Commonwealth of Australia

Inclusion of ecological communities in the list of threatened ecological communities under section 181 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

I, IAN CAMPBELL, Minister for the Environment and Heritage, pursuant to section 184(1) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, hereby amend the list referred to in section 181 of that Act by:

including in the list in the Critically Endangered category

• Swamp Tea-tree (Melaleuca irbyana) Forest of South-east Queensland, as described in the Schedule to this instrument.

Dated this….............5th...........................day of…................April..................................2005

Ian Campbell

Minister for the Environment and Heritage

SCHEDULE

Swamp Tea-tree (Melaleuca irbyana) Forest of South-east Queensland

The Swamp Tea-tree (Melaleuca irbyana) Forest of South-east Queensland ecological community is a type of low, open forest that only occurs in the South East Queensland IBRA (Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia) bioregion.

The Swamp Tea-tree (Melaleuca irbyana) Forest of South-east Queensland ecological community is characterised by a thicket of M. irbyana trees that form a dense canopy 8-12 metres high. An overstorey of eucalypt trees that emerges above the Swamp Tea-tree canopy is sometimes present. Eucalypt species that are common in the overstorey are Eucalyptus crebra (Narrow-leaved Ironbark), E. melanophloia (Silver-leaved Ironbark), E. moluccana (Grey Box) or E. tereticornis (Forest Red Gum). The understorey typically is sparse and comprises a range of grasses, sedges and herbs with few shrubs and vines present in the ground layer.

The Swamp Tea-tree (Melaleuca irbyana) Forest of South-east Queensland ecological community occurs on the alluvial plains and swampy depressions of the Moreton basin. The soils are seasonally cracking grey clays that drain slowly and frequently become waterlogged after heavy rains.