1.1.7.4 Terrestrial species and communities

The Namoi river basin supports a diversity of landscapes including the Liverpool and Kaputar ranges, the rolling hills of the sedimentary slopes, and the floodplains of the Liverpool Plains and Darling Riverine plains in the west of the river basin (Green et al., 2011). Vegetation in the upper Namoi includes open box woodlands on the slopes and temperate and sub-alpine forests in the ranges. The Liverpool Plains contain endangered native grasslands, and the riparian vegetation is dominated by river oaks and willows with river red gum communities along the major streams (Green et al., 2011). Ninety-seven regional vegetation communities were recognised to occur within the Namoi (Namoi CMA, 2011), However recent updates of this earlier mapping have revised this to 70 regional vegetation communities that were existed prioir to European colonisation and 3 derived regional vegetation communities (EcoLogical Australia 2013). Over 3200 km² of native woodlands and forests are protected within national parks and nature reserves. East of Tamworth the Warrabah National Park approximates 40 km² of habitat along the Namoi River. East of Narrabri the Kaputar National Park protects rainforest patches, semi-arid to sub-alpine woodlands and forests and heathlands on the high plateaus and peaks. The Pilliga Nature Reserve in the upper catchment of Bohena Creek is the largest reserve in the river basin protecting extensive areas of Pilliga scrub containing iron box woodlands and small areas of river red gum, yellow box, white box and angophora. White and black cypress are commonly associated with the iron bark. The Pilliga scrub is the largest remaining area of dry sclerophyll forest west of the Great Dividing Range in New South Wales and its size and connection to adjacent forest habitat makes it an important habitat for a range of threatened species including the endemic Pilliga mouse (Green et al., 2011).

Species/communities of national significance

Table 15 presents species or communities that occur in the Namoi river basin and are listed under the EPBC Act.

Table 15 Nationally listed biodiversity assets of the Namoi river basin

Asset	Theme	EPBC Act listing	Presence
Birds
Great egret (Egretta alba)	Biodiversity	Migratory	Known
Glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)	Biodiversity	Migratory	Known
Latham's snipe (Gallinago hardwickii)	Biodiversity	Migratory	Known
Marsh sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis)	Biodiversity	Migratory	Known
Common greenshank (Tringa nebularia)	Biodiversity	Migratory	Known
Sharp-tailed sandpiper (Calidris acuminate)	Biodiversity	Migratory	Known
Caspian tern (Hydroprogne caspia or Sterna caspia)	Biodiversity	Migratory	Known
White-throated needletail (Chaetura caudacuta or Hirundapus caudacutus)	Biodiversity	Migratory	Known
Clamorous reed-warbler (Acrocephalus stentoreus)	Biodiversity	Migratory	Known
Superb parrot (Polytelis swainsonii)	Biodiversity	Vulnerable	Known
Aquatic species
Murray cod	Biodiversity	Vulnerable	Known
Non Aquatic species
Booroolong frog (Litoria booroolongensis)	Biodiversity	Endangered	Known
Bell’s turtle (Elseya belli)	Biodiversity	Vulnerable	Known
Five-clawed worm-skink	Biodiversity	Vulnerable	Known
Ecological communities
Coolibah-Black box woodlands	Biodiversity/Land	Endangered	Known

Source data: Thurtell and Wettin (2012)

Species/communities of regional significance

Table 16 presents species or communities that occur in the Namoi river basin and are listed as threatened species by the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage (2012).

Table 16 Species and communities of the Namoi river basin listed as threatened in New South Wales

Asset		Theme		NSW Status	Presence
Birds
Superb parrot (Polytelis swainsonii)		Biodiversity		Threatened	Known
Australasian bittern (Botaurus poiciloptilus)		Biodiversity		Vulnerable	Known
Barking owl (Ninox connivens)		Biodiversity		Vulnerable	Known
Black-breasted buzzard (Hamirostra melanosternon)		Biodiversity		Vulnerable	Known
Black-necked stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus)		Biodiversity		Endangered	Known
Black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa)		Biodiversity		Vulnerable	Known
Blue-billed duck (Oxyura australis)		Biodiversity		Vulnerable	Known
Brolga (Grus rubicund)		Biodiversity		Vulnerable	Known
Diamond firetail (Stagonopleura guttata)		Biodiversity		Vulnerable	Known
Freckled duck (Stictonetta naevosa)		Biodiversity		Vulnerable	Known
Gilbert's whistler (Pachycephala inornata)		Biodiversity		Vulnerable	Known
Magpie goose (Anseranas semipalmata)		Biodiversity		Vulnerable	Known
Painted snipe (Rostratula benghalensis)		Biodiversity		Endangered	Known
Red goshawk (Erythrotriorchis radiates)		Biodiversity		Critically endangered	Known
Regent honeyeater (Xanthomyza Phrygia)		Biodiversity		Endangered	Known
Grey falcon (Falco hypoleucos)		Biodiversity		Vulnerable	Known
Square-tailed kite (Lophoictinia isura)		Biodiversity		Vulnerable	Known
Turquoise parrot (Neophema pulchella)		Biodiversity		Vulnerable	Known
Aquatic species
River snail (Notopala sublineata)		Biodiversity		Endangered	Known
Purple spotted gudgeon (Mogurnda adspersa)		Biodiversity		Endangered	Known
Silver perch (Bidyanus bidyanus)		Biodiversity		Vulnerable	Known
Olive perchlet (Ambassis agassizii)		Biodiversity		Endangered	Known
Freshwater catfish (Tandanus tandanus)		Biodiversity		Endangered	Known
Non aquatic species
Brush-tailed phascogale (Phascogale tapoatafa)		Biodiversity		Vulnerable	Predicted
Davies’ tree frog (Litoria daviesae)		Biodiversity		Vulnerable	Known
Glandular frog (Litoria subglandulosa)		Biodiversity		Vulnerable	Known
Greater broad-nosed bat (Scoteanax rueppellii)		Biodiversity		Vulnerable	Known
Pale-headed snake (Hoplocephalus bitorquatus)		Biodiversity		Vulnerable	Known
Sloane’s froglet (Crinia sloanei)		Biodiversity		Vulnerable	Known
Squirrel glider (Petaurus norfolcensis)		Biodiversity		Vulnerable	Known
Stripe-faced dunnart (Sminthopsis macroura)		Biodiversity		Vulnerable	Known
Ecological communities
Aquatic ecological community in the natural drainage system of the lowland catchment of the Darling River	Biodiversity/Water		Endangered ecological community		Known
Brigalow within the Brigalow Belt South, Nandewar and Darling Riverine Plains Bioregions	Biodiversity/Land		Endangered ecological community		Known
Cadellia pentastylis (Ooline) community in the Nandewar and Brigalow Belt South Bioregion	Biodiversity/Land		Endangered ecological community		Known
Carbeen Open Forest Community in the Darling Riverine Plains and Brigalow Belt South Bioregions	Biodiversity/Land		Endangered ecological community		Known
Carex Sedgeland of the New England Tableland, Nandewar, Brigalow Belt South and NSW North Coast Bioregion	Biodiversity/Land		Endangered ecological community		Known
Fuzzy Box Woodland on alluvial soils of the South Western Slopes, Darling Riverine Plains and Brigalow Belt South Bioregions	Biodiversity/Land		Endangered ecological community		Known
Howell Shrublands in the New England Tableland and Nandewar Bioregions	Biodiversity/Land		Endangered ecological community		Known
Inland Grey Box Woodland in the Riverina, NSW South Western Slopes, Cobar Peneplain, Nandewar and Brigalow Belt South Bioregions	Biodiversity/Land		Endangered ecological community		Known
McKies Stringybark/Blackbutt Open Forest in the Nandewar and New England Tableland Bioregions	Biodiversity/Land		Endangered ecological community		Known
Myall Woodland in the Darling Riverine Plains, Brigalow Belt South, Cobar Peneplain, Murray-Darling Depression, Riverina and NSW South Western	Biodiversity/Land		Endangered ecological community		Known
Native Vegetation on cracking clay soils of the Liverpool Plains	Biodiversity/Land		Endangered ecological community		Known
New England Peppermint (Eucalyptus nova-anglica) Woodland on basalts and sediments in the New England Tableland Bioregion	Biodiversity/Land		Endangered ecological community		Known
Ribbon Gum-Mountain Gum-Snow Gum Grassy Forest/Woodland of the New England Tableland Bioregion	Biodiversity/Land		Endangered ecological community		Known
Semi-evergreen Vine Thicket in the Brigalow Belt South and Nandewar Bioregions	Biodiversity/Land		Endangered ecological community		Known
White Box Yellow Box Blakely’s Red Gum Woodland	Biodiversity/Land		Endangered ecological community		Known

Source data: Thurtell and Wettin (2012)

Last updated:

5 January 2018

Terrestrial species and communities

Species/communities of national significance

Species/communities of regional significance

Product Finalisation date

Numbered headings

ASSESSMENT

PRODUCT DATA