South Coast, New South Wales
Margaret River, Western Australia
Dorrigo, New South Wales
Orange, New South Wales
Great Ocean Road, Victoria
Snowy Mountains, New South Wales
Macquarie Marsh, New South Wales
Cumbung Swamp, New South Wales
Nurioopta, South Australia
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sclerophyll Forests have an open canopy of tall eucalypts such
as the Rose Gum and Turpentine. The understory is multi-layered
and is composed of shrubs, vines, herbs and ferns which are
classed as soft leaved plants. This type of habitat supports
animals like the Eastern Yellow Robin, Long-Nosed Bandicoot,
Little Red Flying-Fox, Yellow-Footed Antechinus and the Greater
sclerophyll forests have an open canopy dominated by short to
medium height eucalyptus such as the Spotted Gum. These types
of forest are typically found in rough terrain with low nutrient
soils. The understory comprises of hard leaved plants including
Banksias and Waratahs. This type of habitat supports animals
like the Common Wombat,
the Brushtail Possum
and the Shingle-Back Lizard.
have a dense, closed canopy of non-eucalypt trees. The trees
found in this type of habitat have soft, horizontally held leaves.
Most rainforests have an understory of vines (like the Strangler
Fig), ferns and orchids, some perching from tree trunks. This
type of habitat supports animals like the Regent Bowerbird,
Scrub Turkey, Red-Legged Pademelon and the Eastern Water Dragon
woodlands are areas dominated by widely spaced eucalypts such
as the Red Gum, Manna Gum, Yellow Box, Silver Banksia and native
pines. The understory is dominated by a diverse cover of grassess
and flora, including orchids, forbs and lillies. This type of
habitat supports animals like the Koala,
Regent Honeyeater, Superb Parrot, Swamp
Wallaby, Sugar Glider and Echidna.
are areas dominated by large perennial tussock grasses with
other native grassess such as Kangaroo Grass, Wallaby Grass,
and Spear Grass. Herbs, lillies and ground orchids can also
be found scattered through the grasses. This type of habitat
has few woody plants and are associated with fertile, heavy
clay soils on flat land in areas with low rainfall. This type
of habitat supports animals like the Australian Bustard, Euro
and Striped Legless Lizard.
are dominated by shrubs that have hard and typically small leaves.
Small trees or mallees can be scattered through the area. Among
the heathland shrubs there is a ground cover of sedges, grasses
and herbs. This type of habitat supports animals like the Brown
Bandicoot, Emu, Gould's Wattled
Bat, Spotted-Tailed Quoll
and Noisy Scrub Bird.
alpine complex includes heathlands, grasslands and wetlands
dominated by small leaved shrubs, herbs and tussock grasses
that have adapted to alpine conditions such as seasonal dormancy
and snow tolerance. This type of habitat occurs above the treeline
at 1830 metres above sea level and supports animals such as
the Mountain Pygmy-Possum, Corroborree Frog, Dusky Antechinus,
and the Bush Rat.
wetlands are treeless types of vegetation that are either permanently
or temporarily flooded with fresh water. These wetlands include
a range of plants including shrubs, sedges, grasses and herbs.
This type of habitat supports animals like the Bell Frog, Carpet
Snakes, Magpie Goose, Purple Swamphen and Brolga.
wetlands are mostly low altitude, fertile soiled areas where
major rivers and streams flow which often become flooded. Water
levels vary by tens of metres to major floods of hundreds of
square kilometres. This type of habitat is dominated by eucalypts,
paperbarks, tea-trees and oaks that grow along rivers and on
floodplains. The understory includes plants such as grassess
and sedges, herbs and ferns that are capable of surviving in
a flooded environment. This type of habitat supports animals
like the Long-Necked
Turtle, Maned Duck, Brush Cuckoo, Brown Tree Frog, Water
Skink, Water Rat and Platypus.
woodlands are areas with an average rainfall of less than 500mm
per year, but more than 250mm. The canopy consists of of widely
spaced trees including wattles, cypress pines and box eucalypts.
The understory includes a variety of drought-resistant shrubs,
grasses and herbs. This type of habitat supports animals like
the Malleefowl, Bridled Nailtail Wallaby, Pied Honeyeaters,
Glossy Black Cockatoo, Koala,
wetlands are areas that are either temporarily or permanently
covered in salty water. These types of wetlands vary from closed
forests (mangroves) to submerged grasslands (seagrass meadows).
Few plant species tolerate salty water, some that have adapted
to these conditions include the Grey Mangrove, Spider Mangrove,
Eel Grass, Sea Celery and Salt Bush. This type of habitat supports
animals like the Yabbie, Gudgeon fish and Rainbow Fish, Pelicans,
Cormorants, Green Tree Frog, Water Rat and Swamp Rat.
shrublands are dominated by small shrubs and trees such as the
Acacia, Curly Mallee and Silver Honeysuckle. This type of habitat
supports animals like the Knob-Tailed Gecko, Thorny Devil, Corella,
Bilby, Perentie (one of the world's largest lizards), Marsupial
Mole, Rufous Hare-Wallaby and the Budgerigar.
habitat page was inspired by the beautiful Native Vegetation
Calendar which was distributed to NSW Conservation Partners
by the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife.
supports the National Parks & Wildlife Service in its efforts
to preserve our natural landscapes, threatened species and cultural
heritage, providing funds for projects at are beyond the reach
of public funding.
more information on FNPW call (02) 9221 1949
or visit www.fnpw.org.au