Lake Galilee (24822)
Australia, Australasia

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Global KBA criteria: B1, D1a

Year of last assessment: 2009

National site name: Lake Galilee

Central coordinates: Latitude: -22.3655, Longitude: 145.8225

System: freshwater, terrestrial

Elevation (m): 270 to 275

Area of KBA (km²): 262.87162

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: The IBA consists of Lake Galilee, a large terminal lake located about 90 km north-east of Aramac in central Queensland, and Lake Dunn, a much smaller freshwater lake located about 30 km south of Lake Galilee. Lake Galilee is seasonally inundated by fresh water from streams, runoff and precipitation. The central and north-western parts are normally fresh even when floodwater recedes into shallow smaller lakes. The vegetation in this half of the lake is dominated there by low woodland and tall shrubland of belalie or extensive beds of canegrass. The western and southern parts are often more saline and dominated by samphire, though they can sustain freshwater characteristics for many months after inundation. Lake Dunn is permanently inundated with fresh water floodwaters and fringed by mixed red gum, Coolibah and Belalie woodland. The bed of Lake Galilee is composed of dry saline clay flats that are bare except for some samphire at the margins of the lake floor. The sandy beach that surrounds Lake Galilee supports woodland dominated by Beefwood, Grevilleas, Doolan and Ironwood. Gidgee woodland occurs on red dunes at the southern end of Lake Galilee, backing onto Coolibah swampland. The forehore of Lake Dunn supports stands of River Red Gum and Coolibah. Lake Galilee was amongst the four most important wetland systems counted in annual aerial surveys across south-east Australia in 1988, 1989, 1993, 1997 (estimated 62,000 waterbirds) but systematic surveys combining aerial and ground surveys have only been undertaken in 1998 and 2008.

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 supported 56,000 waterbirds of 32 species in 1998 but ground truthing suggested that the number of waterbirds was actually more than 80,000 (Jaesch 1998). Pacific Black Duck has exceeded the 1% threshold: 10,000-20,000 estimated in 1983 (Braithwaite et al. 1986) when methodology was inaccurate, more than 10,000 in 1990, 7041 in 2000, 2099 in 1997 and 3507 in 1998 (Jaensch 1998; Kingsford et al. 1990, 2000, 2003; Kingsford and Porter 2006). Pink-eared Duck has exceeded the 1% threshold: 27,625 estimated in 2005 (Porter et al. 2006) but only 7078 in 1997, 4645 in 1983, 5864 in 1994, 5416 in 1997 and 3842 in 2008 (Kingsford and Porter 2006; Kingsford et al. 2000). Black Swan has exceeded the 1% threshold: 21,000 estimated in 2000, 5058 in 1997, 3241 in 2003, 1627 in 1998 and 1017 in 2008 (Jaensch 1998; R. Jaensch in litt. 2008; Kingsford et al. 1998; Kingsford et al. 2003; Porter et al. 2006). Species recorded in notable but sub-threshold numbers include Australasian Shoveler (496 in 1989), Hardhead (about 3000 in 1989 and 3620 in 2000), Australian Pelican (about 4000 in 1989 and 2000 pairs in 2008), Eurasian Coot (13,798 in 1997), Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (470 in a small proportion of the suitable habitat 2008), Red-necked Avocet (863 in 1998) and Black-winged Stilt (1951 in 1997 and 1654 in 2000) but counts except 1998 and 2008 may be inaccurate as they are extrapolated numbers from a small sample area (Jaensch 1998; R. Jaensch in litt. 2008; Kingsford 1996; Kingsford et al. 1989; 1990, 1991, 1992, 1997, 2000, 2003; Kingsford and Porter 2006). Breeding colonies of pelicans, Caspian Tern, spoonbills, ibises, egrets and cormorants were found in 2008 (R. Jaensch in litt. 2009). Non-waterbird species recorded at Lake Galilee include near threatened Australian Bustard and Bush Stone-curlew (Atlas of Australian Birds database).

Other site values: Leasehold (Eastmere, Hazelmere, Fleetwood and Oakvale stations).

Habitats

Land use: rangeland/pastureland (100%)

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Forest	5
Wetlands(Inland)	85
Savanna	5
Shrubland	5

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Control Parkinsonia infestation. Minimise impact of livestock and feral animals on fringing vegetation and other sensitive habitats. Monitor human disturbance of waterbirds.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Agriculture & aquaculture	Livestock farming & ranching	Agro-industry grazing, ranching or farming	Ongoing
Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases	Named species	Ongoing
Human intrusions & disturbance	Recreational activities		Ongoing

Additional information

References: Braithwaite, L.W., Maher, M., Briggs, S.V. and Parker, B.S. (1986) An aerial survey of three game species of waterfowl (family Anatidae) populations in eastern Australia. Australian Wildlife Research 13: 213-223. DEWHA (2008) A Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia. Lake Galilee-QLD083. http://www.environment.gov.au/water/publications/environmental/wetlands/database/ accessed June 2008. EPA/QPWS (2006) Desert Uplands Strategic Land Resource Assessment. Downloaded from http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/nature _conservation/biodiversity/desert_uplands_strategic_land_resource_assessment/ on 19 October 2007. Kingsford, R.T. (1996) Wildfowl (Anatidae) movements in arid Australia in ‘Proceedings of the Anatidare 2000 Conference, Strasbourg, France 5-9 December 1994. (Eds M. Birkan, J. van Vessem, P. Havet, J. Madsen, B. Trolliet and M. Moser). Gibier Faune Sauvage, Game Wildlife 13: 141-155. Kingsford, R. and Porter, J. (2006) Eastern Australian aerial survey database. Accessed 2006. Kingsford, R.T., Porter, J.L. and Ahern, A.D. (2003) Aerial Surveys of Wetland Birds in Eastern Australia-October 2000-2002. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Occasional Paper 33. Hurstville: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. Richard Kingsford; Henry Nix; duck counts in Garnett, S.T. (1983a). Natural History Notes on Lake Galilee. The Brolga, 13 (10), 7-8. Kingsford, R.T., Porter, J.L., Ahern, A.D. and Davis, S.T. (2000) Aerial Surveys of Wetland Birds in Eastern Australia-October 1996-1999. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Occasional Paper 31. Hurstville: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. Kingsford, R.T., Porter, J.L. and Ferster Levy, R. (1992) An Aerial Survey of Wetland Birds in Eastern Australia-October 1991. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Occasional Paper 12. Hurstville: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. Kingsford, R.T., Porter, J.L., Ferster Levy, R., Smith, J.D.B. and Holland, P. (1991) An Aerial Survey of Wetland Birds in Eastern Australia-October 1990. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Occasional Paper 10. Hurstville: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. Kingsford, R.T., Porter, J.L., Smith, J.D.B. and Lawler, W. (1990) An Aerial Survey of Wetland Birds in Eastern Australia-October 1989. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Occasional Paper 9. Hurstville: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. Kingsford, R.T., Smith, J.D.B. and Lawler, W. (1989) An Aerial Survey of Wetland Birds in Eastern Australia-October 1988. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Occasional Paper 8. Hurstville: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. Kingsford, R.T., Tully, S. and Davis, S.T. (1997) Aerial Surveys of Wetland Birds in Eastern Australia-October 1994 and 1995. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Occasional Paper 26. Hurstville: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. Porter, J.L., Kingsford, R.T. and Hunter, S.J. (2006) Aerial surveys of wetland birds in Eastern Australia-October 2003-2005. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Occasional Paper 37. Hurstville: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.