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
[
edit
]
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
[
edit
]
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
[
edit
]
Mammals
[
edit
]
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
[
edit
]
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
[
edit
]
-
Toorale National Park sign on Bourke?Milparinka Road (2021).
-
Toorale National Park entrance, Toorale Road (2021).
-
Toorale National Park stock fence (2021).
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]
|
---|
Central West & Orana
| |
---|
Far West
| |
---|
Hunter & Central Coast
| |
---|
Illawarra-Shoalhaven
| |
---|
New England-North West
| |
---|
North Coast
| |
---|
Riverina-Murray
| |
---|
Southeast & Tablelands
| |
---|
Sydney & Surrounds
| |
---|
|