The water-dependent asset register for the Namoi subregion (O’Grady et al., 2015; Bioregional Assessment Programme, 2017; Bioregional Assessment Programme, Dataset 2) contains 31 sociocultural assets that are water dependent (Table 48). Of these, 14 assets intersect with the zone of potential hydrological change (Bioregional Assessment Programme, Dataset 1). Thus it is very unlikely that hydrological changes associated with coal resource development affect the remaining 17 sociocultural assets.
Table 48 Sociocultural assets in the Namoi assessment extent and zone of potential hydrological change
Asset class |
Number of assets in the assessment extent |
Number of assets intersecting with the zone of potential hydrological change |
---|---|---|
Heritage site |
22 |
12 |
Indigenous site |
9 |
2 |
Total |
31 |
14 |
Data: Bioregional Assessment Programme (Dataset 1)
A sociocultural asset is defined as being water dependent if their location intersects the Namoi maximum flood extent or contains water-dependent features. This broad definition of water dependency makes it difficult to comment on the impact of any potential hydrological changes on these assets without having a quantitative understanding on the nature of their water dependency. This includes, for example, the Boggabri Lagoon and the Burburgate Carved Tree and, among others, built infrastructures such as the Wee Waa and Gunnedah courthouses, a Police residence heritage-listed building, cemeteries and graves – all located within the zone of potential hydrological change (Table 49). The Boggabri Lagoon and the Burburgate Carved Tree are both located close to the Namoi River within the human-modified landscape (Figure 50). The Bioregional Assessment Programme does not have the expertise to comment on potential impacts of changes in hydrological regimes on the value of Indigenous assets and built infrastructure.
Within the heritage sites, there is also the ‘Tambar Springs palaeontological site’ (approximately 290 ha). The Tambar Springs palaeontological site is situated in the agricultural area around Coxs Creek north of Tambah. It includes landscape classes associated with the Coxs Creek channel area, including ‘Floodplain riparian forests GDE’ and ‘Grassy Woodland GDE’.
Table 49 Sociocultural assets within the zone of potential hydrological change
Figure 50 Sociocultural assets within the zone of potential hydrological change

Product Finalisation date
- 3.1 Overview
- 3.2 Methods
- 3.3 Potential hydrological changes
- 3.4 Impacts on and risks to landscape classes
- 3.4.1 Overview
- 3.4.2 Landscape classes that are unlikely to be impacted
- 3.4.3 'Floodplain or lowland riverine' (non-Pilliga) landscape group
- 3.4.4 'Non-floodplain or upland riverine' (non-Pilliga) landscape group
- 3.4.5 Pilliga riverine (upland and lowland)
- 3.4.6 Potentially impacted landscape classes lacking quantitative ecological modelling
- References
- Datasets
- 3.5 Impacts on and risks to water-dependent assets
- 3.6 Commentary for coal resource developments that are not modelled
- 3.7 Conclusion
- Citation
- Acknowledgements
- Contributors to the Technical Programme
- About this technical product