Brooklyn Nature Refuge
The mist-shrouded mountains provide
an impressivebackdrop to the broad
plains rolling out to the west
of the property. Photo: Australian
Wildlife Conservancy. (Woldendorp)
A modern day Noah's Ark
Brooklyn is a truly remarkable property, being home to possibly the greatest diversity of wildlife of any private property in Australia. Its addition to the Nature Refuge network in Queensland is a vitally important step in providing a secure future for many of Australia's most endangered species.
The non-profit Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) acquired Brooklyn Station, located less than 100 kilometres north-west of Cairns, in 2004. AWC has now entered into a Nature Refuge Agreement with the Queensland Government, declaring a nature refuge over the property and securing its protection in perpetuity.
The orange thighed treefrog, Litoria
xanthomera, is just one of
thirty-six species ofamphibians
recorded on the property.
Photo: Wet Tropics Management
Authority.
Brooklyn Nature Refuge will protect more ecosystems and more species of mammals and birds than any other nature refuge in Australia. In total, over 500 species of native mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians have been recorded on Brooklyn, or are expected to occur on the property. This represents a greater diversity of wildlife than even Kakadu National Park (which has 482 species).
Remarkably, this single property of 60,000 hectares is home to:
- 40 percent of all Australian bird species; and
- 30 percent of all Australian mammal species.
Brooklyn is, in particular, a 'hotspot' for threatened species, with at least 45 threatened animals and approximately 50 threatened plant species finding refuge on the property. AWC's acquisition of Brooklyn has therefore helped to protect nearly 100 threatened species, an incredible statistic highlighting the essential contribution to conservation being made by the nature refuge network in Queensland.
Over 40% of all bird species
found in Australia, have been
recorded on Brooklyn including
the rainbow bee-eater who nest
in the banks of the rivers
and creeks on the property.
Photo: Australian Wildlife
Conservancy. (Morris)
The list of threatened species on Brooklyn reads like a modern day Noah's ark: the endangered southern cassowary Casuarius casuarius johnsonii roams the rainforest areas and their margins, the spotted-tailed quoll Dasyurus maculatus gracilis and the northern quoll Dasyurus hallucatus both occur on the property. The dense canopy of rainforest trees is home to other threatened mammals including; yellow-bellied gliders (northern subspecies) Petauris australis, rare lemuroid ringtail possum Hemibelideus lemuroids, Daintree River ringtail possum Pseudochirulus cinereus, green ringtail possum Pseudochirops archeri and Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo Dendrolagus lumholtzi.
The endangered northern bettong Bettongia tropica, has also recently been found on the property. The enigmatic buff-breasted button-quail Turnix olivii and the exquisite blue-faced parrot finch Erythruria trichroic are among the rare and threatened birds known on Brooklyn Nature Reserve.
The extraordinary level of biodiversity on Brooklyn reflects its strategic position straddling two bioregions-the Wet Tropics Bioregion and the Einasleigh Uplands Bioregion. It also reflects the range of topography and the steep rainfall gradient across the property. The property extends from some of the highest and most rugged mountains in the Wet Tropics (rising to 1200 metres) to the expansive plains of the Mitchell River as it begins its journey west to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Rainfall within the property varies from more than 4000mm to less than 900mm.
The Mitchell River rises from the
cool mountain streams in the Daintree
and winds it way across broad plains
to the Gulf of Carpentaria.
The banks of the river support
a threatened ecological community
dominated by melaleucas.
Photo: Australian Wildlife
Conservancy. (Woldendorp)
This diversity of topography, landform and climate gives rise to a stunning array of ecosystems. The rainforest-clad mountains, which dominate the eastern section of Brooklyn, overlook a vast plain of grassy woodlands through which the mighty Mitchell River meanders toward the Gulf of Carpentaria. Freshwater lakes and lagoons decorate the Mitchell floodplain, supporting rich birdlife and good populations of the Australian freshwater crocodile Crocodylus johnstoni.
When AWC first explored Brooklyn, field staff were amazed to discover a property of such immense conservation value. However, they were also struck by the imminent threats to Brooklyn, including plans to develop the property for sugar cane, the impact of unsustainable grazing levels, uncontrolled recreational access and the effect of feral animals and weeds. Following acquisition, AWC has acted quickly to implement practical, on-ground management strategies to address these threats. A grant under the Biodiversity Incentive Tender scheme will enable AWC to fast track these management programs, removing weeds and feral animals, implementing effective fire management and providing additional protection for nearly 100 threatened species.
The establishment of Brooklyn Nature Refuge is an example of how the private (non-profit) and public sectors can work together to protect Queensland's wildlife and ecosystems. At Brooklyn, AWC and the Environmental Protection Agency are working together to help define a new model for conservation, one that promises a more secure future for Queensland's wildlife.
| Vital statistics: Brooklyn Nature Refuge | |
|---|---|
| Area | 60,000 hectares |
| No. of vegetation types | 71 |
| No. of threatened vegetation types | 40 |
| No. of mammals | more than 90 |
| No. of birds | 297 |
| No. of reptiles/amphibians | 114 |
| No. of plant species | 700+ plants (over 8% of all Qld plant species are represented) |
| No. of threatened plant and animals species: | more than 90 |
AWC is an independent, non-profit organisation dedicated to conservation of Australia's threatened wildlife. For more information, visit www.australianwildlife.org
AWC also thanks the Australian Government for its financial support in relation to the acquisition of Brooklyn for conservation.
Article by Atticus Fleming, Australian Wildlife Conservancy and Craig McGregor, EPA/QPWS.
Last updated: 11 December 2006