Brooklyn Sanctuary
- Area
- 60,000 ha (148,260 acres)
- Bioregion
- Wet Tropics Bioregion and Einasleigh Uplands Bioregion
- Wildlife
-
- Mammals: 89
- Birds: 293
- Reptiles: 78
- Amphibians: 37
- Threatened Wildlife
- At least 48 species, including:
- Lumholtz`s Tree-kangaroo
- Northern Bettong
- Northern Quoll
- Southern Cassowary
- Plants
- 700+ (estimated)
- Threatened Plants
- At least 45 species
- Ecosystems
- 71
- Threatened Ecosystems
- 40
- Ecosystems Not Protected in National Parks
- Assessment underway
- Ecosystems Inadequately Protected in National Parks
-
(<5% Of Area Protected)
Assessment underway
- Major On-Ground Programs
-
- Biodiversity surveys and monitoring
- Cattle removal
- Fire management
- Revegetation and rehabilitation (preventing uncontrolled and unsustainable recreational access to vulnerable ecosystems along the Mitchell River)
- Weed control
Brooklyn sanctuary is a true ‘biodiversity hotspot’, being home to perhaps the greatest diversity of wildlife of any property in Australia.
Almost 500 native mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians are expected to occur on Brooklyn. This represents a greater diversity of wildlife than even Kakadu National Park (which is home to 482 species).
Northern Bettong
Brooklyn Sanctuary
Remarkably, this single property is home to:
- approximately 40% of all Australian bird species; and
- almost 30% of all Australian mammal species.
The international significance of Brooklyn is recognised by the fact that a section of the property (5,000 ha) is inscribed in the World Heritage List. In the entire world, there are only 177 properties included in the World Heritage List for their natural values. Other listed properties include the Great Barrier Reef, Serengeti National Park (Tanzania) and the Everglades (USA).
Brooklyn is home to 45 fauna species that are listed as threatened with extinction, emphasising the critical importance of acquiring Brooklyn for conservation. AWC is not aware of any other property in Australia with such a high concentration of endangered wildlife.
The extraordinary level of biodiversity occurring on Brooklyn reflects its strategic position straddling two bioregions – the Wet Tropics Bioregion and the Einasleigh Uplands Bioregion. It also reflects the range of topography and the steep rainfall gradient across the property.
In total, there are at least 71 ecosystems on the property including 40 threatened ecosystems.
In terms of overall plant diversity, the eastern end of Brooklyn captures part of one of the most diverse areas of the Wet Tropics Bioregion which in turn is one of the richest regions in Australia.
Brooklyn also contains stunning scenery dominated by rainforest-clad mountains, such as Mt Lewis and Mt Fraser, and almost 50 km of the Mitchell River and its adjacent lagoons and floodplains.
However, the wildlife on Brooklyn is threatened by a range of factors including cattle grazing, altered fire regimes, weeds and proposals to divert water from the Mitchell River.
More >> View a map of Brooklyn and adjacent conservation areas