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In this section you will find detailed information, including national overviews and state and regional level assessments, from the 2000-2002 National Land and Water Resources Audit theme assessments.
Biodiversity and Vegetation - South Eastern Highlands
South Eastern Highlands
The South Eastern Highlands bioregion extends from central Eastern NSW near Orange and Bathurst through NSW into Victoria. There are fourteen subregions* in this bioregion, Highlands - Southern Fall (SEH1), Highlands - Northern Fall (SEH2), Otway Ranges (SEH3), Strzelecki Ranges (SEH4), Monaro (SEH5), Murrumbateman (SEH6), Bungonia (SEH7), Kanangra (SEH8), Crookwell (SEH9), Oberon (SEH10), Bathurst (SEH11), Orange (SEH12), Hill End (SEH13) and Western Fall (SEH14).
The geology of the bioregion is highly varied because of its size (8,743,300 Ha) and spatial distribution. The northern end of the bioregion is largely composed of Silurian and Devonian slates, sandstones and volcanics with some granitic and volcanic intrusions. The remaining portions of the bioregion have a mixed geology of Silurian and Devonian acid fine grained sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, with some granites, Palaeozoic sedimentary and meta-sedimentary rocks, Devonian, Ordovician and Silurian sandstones and many areas of acid volcanics. Vegetation is highly varied and is dependent on elevation, rainfall, aspect and drainage. Those species commonly present in the main vegetation layer include Red stringybark (Eucalyptus macrorhyncha), Yellow box (E. melliodora), Ribbon gum (E. viminalis), White gum (E. dunnii), Snow gum (E. pauciflora), Mountain Gum (E. dalrympleana) broad-leaved peppermint (E. dives) and Blakely's red gum (E. blakelyi).
(* Subregional boundaries in NSW are an interim product in draft format for use exclusively in the Audit terrestrial biodiversity assessment.)
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
What was the area of major vegetation groups in prior to European settlement?
| Major Vegetation Group | Area (ha) | % total extent |
|---|---|---|
| Rainforest and vine thickets | 31,228 | .4 |
| Eucalyptus tall open forests | 1,433,640 | 16.4 |
| Eucalyptus open forest | 3,684,372 | 42.1 |
| Eucalyptus low open forest | 20,712 | .2 |
| Eucalyptus woodlands | 2,638,592 | 30.2 |
| Acacia forest and woodlands | 39,520 | .5 |
| Callitris forest and woodlands | 7,840 | .1 |
| Casuarina forest and woodlands | 3,684 | 0 |
| Other forests and woodlands | 1,268 | 0 |
| Eucalyptus open woodlands | 316,696 | 3.6 |
| Mallee woodlands and shrublands | 3,248 | 0 |
| Low closed forest and closed shrublands | 15,400 | .2 |
| Acacia shrublands | 44 | 0 |
| Other Shrublands | 9,912 | .1 |
| Heath | 15,568 | .2 |
| Tussock grasslands | 387,124 | 4.4 |
| Other grasslands, herblands, sedgelands and rushlands | 23,540 | .3 |
| Chenopod shrub, samphire shrub and forblands | 25,260 | .3 |
| Mangroves, tidal mudflat, samphire and bare areas, claypan, sand, rock, salt lakes, lagoons, lakes | 83,412 | 1 |
What major vegetation groups occur in (circa 1997)?
Map: Dynamic Map of major vegetation groups (circa 1997) 1km
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
What is the area of major vegetation groups in (circa 1997)?
| Major Vegetation Group | Area (ha) | % total extent |
|---|---|---|
| Cleared / modified native vegetation | 3,697,800 | 42.3 |
| Rainforest and vine thickets | 27,752 | .3 |
| Eucalyptus tall open forests | 1,148,516 | 13.1 |
| Eucalyptus open forest | 1,961,064 | 22.4 |
| Eucalyptus low open forest | 7,964 | .1 |
| Eucalyptus woodlands | 1,362,052 | 15.6 |
| Acacia forest and woodlands | 24,604 | .3 |
| Callitris forest and woodlands | 7,084 | .1 |
| Casuarina forest and woodlands | 3,628 | 0 |
| Other forests and woodlands | 1,028 | 0 |
| Eucalyptus open woodlands | 250,612 | 2.9 |
| Mallee woodlands and shrublands | 3,248 | 0 |
| Low closed forest and closed shrublands | 5,424 | .1 |
| Acacia shrublands | 44 | 0 |
| Other Shrublands | 8,424 | .1 |
| Heath | 13,500 | .2 |
| Tussock grasslands | 102,032 | 1.2 |
| Other grasslands, herblands, sedgelands and rushlands | 15,628 | .2 |
| Chenopod shrub, samphire shrub and forblands | 25,256 | .3 |
| Mangroves, tidal mudflat, samphire and bare areas, claypan, sand, rock, salt lakes, lagoons, lakes | 77,784 | .9 |
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): 5,045,644 ha
Percent remaining native vegetation: 57.7%
Percent cleared/modified native vegetation: 42.3%
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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