Wildlife

Native Fauna

Knowledge on the distribution and abundance of native fauna on the reserve is limited. A complete list of faunal species recorded by reliable observers, both before and after the acquisition of the Reserve by Bush Heritage Australia. Details relating to the significant fauna on Goonderoo are provided below.

Birds

There has been a well-documented wave of regional extinctions occurring amongst woodland birds due to the destruction of habitat across this range of ecosystems (Reid, 1999). This includes the loss of non-specialised and relatively common species such as the brown treecreeper Climacteris picumnus and black-chinned honeyeater Melithreptus brevirostris. Extinctions of a number of species are being recorded even in relatively large remnants (hundreds of hectares in size), and are occurring up to 40 years after clearing has ceased in the surrounding districts. (Robinson and Traill, 1996; Reid, 1999; Traill and Duncan, 2000).

The Spooner family has opportunistically recorded birds on Goonderoo for a number of decades. This list has continued to grow since Bush Heritage purchased the Reserve, and now totals 107 species.

Knowledge of bird species is largely restricted to presence/absence data, with limited information available on abundance and distribution.

Goonderoo – Bird Species of Conservation Significance

Name		Significance	Abundance on Goonderoo
Squatter pigeon (southern)	Geophaps scripta	Vulnerable (NCA), Near Threatened (ABAP)	Common. More abundant in grasslands & G. woodlands
Painted snipe	Rostratula benghalensis	Rare (NCA), Vulnerable (ABAP)	Single vagrant bird sighted on dam.
Australian bustard	Ardeotis australis	Near Threatened (ABAP)	Regularly reported primarily in grasslands
Bush stone-curlew	Burhinus magnirostris	As Above	Unknown. Found in grassy woodlands.
Barking owl (southern)	Ninox connivens	As Above	Occasionally reported. Nest in tree hollows.
Speckled warbler	Chthonicola sagittata	As Above	Small numbers regularly reported. Not in grasslands.
Grey-crowned babbler	Pomatostomus temporalis	As Above	Unknown. Found in scrubby woodlands.
NCA = Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Qld)	ABAP = Australian Bird Action Plan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mammals

There has been a substantial loss of mammal species in the rangelands of central Queensland. In the Brigalow Belt, 8 of 44 original species have become regionally extinct, and 4 of those remainingoccur in greatly reduced numbers. Little is known of the mammals particular to Goonderoo, with the exception of some of the larger macropods. Nevertheless two species of significance have been recorded: the koala and the northern brown bandicoot.

The koala Phascolarctus cinereus (Near Threatened – Action Plan for Australian Marsupials and Monotremes) has only recently been recorded on the Reserve after an apparent absence of a number of years. Threats include bush fire, disease, and the loss, fragmentation and degradation of habitat.

The northern brown bandicoot Isoodon macrourus, although abundant in the coastal areas of Queensland, is listed as rare or regionally extinct. The loss of dense cover as a result of grazing activity is probably responsible for the decline of this species in the rangelands of central Queensland.

Also of significance is the nationally Endangered bridled nailtail wallaby (flashjack) Onychogalea fraenata. This species once ranged from the Murray River in southern Australia to Charters Towers in northern Queensland, and was relatively common over much of this area. Only several colonies now exist, most of them re-established with human intervention. Avocet, the property adjoining Goonderoo, was selected as appropriate habitat and three releases have taken place since late 2001, very close to the eastern boundary of Goonderoo. It is believed that suitable habitat is located on Goonderoo.

Reptiles and amphibians

There is evidence of considerable disruption of the 148 reptiles species found in the Brigalow Belt – one species is extinct, 12 have suffered substantial declines and five have suffered at least local losses. These losses, which have occurred over the last 60 years and appear to be continuing, are largely attributable to habitat loss through land clearance (Covacevich et al. 1996, 1998; Woinarski et al. 2000).
Very little is known of the reptiles and amphibians on Goonderoo.