Diamantina Floodplain (26477)
Australia, Australasia

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Global KBA criteria: B1, D1a

Year of last assessment: 2009

National site name: Diamantina Floodplain

Central coordinates: Latitude: -25.5230, Longitude: 140.5110

System: freshwater, terrestrial

Elevation (m): 45 to 60

Area of KBA (km²): 3507.46649

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: This IBA consists of floodplain, swamps and anastomosing channels of the Diamantina River and its major tributary Farrars Creek, to the east of Durrie Station in the Channel Country of central Queensland. The boundary is based on Wetlands International data and is designed to capture at least eight waterbird breeding colonies, including the largest in the Diamantina system (R. Jaensch in litt. 2008), e.g. an estimate of at least 46,000 and possibly many more waterbird nests at Kingadurka Waterhole in April 2000 (Costelloe et al. 2004). Much of the area is floodplain marshes and shrub swamps, especially lignum, interdune (swale) swamps and lakes between sand-dune country, and off-river swamps and lakes, notably Moonda and Shallow Lakes, large areas of which are dominated by swamp canegrass. The wetlands are mostly temporary, with inundation lasting from a few weeks to 6-9 months, but the site also includes numerous riverine waterholes, some of which may be semi-permanent (only dry in extreme drought). The IBA also includes the clay-pans to the south, which flood less frequently from local rainfall and support large numbers of birds for extended periods. The floodplain upstream and downstream is mostly too fast flowing to support significant numbers of waterbirds. The floodplain to the north and west holds water less frequently and is less well known, but may prove to meet IBA criteria. Similarly, with better survey data, the IBA could be expanded to include floodplain from the Monkira road crossing downstream to Stoney Crossing (half way between Birdsville and Durrie), including all the wetlands between dunes at the floodout of Farrars Creek, and some of the lower Farrars Creek. Wetlands west of Durrie homestead are briefly described in the Directory of Important Wetlands but the exceptionally valuable wetlands of the sand-dune swales around the junction of Farrars Creek and the Diamantina River remain poorly known. The climate is arid, with a mean annual rainfall of 169 mm recorded at Birdsville, 110 km to the west.

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: In April 2000 the IBA was estimated to support at least 450,000 birds (150,000 on floodplain and 300,000 in the swale swamps; Costelloe et al. 2004; page 485). At least seven waterbird colonies occur in swamps and around associated waterholes, west and east of Durrie homestead and in the northern parts of the swale swamp system in the east of the IBA - many of these are relatively small, supporting only a few hundred pairs of egrets, ibises, spoonbills, cormorants and pelicans (R. Jaensch in litt. 2008). The largest colony is around the eastern end of Kingadurka Waterhole and particularly in lignum-belalie shrub swamp extending south-east for several kilometres along a dune swale. ARIDFLO estimated over 46,000 pairs of all colonial species that normally breed in the region, except pelicans and terns. The colony is well known to long-term pastoralists in this area and is thought to operate on most major Diamantina floods. It is the largest known, mixed-species colony in the Lake Eyre Basin and was estimated in 2000 to support globally important numbers of Nankeen Night-Heron and Royal Spoonbill, and nationally important numbers of Glossy Ibis (estimated minimum of 8500 nests), Straw-necked Ibis (estimated minimum of 4500 nests) and Great Egret (estimated minimum of at Kingadurka Waterhole in April 2000). Breeding numbers of Great Egret are among the largest documented in Australia (Costelloe et al. 2004, page 492; R. Jaensch, Wetlands International unpubl. data). Lakes Moonda and Shallow probably support high numbers of Red-necked Avocet, Black-winged Stilt and migratory shorebirds (R. Jaensch in litt. 2008). A total count of 8194 waterbirds, including 1237 Australian Pratincole, was made during a flood in 2004 (Jaensch 2004). The IBA also supports a population of Yellow Chat and is a breeding location for the Freckled Duck (Jaensch 2003a). There have been three breeding records of the Australian Painted Snipe (listed as vulnerable under the EPBC Act) on floodplain and on off-river wetlands, and the species is probably a regular visitor (Jaensch 2003b; R. Jaensch in litt. 2008).

Other site values: Land-owner permission must be sought if leaving public roads.

Habitats

Land use: nature conservation and research (100%)

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Wetlands(Inland)	50
Other	50

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Further surveys are required to assess specific areas of key importance and threats at these areas.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Natural system modifications	Dams & water management/use	Abstraction of surface water (unknown use)	Only in the future
Natural system modifications	Fire & fire suppression	Increase in fire frequency/intensity	Ongoing
Agriculture & aquaculture	Livestock farming & ranching	Agro-industry grazing, ranching or farming	Ongoing

Additional information

References: Costelloe, J.F., Hudson, P.J., Pritchard, J.C., Puckridge, J.T. and Reid, J.R.W. (2004) ARIDFLO Scientific Report: Environmental Flow Requirements of Arid Zone Rivers with Particular Reference to the Lake Eyre Drainage Basin. School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide. Final Report to South Australian Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation and Commonwealth Department of Environment and Heritage. DEWHA (2008a) Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia. Diamantina Overflow Swamp-Durrie Station-QLD029. Downloaded from http://www.environment.gov.au/water/publications/environmental/wetlands/database/ accessed November 2008. DEWHA (2008b) Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia. Birdsville-Durrie Waterholes Aggregation-QLD023. Downloaded from http://www.environment.gov.au/water/publications/environmental/wetlands/database/ accessed November 2008. DEWHA (2008c) Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia. Moonda Lake-Shalllow Lake Aggregation-QLD038. Downloaded from http://www.environment.gov.au/water/publications/environmental/wetlands/database/ accessed November 2008. Jaensch, R. (2003a) Breeding of Freckled Duck Stictonetta naevosa in the Diamantina channel country. Sunbird 33: 24-28. Jaensch, R. (2003b) Breeding by Australian Painted Snipe in the Diamantina Channel Country, south-western Queensland. Stilt 43: 20-22. Jaensch, R. (2004) Little Curlew and other migratory shorebirds on floodplains of the Channel Country, arid inland Australia, 1999-2004. Stilt 46: 15-18. Jaensch, R. and McFarland, D. (2002) A population of Grey Grasswren Amytornis barbatus in the Diamantina Channel Country, Queensland. Sunbird 32: 56-61.