Plants

High-altitude forest on the eastern boundary abuts the rainforest of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. Most of the vegetation fringing the wet tropics is poorly represented in secure reserves.

On Yourka the land falls away towards the west into the diverse drier woodlands of Eucalypus, Angophora and Corymbia typical of the wet-dry tropics. Grass trees dominate in some woodlands and occur as an understorey in others.

Much of Yourka is listed as important for geographically restricted and threatened plants. At least 39 regional ecosystems are represented here. Five of these ecosystems are very under-represented in the conservation reserve system and 14 are listed as threatened or ‘of concern’.

These include eucalypt woodland, shrubland, riparian casuarina woodland and melaleuca woodland. 

It is likely that at least seven threatened plants will be found once flora surveys begin including Acacia purpureopetala.

The Herbert River and numerous creek systems support a rich variety of aquatic life.