Protected area in New South Wales, Australia
The
Toorale National Park
is a
protected
national park
that is located in the
far-west
region of
New South Wales
, in eastern
Australia
. The 30,866-hectare (76,270-acre) national park is located approximately 80 kilometres (50 mi) southwest of
Bourke
, at the junction of the
Darling
and
Warrego
rivers.
[2]
The national park is located adjacent to both the
Darling River
and the
Gundabooka National Park
, located to the south-east of the park, and the
Toorale State Conservation Area
, located to the north-west of the park.
[2]
The park is jointly managed by the
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
and the local
indigenous
Kurnu-Baakandji people.
Features
[
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]
Darling River at Toorale National Park
The Toorale National Park consists of land that was previously part of
Toorale Station
, used for irrigated cropping and grazing.
[3]
Toorale has a broadly flat landscape with extensive floodplains, and smaller areas of low ridges, riparian strips, and two notable peaks.
[3]
Small ephemeral lakes (
gilgais
) occur in depressions and swamps, whilst historic water management practices have created a vast wetland ecosystem on the park.
[3]
Flora
[
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]
Toorale National Park vegetation (2021).
Toorale has diverse vegetation with 27 vegetation communities described and mapped. Of these, inland floodplain shrublands are the dominant community, consisting of
lignum
shrublands, confined swamps dominated by
cane grass
,
eurah
shrublands, riverine chenopod shrublands and low chenopod shrublands.
[3]
Low chenopod shrubland is the most extensive vegetation community on Toorale, covering over 40 per cent of the park and is a highly variable community.
[3]
The banks and internal river bends of the Darling River are lined by a tall open forest of
river red gum
.
[3]
Outer bends of the Darling and Warrego rivers and tributaries are lined by coolibah open woodland, which extends onto the surrounding alluvial floodplains.
[3]
Floodplain woodlands also include those characterised by
black box
.
[3]
Areas associated with semi-permanent water support shallow freshwater sedgelands.
[3]
Bimble box
grows in periodically flooded depressions on sandplains and alluvial plains.
[3]
On dryland areas there are extensive woodlands of
belah
,
black oak
,
western rosewood
and
leopardwood
.
[3]
A relatively large expanse of Whitewood?Western Rosewood low woodland occurs on the stony tablelands.
[3]
There are small patches of
supplejack
dominated woodland and Western Peneplain woodlands dominated by
coolibah
and
beefwood
or
ironwood
.
[3]
Gidgee
and occasionally Whitewood tall shrublands, mulga (
Acacia
spp.) communities and Aeolian dunefields comprising patches of
gum coolibah
woodland also occur.
[3]
Fauna
[
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]
Mammals
[
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]
Within the combined area of national park and the
Toorale State Conservation Area
, at least 28 species of mammal have been recorded.
[2]
The terrestrial species include the
red kangaroo
,
western grey kangaroo
and
eastern grey kangaroo
, as well as the
common dunnart
and
short-beaked echidna
.
[4]
Several bat species have been recorded, including
Gould's wattled bat
, the
lesser long-eared bat
,
inland broad-nosed bat
,
little broad-nosed bat
,
[4]
yellow-bellied sheath-tailed bat
and
little pied bat
.
[2]
[4]
Several
introduced pest species
occur, including the
European fox
,
European rabbit
,
brown hare
,
feral cat
,
feral goat
,
feral pig
,
European cow
and
House mouse
.
[4]
[2]
Reptiles and amphibians
[
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]
At least 57 species of reptile have been recorded within the combined area of national park and the
Toorale State Conservation Area
.
[2]
These include the
Murray River turtle
,
Interior blind snake
,
leopard Ctenotus
,
ringed brown snake
,
[2]
sand goanna
,
Bynoe's gecko
and
Central bearded dragon
.
[4]
Seventeen species of amphibian have also been recorded including the
broad-palmed frog
,
desert froglet
and
rough frog
.
[2]
Gallery
[
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]
-
Toorale National Park sign on Bourke?Milparinka Road (2021).
-
Toorale National Park entrance, Toorale Road (2021).
-
Toorale National Park stock fence (2021).
See also
[
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]
References
[
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]
External links
[
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]
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Central West & Orana
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Far West
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Hunter & Central Coast
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Illawarra-Shoalhaven
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New England-North West
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North Coast
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Riverina-Murray
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Southeast & Tablelands
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Sydney & Surrounds
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