ECOLOGY, CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT DAMIAN MICHAEL AND DAVID LINDENMAYER © Damian Michael and David Lindenmayer 2018 All rights reserved Except under the conditions described in the Australian Copyright Act 1968 and subsequent amendments, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, duplicating or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner Contact CSIRO Publishing for all permission requests The moral rights of the authors have been asserted National Library of Australia Cataloguing-inPublication entry Michael, Damian, author Rocky outcrops in Australia : ecology, conservation and management / written by Damian Michael and David B Lindenmayer 9781486307906 (paperback) 9781486307913 (epdf) 9781486307920 (epub) Includes bibliographical references and index Outcrops (Geology) – Australia Wildlife conservation – Australia Wildlife management – Australia Agriculture – Environmental aspects – Australia Land use, Rural – Australia – Management Lindenmayer, David, author Published by CSIRO Publishing Locked Bag 10 Clayton South VIC 3169 Australia Telephone: +61 9545 8400 Email: publishing.sales@csiro.au Website: www.publish.csiro.au Front cover: (top) rocky outcrop (photo: Damian Michael); (bottom) Gidgee Skink on a rocky outcrop in eastern and south-western Australia (photo: Jules Farquhar) Back cover: (left to right) Flat Rock Spider (photo: Jordan de Jong); Chattering Rock Frog (top) and Cave Frog (bottom) (photo: Brendan Schembri); Common Rock Rat (photo: Angus McNab) Set in 11/13.5 Adobe Minion Pro and Helvetica Neue LT Std Edited by Anne Findlay, Princes Hill, Melbourne Cover design by Andrew Weatherill Typeset by Desktop Concepts Pty Ltd, Melbourne Index by Bruce Gillespie Printed in China by Toppan Leefung Printing Limited CSIRO Publishing publishes and distributes scientific, technical and health science books, magazines and journals from Australia to a worldwide audience and conducts these activities autonomously from the research activities of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily represent those of, and should not be attributed to, the publisher or CSIRO The copyright owners shall not be liable for technical or other errors or omissions contained herein The reader/ user accepts all risks and responsibility for losses, damages, costs and other consequences resulting directly or indirectly from using this information Original print edition: The paper this book is printed on is in accordance with the rules of the Forest Stewardship Council ® The FSC® promotes environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world’s forests Contents Preface v Acknowledgements vii Chapter Introduction and background Why write a book on rocky outcrops? What is a rocky outcrop? Types of rocky outcrops Protected rock formations 16 References 19 Chapter Rocky outcrop values Ecological values 21 22 Cultural heritage values 35 Economic values 40 References 46 Chapter Australian rock-dwelling fauna 49 Reptiles 50 Frogs 66 Mammals 69 Birds 76 Invertebrates 81 References 85 Chapter Threatening processes 89 Threats in different environments 89 Land clearing and loss of vegetation 91 Overgrazing by domestic livestock and feral herbivores 95 Introduced herbivorous invertebrates 99 Weed invasion 100 iii iv R o c k y O u t c r o p s i n A u s t r a li a Introduced predators 103 Altered fire regimes 104 Physical threats to rocky environments 109 Climate change 115 References 116 Chapter Managing rocky outcrops for biodiversity conservation 119 Managing rocky outcrops in agricultural landscapes 120 Management actions 128 Managing rocky outcrops in state forests and on Crown Land 143 Managing rocky outcrops in National Parks and other protected areas 143 Concluding comments 150 References 152 Appendix Australian rock-dwelling fauna and their conservation status 154 Glossary 160 Index 163 Preface Few places on Earth remain unaffected by human activities Even remote wilderness areas show signs of human practices, and some of these impacts are clearly visible from space As custodians of the planet, one of the greatest challenges in the 21st century is to reduce our footprint on the natural environment, while at the same time accommodating the needs of an increasing human population Better integration of biodiversity conservation in humanmodified landscapes is part of the solution Rocky outcrops are environments where substantial improvements in their management can enhance biodiversity outcomes in landscapes that have been significantly altered by human activities Rocky outcrops are exposures of bedrock that protrude above the Earth’s surface Exposures of rock are found on all continents, in most climate zones and are prominent features of protected wilderness areas as well as landscapes that have been modified by humans Rocky outcrops are considered sacred by Indigenous people, they provide valuable recreational opportunities and are places where people have the opportunity to connect with nature They also have important ecological and socio-economic values, some of which present conflicting management and conservation challenges Rocky outcrops in agricultural landscapes, on Crown Land and in state forests are often degraded and in need of urgent management We trust that the information presented in this book promotes a broader appreciation of the natural history of rocky outcrops in Australia and helps provide guidance on their conservation and management Damian Michael and David Lindenmayer June 2017 v This page intentionally left blank Acknowledgements Damian Michael would like to thank Richard and Janet Michael for fostering his interest in the great outdoors, Tracy Michael for her support and Asha and Amber for their constant inspiration David Lindenmayer would like to thank his family for the support over the past 35 years of his research work Various organisations and agencies have supported this research, including the Australian Research Council, Ian Potter Foundation, Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation, Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority, North East Catchment Management Authority, Holbrook Landcare Network, Murray Local Land Services, Riverina Local Land Services and the National Environmental Science Programme This project has been assisted by the New South Wales Government through its Environmental Trust We thank our colleagues, David Blair, Ross Cunningham, Mason Crane, Daniel Florance, Christopher MacGregor, Lachlan McBurney, Thea O’Loughlin, Sachiko Okada and Jeff Wood Clive Hilliker produced the illustrations and Claire Shepherd, Tabitha Boyer and Craig Michael assisted with manuscript preparation We thank the many landholders involved in our research over the years, particularly Sam Archer, Chris and Sue Cain, Frank and Judy Chalker, Frank Chambers, Rodger and Jenny Dietrich, Des Feuerhardt, Frank Forragan, Peter Herriot, Andrew and Leonie Mathie, Rodger and Elizabeth Paterson, Russel Paech, Frank Palmer, Gary and Sandra Schilg, Brett and Christine Schultz, Paul, Joan and Ian Trevethan and Peter Webb This book has benefited from the contributions made by many photographers For this, we thank Zak Atkins, Sam Banks, Linda Broome, Rohan Clarke, Matt Clancy, Nick Clemann, Henry Cook, Matt Herring, Jules Farquhar, Jordan de Jong, Vince Kessner, Damian Lettoof, Jiri Lochman, Stewart Macdonald, Tiffany Mason, Angus McNab, Janice Mentiplay-Smith, Carol Probets, Julia Riley, Steve Sass, vii viii R o c k y O u t c r o p s i n A u s t r a li a Brendan Schembri, Alison Skinner, Bruce Thomson, Jonathan Webb, Steve Wilson and Stephen Zozaya We thank John Manger from CSIRO Publishing, whose support for this book is sincerely appreciated Introduction and background ‘Australia has a history far more ancient than any written – to read this history is one of the objects of geology – records preserved in the great stonebook of nature.’ Reverend J Milne Curran (1898)1 Rocky outcrops are a characteristic and spectacular part of the Australian countryside They have particular aesthetic appeal, and their solid appearance portrays an impression that they are hard and durable environments While this is partly true – rocky outcrops have been exposed to the environment for millions of years – they are also extremely fragile ecosystems, and places that are easily disturbed by human activities Many rocky outcrops, and the plants and animals associated with these environments, are at risk from key threatening processes such as altered fire regimes and overgrazing by livestock Some of them are so degraded that they require immediate protection and ongoing management to improve their conservation value From an ecological perspective, managing rocky outcrops is important because they support high levels of biological diversity, provide refuge for specialised plants and animals and host a wide variety of endemic species Rocky outcrops are significant, also from a cultural heritage perspective as many rock formations are sacred to Indigenous people These landforms are also used for recreational and 162 R o c k y O u t c r o p s i n A u s t r a li a Scree An accumulation of loose stones or gravel on a slope Sedimentary rock Rock that has been deposited in layers through the accumulation of minerals and/or organic particles Sedimentation Mineral or organic matter deposited by water, air or ice Soil nitrification Soil that has increased nitrogen levels caused by livestock urinating in the same place Tectonic uplift The raising of a geographical area as a consequence of continental drift and plate tectonics Tor Isolated hill or rocky peak Tuff A light, porous rock formed by the consolidation of volcanic ash Volcanic rock Rock that is formed from magma erupted from a volcano Volcanic rocks cover 8% of the Earth’s surface Index Abenaki language access restriction 147–8 accidental fires 104 adaptive management, biodiversity conservation 141 aerial photographs 120, 123 aesthetic values, rocky outcrops 23 Agile Snake-eyed Skink 55 agricultural landscapes 5, 120–8, 132 air pollution 91 alarm calls (birds) 80 Albury 15, 16, 106, 108 algae 25, 51 alpine skinks 116 amphibians 66 Anangu people 22 antechinus 73–5 apron zone 131 aquatic invertebrates 85 arboreal marsupials 94 Arnhem Land 11, 17, 18, 38, 64, 67, 68, 69, 70, 73, 77, 148 Arnhem Plateau Sandstone Shrubland Complex 30, 143 artificial rocks 150, 151 artificial shelters 148 Arum Lily 101 Asteraceae (daisies) 30 Atkins, Zac 60 Atlas of Living Australia 127 Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; see Indigenous Australians Australian Capital Territory 18, 90, 149 Australian Swiftlet 77 axe heads 37 Baboon Flowers 101 back-burning 105, 107, 137 Bald Rock National Park 10, 13, 18 Banded Fruit-dove 77 banded ironstone 9, 11, 14–15, 92 bandicoots 136 Banksia 134 Barn Owl 77 Barred Skipper 84 Barrier Range Dragon 51, 53 basalt 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 92, 113, 160 Batholith 28, 160 bats 32, 65, 66 bees 46 Ben Lomond National Park 18, 52 Berrigan 41, 113, 129 bettongs 136 biodiversity management 2, 119–53 biodiversity threats 4, 89–118 biological legacies, tree stumps 92, 93 biophysical inventories 126–8 163 164 R o c k y O u t c r o p s i n A u s t r a li a birds 29, 66, 76–80, 94, 130, 136, 140–1, 145 see also rock-nesting birds Bitou Bush 102–3 Blackberry 101, 135 Blackberry Nightshade 100 Blackbirds 100 Black-flanked Rock-wallaby 35, 72, 139 Black Mountain Boulder Frog 66 Black Mountain Gecko 50, 51 Black Mountain (Kalkajaka) National Park 10, 18, 50–1 Black Mountain Skink 50, 51 Black Portuguese Millipede 99–100 Black Rat 137 Black Rock Skink 33, 34, 57 Black-spotted Spiny-tailed Rock Monitor 62, 64 Black-veined Ant-blue (Acrodipsas arcana) 83 Blakely’s Red Gum 106 Blanket Fern 24 bloodworms 85 Blotched Boulder Frog 67 Blue Mountains National Park 18, 80, 110 bluestone 111, 113 body modifications, rocky outcrop species 32 Bogong High Plains 58, 59, 60, 70, 116 Bogong Moths 71, 72 Boneseed, You Yangs and 101–2 boobies 76 Booroolong Frog 68 Borenore Karst 11 bornhardts 9 boulder fields 44, 49, 50, 51, 70, 82, 123 boulder-frogs 66 bounty killings, rock-wallabies 73 Box Gum Grassy Woodland 106 brachiopods 12, 160 Brazil 9, 12 Bridal Creeper 101 Broad-headed Snake 65, 66, 111, 138, 143 Broad-leaved Privet 102 broad-leaved weeds 134 Broad-tailed Gecko 60 Bronze Ant-blue (Acrodipsas brisbanensis) 83 Brown Honeyeater 29, 80 Brown Thornbill 80 Brown Tree Snake 66 brush-cutter 135 Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby 72–3, 103, 139 bryophytes 23, 25, 26 Buffalo Grevillea 44 Buffalo Sallow Wattle 44 buffer zones 129, 130, 132, 133, 143 building materials (rocks) 113 Bulgandry engravings 39 Bunbury Basalt 10 Bungonia National Park 13, 18 Burraja Indigenous Cultural and Environmental Discovery Centre 37 burrow networks 58, 59, 61, 116 Burrup Peninsula 39, 148 bushrangers 39–40, 42 bush rock collectors 111, 143, 148–9, 150 bush walking 40 butterflies 83–4, 93 calcium 82 calcium carbonate rocks 12 camouflage 32, 63 camping and hiking 23 canola cropping 92 canopy vegetation cover 105, 114, 122, 123, 135, 138 Cape Melville Boulder Frog 66 I n d ex Cape Melville Leaf-tailed Gecko 60 Cape Melville National Park 18 Cape York Peninsula 18, 55, 65 Cape York Rock-wallaby 35 carbonic acid 12 carnivorous species 26, 76 Carpentarian False Antechinus 73 Carpentarian Grasswren 35, 77–8 Carpentarian Rock-rat (Aywalirroomoo) 35, 69 Carpet Python 65, 66, 93 rabbit management and 135, 136 Carrai Cave Spider 82 Castle Rock 45 catchment areas, rocky outcrops 45–6 Catchment Management Authorities 141 Cathedral Range National Park 18, 33 cathedral stone 113 cave-dwelling species 75–6, 77, 82 Cave Frog 67 caves 36, 49, 50, 66, 82 cemented rocks 11, 13 central Australia 36, 52, 53, 69 Central Ranges Rock-skink 58 Central Rock-rat 35, 69 Champion’s Leaf-tailed Gecko 60, 63 Chattering Rock Frog 67 chemical weathering 41, 42 chert 14, 160 Chestnut-quilled Rock-pigeon 77, 78 Chiddarcooping Nature Reserve 18, 30 Children’s Python 65 Chillagoe–Mungana Caves National Park 13, 15, 18 Chillagoe Swiftlet 77 Chiltern–Mount Pilot National Park 18, 31 classification, rocky outcrops 123–6 clasts 13, 160 165 cliff-nesting birds 145, 146, 147 climate change biodiversity threats from 91, 115–16 leaf-tailed geckos and 60 rock-wallabies and 72 skinks and 58, 60 Cloak Fern 27 colonial history, rocky outcrops 39– 40 colonising species 134 colour patterns 32 lichens 25 rock-dwelling dragons 52 Common Fringe-Myrtle 24 Common Rock-rat 69 community education, restoration programs 151 community production area conflicts, rocky outcrop land use 121 conglomerate rocks 9, 11, 13–14, 22, 36, 92 connectivity conservation 131, 133 conservation covenants 141–2 conservation programs, snakes 65 conservation reserves 3, 16, 17, 30, 90, 119, 120, 121, 133 Copland’s Rock Frog 67, 68 Copper Anti-blue (Acrodipsas cuprea) 83 corals 12 cormorants 76 Cornelian (Deudorix epijarbas dido) 83 corvids 79 Cotoneaster 100, 101, 102 Cowra 57, 101 Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park 9, 10, 18, 52 crevices 50, 67, 70, 78, 94, 95, 97, 99, 116 critically endangered species, Mountain Pygmy Possum 71 166 R o c k y O u t c r o p s i n A u s t r a li a cropping industries 91, 130 cross-pollinating insects 46 Crown Land 91, 143, 150 crustaceans 85 Cryptoblepharus 55 cryptogamic species 23, 160 cryptophytes 26 culturally significant regions 35–40, 121, 126–8, 144, 145, 147–8 Cunningham’s Skink 57, 58, 95, 139 Currawongs 100 cyanobacteria 25 Cypress Pine (Callitris spp.) 92, 134, 136 cytogenetics 72 Dainty Swallowtail 84 Dappled Snake-eyed Skink 55 Dark Purple Azure (Ogyris olane abrota) 83 Death Adder 80 degraded condition rocky outcrops 5, 124, 128 Department of Industry (NSW) 122 Department of Primary Industry (Vic.) 146 Department of the Environment (Cth) 4 desiccation stress, lizards 116 dessication-tolerant (poikilohydric) species 26 detritivore 160 Devils Marbles 13, 40 digital photography 141 dolerite 8, 9, 10, 17, 52, 160 dolomite 12 dome-shaped inselbergs 41, 45 dragons 50–2, 53, 54 Dreamtime stories 35–6 drought, fodder during 93, 94 dry condition plant species 26 dryland salinity 134 Dtellas 59, 61 dung accumulation, introduced species 96, 97, 131 dunnarts 75 Dwyer’s Red Gum 24 Early Nancy lilies 26, 27 eastern Australia 69, 116, 150 Eastern Pilbara Spiny-tailed Skink 56, 57 Eastern Ranges Rock-skink 58 Eastern Striped Skink 126 echolocation 77 ecological burning 102 ecological value, rocky outcrops 2, 22–35, 147–8 economic values, rocky outcrops 40–6 Eden Region 114 Egernia 34, 35, 55, 56, 57, 58 endemic species 30, 160 back-burning and 106 Black Mountain National Park 51 Broad-headed Snake 65 Mount Buffalo National Park 44 environmental monitoring 140–1 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) 35, 143 epicormic buds 24, 28, 106, 160 epiphytic cacti 160 escarpments 17, 160 eucalypts 4, 13, 24, 28, 79, 80, 93, 134, 136 European Rabbit 96, 98, 99, 137 see also rabbit control; rabbit warren fumigation exclusion fences 135 exotic species 97, 107, 108, 125, 134 livestock and 129 extinct species Aboriginal rock art and 38 I n d ex introduced predators and 103 reptiles 139, 140 extrusive igneous rocks 8, 10, 14 Eyre Peninsula 16, 45, 138 Fairy Park 43, 44 fairy shrimp 85 fallen timber landscapes, restoration 148–9 family groups Mountain Pygmy Possum 71 Rock-ringtail Possum 70 farming landscapes, rocky outcrops on 6 Fat-tailed False Antechinus 73–4 feldspar 8, 9, 160 fence skinks 53 fencing 128, 129 feral cats 103 feral goats 73, 97, 129, 135 feral herbivores 91, 95–9, 129 Fern-leaf Baeckea 30 ferns 26, 27, 109 field guides 127 Fiery Jewel (Hypochrysops ignitus) 83 Finchley engravings 39 fire-prone environments 4, 24, 60, 81 fire regime change 91, 96, 100, 104–9, 115, 143 fire regime control 40, 41, 136–8 fire-sensitive species 24, 28, 81, 104, 106, 108 Firethorn 100, 101 fire-tolerant species 28, 104 Fitzroy Land Snail (Mesodontrachia fitroyana) 81 Flat-leaf Bush Pea 24 Flat Rock Spider 82 Flinders Ranges 53, 116 flora, threatened 29–31, 127 flowchart (rocky outcrop management) 121 167 foliated metamorphic rocks 15 food production requirements forestry operations, environmental damage 4, 114–15 formation process (rocks) foxes (European Red Fox) 73, 103–4, 135, 146 Fringed Heath-blue 84 frogs 66–9 fuel load accumulation 105 Fuhn’s Snake-eyed Skink 55 funding, natural resource management organisations 141, 142 gannets 76 garden plants, escaped 101 Gawler Ranges 18, 40 Gawler Ranges Short-tailed Grasswren 35 Gecko ClaN Community Landcare Network Granite Creeks Project 142 geckos 13, 32, 58–61, 105 Geelong 41, 43, 96, 98 gene flow 132, 133 Genoveva Azure (Ogyris genoveva) 83 geological maps 122 geophytes 25–6 Ghost Bat 76 Gidgee Skink 56, 57 Girraween National Park 18, 32 Glass House Mountains National Park 10, 18 gliders 94 glyphosate 160 gnammas 36, 40, 41, 50, 160 see also natural rock holes gneiss 11, 13, 16, 160 goannas 36, 61–3 Golden-capped Boulder Frog 66–7 Goldfields region 14–15 168 R o c k y O u t c r o p s i n A u s t r a li a Gondwana 9 good condition rocky outcrops 124, 125, 128 gossamer-winged butterflies (Lycaenidae) 83–4 Goulburn Broken catchment 142 graffiti 110, 111, 112 Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park 11, 12, 18, 39, 139 granite 7–8, 10, 13, 16, 17, 18, 27, 29, 32, 40, 41, 51, 54, 56, 66, 75, 81, 111, 113, 114, 120, 160 Granite Creeks Project 142 granite dome 13, 112, 123 granite inselbergs 4, 5, 23, 44, 69 granite outcrops 9, 30, 42, 50, 90, 92, 94, 96, 97, 98, 108, 129, 150 invasive weeds and 100, 101 island biogeography theory and 126 granite ranges 106 Granite Skywalk 45 Granitic Hill Woodland 123 grassy box gum grazing 91, 96, 128–30, 134, 141, 142, 143 Great Australian Bight 11, 12 Great Basalt Wall 10 Great Dividing Range 11, 16, 68, 69, 73, 116, 139, 142 greenstone 36, 111, 161 Grevillea 80 ground cover species 134 ground surveys 120, 123 Gulbaru Gecko 35 Gulf of Carpentaria 55, 73 Gungurru (Silver Princess) 14, 30, 80 Guthega (Snowy Mountains) Skink 58–9, 60, 116 gypsum 12 habitat loss 65, 91–2, 95 climate change and 115–16 frogs and 68 species loss and habitat quality 123, 124 habitat restoration 6, 148–50 Hairy Wattle 24, 129 Hakea 80 Hamersley Range 11, 14 hang-gliding 110 Hanging Rock Recreation Reserve 10, 18 Hard Water Fern 27 Hawkesbury sandstone 11, 111 Hawthorn 101 Hayden 40, 42, 45 headstones 113 heat generation, back-burning 107 heaths 27, 136 Helena Aurora Range (Bungalbin) 11, 15, 18 hematite 14, 161 herbaceous plants 95 herbicides 135 herbivorous invertebrates 99–100 Herbland Mosaic 123 highly endangered species, Oenpelli Rock Python 64 hilltopping 83, 84 honeyeaters 79 Hopbush 134 Hosmer’s Skink 56, 57 House Mouse 137 humid microclimates 31, 51 Hunter, John 28 igneous rocks 7, 8–9, 10, 11, 13, 16, 92, 161 ignimbrites 8, 161 illegal collectors 111 incubation pattern, Australian Swiftlet 77 Indigenous Australians cultural heritage 150 fire regimes 138 I n d ex foods 93, 94 gnammas and 41 lands 133 manufacturing 36 rock art and heritage values 35, 36, 110, 147–8, 149 Uluru and 22, 145–6 water conservation 45 Indigenous Protected Areas 16, 17 Inglewood 40, 42 Inland Carpet Python (Murray Darling Carpet Python) 103, 126, 136, 137, 139, 146, 148 insectivorous plants 27 inselbergs 9, 12, 13, 17, 41, 44, 161 international tourism, conservation signage and 146–7 interpretative signs 144–7 intervening habitats, lack of 35, 139 introduced species 4, 91, 96–100, 103–4 intrusive igneous rocks 8, 10, 14 invasive weeds 100–3, 128, 134–5 invertebrates 81–5 ironbark 92 iron oxide 11, 14, 51 island habitats 124, 126 Judas goat technique 135–6 Kakadu National Park 11, 12, 15, 18, 39, 77 Kangaroo Grass 134 Kangaroo Island 18, 40 Karlu Karlu/Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve 10, 18 Karri 29, 143 karst landscapes 4, 7, 12–13, 161 Kata Tjuta 11, 14, 36, 40 Kate’s Leaf-tailed Gecko 63 Kimberley 18, 60, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 76, 77, 79 Kimberley Honeyeater 77 169 Kimberley Rock Monitor 62, 64 King’s Dtella 59, 61 Kooyoora State Park (Melville Caves) 18, 42 koppies (kopje) 9, 13, 126 Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park 18, 39 Kurrajong (Golden) Mistletoe 93 Kurrajongs 93–4 Kutini Boulder Frog 66 land acquisition 141 Landcare 133, 134, 141, 142 land restoration 133 landscape-scale projects 132–3 land sharing, land sparing versus land snails 81–2 land uses, threatening processes and 91–5, 120, 134 larvae 85 latrine site, Cunningham’s Skink 58 La Trobe University 60, 95 Laura 62, 148 leaf-tailed gecko 32, 60, 63, 115 ledges 50 legislative frameworks 143 Lesueur’s Tree Frog 68 Lesueur’s Velvet Gecko 150, 151 Leviathan trail 43 lichens 23, 25, 26, 27, 85, 99, 109 LIDAR (light detection and ranging) mapping 122 lightning strikes 104, 105 lignotubers 28, 106, 161 lilies 26 limestone 9, 11, 12–13, 15, 16, 50, 60, 74, 75, 76, 78, 81, 82, 92, 111 Limestone Range Velvet Gecko 60, 62 Litchfield National Park 18, 120 litho-refugia 31 lizards 107, 126, 130 climate change and 116 habitat and 95, 150 170 R o c k y O u t c r o p s i n A u s t r a li a social behaviour 33, 34 locally extinct species, reintroduction 139–40 logging 114, 134, 143 Long-tailed Dunnart 74 Lord Howe Island 83 Lubbock, John 21 McCallum, Frank (Captain Melville) 40, 42 MacDonnell Ranges 11 Macleay’s Swallowtail 83 macropods 39, 72 magma 7, 8, 9, 10, 51, 161 Mallee vegetation 20, 91 mammals 69–76 management actions 128–42, 143 manganese oxides 51 mapping, rocky outcrops 120–3 marble 16, 111, 113 Marbled Velvet Gecko 60, 62, 126 Marbled Xenica 84 Mareeba Rock-wallaby 73 marine animal skeletons 11, 12 marriage ceremonies 23 marsupials 32, 36 martins 77 Masked Rock Frog 67 Mayer, Peter 44 Melbourne 40, 44, 111, 113 Melville Caves 40, 42 Melville Range 18, 55 metamorphic rocks 7, 8, 11, 15–16, 161 mica 8, 161 microclimates 81, 76, 134 microhabitats 23, 31, 49–50 midges 85 millipedes 99 minerals dissolution 24 missing attributes (classification) 124 moderate condition rocky outcrops 124, 128 moisture gradients 23 molecular techniques 72 monadnock 9 monitor lizards 61–3, 64, 98 monofluoroacetate 128 monogamous species 78–9, 161 monoliths 8, 13, 43, 161 Montane Ochre 84 montane rainforest frogs 68–9 Montane Rocky Shrubland 123 Moonlight Jewel (Hypochrysops delicia) 83 Morgan, Mad Dog (John Fuller) 40, 42 Morgan’s Lookout 40, 42 Moritz’s Dtella 59 mosses 23–4, 25, 85, 99 Mountain Ash 114 Mountain Plum-pine 72 Mountain Pygmy Possum 70–2, 115 Mountain Skink 52, 58 Mount Arapiles 11, 16, 18, 110, 145 Mount Augustus National Park 8, 11, 14, 18 Mount Buffalo National Park 18, 30, 41, 44, 106, 128 Mount Kaputar National Park 9, 10, 18 Mount Kosciuszko National Park 18, 58, 59, 60, 70, 115 Mount Monadnock Mount Ossa 9, 10, 14 mudstones 92 Murphy’s Haystack 10, 18, 40 Murray Darling Carpet Python 136 mustering 135 Mutawintji National Park 51, 53 myxoma virus 96, 136 Namadgi National Park 18, 90 I n d ex Nankeen Kestrel 109 Narrow-mouthed Frog (Microhylidae) 66 National Herbarium of Victoria 127, 128 National Heritage Values 15 National Landcare Programme; see Landcare National Parks 16–17, 18, 40, 133, 143–50 National Reserve System 2, 91 native animals, back-burning and 107 native vegetation diversity improvement 132 location 4 loss 91, 94 protection of 95 regeneration 130–3, 141 reptile diversity and 140 tourism and 110 natural disturbance 134 natural rock holes (gnammas) 40, 41, 45, 96 see also gnammas nature-based tourism 144 Nature Conservation Trust 141, 142 nature reserves 17, 133 Nawarla Gabarnmung rock art 38 near extinctions, invasive predators and 103 Necklace Fern 27 New England 28, 40, 128 New South Wales 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 39, 40, 41, 42, 51, 53, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 65, 66, 68, 71, 72, 73, 78, 80, 82, 84, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 100, 101, 102, 106, 108, 110, 113, 114, 115, 116, 122, 126, 128, 129, 136, 137, 138, 141, 142, 143, 145, 148 Ningbing False Antechinus 73, 74 171 nocturnal species 58, 161 Nodding Blue Lily 24, 26, 27 non-foliated metamorphic rocks 15 non-government organisations 141 non-vascular plants 25 northern Australia 50, 53, 60, 63, 65, 67, 68, 69, 70, 77, 78, 101 Northern Cave Bat 76 Northern Snow Skink 52 Northern Spotted Dtella 60, 61 Northern Spotted Velvet Gecko 60, 62 Northern Territory 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 29, 38, 39, 40, 41, 55, 56, 60, 61, 64, 74, 75, 76, 77, 81, 120, 127, 143, 145 nubbins 9, 126 nutrient exchange 133 obligate seeders 24, 28, 104, 161 Ocellated (Spotted) Skink 52 Ocellated Velvet Gecko 62 Oenpelli Rock Python 63, 64 off-road motor sports 110 offshore islands, skinks on 53 Olive Python 63 online resources 127 Orange Leaf-Nosed Bat 75, 76 Ord-Victoria region 59–60 Organ Pipes National Park 9, 10, 14, 18 Ornate Dragon 52, 54 Oscar Range 60, 62 Osprey 76 outwash fan 131 overgrazing 92, 95–9, 120 overhangs 36, 37, 50 overstorey vegetation 95, 128 owls 76, 94 parrots 76, 94 patch-scale projects 131–2 172 R o c k y O u t c r o p s i n A u s t r a li a patch size, reptile species numbers and 126 Paterson’s Curse 108 Pedra Branca Cool Skink 52–3 Pencilled Blue (Candalides cyprotus) 83 Peninsula Dragon 51, 53 Peppercorn 101, 135 Peregrine Falcon 76, 109, 110, 145 signage and 146, 147 peri-urban outcrops 101, 102 permanent streams, frogs and 66 pest animal control 134, 135–6 petroglyphs 39, 161 photographers, environmental damage 111 photo points 140 physical environmental threats 109– 15 picnics 43, 109 Pilbara 14, 18, 56, 60, 69, 75, 76 Pilbara Rock Monitor 62, 64 Pink-tailed Worm-lizard, habitat restoration 149–50 Place, Evolution and Rock Art Heritage Unit (PERAHU) 148 plant identification services 127 plant species 22–9, 133–4 tourism and 109 plutonic igneous rocks 8, 14, 161 poikilohydric species 26 poison baiting 135 poison peas 128 pollination 133 poor condition rocky outcrops 124, 125, 128 Porongurup National Park 18, 29, 45, 90 possums 70–2, 94, 136 Precambrian period 14, 90 predators and prey species 103–4, 136 Rock-wallabies 73 Rock Warblers 80 priority setting 128 pristine condition rocky outcrops 123, 124, 128 private property 91, 142 Privet 101, 135 Proserpine Rock-wallaby 35 protected areas 16–18, 133, 143–50 pythons 65, 98 quarrying 91, 111, 113–14 quartz 8, 9, 14, 161 quartzite 7, 11, 15–16, 50, 69, 161 Queensland 10, 13, 15, 18, 31, 32, 35, 39, 50, 51, 55, 56, 60, 61, 62, 63, 66, 69, 72, 73, 76, 77, 82, 92, 127, 148 Quinkan Velvet Gecko 60, 62 rabbit control 129, 136, 142 see also European Rabbit rabbit warren fumigation 97, 98, 99, 135 Ragged Snake-eyed Skink 94, 126 railway ballast 113 Rainbow Serpent 64 rapid environmental assessments 140 raptors 76, 98 rats 93 recreation and tourism values 40–5, 91, 109–10, 121 Red-barred Dragon 51, 53 reflectivity 120, 122 regeneration 28, 92, 115, 139–40, 151 rehydrated plants 26, 27 reinfestation 135 Remarkable Rocks 18, 40 remnant vegetation 95, 133 remote sensing 122, 140 reproduction hilltopping (birds) 84 plants 28 reptiles 31, 94, 105, 124, 148 I n d ex canopy cover removal and 138 extinctions 139, 140 habitat restoration and 150 monitoring 141 patch size and 126 rocky habitat dwelling 50–66 tree plantings and 135 resprouters 24, 28, 29, 104, 161 resurrection plants 27, 161 revegetation 92, 130–3, 135, 142 rhizomes 24, 25 Ring-tailed Dragon 52, 53 Rio de Janeiro 9, 12 road building 113 Robust Dtella 61 Robust Velvet Gecko 62 rock art, Indigenous 37, 38, 39 rock-climbing 40, 43, 109, 110, 145, 147 rock-crawling 110–11 rock cycle rock damage 107, 112 Rock-dwelling Dtella 59 rock-dwelling fauna 49–87, 154–9 rock-dwelling plants 80 Rock Fern 27 rock formation viewing 40 Rockhole Frog 67, 68 rock holes; see gnammas Rock Isotome 24 Rock Nature Preserve (Kengal) 16, 18, 31, 84, 145 rock-nesting birds 31, 35, 76, 77, 109, 110 Rock Parrot 77 rock pools 36, 85 rock-rats 69–70 Rock Ringtail Possum (Rock-haunting Ringtail Possum) 70 rocks, fire damage to 109 rock shelters, Indigenous Australians and 37 173 Rock-skink (Liopholis) 58 rock slabs 49, 50, 54 rock surfaces 109–10, 150 rock-wallabies 32, 65, 72–3 decline 97, 103, 104 Rock Warbler (Origma) 78–9, 80 Rocky Outcrop Shrubland 123 Rocky River Frog 68 Rusty Dragon 51–2 sand grains 11 sandstone 4, 8, 9, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 22, 36, 50, 52–3, 55, 59, 60, 63, 64, 74, 75, 81, 82, 92, 111, 113 sandstone escarpments 65, 66, 67, 69, 70, 71, 77, 78, 80, 150 Sandstone False Antechinus 73, 74 sandstone rock industry 65 Sandstone Shrike-thrush 77, 78, 79 satellite images 120, 122 Sawn Rocks 9, 10 saxicolous species 49, 126 Scaly-tailed Possum (llangnalya) 70, 71 scat piles 58 schist 11, 16, 161 scientific journals 128 scientific permits 140 scree slopes 70, 162 sedimentary rocks 7, 8, 9, 11, 12–15, 92, 162 seed-dispersing birds 100 seed production 24, 132, 134 seed regeneration, fire and 106, 107, 108 sentimental values, rocky outcrops 23 serras 9 shales 92 shallow soils 27 sheep-wheat belt 91–2, 96 shellfish 12 sheltered wet areas 50 174 R o c k y O u t c r o p s i n A u s t r a li a shrimps 85 shrubs 129, 134, 136 sign placement 144, 148 Silky Azure (Ogyris oroetes) 83 Silver Princess (Caesia) (Gungurru) 29, 30 site-scale projects 131, 132 skinks 52–8 skippers (Hesperiidae) 83 ski resorts, habitat damage 116 slugs 99 Small Ant-blue (Acrodipsas myrmecophila) 83 Small Dingy Skipper (Hesperilla crypsigramma) 83 snails 99 Snake-eyed Skink 53, 55 snakes 63–6, 99, 105, 130 Snow Gum 106 social behaviour, rocky outcrop species 32–4, 57, 58 soil erosion 96, 98, 100, 101, 107, 120, 131, 134 soil nitrification 96, 162 South Australia 10, 11, 12, 18, 40, 41, 45, 51, 53, 71 south-eastern Australia 91, 103, 120, 136, 139 Southern Marbled Gecko 94 Southern Rainbow Skink 126 Southern Snow Skink 52, 54 South-western Rock-skink 58 South West Slopes 31, 33, 95 species diversity 31, 126 species loss sphagnum frogs 68–9 spiders 82 spinifex 78 Spiny-tailed Monitor 62, 64 spore reproduction 25, 27 spot-spraying 135 Spotted Dtella 60 Spotted Jezebel 84 Spotted Python 65 Spotted Rock Dtella 60, 61 state forests 17, 91, 143, 150 stepping stones habitats 132, 133 stilting 52 Stimson’s Python 65 Stirling Range National Park 11, 18 stock protection 120 stone tools, Indigenous Australians 36, 37 ‘stony waste’ concept stream rehabilitation 142 stream rock platforms 68 Striped Legless Lizard 149 stubble-burning 104 subvolcanic igneous rocks Sugarloaf Mountain 9, 12 summits 50 sundews 26, 27 sun-exposed habitat, reptiles and 137, 138 surface rocks 49, 50 swallows 77 swallowtails (Papilionidae) 83 Sydney 12, 39, 60, 66, 78, 80, 111, 113, 138 Tabletop Mountain (Yambla Range) 11, 14, 15, 18, 31 Taỗon, Paul 1478 tadpoles, frogs and 66 Tasmania 9, 10, 14, 17, 18, 38, 39, 52–3, 54, 82, 83, 116, 146 Tawny Dragon 51, 116 taxonomic history, rock-wallabies 72 Teatree 134 tectonic uplift 6, 162 tender-based auctions 142 Tenterfield 73, 110 terrestrial vertebrates 52 text formatting, signs 144 I n d ex theme parks 43 thermal damage, forestry operations and 114 thermoregulation 135 threatened species 35 bush rock collectors and 143, 149 canopy cover and 138 flora 29–31 forestry operations and 114 Guthega Skink 60 Inland Carpet Python 146, 148 Peregrine Falcon 146, 147 protection of 132 rock-wallabies 72–3 Woolly Ragwort 31 Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act) 31, 84, 143 threatening land uses 2, 91, 121 Three Sisters, The 110 Thunderbolt’s Rock 40 Thylacine 38, 39 tool use, Sandstone Shrike-thrush 79 torpor, Antechinus 74–5 tors 9, 44, 123, 162 tourism 22, 41–5 toxic plants 128 trampling 143 trapdoor spider 82 tree frogs (Hylidae) 67 tree hollows 61, 92, 94 Tree of Heaven 100, 101, 135 tree plantations 131, 133, 134 Tree Skink 33, 34, 57, 94, 107, 126, 140 troglodytes 13 Trust for Nature 141 tuffs 8, 162 turtlebacks 9 Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park 11, 14, 18, 22, 40, 43 Dreamtime story 35–6 175 signage 145–6 Undara lava tunnels 82 United States of America (USA) 9, 111 University of Sydney 138, 150 utilitarian values 121 Valley of the Winds walk 22 values, rocky outcrops 21–48, 121 vandalism environmental damage 91, 110–12 Indigenous rock art sites 148, 149 Varied Dusky-blue 84 vascular plants 24, 128 vegetation communities 5, 22, 123, 128 classification and assessment 124, 140 loss 91–5 vegetation regeneration, fire and 108 Velvet Geckos 60, 62 vertical rock faces 49 Victoria 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 31, 33, 36, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 44, 57, 58, 59, 60, 71, 72, 96, 98, 103, 110, 112, 114, 116, 128, 134, 136, 139, 141, 142, 145, 146 National Parks 18, 44 volcanic rock 8, 9, 10, 14, 162 walking trails 43, 109, 147 Wallaby Grass 134 wallaroos 36, 69 Walla Walla 40, 42 wall skinks 53 Ward, Frederick (Captain Thunderbolt) 40 warning signs 144 Warrumbungles 10, 18, 33, 40 ‘wasteland’ concept water conservation values 45–6 water fleas 85 176 R o c k y O u t c r o p s i n A u s t r a li a waterholes 40, 45–6, 49, 85 water loss 27, 29, 50, 120 water pollution 91 water table rise 134 Wave Rock 10, 18, 40, 42, 45 Wedge-tailed Eagle 125 weed invasion 91, 92, 96, 104, 127, 130, 134, 135, 137, 141, 143 Western Australia 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 27, 29, 30, 39, 40, 41, 42, 45, 50, 51, 52, 54, 56, 60, 61, 62, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 80, 81, 85, 90, 91, 101, 120, 128, 139, 143, 148 West MacDonnell National Park 18, 69, 75 Wet Rocky Outcrop Shrub 123 whalebacks 9, 129 wheatbelt region (WA) 29 whip scorpion 82 White-bellied Sea-eagle 76, 109 White Cypress Pine 106, 108, 125 White-lined Honeyeater 77 White-quilled Rock-pigeon 77, 78 White’s Skink 58 White-throated Grasswren 77, 78 wildlife reestablishment 5, 31–5, 132 wildlife surveys 140–1 Wilsons Promontory 18, 40, 41 Wollemi National Park 148 woody weeds 102, 135 Woolly Ragwort 24, 30–1 World Extreme Rock Crawling Championships (W.E.ROCK) 110 World Heritage listing 22 Wurmbea 26–7 Wyberba Leaf-tailed Gecko 32, 60 Yellow-footed Antechinus 148 Yellow Grass-skipper (Neohesperilla xanthomera) 83 Yinnietharra Rock Dragon 50–1, 52 You Yangs 10, 18, 30, 102, 103 ... adopting wildlife friendly farming practices such as retaining patches of natural habitat, reducing stocking rates and minimising the use of fertilisers By contrast, land sparing involves setting... 128 Managing rocky outcrops in state forests and on Crown Land 143 Managing rocky outcrops in National Parks and other protected areas 143 Concluding comments 150 References 152 Appendix Australian... li a In agricultural regions, rocky outcrops are a prominent feature of farming landscapes, especially in southeastern and south-western Australia Depending on land use history, many rocky outcrops