South Western Slopes
South Western Slopes Federal division(s) | Eden-Monaro | ||||||||||||||
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The South Western Slopes, also known as the South West Slopes, is a region predominantly in
Bioregion
The South Western Slopes
The bioregion includes parts of the
The bioregion is divided into three sub-regions: [4]
- Inland Slopes subregion (NSS01)
- Lower Slopes subregion (NSS02)
- Capertee Valley subregion (NSS03)
Climate
Mean annual temperatures in the region range from very cool to warm; from just 8 °C (46 °F) up to 17 °C (63 °F) depending on altitude and latitude. The range in annual rainfall is likewise great; from just 400 millimetres (16 in) on the far western plain around
This region features the greatest seasonal range of maximum temperatures than any other in Australia: with some places ranging as much as 20 °C in maximum temperatures between January and July. This is due to being
Forecast area for Bureau of Meteorology
The South West Slopes forecast area used by the
Flora and fauna
Most of the site is modified wheat-growing and sheep-grazing country with only vestiges of its original vegetation. Remnant patches of woodland and scattered large trees, especially of mugga ironbark, apple box, grey box, white box, yellow box, red box, yellow gum, river red gum and Blakely's red gum, still provide habitat for the parrots. Protected areas within the site include several nature reserves and state forests, as well as the Livingstone and Weddin Mountains National Parks, and Tarcutta Hills Reserve.
Important Bird Area
An area of 25,653 square kilometres (9,905 sq mi), largely coincident with the bioregion, has been identified by
Protected areas
The South Western Slopes of NSW are some of the most highly cleared and altered lands in the state. Native vegetation remains generally only in small, isolated patches. Substantial clearing continues. Less than 2% of the bioregion is protected as reserves. Conservation efforts are focussing on landholder stewardship agreements.[8][9]
- National Parks: Benambra National Park, Conimbla National Park, Goobang National Park, Jindalee National Park, Livingstone National Park, Minjary National Park, Nangar National Park, Weddin Mountains National Park, Woomargama National Park
- Nature reserves:
- Historic sites: Hill End Historic Site, Yuranighs Aboriginal Grave Historic Site
Human settlement
The South Western Slopes were occupied by the Wiradjuri people, the largest Aboriginal language group in NSW.[10]
Notable towns and cities within the bioregion, from
Local government areas included in the bioregion:
- Mid-Western Regional Council – townships of Rylstone (on the border) and Mudgee
- Dubbo Regional Council
- Molong
- Parkes Shire
- Forbes Shire
- Weddin Shire including the town of Grenfell
- West Wyalong
- Hilltops Council including the town of Young
- Temora Shire
- Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council
- Snowy Valleys Council
- City of Wagga Wagga
- City of Albury
- Greater Hume Shire
- Shire of Towong in northeast Victoria
- Shire of Indigo, on the boundary between northeast and north central Victoria
References
- ^ a b NSW NPWS Map of bioregion (pdf) Archived 30 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- Department of the Environment and Heritage). Archived from the originalon 4 September 2006. Retrieved 14 August 2006.
- ^ "NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service information about the bioregion". Archived from the original on 28 August 2006. Retrieved 11 August 2006.
- ^ "Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA7) regions and codes". Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. Commonwealth of Australia. 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
- ^ BirdLife International. (2011). Important Bird Areas factsheet: South-west Slopes of NSW. Downloaded from "BirdLife International - conserving the world's birds". Archived from the original on 10 July 2007. Retrieved 10 July 2007. on 19 October 2011.
- ^ New South Wales Forecast Area Map
- ^ "IBA: South-west Slopes of NSW". Birdata. Birds Australia. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
- Department of the Environment and Heritage (Australia). 2002. Archived from the originalon 20 May 2009. Retrieved 14 August 2006.
- National Parks and Wildlife Service. 2004. Archived from the originalon 29 May 2004. Retrieved 14 August 2006.
- National Parks and Wildlife Service. 2004. Archived from the originalon 3 September 2006. Retrieved 14 August 2006.