Progress to Date - Fish River Gorge Block
The Northern Territory Land Corporation and the Territory Government signed an important partnership agreement that provided the first step in linking conservation corridors for the Territory Eco-link initiative.
This conservation management agreement saw the Fish River Gorge Block (NT Portion 2700) become a key parcel of land in linking Gregory and Litchfield National Park as part of Territory Eco-link. The agreement was signed under Section 74 of the Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act and allows the Parks and Wildlife Service to manage the land for its conservation values.
The Fish River Gorge Block is 1274 sq km and represents 5.6 per cent of the crucial Victoria Bonaparte bioregion.
Fish River Gorge Block is relatively undisturbed with no clearing having been undertaken. At least 120 Rainforest Species are found on the Fish River Gorge Block, one of which is found in less than 10 sites within the Territory. A number of Territory endemic species are found on the block including:
• Trees: Acacia tolmerensis, Eucalyptus patellaris, Syzygium minutuliflorum
• Shrubs: Grevillea pluricaulis, Pachynema dilatatum, Tephrosia nematophylla
• Herb: Trachymene hispida
• Palm: Carpentaria acuminate
Acacia tolmerensis trees have a restricted distribution extending from Litchfield National Park to the Fish River area.The block also contains one near threatened plant species (the rainforest herb Pouzolzia zeylanica), which is restricted in the Territory to rainforests associated with gorges in the Daly River to Victoria River regions. The block incorporates the upper reaches of several major Daly River sub catchments which were previously unprotected. This includes approximately 45 per cent of the Fish River sub catchment and 60 per cent of the Bamboo (Moon Boon) Creek sub catchment. The block also features rocky areas that are potential refuges for native species in this newly declared conservation corridor.