Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this site may contain images, voices and names of people who have passed away.
Northern Australia's autumn often unleashes heavy rains and widespread flooding. Last week, New South Wales and Queensland bore witness to both the regenerative and devastating forces of these waters, affecting people and wildlife across 227,038 sq kms, an area four times the size of Victoria. There will be bursts of new life to come as the floods replenish parched soils and fill empty wetlands.
However, the effects on regional and agricultural communities are more sobering – as the water slowly recedes, they face a long recovery from the devastating impacts these floods have had on their homes, infrastructure, stock, livelihoods and more. While these landscapes and their inhabitants are no stranger to the boom-and-bust cycles of Northern Australia, climate change will continue to amplify the scale of these events.
“Floods increasingly threaten native animals unable to find refuge,” says Executive Manager of Science and Conservation, Rebecca Spindler. “The extent and longevity of these floods will take more native species with them as the severity increases with climate change. Our science helps us find properties that have natural terrain features that hold water in the dry and provide refuge in the deluge."
However, the receding waters bring danger: surviving predators target vulnerable wildlife, and new weeds can flourish. Vigilant monitoring by our Reserve Managers and Ecologists is crucial as soon as access is safe, ensuring we protect the recovering ecosystems from these emerging threats.
“We strive to mitigate losses and maximize the long-term ecological benefits these wet events can bring.”
Thankfully, Our staff on impacted reserves are safe and well. The floodwaters, are now moving through inland rivers and staff are anticipating a much-needed desert bloom after summer’s dry spell. We asked some of our northern staff to recount their experiences of the recent flooding events and the changes occurring in the landscapes they manage.
Here is a roundup of what's been happening at each of the affected reserves:
Wangkamadla Country, western Queensland (closest town Bedourie)
Ethabuka has received widespread rainfall across its dune systems. The Mulligan River is in flood, cutting off the homestead. Ecologist Helene Aubault, Reserve Manager Kyle Barton and their kids are well prepared with supplies to last them several weeks. They’ve been enjoying outings in their canoe and the kids are happy as ever swimming and playing in the mud. In their first trip around the reserve since the downpour, they visited Mirikka Spring, which is normally starkly dry. Helene was delighted to find that Nardoo (an aquatic fern) has already sprouted and gardens of ferns, liverworts and mosses have appeared along the edges of the spring.
Helene tells us “It's an extremely harsh place in the middle of summer where any vegetation is crispy if not blown away, you can't even hear a bird on the hottest days. But a bit of rain, and the place transformed into a small paradise.”
Maiawali Country, Western Queensland (closest town Winton)
Pullen Pullen, which is beside the Diamantina River, is completely inaccessible. It may be over a month before our staff can get in. Most of the reserve is on high ground, so not directly impacted. However, the region has received a year’s worth of rain in a week. Satellite imagery has alerted staff that a major green flush has begun. We may need to repair some fences, but compared to what some of our neighbour’s face, this will be relatively minor. In coming months, wildlife will proliferate, and invasive ferals will breed up in response. Keeping our population of Night Parrots safe from an expanding population of cats is a challenge our staff are currently planning for.
Reserve Manager Shane Hume says “In the satellite images we can see it's greening up everywhere. The insects are coming online, the small birds... the raptors will have plenty of food. It's that boom cycle that makes the channel country work.”
Bidjara Country, Central Queensland (closest town Aramac)
Reserve Manager Sam Jackson reports that Edgbaston is also inaccessible. Lake Mueller, an ephemeral water body on the reserve, has filled up, which will invite an array of water birds to the site. The reserve is located at the top end of its catchment, so the flooding won’t be major, but sheets of water between Pelican Creek and the precious artesian springs may carry invasive Gambusia fish, which are a threat to the critically endangered Red-finned Blue-eye. Sam is eager to get in to check Gambusia exclusion fences and do any necessary repairs to safeguard the endemic fish.
According to Sam “The reserve looks a million dollars at the moment with the grass coming up, and it's all looking really healthy."
Budjiti Country, north-west New South Wales (closest towns Hungerford to north, Bourke to south)
Naree and Yantabulla abut Yantabulla Swamp and Cuttaburra Creek, which is a distributary of the Warrego River, part of the Murray-Darling Basin. The whole area is in flood and the reserve will be cut off for several weeks.
Reserve Manager Jack Liersch and ecologist Bridget Roberts are on site and have been monitoring the event. Local rain and flows from the creek have flooded hundreds of ephemeral wetlands across the reserves, and the local wildlife is already responding. Waterbirds such as egrets, spoonbills and brolga are common sights around the homestead and shield shrimp are dancing in the remaining puddles. Magnificent coolabah trees, some hundreds of years old, rely on these periodic flood events and are getting a much-needed drink. Wilcannia Lillies (Callostemma luteum) have already blossomed, creating striking yellow patches in the now-green landscape.
Wangkamadla Country, Maiawali, western Queensland (closest town Boulia).
The dunes of Pilungah received a good soaking, The creeks are flowing and the clay pans between the dunes have become sheets of water. The eggs of shield shrimp will be hatching in the clay pans and will provide food for migrating water birds in coming months. Controlling the spread of Buffel Grass is now a big focus for Field Officer Amy Della-Sale. Our volunteer Malcolm Stockill and contractor Baz will be stuck on the reserve for a few weeks.
Bidjara Country, Queensland (closest town Springsure)
On Carnarvon Station Reserve localised rain has prevented access for the past week. The creeks are not flooding and Reserve Manager Glen and his wife Gabby and are safe and well. Roads should dry out soon, so they won’t be affected as harshly as others in the surrounding community.
This is a challenging time for many communities across the north who are facing big challenges and a great deal of damage. For those more fortunate, like wetland birds, it's a time of renewal after a punishingly dry summer. Our reserve staff in the north will be sitting tight for several weeks, monitoring the transformation occurring around them and doing what they can to help their neighbours and protect native species.
