Mulga Lands
Encyclopedia
The Mulga Lands are an Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia
(IBRA) region of eastern Australia
consisting of dry sandy plains scattered with mulga trees.
and Queensland
these are flat plains with some low hills. and infertile sandy soil with a cover of grasses and shrubs with mulga and eucalyptus
trees. The region contains areas of wetland, most of them only seasonally flooded, these include Lake Wyara and Lake Numalla, the Currawinya Lakes, Lake Bindegolly
and others on the Warrego
and the Paroo River
s, the latter of which in particular remains relatively unmanaged and in its natural state.
The area has a very dry climate, with unpredictable low rainfall (450mm-650mm per year). The plains are drained in three directions: the eastern side by the Wallam, Nebine and Mungallala Creeks (tributaries of the Culgoa River
), and the Warrego and Paroo rivers into the Murray-Darling basin
; the southwest by the Bulloo River
into wetlands near the Simpson Desert
; and finally the northern side by the Barcoo River
towards Lake Eyre
. The Great Artesian Basin
lies below these plains and more rich patches of wildlife are found around mound springs stemming from the basin.
The mulga lands are sparsely populated and mostly used for grazing sheep and cattle.
s, the Brigalow Belt to the east and the Barkly Tableland to the north, both of which have better soil and richer plant life. To the south and east however the Mulga lands merge into the Simpson Desert
.
which have adapted to efficiently collect the sparse rainfall, are the distinctive habitat of this ecoregion while the ground cover consists of shrubs and grasses. However the mulga lands are not uniform and there are micro-climates and patches of other kinds of habitat, especially areas of eucalyptus woodland in the better-watered parts that have more wildlife than the mulga acacia plains themselves. Eucalyptus trees found here include bimble box
, coolibah
, and silver-leaved ironbark
. To the east of the Warrego River in Queensland the mulga lands merge into a heath of sand dunes. Throughout the mulga lands plant life quickly flourishes after rainfall and habitats revive and change.
is part of the project to revive Australia's population of the small bilby
, bandicoot
which in the park is protected from dingo
s and cats. This part of Australia is generally dry and when flooded Lakes Wyara and Numalla are important habitats for birds, being home to 250,000 birds of 40 species including the Rainbow Bee-eater
, Australasian Shoveler
duck, Freckled Duck
(Stictonetta naevosa), Musk Duck
(Biziura lobata), Black Swan
(Cygnus atratus), Silver Gull
(Larus novaehollandiae), Australian Pelican
(Pelecanus conspicillatus), Great Egret
(Egretta alba), and Glossy Ibis
(Plegadis falcinellus).
, Thrushton
, part of Welford
, Idalia
and the Culgoa Floodplain National Park
s .
Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia
The Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia is a biogeographic regionalisation of Australia developed by the Australian Government's Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts...
(IBRA) region of eastern Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
consisting of dry sandy plains scattered with mulga trees.
Location and description
Located in inland New South WalesNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
these are flat plains with some low hills. and infertile sandy soil with a cover of grasses and shrubs with mulga and eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
trees. The region contains areas of wetland, most of them only seasonally flooded, these include Lake Wyara and Lake Numalla, the Currawinya Lakes, Lake Bindegolly
Lake Bindegolly National Park
Lake Bindegolly is a National Park in south-west Queensland, Australia, 871 km west of Brisbane and 40 km from the town of Thargomindah. It is in the Mulga Lands bioregion and was established to protect a population of the rare plant Acacia ammophila...
and others on the Warrego
Warrego River
The Warrego River is situated in south west Queensland and north west New South Wales, Australia. It is the northernmost tributary of the Darling River....
and the Paroo River
Paroo River
The Paroo River is a river in Eastern Australia and is often considered to be major tributary of the Darling River in eastern Australia, although its flow generally dissipates before it reaches the Darling...
s, the latter of which in particular remains relatively unmanaged and in its natural state.
The area has a very dry climate, with unpredictable low rainfall (450mm-650mm per year). The plains are drained in three directions: the eastern side by the Wallam, Nebine and Mungallala Creeks (tributaries of the Culgoa River
Culgoa River
The Culgoa River is a continuation of one branch of the Balonne River in southern Queensland and flows south-west to join the Darling River near Bourke, New South Wales. It is named for the Aboriginal word meaning "Running Through". Tributaries of the Culgoa include Nebine, Mungallala and Wallam...
), and the Warrego and Paroo rivers into the Murray-Darling basin
Murray-Darling Basin
The Murray-Darling basin is a large geographical area in the interior of southeastern Australia, whose name is derived from its two major rivers, the Murray River and the Darling River. It drains one-seventh of the Australian land mass, and is currently by far the most significant agricultural...
; the southwest by the Bulloo River
Bulloo River
The Bulloo River is an isolated drainage system in western Queensland, central Australia. Its floodplain, which extends into northern New South Wales, is an important area for waterbirds when inundated.-Description:...
into wetlands near the Simpson Desert
Simpson Desert
The Simpson Desert is a large area of dry, red sandy plain and dunes in Northern Territory, South Australia and Queensland in central Australia. It is the fourth largest Australian desert, with an area of 176,500 km² ....
; and finally the northern side by the Barcoo River
Barcoo River
The Barcoo River in western Queensland, Australia that rises on the northern slopes of the Warrego Range, flows in a south westerly direction and unites with the Thomson River to form Cooper Creek. The first European to see the river was Thomas Mitchell in 1846, who named it Victoria Stream...
towards Lake Eyre
Lake Eyre
Lake Eyre is the lowest point in Australia, at approximately below sea level, and, on the rare occasions that it fills, it is the largest lake in Australia and 18th largest in the world...
. The Great Artesian Basin
Great Artesian Basin
The Great Artesian Basin provides the only reliable source of freshwater through much of inland Australia. The basin is the largest and deepest artesian basin in the world, stretching over a total of , with temperatures measured ranging from 30°C to 100°C...
lies below these plains and more rich patches of wildlife are found around mound springs stemming from the basin.
The mulga lands are sparsely populated and mostly used for grazing sheep and cattle.
Ecology
The Mulga Lands are defined by their plant life and poor soil and as such are distinct from neighbouring ecoregionEcoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
s, the Brigalow Belt to the east and the Barkly Tableland to the north, both of which have better soil and richer plant life. To the south and east however the Mulga lands merge into the Simpson Desert
Simpson Desert
The Simpson Desert is a large area of dry, red sandy plain and dunes in Northern Territory, South Australia and Queensland in central Australia. It is the fourth largest Australian desert, with an area of 176,500 km² ....
.
Flora
Mulga trees are a type of 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...
which have adapted to efficiently collect the sparse rainfall, are the distinctive habitat of this ecoregion while the ground cover consists of shrubs and grasses. However the mulga lands are not uniform and there are micro-climates and patches of other kinds of habitat, especially areas of eucalyptus woodland in the better-watered parts that have more wildlife than the mulga acacia plains themselves. Eucalyptus trees found here include bimble box
Eucalyptus populnea
Eucalyptus populnea, commonly known as Poplar box or Bimble box is an endemic tree of Australia. It is found in central and coastal Queensland to northern New South Wales. It can reach up to 25 meters tall and forms extensive open-forest communities in arid and sem-arid regions...
, coolibah
Eucalyptus coolabah
Eucalyptus coolabah is a eucalypt of riparian zones and is found throughout Australia from arid inland to coastal regions. The plant is commonly called coolibah or coolabah, the name being a loanword from the Indigenous Australian Yuwaaliyaay word, gulabaa.Propagation is dependent on periods of...
, and silver-leaved ironbark
Eucalyptus melanophloia
Eucalyptus melanophloia, commonly known as Silver-leaved Ironbark, isa species of Eucalyptus which is native to New South Wales and Queensland in Australia. It is a tall tree, growing up to 20 metres in height....
. To the east of the Warrego River in Queensland the mulga lands merge into a heath of sand dunes. Throughout the mulga lands plant life quickly flourishes after rainfall and habitats revive and change.
Fauna
Currawinya National ParkCurrawinya National Park
Currawinya is a national park near Hungerford in south west Queensland, Australia, 828 km west of Brisbane. Part of the mulga lands bioregion this is an area of dry sandy plain with small trees and shrubs...
is part of the project to revive Australia's population of the small bilby
Bilby
Bilbies are desert-dwelling marsupial omnivores; they are members of the order Peramelemorphia. Before European colonisation of Australia, there were two species. One became extinct in the 1950s; the other survives but remains endangered....
, bandicoot
Bandicoot
Bandicoots are a group of about 20 species of small to medium-sized, terrestrial marsupial omnivores in the order Peramelemorphia.- Etymology :...
which in the park is protected from dingo
Dingo
The Australian Dingo or Warrigal is a free-roaming wild dog unique to the continent of Australia, mainly found in the outback. Its original ancestors are thought to have arrived with humans from southeast Asia thousands of years ago, when dogs were still relatively undomesticated and closer to...
s and cats. This part of Australia is generally dry and when flooded Lakes Wyara and Numalla are important habitats for birds, being home to 250,000 birds of 40 species including the Rainbow Bee-eater
Rainbow Bee-eater
The Rainbow Bee-eater, Merops ornatus, is a near passerine bird in the bee-eater family Meropidae. It is the only species of Meropidae found in Australia.-Description:...
, Australasian Shoveler
Australasian Shoveler
The Australasian Shoveler is a species of dabbling duck in the genus Anas. It ranges from 46–53 cm. It lives in heavily vegetated swamps. In Australia it is protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Act, 1974...
duck, Freckled Duck
Freckled Duck
The Freckled Duck is a moderately large, broad-bodied duck native to southern Australia. The duck is protected by law...
(Stictonetta naevosa), Musk Duck
Musk Duck
The Musk Duck is a highly aquatic, stiff-tailed duck native to southern Australia. It is the only living member of the genus Biziura. An extinct relative, the New Zealand Musk Duck or de Lautour's Duck , once occurred on New Zealand, but is only known from prehistoric subfossil bones...
(Biziura lobata), Black Swan
Black Swan
The Black Swan is a large waterbird, a species of swan, which breeds mainly in the southeast and southwest regions of Australia. The species was hunted to extinction in New Zealand, but later reintroduced. Within Australia they are nomadic, with erratic migration patterns dependent upon climatic...
(Cygnus atratus), Silver Gull
Silver Gull
The Silver Gull also known simply as "seagull" in Australia, is the most common gull seen in Australia. It has been found throughout the continent, but particularly coastal areas. The South African Hartlaub's Gull and the New Zealand Red-billed Gull The Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus...
(Larus novaehollandiae), Australian Pelican
Australian Pelican
The Australian Pelican is a large water bird, widespread on the inland and coastal waters of Australia and New Guinea, also in Fiji, parts of Indonesia and as a vagrant to New Zealand.-Taxonomy:...
(Pelecanus conspicillatus), Great Egret
Great Egret
The Great Egret , also known as the Great White Egret or Common Egret, White Heron, or Great White Heron, is a large, widely-distributed egret. Distributed across most of the tropical and warmer temperate regions of the world, in southern Europe it is rather localized...
(Egretta alba), and Glossy Ibis
Glossy Ibis
The Glossy Ibis is a wading bird in the ibis family Threskiornithidae.This is the most widespread ibis species, breeding in scattered sites in warm regions of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Atlantic and Caribbean region of the Americas...
(Plegadis falcinellus).
Threats and preservation
80% of the original plant cover is intact especially in the drier inland west as some areas of eucalyptus woodland have been cleared in the eastern side of the area, and there are no endangered habitata in the mulga lands. However most of the area is used for grazing sheep and cattle so there is always a danger of overgrazing while mulga leaves are used as livestock fodder while other trees are removed to create more grassland and to allow access to water sources. The mound springs are particularly affected by this. There are some areas of National Park the largest of which is Currawinya, whose wetlands are especially important as bird habitats. Others include Hell Hole Gorge, Lake Bindegolly, MarialaMariala National Park
Mariala National Park is a national park in Queensland, Australia, 810 km west of Brisbane....
, Thrushton
Thrushton National Park
Thrushton is a national park in Queensland, Australia, 520 km West of Brisbane.Dense mulga scrub typical of Queensland’s Mulga Lands bioregion grows in this park. The park also protects flat spinifex sandplains, dry eucalypt woodlands and relics of the former sheep grazing era.-External links:*...
, part of Welford
Welford National Park
Welford is a national park in Queensland, Australia, 991 km west of Brisbane founded by Claire Gillman. It is located just to the south east of Jundah. The park was established in 1992 to protect the biodiversity of the mulga lands, mitchell grass and Channel Country ecoregions...
, Idalia
Idalia National Park
Idalia is a national park in Queensland , 893 km west of Brisbane. Idalia National Park is located near the town of Blackall in the Queensland outback. The park protects 144,000 hectares of mulga lands with conservation value...
and the Culgoa Floodplain National Park
Culgoa Floodplain National Park
Culgoa Floodplain National Park is a national park in Queensland, Australia, 627 km west of Brisbane. The park occupies the former pastoral and grazing property of Byra Station....
s .