Great Eastern Ranges

Vegetation Communities

Nature & People

The Great Eastern Ranges contain 3.3 million hectares of naturally-vegetated lands, ranging from dry Eucalypt forests and grassy woodlands, to pristine and dense rainforests genetically linked to ancient Gondwana, and the herb fields of Australia's alpine communities. Habitats supporting each vegetation community differ remarkably in size and distribution.

Rainforest

In north-east New South Wales rainforests occur, in areas experiencing high rainfall and mostly free from fire. They are characterised by a closed and continuous canopy, where the majority of vegetation has large horizontal leaves that are soft and thin. Often they occur in gullies with fertile soils. Rainforests are an important habitat for many of the world's most ancient plant and animal species. Rainforests of the Great Eastern Ranges include:

• Subtropical Rainforests (76,200 ha)
• Northern Warm Temperate Rainforests (72,900 ha)
• Southern Warm Temperate Rainforests (5,700 ha)
• Cool Temperate Rainforest (21,600 ha)
• Dry Rainforests (23,900 ha).

Dry and Wet Sclerophyll Forests

The Great Eastern Ranges are dominated by sclerophyll forests and woodlands. Sclerophyll forests are Eucalyptus-dominated – consisting primarily of vegetation with hard, thick and leathery leaves, reducing water loss. Dry sclerophyll forests are widespread in the Great Eastern Ranges, comprising approximately 584,700 hectares. They require 450–600 mm of rain each year and can support trees up to 40 m tall. Wet sclerophyll forests occur on moderately fertile soils in areas of higher rainfall, generally in excess of 900 mm each year. They are characterised by an open canopy and incorporate soft-leafed understorey plants such as Ferns.

Grassy Woodlands and Heathlands

The grassy woodlands of the Great Eastern Ranges are dominated by Eucalypts such as Forest Red Gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis) and Yellow Box (Eucalyptus melliodora). They are characterised by an open canopy and a sparse understorey of shrubs such as grasses and herbs. Heathlands are devoid of trees and are dominated by grasses and shrubs. Their distribution is restricted to exposed mountain features such as plateaux and ridges.

Wetlands

There are a very large number and variety of wetlands in the Great Eastern Ranges, including freshwater, saline and forested wetlands, and alpine bogs and fens.

Wetland Varieties

• Freshwater wetlands – dominated by shrubs, sedges and herbs, and are often devoid of large trees. Freshwater wetlands in the Great Eastern Ranges comprise 9,400 hectares, including heathswamps, freshwater lagoons and highland bogs and fens.
• Saline wetlands – confined to the coastal plains. They occupy 1,200 hectares of the Great Eastern Ranges, including mangrove swamps and salt marshes.
• Forested wetlands – including vegetation on floodplains and along riverbanks. They are dominated by tree species that prosper in fertile soils. Forested wetlands comprise approximately 11,200 hectares of the Great Eastern Ranges, including coastal swamp forests, coastal floodplain wetlands and coastal and tableland riverine forests.

Alpine Vegetation

Alpine vegetation occurs in the Australian Alps, where it is found on Australia's highest peaks. It comprises approximately 57,500 hectares of the Great Eastern Ranges corridor and consists of 4 vegetation classes. Alpine ecosystems occupy 0.3% of the Australian mainland.

Alpine Vegetation Classes

• Alpine bogs and fens – these freshwater bogs provide habitats for Sphagnum Moss (Sphagnum spp) and Southern and Northern Corroborree Frogs (Pseudophryne corroboree and Psuedonphryne pengilleyi).
• Alpine fjeldmarks – areas of gravel and pebbles with small isolated plants, mosses and lichens.
• Alpine heaths – heathland occurring on shallow soils of exposed peaks and ridges – can occur at altitudes of 1700 m.
• Alpine herb fields – species requiring rich soil, lots of water in summer, and snow cover in winter.