12.8.1

Eucalyptus campanulata tall open forest on Cainozoic igneous rocks

12.8.2

Eucalyptus oreades tall open forest on Cainozoic igneous rocks

12.8.3

Complex notophyll vine forest on Cainozoic igneous rocks. Altitude <600m

12.8.5

Complex notophyll vine forest on Cainozoic igneous rocks. Altitude usually >600m

12.8.6

Simple microphyll fern forest with Nothofagus moorei on Cainozoic igneous rocks

12.8.8

Eucalyptus saligna or E. grandis tall open forest on Cainozoic igneous rocks

12.8.9

Lophostemon confertus open forest on Cainozoic igneous rocks

12.8.18

Simple notophyll vine forest with Ceratopetalum apetalum on Cainozoic igneous rocks

12.8.19

Montane heath on Cainozoic igneous rocks

dist

disturbed; much of this is regenerating forest

non-rem

non-remnant (mainly cleared land with exotic grass cover)

Cool temperate rainforest

These forests are dominated by Antarctic Beech, Nothofagus moorei. The genus Nothofagus illustrates the ancient Gondwanan connections, in that it occurs only in Australasia and South America, former fragments of the Gondwana supercontinent.

Fauna associated with cool temperate rainforest include Masked Mountain Frog Kyarranus loveridgei, Beech Skink Harrisoniascincus zia, Albert’s lyrebird Menura alberti, olive whistler Pachycephala olivacea, Hackeriella veitchi, an ancient lineage of moss bugs (Peloridiidae) occurs in cool temperate rainforest and is associated with mosses, mostly on the trunks of Antarctic Beech.

Flora include the beech orchid Dendrobium falcorostrum, Parsonsia tenuis, Pittosporum oreillyanum, Pararistolochia laheyana, and Dicksonia youngiae.

Warm temperate rainforest

At Springbrook, warm temperate rainforest is dominated by Coachwood, Ceratopetalum apetalum. Brush Box, Lophostemon confertus, may also be present.

This forest type provides habitat for a range of rare and threatened plants including the Mountain Birdwing Butterfly Vine, Pararistolochia laheyana. Other threatened flora include rusty rose walnut Endiandra hayesii, small-leaved hazelwood Symplocos baeuerleni.

Albert’s lyrebird Menura alberti inhabits warm as well as cool temperate rainforest.

Subtropical rainforest

The World Heritage nomination describes subtropical rainforest as being “rainforests that are exceptionally rich in primitive and relict species, many of which are similar to fossils from Gondwana”. These species abound in the rainforests of Springbrook.

In subtropical rainforest at higher altitudes (cool subtropical rainforest) Black Booyong (Argyrodendron actinophyllum) is generally one of the dominant species whereas at lower altitudes (warm subtropical rainforest) White Booyong (Argyrodendron trifoliolatum) is dominant. At Springbrook, the situation is reversed with White Booyong more common at higher altitudes.

Wet sclerophyll forest

There are at least two types of wet sclerophyll forest at Springbrook. Both have a rainforest understorey and to a significant extent they function ecologically as rainforest. Emergent tall trees are commonly Rose Gum (Eucalyptus grandis), Sydney Blue Gum (Eucalyptus saligna) or Brush Box (Lophostemon confertus). Other species include Tallowwood (Eucalyptus microcorys), White Mahogany (E. acmenoides) and Turpentine (Syncarpia glomulifera subsp. glomulifera).

Wet sclerophyll forest provides habitat for rare and threatened flora species including Lepidozamia peroffskyana.

This forest type also provides very important habitat for numerous fauna species including many that inhabit rainforest. One example is Albert’s Lyrebird which inhabits wet sclerophyll forest where there is a closed canopy and a dense rainforest understorey.