Lake Bindegolly (24440)
Australia, Australasia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: B1, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Lake Bindegolly
Central coordinates: Latitude: -28.0608, Longitude: 144.2102
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 140 to 200
Area of KBA (km2): 325.62763
Protected area coverage (%): 38.47
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Lake Bindegolly IBA is located about 145km west of Cunnamulla and 40km east of Thargomindah, in south-west Queensland. The IBA captures the main waterbodies and numerous ephemeral claypan wetlands on the surrounding drainage basin. Climate is arid, with low and very variable summer-dominant rainfall; the long-term mean annual rainfall at Thargomindah is 287mm. The IBA includes several large, shallow ephemeral waterbodies: Lakes Hutchinson, Toomaroo and Bindegolly. These are filled by local run-off and contain freshwater when full, becoming more saline as they dry. Complete drying occurs in protracted drought periods. The lake shores support samphire, lignum, canegrass and bluebush communities which flood seasonally, hence both open water and vegetated wetland habitats are present. Above the lakes are sand sheets and dunes, over clay soils with numerous small seasonally-flooded claypans. These areas support several shrubland communities. The Bindegolly Lakes are a series of arid-zone ephemeral water bodies in which water levels fluctuate greatly, with corresponding changes in salinity and turbidity. The lakes are fringed by a variety of shallow-water vegetated wetlands and seasonally dry samphire flats.
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: Bindegolly Lakes flutuate seasonally and therefore the diverse waterbird community reflects this: large numbers of piscivores/insect-crustacean feeders/macrophyte-eaters that forage in open water, as well as a large diversity and numbers of herons and allies, crakes, rails and waders. The main species found here, with maximum counts, include Black Swan (1100), Australasian Shoveler (320), Pink-eared Duck (3000), Hardhead (3000), Great Crested Grebe (500), Little Pied Cormorant (3500), Pied Cormorant (800), Little Black Cormorant (4000), Great Cormorant (2500), Australian Pelican (3000), Eurasian Coot (11,000), Sharp-tailed Sandpipers (800), Gull-billed Tern (230) and Caspian Tern (500). The endangered Australasian Bittern and near threatened Grey Falcon and Australasian Bustard are rarely sighted in IBA (Atlas of Australian Birds database). Non-bird biodiversity: The vulnerable small tree Acacia ammophila is present on sand dunes adjacent to the lake. Sub-fossil remains of Lesser Stick Nest Rat Leporillus apicalis nests, containing material from a further 12 mammal species, now globally or locally extinct and otherwise unknown in Qld (SA Museum), are present on the adjacent rocky areas of the National Park, hence of high biogeographic value. Diverse frog and reptile fauna recorded.
Other site values: QPWS manages Lake Bindegolly NP; surrounding lands are leasehold grazing lands in private hands.
Habitats
Land use: nature conservation and research (81%) | rangeland/pastureland (19%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 75 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 25 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Investigate pig and feral goat control on privately held lands (regularly culled within NP boundary).
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Additional information
References: DEWHA (2008) Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia. Canberra: Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts http://www.environment.gov.au/water/publications/environmental/wetlands/database/ accessed 2008.
Contributors: Thanks to Richard Johnson as compiler and M. Handley, Ranger-in-Charge at Lake Bindegolly National Park for his assistance.