wetlands

Wetlands are often called swamps, dams or waterholes.

They’re areas of land that are either temporarily or permanently covered by water. They support a large variety of plant and animal species that are adapted to fluctuating water levels.

Wetlands are very useful. They enhance water quality, mitigate floods, provide refuges for wildlife in dry seasons and sustain grazing long after floods have receded.

They trap sediments and filter nutrients so they’ve been likened to the cleansing kidneys within the river systems.

Close to 4,000 plant species have been recorded in the dry tropics. This is a snapshot of some indigenous plants you can expect to see.

When it comes to trees, eucalypts, acacias and melaleucas dominate the landscape.

Some of the common eucalypt species from Greenvale to Alpha are; Moreton Bay ash, narrow-leafed ironbark, poplar gum, long-fruited bloodwood, Reid River box and silver-leafed ironbark.

Over the past number of years, the Lower Burdekin has become a focus for wetland and riparian area protection. NQ Dry Tropics worked in conjunction with WetlandcareAustralia and the Burdekin Shire Council to carry out works in this area – primarily at Sheepstation and Barratta creeks.

Other areas where work was carried out include Plantation, Kalamia and Saltwater Creeks.

The types of work carried out included: weed control, fencing to allow controlled grazing, revegetation, controlled burns and the removal or modification of fish passage barriers.

Salt pans, mud and mangroves typify one of just five internationally-recognised wetlands in Queensland. Move away from the water and you're greeted by wonderful hoop pine, ghost gum and paperbark forests.

Bowling Green Bay, just south of Townsville between Cape Cleveland and Ayr is a very diverse place.

The 35,500 hectare beauty is also a Ramsar site - a world-wide conservation treaty that recognises important wetlands.

The rivers and streams of the NQ Dry Tropics region drain a tremendous diversity of tropical landscapes: semi-arid dry lands, wooded grasslands, mountainous tropical rainforests, coastal plains and wetlands.

They then flow to the Great Barrier Reef.