Warrumbungle National Park, New South Wales Photograph by Bob Burling   Southeastern Australia Temperate Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands   124,400 square miles (322,200 square kilometers) -- about the size of Washington and Georgia combined Critical/Endangered

· Vast, Dry Grasslands
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Vast, Dry Grasslands

Spanning across central New South Wales, extensive grasslands mix with the occasional eucalyptus tree in these vast temperate savannas. The terrain consists of low, rolling hills dissected by river valleys. Low and inconsistent rainfall gives this region a demanding climate in which hardy saltbrush shrublands and grasses thrive. In the south, red river gums and black box trees grow along riverbanks, while farther north, bimble box and coolibah trees dominate.

Special Features

In the south of this ecoregion, the Riverina area is known for its immense grasslands, which harbor birds such as the rare freckled duck and the bright green swift parrot. Hikers in the Warrumbungle National Park make their way past native eucalyptus trees and thriving black cypress pines to reach ancient volcanic peaks. Gray kangaroos are abundant here and throughout the dry eucalyptus woodland of this ecoregion. The males can sometimes be seen standing on their hind limbs, sparring for the privilege of mating with a receptive female.

	The kultarr can spontaneously enter torpor, a hibernation-like state, that allows it to conserve energy and water. This ability helps the kultarr survive drought and live in arid areas.

Wild Side

Much of the activity in this region takes place after the sun goes down, when the eerie cry of the bush stone-curlew rings out through the woodlands. This long-legged, ground-dwelling bird is endangered. The small, mouse-like kultarr is also active at night, after spending its days in burrows. This rare, endangered insectivore forages for cockroaches, spiders, and crickets. The tessellated gecko conceals itself in ground cracks or debris during the day, coming out at night to forage on black soil floodplains. Other animals are active during the day, perhaps none more so than the male malleefowl. This brown-and-white bird dutifully guards and maintains a ground nest of vegetable matter for his female mate. While malleefowls mate for life, they are rarely together. Instead the male spends his days in a frenzy of activity, excavating the nest each time the female deposits an egg, and adjusting the amount of vegetation throughout the day to keep the eggs at the perfect temperature. A lucky visitor may see the rare and endangered golden sun moth, which prefers native grasslands habitat. Genetic isolation is a serious concern for this species that has only small fragments of its habitat remaining.

Cause for Concern

This area has largely been converted for agriculture and grazing. Extensive wheat farms have replaced the vast grasslands of the Riverina area. The Murray and Murrumbidgee rivers are used in massive irrigation schemes, which has led to reduced native fish stocks and increased salinity. Feral and introduced animals are a serious problem.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.