Plants

The vegetation on Ethabuka is diverse, with eighteen major plant communities and 200 species identified so far.
Ethabuka, a 214 000-hectare pastoral lease on the northern edge of the Simpson Desert, part of the Pitta Pitta peoples traditional lands, with Wangkangurru, Wangkamana, Wanka-yutjurru and Walluwarra peoples also having strong connection to this country.

Around 36 200 ha of the property is on or adjacent to the flood plains, the type of country that is prized for cattle production and thus unreserved or poorly reserved. Most importantly, the property extends along a major environmental gradient and incorporates country from the heart of the Simpson Desert to permanent or semi-permanent waterholes on the flood plain. This gradient is not represented in the Simpson Desert National Park.

This major arid-zone property is a haven for desert wildlife, with river floodplains, dune systems, clay pans and ephemeral and semi-permanent wetlands.You can help us to manage this outstanding property for the long term.

Angus Emmott (Channel Country grazier and long-time campaigner for the Cooper Creek) told me an intriguing tale about a river that flowed only about once a decade and died as a series of waterholes in the sand dunes. He talked of vast areas of habitat for a suite of desert mammals that were rapidly disappearing from the landscape, and pressed his point by commenting on the lack of reserves in the Channel Country. This property, he said, was in very good condition and had seen little development as a cattle-grazing lease.

With its apparent lack of threats I was convinced of the importance of protecting this outstanding place.