The Clarke Range, part of the

Great Dividing Range The Great Dividing Range, also known as the East Australian Cordillera or the Eastern Highlands, is a cordillera system in eastern Australia consisting of an expansive collection of mountain ranges, plateaus and rolling hills, that runs rough ...

, is a

rainforest Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainfores ...

-covered mountain range located in North Queensland, Australia. The range is located approximately from the

Coral Sea The Coral Sea () is a marginal sea of the South Pacific off the northeast coast of Australia, and classified as an interim Australian bioregion. The Coral Sea extends down the Australian northeast coast. Most of it is protected by the Fre ...

and west of the coastal city of

Mackay Mackay may refer to: *Clan Mackay, the Scottish clan from which the surname "MacKay" derives Mackay may also refer to: Places Australia * Mackay Region, a local government area ** Mackay, Queensland, a city in the above region *** Mackay Airport ...

. The highest points are the summits of Mount William at about and Mount Dalrymple at . The range is composed of granite rocks. The slopes of Clarke Range form the upper reaches of the Pioneer River valley. Broken River also rises in the range, flowing west to join the Burdekin River. An exploration party led by John Mackay were the first Europeans to cross the range on 18 May 1860. The main road over the range winds sharply and steeply and is not suitable for caravans.

Birds

Some of the Clarke Range, encompassing the Eungella National Park, has been classified as an

Important Bird Area An Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) is an area identified using an internationally agreed set of criteria as being globally important for the conservation of bird populations. IBA was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife Int ...

BirdLife International BirdLife International is a global partnership of non-governmental organizations that strives to conserve birds and their habitats. BirdLife International's priorities include preventing extinction of bird species, identifying and safeguarding ...

because it supports most of the population of the

Eungella honeyeater The Eungella honeyeater (''Bolemoreus hindwoodi'') is a species of bird in the family Meliphagidae and is endemic to Australia. This species is found only in a small area of plateau rainforest in the Clarke Range, west of Mackay, in Queensland. ...

, an isolated northern population of the regent bowerbird, and large numbers of bush stone-curlews.

References

Important Bird Areas of Queensland North Queensland Great Dividing Range {{NorthQueensland-geo-stub

Birds

See also

References