Australian Natural Resources Atlas

Natural Resource Topics

Biodiversity and Vegetation - Flinders

Flinders

Location Map

Flinders extends over the Furneaux islands, coastal northeastern Tasmania and Wilsons Promontory and comprises of moist and dry subhumid warm coastal plains and a granitic island chain. Devonian granites dominate elevated areas of the region forming rugged hills and ranges. These are overlain by diverse soils carrying a range of dry, damp and wet eucalypt forests and woodlands including Eucalyptus amygdalina open forest and woodland, with Eucalyptus nitida open heath on higher peaks. Quaternary/Tertiary materials overlain by sandy soils typify extensive lowland plains, coastal deposits and dunes and support Melaleuca spp., Leptospermum spp. and Banksia marginata heaths and scrubs with occasional eucalypts. Coastal plains have been heavily modified by agriculture (grazing and dairy) in northeastern Tasmania. The basalt landscape west of the Rubicon River might be more appropriately incorporated with the Tasmanian Northern Slopes bioregion.

There are two subregions, FUR 1 and FUR 2. The Wilsons Promontory subregion comprises around 8% of the total regional area, and is entirely reserved. Management and conservation issues discussed for the region as a whole tend not to be applicable to the Promontory subregion.

What major vegetation groups occurred in prior to European settlement?

Map: Pre-European Major Vegetation Groups in


Source:

Major vegetation groups V1.0 (1km), National Land and Water Resources Audit 2001. Data used are assumed to be correct from suppliers.

© Commonwealth of Australia 2001

The summary maps provide information on Australia's native vegetation collated within the National Vegetation Information System (NVIS) at July 2001 and with additional mapped information. The NVIS will be updated as vegetation mapping becomes available.

The map is a compilation of data collected at different scales by different organisations. Major Vegetation Groups were compiled by Environment Australia based on data collated by the Bureau of Rural Sciences and provided by Environment ACT, Department of Urban Services; NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service; NSW Royal Botanic Gardens; NSW State Forests; NT Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment; Queensland Herbarium, Environmental Protection Agency; SA Department for Environment and Heritage; Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment; Flora Section, Department of Natural Resources and Environment; Agriculture Western Australia; Western Australia Department of Conservation and Land Management and Geoscience Australia, National Mapping Division.

Map: Extent of the National Vegetation Information System data

Extent of the National Vegetation Information System data

What was the area of major vegetation groups in prior to European settlement?

Table 1: Area of vegetation groups in prior to European settlement
Major Vegetation Group Area (ha) % total extent
Rainforest and vine thickets 1,208 .2
Eucalyptus tall open forests 30,292 5.7
Eucalyptus open forest 213,232 40.4
Eucalyptus low open forest 18,144 3.4
Eucalyptus woodlands 20,900 4
Acacia forest and woodlands 148 0
Callitris forest and woodlands 116 0
Casuarina forest and woodlands 15,188 2.9
Other forests and woodlands 4,648 .9
Eucalyptus open woodlands 14,476 2.7
Low closed forest and closed shrublands 47,880 9.1
Acacia shrublands 28 0
Other Shrublands 19,268 3.6
Heath 116,616 22.1
Tussock grasslands 6,612 1.3
Other grasslands, herblands, sedgelands and rushlands 5,696 1.1
Chenopod shrub, samphire shrub and forblands 392 .1
Mangroves, tidal mudflat, samphire and bare areas, claypan, sand, rock, salt lakes, lagoons, lakes 8,448 1.6

What major vegetation groups occur in (circa 1997)?

Map: Dynamic Map of major vegetation groups (circa 1997) 1km


legend

Source:

Major vegetation groups V1.0 (1km), National Land and Water Resources Audit 2001. Data used are assumed to be correct from suppliers.

© Commonwealth of Australia 2001

The summary maps provide information on Australia's native vegetation collated within the National Vegetation Information System (NVIS) at July 2001 and with additional mapped information. The NVIS will be updated as vegetation mapping becomes available.

The map is a compilation of data collected at different scales by different organisations. Major Vegetation Groups were compiled by Environment Australia based on data collated by the Bureau of Rural Sciences and provided by Environment ACT, Department of Urban Services; NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service; NSW Royal Botanic Gardens; NSW State Forests; NT Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment; Queensland Herbarium, Environmental Protection Agency; SA Department for Environment and Heritage; Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment; Flora Section, Department of Natural Resources and Environment; Agriculture Western Australia; Western Australia Department of Conservation and Land Management and Geoscience Australia, National Mapping Division.

Map: Extent of the National Vegetation Information System data

Extent of the National Vegetation Information System data

What is the area of major vegetation groups in (circa 1997)?

Table 2: Area of present vegetation groups in (circa 1997)
Major Vegetation Group Area (ha) % total extent
Cleared / modified native vegetation 88,832 16.8
Rainforest and vine thickets 1,164 .2
Eucalyptus tall open forests 11,864 2.2
Eucalyptus open forest 197,328 37.3
Eucalyptus low open forest 9,468 1.8
Eucalyptus woodlands 4,184 .8
Acacia forest and woodlands 56 0
Callitris forest and woodlands 116 0
Casuarina forest and woodlands 14,660 2.8
Other forests and woodlands 4,648 .9
Eucalyptus open woodlands 252 0
Low closed forest and closed shrublands 41,332 7.8
Acacia shrublands 24 0
Other Shrublands 16,796 3.2
Heath 116,592 22.1
Tussock grasslands 6,596 1.2
Other grasslands, herblands, sedgelands and rushlands 5,684 1.1
Chenopod shrub, samphire shrub and forblands 392 .1
Mangroves, tidal mudflat, samphire and bare areas, claypan, sand, rock, salt lakes, lagoons, lakes 8,436 1.6

What is the extent of native vegetation in (circa 1997)?

Map: Dynamic Map of extent of native vegetation 1km by bioregion


Area of native vegetation remaining (ha): 439,592 ha

Percent remaining native vegetation: 83.2%

Percent cleared/modified native vegetation: 16.8%

What sources of information were used?

View the sources of information used to compile an Australian-wide map of pre-European and present native vegetation from the National Vegetation Information System and additional mapped data and the guidelines for the interpretation of vegetation mapping products.

Knowledge, data and information gaps

The compilation of native vegetation information has highlighted a number of gaps in our knowledge, the data and information about Australia's native vegetation.

References

View the references used in the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001.

Partnerships

Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 was facilitated and coordinated by the National Land and Water Resources Audit and prepared in partnership with State, Territory and Commonwealth agencies:

Australian Capital Territory

Department of Urban Services
www.urbanservices.act.gov.au

New South Wales

Department of Land and Water Conservation
www.dlwc.nsw.gov.au

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
www.npws.nsw.gov.au

NSW Botanic Gardens
www.rbgsyd.gov.au

Northern Territory

Department of Natural Resources, Environment and the Arts
www.nt.gov.au/nreta

Queensland

Environment Protection Agency
www.epa.qld.gov.au

South Australia

Planning SA
www.planning.sa.gov.au

Tasmania

Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment
www.dpiwe.tas.gov.au

Victoria

Department of Sustainability and Environment
www.dse.vic.gov.au

Western Australia

Department of Conservation and Land Management
www.calm.wa.gov.au

Agriculture WA
www.agric.wa.gov.au

Commonwealth

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - Australia
www.daff.gov.au

Australian Greenhouse Office
www.greenhouse.gov.au

Australian Department of Environment and Heritage
www.environment.gov.au

Further information

View the Australian Native Vegetation Assessment 2001 report.

The National Vegetation Information System Framework framework.

View Landscape Health in Australia 2001 report.

View the Australian Catchment, River and Estuary Assessment 2002.

View the Australian Terrestrial Biodiversity Assessment 2002.

View all Theme Reports from the National Land and Water Resources Audit.

Link to Atlas on-line mapping for maps of major vegetation groups and other natural resource data.

Link to data available for down load.

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