3.4. Native Flora

The region is marked by extensive alteration of the natural vegetation, undertaken principally for agricultural purposes. Only in the headwater areas does the natural vegetation survive to any great extent. Dominant communities in these regions include mountain gum, alpine ash and alpine grasses. On the more elevated slopes, peppermint, red stringybark and brittle gum dominate.

Grey box communities are commonly found on the Riverine Plains, while river red gums fringe the rivers and streams. White box communities occur on the lower slopes surrounding the Riverine Plains. Yellow box and Blakely’s red gum also occur in the area.

A 2005 report by the Department of Energy, Climate Change and Water (now the Office of Environment and Heritage) identified 18 vegetation communities within the Wagga Wagga Local Government Area. Of these, four were regarded as being of “least concern,” seven as vulnerable, and another seven as endangered. In some cases, only 1% of the original extent of the vegetation community survived (DECCW, 2005).

A number of threatened plant species occur in the Mid Murrumbidgee. The following list contains those species declared endangered and known from the area. A full list of endangered species for the Murrumbidgee Catchment (Upper, Mid and Lower) is given under Schedule 4 of the Catchment Action Plan for 2008. 
• Austral pillwort (Pilularia novae-hollandiae)
• Crimson spider orchid (Caladenia concolor)
• Mueller’s eyebright (Euphrasia collina)
• Sand-hill spider orchid (Caladenia arenaria)
• Small scurf-pea (Cullen parvum)
• Small purple-pea (Swainsona recta)
• A spear-grass (Austrostipa wakoolica)
• Tumut grevillea (Grevillea wilkinsonii)
Other threatened species of note include the Yass daisy (Ammobium craspedioides), woolly ragwort (Senecio garlandii) and the pine donkey orchid (Diuris tricolor), all vulnerable.

References and Resources
• DECCW, 2005. NSW Government – Department of Energy, Climate Change and Water. The native vegetation and threatened species of the City of Wagga Wagga.

• Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Authority. 2008. Schedule 4 – Assets and issues of national and state environmental significance. In Catchment Action Plant (2008).

For lists of threatened species found in the upper slopes (including Wagga and Cootamundra) and lower slopes (including Narrandera) subregions of the Murrumbidgee Catchment, see:
• NSW Government – Environment and Heritage. Undated. New South Wales threatened species.