Identifying drought refuges for terrestrial species in the Cooper Basin

December 19th, 2024

This fact sheet outlines the methods and objectives of a CSIRO research project designed to locate, assess and manage terrestrial habitats that are essential for protecting and maintaining threatened species during dry periods in the Cooper Basin.

Note: In April 2024, the QLD RAC approved the “Identifying drought refuges for terrestrial species in the Cooper Basin’ project.” However, significant rain and associated flooding in March-June 2025 have transformed the environment in the region, bringing a large pulse in primary productivity and boom conditions.

As a consequence of the wet conditions, a project that examines drought refuges is no longer possible.

In July 2025 The QLD RAC approved a variation to the project to reflect a decision to pivot the research focus onto the habitat of a subset of the focal species during periods of high productivity.

In particular this will examine bird breeding habitat. The intention of the revised project is to take advantage of this pulse in resource availability and capture information on important breeding sites for a subset of the focal species.