South Western Slopes

The South Western Slopes, also known as the South West Slopes, is a region predominantly in New South Wales, Australia. It covers the lower inland slopes of the Great Dividing Range, extending from north of Dunedoo through central NSW and into northeast Victoria, meeting its southwestern end around Beechworth. More than 90% of the region is in the state of New South Wales and it occupies about 10% of that state.

South Western Slopes
New South Wales
Emus in Weddin Mountains National Park
The interim Australian bioregions,
with South Western Slopes in red
Area86,811.26 km2 (33,518.0 sq mi)
LGA(s)
State electorate(s)
Federal division(s)Eden-Monaro
Localities around South Western Slopes:
Darling Riverine Plains Brigalow Belt South Sydney Basin
Cobar Peneplain South Western Slopes South Eastern Highlands
Riverina South Eastern Highlands South Eastern Highlands

Bioregion

The South Western Slopes bioregion covers the lower inland slopes of the Great Dividing Range extending from north of Dunedoo through central NSW and into northeast Victoria, meeting its southwestern end around Beechworth. More than 90% of the region is in the state of New South Wales and it occupies about 10% of that state – more than 80,000 km2.[1][2]

The bioregion includes parts of the Murray, Murrumbidgee, Lachlan and Macquarie River catchments.[3]

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 Condobolin, to as much as 1,700 millimetres (67 in) on the western face of the Snowy Mountains at Cabramurra.[5]

Snowfalls are common on the higher slopes above an altitude of approximately 700 metres (2,300 ft) in the southernmost boundary of the region; and above 1,100 metres (3,600 ft) in the northernmost boundary, but may occur as low as 300 metres (980 ft) or less. Snow has been recorded on a few occasions to fall and settle as low as Albury and Wagga Wagga, 165 metres (541 ft) and 180 metres (590 ft) respectively. Sleet is a regular occurrence throughout the higher parts of the region, and occurs sporadically even in the lowland areas—especially in the south. Depending on latitude, rainfall peaks in either winter or spring; the more southern and mountainous areas show a distinct winter peak, as opposed to one of springtime. High summer to mid autumn is usually the driest period and is prone to severe drought.

This region features the greatest seasonal range of maximum temperatures than any other in Australia: with some places ranging as much as 20 °C (68 °F) in maximum temperatures between January and July (such as Corryong in Victoria). This is due to being windward of the Great Dividing Range, with the prevailing westerly airmasses and accompanying cloud cover bringing low maximum temperatures in winter; and the far inland location, prolonging heatwaves in summer. These areas have a climate that is more similar to that of Adelaide and Perth, than the proximate cities like Sydney and Wollongong, with their wet winters and relatively dry summers.

Forecast area for Bureau of Meteorology

The South West Slopes forecast area used by the Bureau of Meteorology includes only a region stretching approximately between Young and Tumbarumba from north to south. The area is much smaller than that defined as a bioregion by the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, as the Bureau of Meteorolgy has split this bioregion into three additional forecast districts: the Central West Slopes & Plains, constituting the northern parts of the bioregion; as well as North East (Victoria) and Riverina, which constitute the remaining south and west of the bioregion.[6]

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 BirdLife International as the South-west Slopes of NSW Important Bird Area (IBA) because it supports a significant wintering population of endangered swift parrots and most of the largest population of vulnerable superb parrots, as well as populations of painted honeyeaters and diamond firetails.[7]

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]

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 Beechworth in the southwest to Dunedoo in the northeast, include Wodonga, Albury, Corryong, Tumbarumba, Batlow, Wagga Wagga, Junee, Tumut, Gundagai, Cootamundra, Temora, West Wyalong, Grenfell, Young, Cowra, Forbes, Parkes, Wellington and Mudgee. Griffith, Leeton and Condobolin lay just outside the western boundary; while Orange, Crookwell and Yass lay just outside the eastern boundary of the bioregion.[1] The highland regions nearer the Great Divide, such as Cabramurra, can also be considered a part of the South Eastern Highlands bioregion.

Local government areas included in the bioregion:

References
  1. NSW NPWS Map of bioregion (pdf) Archived 30 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  2. R Thackway; I D Cresswell, eds. (2005). "New South Wales South West Slopes: from Description of IBRA Regions for Australia". An Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia: A Framework for Setting Priorities in the National Reserves System Cooperative Program. Australian Nature Conservation Agency (On internet by Department of the Environment and Heritage). Archived from the original on 4 September 2006. Retrieved 14 August 2006.
  3. "NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service information about the bioregion". Archived from the original on 28 August 2006. Retrieved 11 August 2006.
  4. "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.
  5. 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.
  6. New South Wales Forecast Area Map
  7. "IBA: South-west Slopes of NSW". Birdata. Birds Australia. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
  8. "Biodiversity Assessment – NSW South Western Slopes". Australian Natural resources Atlas. Department of the Environment and Heritage (Australia). 2002. Archived from the original on 20 May 2009. Retrieved 14 August 2006.
  9. "South Western Slopes – bioregional-scale conservation". National Parks and Wildlife Service. 2004. Archived from the original on 29 May 2004. Retrieved 14 August 2006.
  10. "South Western Slopes – regional history". National Parks and Wildlife Service. 2004. Archived from the original on 3 September 2006. Retrieved 14 August 2006.

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