land, other reserved crown land) and nature conservation.
Central Kimberley
This bioregion has hilly to mountainous terrain and parallel ranges with a dry, hot, subhumid to semi-arid summer rainfall.
- Dominated by tropical eucalypt woodland/grasslands, tussock and hummock grasslands.
Major land uses are extensive cattle grazing, minimal use (vacant crown land, reserved crown land - Aboriginal and defence reserves) and traditional Indigenous uses.
Dampierland
This bioregion consists of sand plains, coastal plains, alluvial plains and ranges with a dry hot semi-arid climate and summer rainfall.
- Dominated by acacia shrublands with smaller areas of hummock grasslands, tussock grasslands and the mangrove group.
- Very small areas of heath and eucalypt woodland occur.
Major land uses are grazing of native pastures and very small areas of modified pastures, minimal use (vacant crown land, reserved crown land - Aboriginal reserve), traditional Indigenous uses and nature conservation.
Tanami
This bioregion extends into the Northern Territory and consists of hills and ranges with sand plains with an arid tropical climate and summer rain.
- Dominated by hummock grasslands, tussock grasslands and other grasslands and salt lakes.
Major land uses are grazing and minimal use (vacant crown land).
Kalbarri Naitonal Park, WA
Photo: Murray Fagg
Great Sandy Desert
This bioregion extends into the Northern Territory and includes extensive sand plains, dune fields, lakes and remnant rocky outcrops with a temperate-tropical climate.
- Dominated by hummock grasslands with some areas of acacia shrublands, heath, chenopod and samphire shrublands and salt lakes.
Major land uses are minimal use (vacant crown land, reserved crown land - Aboriginal reserve), traditional Indigenous uses and nature conservation (Rudall River National Park).
Pilbara
This bioregion consists of mountainous ranges and plateaus, alluvial plains, granite and basalt plains with an arid climate and summer rain.
- Dominated by hummock grasslands and acacia forests and woodlands.
- Smaller areas of acacia shrublands, tussock grasslands, chenopod and samphire shrublands, salt marshes, mangroves and eucalypt woodland along water courses occur.
Major land uses are extensive cattle grazing, minimal use (vacant crown land, reserved crown land - Aboriginal and mining reserves), traditional Indigenous uses and nature conservation.
Central Ranges
This bioregion extends into the Northern Territory and South Australia and consists of ranges and sand plains with an arid climate and summer and winter rain.
- Dominated by acacia forests and woodlands, hummock grasslands and acacia shrublands.
Major land uses are traditional Indigenous uses.
Warren
This bioregion consists of dissected undulating terrain with depressions and plains of swamps and dune fields.
- Dominated by eucalypt tall open forests, eucalypt open forests composed of karri and jarrah, melaleuca forests and woodlands and eucalypt woodlands.
- On the coast by eucalypt woodlands, melaleuca forests and woodlands, acacia shrublands, heath, other shrublands, forests and woodlands and the grasslands group are dominant.
Major land uses are native forestry, nature conservation and grazing of native and modified pastures.
Jarrah forest
This bioregion has a warm Mediterranean climate.
- Eucalypt open forests and eucalypt woodlands with smaller areas of heath, melaleuca forests and woodlands, acacia shrublands, other shrublands, the grasslands group and a very small patch of eucalypt tall open forests dominate.
Major land uses are native forestry, nature conservation, cropping of cereals, grazing of native and modified pastures and plantations.
Swan Coastal Plain
This bioregion is dominated by a low lying coastal plain with a warm Mediterranean climate.
- Dominated in the south by eucalypt open forests and eucalypt woodlands with small areas of heath, open forests and woodlands, melaleuca forests and woodlands, acacia shrublands and other shrublands.
- In the north large areas of eucalypt open woodlands, other forests and woodlands, heath, acacia shrublands and eucalypt woodlands occur.
Major land uses are grazing of native and modified pastures, nature conservation, native forestry, plantations, intensive developments such as urban areas and irrigated cropping.
Avon Wheatbelt
This bioregion consists of an undulating landscape of low relief with a semi-arid dry and warm Mediterranean climate. This bioregion has been all but completely cleared of its native vegetation and is a fragmented landscape.
- Remnants include a diverse range of vegetation types of eucalypt woodlands, acacia shrublands, chenopod and samphire shrublands, casuarina forests and woodlands, low closed forests and closed shrublands, other shrublands, heath, mallee woodlands and shrublands and eucalypt open woodlands.
Major land uses are cropping (cereals), grazing of native and modified pastures, nature conservation and minimal use (vacant crown land, other reserved crown land).
Mallee
This bioregion has a semi-arid dry warm Mediterranean climate.
- Substantially cleared in the west and south and dominated by mallee woodlands and shrublands, heath, eucalypt open woodlands and remnants of eucalypt woodlands.
Major land uses are grazing of native and modified pastures, cropping (cereals, oilseeds, oleaginous fruits), minimal use (vacant crown land) and nature conservation (Dundas Nature Reserve).
Esperance Plains
This bioregion consists of sand plains and ranges with a warm Mediterranean climate.
- Dominated by mallee woodlands and shrublands, other shrublands, heath, eucalypt open woodlands, eucalypt woodlands and small areas of melaleuca forests and woodlands, eucalypt open forests and acacia shrublands.
Major land uses are nature conservation (Fitzgerald River National Park, Nuytsland Nature Reserve), cropping (cereals, oilseeds, oleaginous fruits), grazing of native pastures, minimal use (vacant crown land, other reserved crown land) and some native forestry.
Hampton
This bioregion consists of dune systems on a coastal plain backed by a stranded scarp with a semi-arid climate with winter rainfalls.
- Dominated by mallee woodlands and shrublands and chenopod and samphire shrublands.
Major land uses are sheep grazing, minimal use (vacant crown land) and nature conservation.
Nullarbor
This bioregion extends into South Australia.
- Dominated by chenopod and samphire shrublands (bluebush and saltbush) and eucalypt open woodlands in the south west.
- Small areas of acacia open woodlands, acacia forests and woodlands and hummock grasslands occur in the north.
Major land uses are sheep grazing, minimal use (vacant crown land) and nature conservation (Great Victoria Desert Nature Reserve).
Coolgardie
This bioregion consists of granite rocky outcrops, low greenstone hills, laterite uplands and broad plains. There are no major rivers or creeks within the bioregion. Numerous salt lakes of varying size occur across the region. It has hot summers and mild wet winters.
- Dominated by eucalypt woodlands, eucalypt open woodlands in the east, other shrublands, heath, acacia shrublands, chenopod and samphire shrublands, mallee woodlands and shrublands.
- Small areas of acacia forests and woodlands and hummock grasslands occur in the north.
Major land uses are minimal use (vacant crown land), grazing of native pastures and some nature conservation and native forestry. Very small areas of cropping and grazing of modified pastures occur in the west.
Mixed mallee, Ravensthorpe, WA
Photo: Damian Shepherd
Great Victoria Desert
This bioregion extends into South Australia and is characterised by dunes and swales with local occurrences of playa lakes, associated lee-sided mounds (lunettes) and rocky areas. The climate is arid, warm to extremely hot in summer and mild to warm winters. Rainfall generally occurs in the winter and summer.
- Dominated by hummock grasslands, acacia forests and woodlands and mallee woodlands and shrublands.
- Chenopod and samphire shrublands and casuarina forests and woodlands occur near salt lakes with some acacia shrublands in the north.
Major land uses are minimal use (vacant crown land, reserved crown land - Aboriginal reserve), traditional Indigenous uses, nature conservation and grazing.
Murchison
This bioregion consists of low hills, mesas of duricrust separated by flat colluvium and alluvial plains with an arid climate with winter rainfall. There are three major ephemeral wetlands within the bioregion, these include Lake Barlee, Annean Lake and Wooleen Lake.
- Dominated by acacia forests and woodlands, acacia shrublands, hummock grasslands and chenopod and samphire shrublands.
- Small areas of eucalypt woodlands and open woodlands, other shrublands occur.
Major land uses are sheep and cattle grazing, minimal use (vacant crown land, other reserved crown land) and some nature conservation.
Yalgoo
The region is characterised by sand and alluvial plains, lateritic breakaways, low ranges and salt lakes. Broad alluvial valleys separate the breakaways and low ranges. The climate varies from semi-desert to Mediterranean.
- Dominated by acacia shrublands, acacia forests and woodlands, hummock grasslands and smaller areas of eucalypt woodlands and chenopod and samphire shrublands.
Major land uses are sheep grazing, minimal use (vacant crown land) and nature conservation.
Geraldton Sandplains
This bioregion consists of undulating lateritic sand plains. The coastal climate is Mediterranean with mild wet winters and hot dry summers. Inland areas experience a semi-desert climate with low unseasonal rainfall, hot summers and mild winters. The great variation in rainfall, from north to south, results in a considerable variation in vegetation and land use.
- In the north, acacia shrublands, other shrublands, heath, casuarina forests and woodlands and small areas of hummock grasslands, mallee communities, eucalypt open woodlands and chenopod and samphire shrublands occur.
- The southern part includes heath, low closed forests and closed shrublands, acacia shrublands and eucalypt woodlands and open woodlands.
Major land uses in the north are grazing of native pastures and in the south a mixture of grazing of native and modified pastures and cropping (cereals). Nature conservation (e.g. Kalbarri National Park, Shark Bay World Heritage Area) occurs throughout the region.
Carnarvon
This bioregion has low gentle undulating relief and open drainage. The coastal areas are semi-desert with winter rainfall and Shark Bay has a Mediterranean climate. Further inland, the climate is arid with winter rainfall.
- Dominated by other shrublands in the south and hummock grasslands, tussock grasslands and chenopod and samphire shrublands in the north.
- Acacia shrublands, acacia forests and woodlands occur throughout the region.
Major land uses are sheep grazing, minimal use (vacant crown land, other reserved crown land, reserved crown land - defence reserve) and some nature conservation (Shark Bay World Heritage Area).
Gascoyne
The bioregion is characterised by low rugged sedimentary and granite ranges and broad flat valleys. The bioregion experiences very hot summers and warm winters. Rainfall is erratic and unreliable.
- Dominated by acacia shrublands and acacia forests and woodlands.
- Other shrublands and acacia open woodlands, salt lakes and chenopod and samphire shrublands occur in the west.
Major land uses are cattle and sheep grazing with smaller areas of minimal use (vacant crown land, other reserved crown land, reserved crown land - Aboriginal reserves), traditional Indigenous uses and nature conservation.
Little Sandy Desert
This bioregion consists of dune fields and ranges with an arid climate and summer rainfall.
- Dominated by hummock grasslands and acacia forests and woodlands with very small areas of acacia shrublands, chenopod and samphire shrublands, eucalypt woodlands and heath.
Major land uses are minimal use (vacant crown land, some other reserved crown land, reserved crown land - Aboriginal reserves) with some nature conservation.
Gibson Desert
The bioregion is characterised by vast undulating sand plains, dune fields, low rocky ridges and uplands with an arid climate and mainly summer rainfall.
- Dominated by hummock grasslands with some acacia shrublands, acacia forests and woodlands and other grasslands group in the southern part.
Major land uses are minimal use (vacant crown land, reserved crown land - Aboriginal reserves), traditional Indigenous uses and nature conservation.
| Major vegetation group | Present | Pre-European |
|---|---|---|
| Hummock grasslands | 998,696 | 999,222 |
| Acacia forests and woodlands | 402,223 | 402,519 |
| Acacia shrublands | 238,771 | 247,652 |
| Chenopod shrubs, samphire shrubs and forblands | 189,665 | 192,402 |
| Tropical eucalypt woodland/grasslands | 126,321 | 126,321 |
| Eucalypt woodlands | 88,430 | 88,639 |
| Tussock grasslands | 60,538 | 60,856 |
| Mallee woodlands and shrublands | 51,693 | 91,975 |
| Mangroves, tidal mudflats, samphires and bare areas, claypans, sand, rock, salt lakes, lagoons, lakes | 48,111 | 52,207 |
| Other shrublands | 42,246 | 53,382 |
| Eucalypt open woodlands | 32,654 | 108,680 |
| Eucalypt open forests | 20,321 | 28,536 |
| Heath | 17,822 | 38,806 |
| Other grasslands, herblands, sedgelands and rushlands | 7,855 | 8,110 |
| Acacia open woodlands | 3,766 | 3,766 |
| Casuarina forests and woodlands | 3,139 | 3,348 |
| Other forests and woodlands | 2,977 | 5,190 |
| Eucalypt tall open forests | 2,343 | 2,757 |
| Low closed forests and closed shrublands | 1,590 | 5,850 |
| Eucalypt low open forests | 1,506 | 3,277 |
| Melaleuca forests and woodlands | 1,189 | 1,596 |
| Rainforest and vine thickets | 16 | 18 |
| Callitris forests and woodlands | 0 | 23 |
| Note: * in order of greatest to smallest area. | ||
Vegetation change
In Western Australia, 7% or 18.3 million hectares of native vegetation has been cleared. This has been almost completely concentrated in the agricultural zone of the south west, where a high proportion of the remaining native vegetation consists of small remnant patches of vegetation outside state forest, protected areas or crown land.
Major vegetation groups most affected by clearing are eucalypt open woodlands, mallee woodland and shrubland, heath, other shrublands, chenopod shrublands, acacia shrublands and eucalypt open forests.
Significant areas of native vegetation remain uncleared in the deserts of the arid interior, the Pilbara region and the tropical north such as the Kimberley region. Large areas have been disturbed by grazing of cattle, sheep and feral animals.
The Audit assessment of landscape health provides a summary on a subregional basis of the landscape stresses in Western Australia including clearing, grazing, feral animals and weeds (NLWRA 2001c).
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