The Queensland tropical rain forests ecoregion (WWF ID: AA0117) covers a portion of the coast of Queensland in northeastern Australia and belongs to the Australasian realm. The forest contains the world's best living record of the major stages in the evolutionary history of the world's land plants, including most of the world's relict species of plants from the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana. The history of the evolution of marsupials and songbirds is also well represented.
Location and description
The ecoregion covers of northeastern coastal Queensland, from the coast up a series of plateaus and tablelands to the mountains behind the coast. The ecoregion comprises three separate sections. The northern area, which includes Cairns, is the largest, from 15°30’ to 19°25’ south latitude. This northern section is also known as the Wet Tropics bioregion, and is just east of the Einasleigh Uplands. The middle section is centred on Mackay, Queensland, and the southern section is just south of Shoalwater Bay. These latter two sections correspond to the Central Mackay Coast bioregion and are bounded on the west by the Brigalow tropical savanna ecoregion. Elevations in the ecoregion rise from sea level to 1,477 metres, with a mean of 301 metres. and Dry-winter humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification (Cwa)). The latter climate is characterized as having no month averaging below , at least one month averaging above , and four months averaging over . Precipitation in the wet summer months is ten times or more the average of the winter months. In this particular ecoregion, annual precipitation is highly variable, with annual averages between 1,200 and 8,000 mm. The rainy season is November to April. These forests represent the closest living remnant of the vegetation type from which all of Australia's unique vegetation developed. The vegetation remained across Australia and Antarctica until about 15 million years ago.
Currently, about 65% of the ecoregion is closed forest of broadleaf evergreens. and diminishing populations of species such as spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus), cassowary (Casuarius casuarius), and ring-tail possum (Hemibelideus lemuroides). Introduced species also pose a serious threat to many native species.
In an effort to preserve the Daintree Rainforest north of the Daintree River it was decided by the Government of Queensland in 1993 to halt the spread of the electricity network north of that point, providing a limit to tourist development.
Protected areas include the following:
- Homevale National Park
- Eungella National Park
- Dryander National Park
- Conway National Park
- Whitsunday Islands National Park
- Paluma Range National Park
- Halifax Bay Wetlands National Park
- Hinchinbrook Island National Park
- Girramay National Park
- Girringun National Park
- Hull River National Park
- Kurrimine Beach National Park
- Eubenangee Swamp National Park
- Ella Bay National Park
- Wooroonooran National Park
- Barron Gorge National Park
- Daintree National Park
- Cedar Bay National Park
- Kalkajaka National Park
Tourism
The forests, together with the Great Barrier Reef, have been identified and promoted as a major tourist attraction of Tropical North Queensland, one of five within the state. One of the most significant tourist attractions in the rain forests is the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway.
See also
- Wet Tropics of Queensland