Boolcoomatta Reserve
Encyclopedia
Boolcoomatta Reserve is a 630 km2 nature reserve
in eastern South Australia
, 463 km north-east of Adelaide and 100 km west of Broken Hill
. It is owned and managed by Bush Heritage Australia
(BHA).
for 150 years before being purchased by BHA in 2006 with assistance from the Australian Government and Nature Foundation SA. There are relics of some small-scale copper mining on the property.
woodland
while the plains to the east support shrubland
s of chenopods, including saltbush
, as well as tussock grassland
. Usually dry creeks, with occasional waterholes, are lined with River Red Gum
s. The climate is arid, with an average annual rainfall of 190 mm.
, identified by BirdLife International
as supporting a significant population of Plains-wanderers. Other threatened animal species present on Boolcoomatta include the Slender-billed Thornbill
and Thick-billed Grasswren
. There is habitat suitable for the Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby, which is present on adjoining Bimborwie Conservation Park.
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
in eastern South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, 463 km north-east of Adelaide and 100 km west of Broken Hill
Broken Hill, New South Wales
-Geology:Broken Hill's massive orebody, which formed about 1,800 million years ago, has proved to be among the world's largest silver-lead-zinc mineral deposits. The orebody is shaped like a boomerang plunging into the earth at its ends and outcropping in the centre. The protruding tip of the...
. It is owned and managed by Bush Heritage Australia
Bush Heritage Australia
Bush Heritage Australia is a non-profit organisation based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia that operates throughout Australia. It was previously known as the Australian Bush Heritage Fund, which is still its legal name. It purchases land, assessed as being of outstanding conservation value, from...
(BHA).
History
Boolcoomatta was a sheep stationSheep station
A sheep station is a large property in Australia or New Zealand whose main activity is the raising of sheep for their wool and meat. In Australia, sheep stations are usually in the south-east or south-west of the country. In New Zealand the Merinos are usually in the high country of the South...
for 150 years before being purchased by BHA in 2006 with assistance from the Australian Government and Nature Foundation SA. There are relics of some small-scale copper mining on the property.
Landscape and vegetation
Much of Boolcoomatta is flat, with undulating ranges and rocky outcrops in the western section of the property. The ranges support open AcaciaAcacia
Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...
woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
while the plains to the east support shrubland
Shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub or brush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity...
s of chenopods, including saltbush
Atriplex
Atriplex is a plant genus of 100-200 species, known by the common names of saltbush and orache . The genus is quite variable and widely distributed. It includes many desert and seashore plants and halophytes, as well as plants of moist environments...
, as well as tussock grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
. Usually dry creeks, with occasional waterholes, are lined with River Red Gum
River Red Gum
The River Red Gum is a tree of the genus Eucalyptus. It is one of around 800 in the genus. It is a plantation species in many parts of the world, but is native to Australia, where it is widespread, especially beside inland water courses...
s. The climate is arid, with an average annual rainfall of 190 mm.
Fauna
The reserve forms part of the 1402 km2 Boolcoomatta, Bindarrah & Kalkaroo Stations Important Bird AreaImportant Bird Area
An Important Bird Area is an area recognized as being globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. Currently there are about 10,000 IBAs worldwide. The program was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International...
, identified by BirdLife International
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
as supporting a significant population of Plains-wanderers. Other threatened animal species present on Boolcoomatta include the Slender-billed Thornbill
Slender-billed Thornbill
The Slender-billed Thornbill is a small bird native to Australia. It includes three separate sub-species:* A. i. hedleyi* A. i. iredalei* A. i. rosinae...
and Thick-billed Grasswren
Thick-billed Grasswren
The Thick-billed Grasswren is a species of bird in the Maluridae family.It is endemic to Australia.Its natural habitat is Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation.-References:...
. There is habitat suitable for the Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby, which is present on adjoining Bimborwie Conservation Park.