Buckley River (23456)
Australia, Australasia

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Global KBA criteria: A1b, A1d

Year of last assessment: 2009

National site name: Buckley River

Central coordinates: Latitude: -20.0327, Longitude: 139.2587

System: terrestrial

Elevation (m): 283 to 516

Area of KBA (km²): 4836.98

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: The Buckley River IBA occurs in the Mount Isa and Camooweal area. The IBA boundary is defined by cadastral boundaries of existing grazing leases that contain known locations at which Carpentarian Grasswrens have been recorded. The Buckley River runs through central parts of the IBA and has its source within the IBA and is a major tributary of the Georgina River system that forms part of the Lake Eyre Basin. About 95% of the IBA is leased from the State for grazing, and about 80% has mineral exploration leases, although the extent of exploration is highly variable over time. There are also several small active mining leases covering about 5% of the IBA. The landform includes gently undulating plains, low rises and some low hills. Undulating plains, valley bottoms and plateau surfaces generally favoured by Carpentarian Grasswren occur throughout the IBA, but dominate the southern and western parts. These areas have lateritic red earths, skeletal soils and shallow loams and clays. The vegetation is generally open with scattered trees of Eucalyptus leucophylla, E. leucophloia, Corymbia terminalis and scattered shrubs with a prominant ground layer of large hummocks of Triodia spp. with bare ground between. Patches of gidgee Acacia cambagei are scattered throughout. Low hills in eastern parts of the IBA are composed of eroded siliceous sedimentary metamorphic pre-Cambrian rocks with skeletal soils and some red earths. On these rises and hills the vegetation is dominated by Eucalyptus leucophloia with a sparse Triodia spp. or tussock grass understorey. Scattered low mesas in the north of the IBA have skeletal soils and carry low open woodland of Acacia shirleyi and Eucalyptus leucophloia. A number of seasonal streams have fringing vegetation of Eucalyptus camaldulensis with Lophostemon grandiflorus and narrow frontage of Eucalyptus pruinosa, E. leucophylla and Corymbia aparrerinja. In southern parts of the IBA there are small areas of Dichanthium fecundum and Astrebla spp. tussock grassland on clay plains.

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.

Additional biodiversity: The IBA is one of the most visited sites in Australia for viewing the Carpentarian Grasswren. This bird watching activity is generally restricted to one popular site although the bird has been seen in a number of other locations throughout the IBA (R. Forsyth pers. comm.). The presence of the bird in the IBA was first reported by Harris (1992). At a later date, Beruldsen (1992) found the birds at the now popular viewing site. Regionally important species which utilise or are likely to utilise the IBA include Grey Falcon, Square-tailed Kite, Black-chinned Honeyeater, Pied Honeyeater and Pictorella Mannikin. Non-bird biodiversity: The flora and fauna of the IBA is very poorly documented. Regional ecosystem mapping at a scale of 1:100,000 has been completed for the southern half of the IBA, with the remainder expected to be completed by the end of 2006. Significant flora is likely to include the rare tree Brachychiton collinus on rocky hill crests, the shrub Cajanus lanuginosus and forbs Ipomoea antonschmidii and Ptilotus maconochiei which are all listed as Rare under the (Queensland) Nature Conservation Act (1992). The IBA is within the Mount Isa region, a noted area of overlap between more southerly arid zone fauna species such as Varanus giganteus and Moloch horridus and northern tropical species such as Liasis olivaeus. Steep rocky outcrops support populations of Petrogale purpureicollis, listed as Vulnerable under the (Queensland) Nature Conservation Act (1992). Also listed as Vulnerable and likely to be present roosting in isolated caves and mineshafts is Macroderma gigas, a bat whose range includes northwestern Queensland.

Other site values: Leasehold grazing properties with mining leases: Calton Hills, Yelvertoft, Haslingden and Thorntonia Stations.

Habitats

Land use: energy production and mining (5%) | rangeland/pastureland (95%)

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Savanna	85
Forest	10
Grassland	5

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Work with lease-holders to agree and implement a fire management plan. Investigate impact of invasive grasses replacing native spinifex.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Natural system modifications	Fire & fire suppression	Increase in fire frequency/intensity	Ongoing
Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases	Named species	Ongoing
Agriculture & aquaculture	Livestock farming & ranching	Agro-industry grazing, ranching or farming	Ongoing
Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases	Problematic native species/diseases	Named species	Ongoing
Energy production & mining	Mining & quarrying		Ongoing
Natural system modifications	Other ecosystem modifications		Ongoing
Climate change & severe weather	Droughts		Only in the future

Additional information

References: Beruldsen, G.R. (1992) Another Queensland locality for the Carpentarian Grasswren. Sunbird 22(3):49. Forsyth, R.H. Personal communications in April 2005 regarding sightings of Amytornis dorotheae within the IBA. For a number of years from the mid-1990s a site diary was filled in by observers at the popular viewing site, until the most recent volume was removed in 2004. Harris, P.L. (1992) A further Queensland record of the Carpentarian Grasswren. Sunbird 22(1):23-24.