Ethabuka

Ethabuka Reserve is a major arid-zone property of  213,300 hectares and is a haven for desert wildlife, with river floodplains, dune systems, clay pans and ephemeral and semi-permanent wetland systems of national significance. Most of these ecosystems are not protected in the adjoining reserve. Ethabuka has a remarkable diversity of mamals, birds and reptiles.

During December 2006 and January 2007 Ethabuka received over 260mm of rain. The Mulligan and Sylvester Rivers filled the floodplains with water and cut off the road to Bedourie. The Reserve Managers were flooded in for 6 weeks and were able to first hand watch the immediate changes that happened to the landscape. Being summer rains the grasses burst from the ground, along with frogs, shield shrimps and fish.

PhD student, Adam Kereszy from Griffith University and Angus Emmott, Amateur Biologist, and Chair of the Cooper Creek Catchment Committee, sampled Pulchera Waterhole as part of a regional fish sampling exercise that coincided with the Queensland Royal Geographical Society’s visit to Cravens Peak. They caught over 500 fish from 7 species including Silver Tandan, Bony Bream, Desert Rainbowfish, Barcoo Grunter, Glassfish and Spangled Perch. Considering that Pulchera was completely dry in November 2006, this was a pretty remarkable find.

Bush Heritage has been working closely with Sydney University’s principal researchers Drs. Chris Dickman and Glenda Wardle, along with their Research Assistants Bobby Tamayo and Aaron Greenville.  These researchers have been contributing their scientific data and knowledge on issues such as fire management and ecological responses to the high summer rains.

The Reserve Managers have been working on consolidating the infrastructure of the property, maintaining fences, feral animal control, and Buffel Grass mapping and management. 

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