Palmgrove (24451)
Australia, Australasia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Palmgrove
Central coordinates: Latitude: -24.9610, Longitude: 149.3518
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 300 to 700
Area of KBA (km2): 251.88737
Protected area coverage (%): 99.20
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The IBA is identical to Palmgrove National Park (Scientific), which is located approximately 185 km north-north-east of Roma in south-central Queensland. This IBA is designated on the basis of more than 10 pairs of Black-breasted Button-quail in a significant location - this is the western-most population, isolated from all other populations, and although numbers of this species are poorly-known, there are large tracts of suitable habitat. Palmgrove is situated in moderately dry, dissected sandstone country. The vegetation is moderately diverse, hosting a variety of eucalypt woodland and forest types as well as vine thicket and acacia thicket communities. These thickets, which comprise the habitat of the Black-breasted Button-quail, occur in very small pockets in other nearby protected areas and State Forests, all of which have been logged, and are not known to support populations of the button-quail.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)
Additional biodiversity: Glossy Black-Cockatoo, listed as vulnerable in Queensland (Nature Conservation Act 1994). Non-bird biodiversity: Northern Quoll (Dasyurus hallucattus), listed nationally as endangered (EPBC 1999), have been recorded in the IBA (EPA 2007). Four ecosystems listed as 'endangered' and one listed as 'of concern' under Queensland's Vegetation Management Act 1999 occur within the IBA. These are: 11.9.1 (endangered) - Acacia harpophylla Eucalyptus cambageana open forest to woodland on fine-grained sedimentary rocks; 11.9.4 (Endangered) - Semi-evergreen vine thicket on fine grained sedimentary rocks; 11.9.5 (Endangered) - Acacia harpophylla and/or Casuarina cristata open forest on fine-grained sedimentary rocks; 11.9.8 (Endangered) - Macropteranthes leichhardtii thicket on fine grained sedimentary rocks; 11.10.8 (Of concern) - Semi-evergreen vine thicket in sheltered habitats on medium to coarse-grained sedimentary rocks. All listed above are known or likely Black-breasted Button-quail habitats.
Other site values: This IBA lies entirely within Queensland State Government estate. Access is extremely difficult and, as the area is listed as National Park (Scientific), public access is not generally allowed.
Habitats
Land use: nature conservation and research (100%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Savanna | 48 | |
| Forest | 48 | |
| Rocky Areas(e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The site is largely inaccessible. Management considerations are yet to be assessed fully although threats are considered to be minor.
| 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 |
Additional information
References: EPA (2007) Regional Ecosystem Description database (REDD). Version 5.1, updated June 2007. Database maintained by Queensland Herbarium, Environmental Protection Agency, Brisbane. EPA (2008). Wildnet [Database], Environmental Protection Agency, Brisbane. Accessed 1 July 2008. Hamley, T., Flower, P. and Smith, G.C. (1997) Present and past distribution of the Black-breasted Button-quail Turnix melanogaster (Gould) in Queensland. Sunbird 27(1): 1 - 21. Mathieson, M. and Smith, G. C. (2007) National recovery plan for the black-breasted button-quail Turnix melanogaster. Report to the Department of the Environment and Water Resources, Canberra. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Brisbane.
Contributors: Thanks to Michael Mathieson as compiler with assistance from Craig Eddie.