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Queensland Government
WetlandInfo   —   Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation

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Biogeographic subregions

Townsville Plains biogeographic subregion

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Name: Townsville Plains
Area type: Biogeographic subregion
Total area: 768,022 ha
% total Qld: 0.4%
Towns: Alva, Ayr, Barratta, Brandon, Cardington, Clare, Cromarty, Cungulla, Dalbeg, Deeragun, Giru, Home Hill, Inkerman, Jalloonda, Lochinvar, Manton, Millaroo, Mountain View, Nome, Pallarenda, Pioneer, Reid River, Toonpan, Townsville, Woldston, Woodstock, Yabulu
Page table of contents
Catchment stories
Wetland observations
Wetland extents
Wetland extent changes
Australian Land Use and Management Classification (ALUMC)
Drainage divisions
Drainage basins
Drainage sub-basins
Regional natural resource management (NRM) bodies
Local government areas
100K map tiles
Climate zones
Bioregions
IBRA bioregions
IBRA subregions
Bioregional assessment areas
Marine meso-scale bioregions
Marine provincial bioregions
Regional plans
World Heritage areas
Ramsar internationally important wetlands
DIWA nationally important wetlands
National parks
Marine parks (Queensland)
Study areas
Report cards
Conservation parks
State forests
Forest reserves
Resources reserves
Timber reserves
Fish habitat areas
Coastal management district
Nature refuges
Freshwater biogeographic provinces
Aquatic Conservation Assessments (AquaBAMM) and others
Wetland (aquatic ecosystem) type—conceptual models
Wetland (aquatic ecosystem) type—management profiles
Groundwater dependent ecosystem type—conceptual models
Healthy Land and Water conceptual models
Water resource planning areas
Aquatic ecosystem monitoring programs
Point source monitoring
Wetland soil indicator case studies
Wetland management case studies
Wetland projects
Area specific conceptual model case studies
Paddock to Reef (P2R) report cards
Water Quality Improvement Plan catchments
EPP (Water) scheduled environmental values and water quality objectives
Shorebird zones
Biopassage structures
Related legislation/policies
Wildlife

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Catchment stories info

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Wetland observations

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Wetland extents info metadata

Based on wetland mapping version 6.0

Display areas in

Townsville Plains biogeographic subregion wetland area by system 2019
System Area (ha) % wetlands area % total area
Total 131,309 100.0% 17.1%
Total excluding riverine and artificial/highly modified riverine 95,910 73.0% 12.5%
Artificial and highly modified 9,058 6.9% 1.2%
Intertidal (saltmarsh, saltflats, mangroves) (natural) 62,829 47.8% 8.2%
Intertidal (saltmarsh, saltflats, mangroves) (slightly modified) 2,317 1.8% 0.3%
Lacustrine (natural) 124 0.1% 0.0%
Lacustrine (slightly modified) 1,930 1.5% 0.3%
Palustrine (natural) 6,226 4.7% 0.8%
Palustrine (slightly modified) 13,433 10.2% 1.7%
Riverine 35,391 27.0% 4.6%

View wetland system extents for all biogeographic subregions

Townsville Plains biogeographic subregion wetland area by habitat 2019
Habitat Area (ha) % wetlands area % total area
Total 57,377 100.0% 7.5%
Mangroves - Casuarina 0 0.0% 0.0%
Mangroves - other 27,925 48.7% 3.6%
Salt marsh and salt flats 9,251 16.1% 1.2%
Arid and semi-arid saline lake 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid floodplain lake 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid other non-floodplain lake 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain clay plan lake 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid permanently inundated lake 0 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain lake 641 1.1% 0.1%
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain rock lake 0 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain sand (window) lake 0 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain sand (perched) lake 0 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain soil lake 109 0.2% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid saline swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid floodplain tree swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid floodplain shrub swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid floodplain grass, sedge and herb swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain tree swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain shrub swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain grass, sedge and herb swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid other non-floodplain swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Arid and semi-arid Great Artesian Basin fed spring swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain tree (Melaleuca and Eucalypt) swamp 74 0.1% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain wet heath swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain grass, sedge, and herb swamp 759 1.3% 0.1%
Coastal and sub-coastal other non-floodplain swamp 134 0.2% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain tree (Melaleuca and Eucalypt) swamp 541 0.9% 0.1%
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain grass, sedge, and herb swamp 17,132 29.9% 2.2%
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain wet heath swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal other floodplain swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Coastal and sub-coastal tree (palm) swamp 0 0.0% 0.0%
Unknown - Swamp - Arid and semi-arid 0 0.0% 0.0%
Unknown - Swamp - Coastal and sub-coastal 812 1.4% 0.1%

View wetland habitat area for all biogeographic subregions

Disclaimer

Areas do not include marine or estuarine waters but do include estuarine wetland vegetation
(e.g. mangroves and tidal flats).

All statistics are approximate and generated based on data transformed to a customised Albers equal-area projection, thus allowing wetland extent change for different regions of Queensland to be comparable.

Areas may change over time as mapping approaches improve.

Totals may not match the sum of individually displayed figures due to the rounding of displayed figures.

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Wetland extent changes

Townsville Plains biogeographic subregion wetland extent change by system
System 2019 area
(ha)		 2017 area
(ha)		 2013 area
(ha)		 2009 area
(ha)		 2005 area
(ha)		 2001 area
(ha)		 pre-clear area
(ha)		 2019/pre-clear
percentage
Total 131,309 131,342 131,112 130,997 130,856 130,851 128,494 * 95.1%
Artificial and highly modified 9,058 9,052 8,967 8,877 8,611 8,513 0 n/a
Intertidal (saltmarsh, saltflats, mangroves) (natural) 62,829 62,829 63,086 63,089 63,102 63,114 72,105 87.1%
Intertidal (saltmarsh, saltflats, mangroves) (slightly modified) 2,317 2,317 2,325 2,324 2,324 2,324 0 n/a
Lacustrine (natural) 124 124 124 124 124 124 217 57.5%
Lacustrine (slightly modified) 1,930 1,930 1,891 1,896 1,904 1,839 0 n/a
Palustrine (natural) 6,226 6,238 6,221 6,285 6,299 6,346 12,813 48.6%
Palustrine (slightly modified) 13,433 13,433 13,195 13,072 13,078 13,065 0 n/a
Riverine 35,391 35,420 35,302 35,329 35,414 35,526 43,359 81.6%

* Total 2019/pre-clear percentage excludes artificial and highly modified

metadata View 2019 wetland system extents for all biogeographic subregions

metadata View 2017 wetland system extents for all biogeographic subregions

metadata View 2013 wetland system extents for all biogeographic subregions

metadata View 2009 wetland system extents for all biogeographic subregions

metadata View 2005 wetland system extents for all biogeographic subregions

metadata View 2001 wetland system extents for all biogeographic subregions

metadata View pre-clear wetland system extents for all biogeographic subregions

metadata View 2019/pre-clear wetland system extent percentages for all biogeographic subregions

Townsville Plains biogeographic subregion wetland extent change by habitat
Habitat 2019 area
(ha)		 2017 area
(ha)		 2013 area
(ha)		 2009 area
(ha)		 2005 area
(ha)		 2001 area
(ha)
Total 57,377 57,389 57,167 57,109 57,137 57,217
Mangroves - Casuarina 0 0 0 0 0 0
Mangroves - other 27,925 27,925 27,937 27,938 27,938 27,938
Salt marsh and salt flats 9,251 9,251 9,272 9,272 9,280 9,291
Arid and semi-arid saline lake 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid floodplain lake 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid other non-floodplain lake 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain clay plan lake 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid permanently inundated lake 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain lake 641 641 641 641 641 641
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain rock lake 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain sand (window) lake 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain sand (perched) lake 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain soil lake 109 109 109 109 109 109
Arid and semi-arid saline swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid floodplain tree swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid floodplain shrub swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid floodplain grass, sedge and herb swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain tree swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain shrub swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid non-floodplain grass, sedge and herb swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid other non-floodplain swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arid and semi-arid Great Artesian Basin fed spring swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain tree (Melaleuca and Eucalypt) swamp 74 74 74 74 74 74
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain wet heath swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal non-floodplain grass, sedge, and herb swamp 759 759 536 536 536 536
Coastal and sub-coastal other non-floodplain swamp 134 134 134 134 134 138
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain tree (Melaleuca and Eucalypt) swamp 541 541 514 514 514 514
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain grass, sedge, and herb swamp 17,132 17,144 17,139 17,134 17,154 17,218
Coastal and sub-coastal floodplain wet heath swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal other floodplain swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coastal and sub-coastal tree (palm) swamp 0 0 0 0 0 0
Unknown - Swamp - Arid and semi-arid 0 0 0 0 0 0
Unknown - Swamp - Coastal and sub-coastal 812 812 812 758 758 758

metadata View 2019 wetland habitat area for all biogeographic subregions

metadata View 2017 wetland habitat area for all biogeographic subregions

metadata View 2013 wetland habitat area for all biogeographic subregions

metadata View 2009 wetland habitat area for all biogeographic subregions

metadata View 2005 wetland habitat area for all biogeographic subregions

metadata View 2001 wetland habitat area for all biogeographic subregions

Disclaimer

Areas do not include marine or estuarine waters but do include estuarine wetland vegetation
(e.g. mangroves and tidal flats).

All statistics are approximate and generated based on data transformed to a customised Albers equal-area projection, thus allowing wetland extent change for different regions of Queensland to be comparable.

Areas may change over time as mapping approaches improve.

Totals may not match the sum of individually displayed figures due to the rounding of displayed figures.

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Australian Land Use and Management Classification (ALUMC) metadata

Townsville Plains biogeographic subregion land use
ALUMC code and description
Area (ha)
% total area
Total 765,007 99.6%
2.1 Grazing native vegetation 418,498 54.5%
4.3 Irrigated cropping 101,150 13.2%
1.1 Nature conservation 79,408 10.3%
6.5 Marsh/wetland 55,053 7.2%
1.3 Other minimal use 37,086 4.8%
5.4 Residential and farm infrastructure 20,166 2.6%
6.3 River 15,228 2.0%
6.2 Reservoir/dam 9,636 1.3%
5.5 Services 5,881 0.8%
5.7 Transport and communication 4,097 0.5%
4.4 Irrigated perennial horticulture 3,033 0.4%
4.5 Irrigated seasonal horticulture 2,212 0.3%
1.2 Managed resource protection 1,966 0.3%
5.3 Manufacturing and industrial 1,744 0.2%
5.8 Mining 1,480 0.2%
6.4 Channel/aqueduct 1,417 0.2%
2.2 Production native forests 1,374 0.2%
4.2 Grazing irrigated modified pastures 1,206 0.2%
6.1 Lake 1,202 0.2%
4.1 Irrigated plantation forests 928 0.1%
3.3 Cropping 753 0.1%
5.2 Intensive animal production 644 0.1%
5.9 Waste treatment and disposal 350 0.0%
5.6 Utilities 179 0.0%
4.6 Irrigated land in transition 110 0.0%
3.2 Grazing modified pastures 82 0.0%
6.6 Estuary/coastal waters 59 0.0%
3.4 Perennial horticulture 24 0.0%
3.1 Plantation forests 20 0.0%
5.1 Intensive horticulture 19 0.0%
3.6 Land in transition 3 0.0%

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Drainage divisions info metadata

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Drainage basins info metadata

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Drainage sub-basins info metadata

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Regional natural resource management (NRM) bodies info metadata

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Local government areas info metadata

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100K map tiles info metadata

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Climate zones info metadata

  • map Grassland
  • map Subtropical
  • map Tropical

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Bioregions info metadata

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IBRA bioregions info metadata

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IBRA subregions info metadata

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Bioregional assessment areas info metadata

none

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Marine meso-scale bioregions metadata

  • map Lucinda-Mackay Coast (LMC)

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Marine provincial bioregions metadata

  • map Northeast Shelf Province

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Regional plans info metadata

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World Heritage areas info metadata

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Ramsar internationally important wetlands info metadata

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DIWA nationally important wetlands info metadata

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National parks info metadata

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Marine parks (Queensland) info metadata

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Study areas metadata

none

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Report cards metadata

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Conservation parks info metadata

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State forests info metadata

  • map Clemant State Forest
  • map Mingela State Forest

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Forest reserves info metadata

none

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Resources reserves info metadata

none

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Timber reserves info metadata

none

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Fish habitat areas info metadata

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Coastal management district info metadata

  • map Available (all have been combined since February 2012)

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Nature refuges info metadata

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Freshwater biogeographic provinces info metadata

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Aquatic Conservation Assessments (AquaBAMM) and others info metadata

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Wetland (aquatic ecosystem) type—conceptual models info metadata

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Wetland (aquatic ecosystem) type—management profiles info metadata

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Groundwater dependent ecosystem type—conceptual models info metadata

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Healthy Land and Water conceptual models info metadata

none

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Water resource planning areas info metadata

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Aquatic ecosystem monitoring programs info metadata

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Point source monitoring info metadata

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Wetland soil indicator case studies info metadata

none

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Wetland management case studies info metadata

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Wetland projects info metadata

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Area specific conceptual model case studies info metadata

none

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Paddock to Reef (P2R) report cards info metadata

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Water Quality Improvement Plan catchments info metadata

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EPP (Water) scheduled environmental values and water quality objectives info metadata

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Shorebird zones info metadata

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Biopassage structures info metadata

Name Construction year Structure types Stream name
map Aims Road 1 2010 Culvert Unnamed Creek
map Aims Road 2 2010 Culvert Unnamed Creek
map Alligator Creek Weir 2011 Rock Ramp Alligator Creek
map Beach Road Vertical slot Kalamia Creek
map Castenlanelli's Rock Ramp Rock Ramp
map Cislowski Road Vertical slot Plantation Creek
map Clare Weir 2009 Mechanical Burdekin River
map Dick's Bank 2009 Vertical slot Sheepstation Creek
map Farm crossing rock ramp Rock Ramp Saltwater Creek
map Five Ways 2011 Rock Ramp Sheepstation Creek
map Horseshoe Lagoon 2009 Rock Ramp Horsehoe Creek
map Inkerman Road Rock Ramp Saltwater Creek
map Jacks Road 2011 Rock Ramp Sheepstation Creek
map Lilliesmere Bund Rock Ramp Alva Creek
map Lilliesmere Road Vertical slot Kalamia Creek
map McAllisters Road Rock Ramp Plantation Creek
map Pyott's Lagoon Vertical slot Kalamia Creek
map Rita Island 2009 Rock Ramp Burdekin Ananbranch
map Rocky New Road Vertical slot Saltwater Creek
map Toll Road 2011 Vertical slot Sheepstation Creek
map Town Common 2011 Rock Ramp Unnamed Creek
map Town Common Ds 2011 Culvert Unnamed Creek
map University Creek 2010 Rock Ramp, Culvert University Creek
map Wills Crossing 2011 Culvert Sheepstation Creek

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Wildlife

Kingdom
Class
 Native Introduced Wetland
indicator
species		 Rare or
threatened
species		 All
TOTAL 2,602 379 410 73 2,981
Animals 827 34 213 57 861
Mammals 88 14 6 10 102
Birds 431 9 95 32 440
Reptiles 155 2 23 9 157
Amphibians 31 1 13 2 32
Ray-finned fishes 56 7 62 1 63
Cartilaginous fishes 6 0 6 2 6
Insects 57 1 8 0 58
Malacostracans 3 0 0 1 3
Bacteria 2 0 0 0 2
Chromists 16 0 0 0 16
Fungi 15 0 0 0 15
Plants 1,742 345 197 16 2,087

Note: Wildlife statistics are based on information that has been submitted to the DETSI WildNet database and converted to a 10km² grid. The grid information has been intersected with the mapping polygons to determine the species lists. Click here to view the species grid metadata.

Information from WildNet can also be accessed via Wildlife Online and WetlandMaps.

Rare or threatened includes species listed as extinct, extinct in the wild, critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable or conservation dependent under either the Nature Conservation Act or Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act

Disclaimer: While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of this product, the Queensland Government and Australian Government make no representations or warranties about its accuracy, reliability, completeness or suitability for any particular purpose and disclaim all responsibility and all liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages (including indirect or consequential damage) and costs which might be incurred as a consequence of reliance on the product, or as a result of the product being inaccurate or incomplete in any way and for any reason.

AreaType-biogeographic-subregion

This page should be cited as:

Department of Environment, Science and Innovation, Queensland (2013) Townsville Plains biogeographic subregion — facts and maps, WetlandInfo website, accessed 17 April 2025. Available at: https://wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au/wetlands/facts-maps/biogeographic-subregion-townsville-plains/