Judbarra National Park, formerly Gregory National Park and Judbarra / Gregory National Park, is a national park in the Northern Territory of Australia, 359 km (223 mi) south of Darwin.
| Judbarra National Park Northern Territory | |
|---|---|
 Judbarra National Park | |
| Nearest town or city | Katherine |
| Established | 1990 |
| Area | 13,004.12 km2 (5,020.9 sq mi)[1] |
| Managing authorities | |
| Website | Judbarra National Park |
| See also | Protected areas of the Northern Territory |
The park is the second largest national park in the Northern Territory, after Kakadu National Park, with an area of 13,000 km (8,100 mi).[2]
The park was formerly known as Gregory National Park, but on 21 October 2011, it was announced that under a joint management plan with the traditional owners, the park would be dual-named "Judbarra / Gregory National Park" for a period of ten years. Since 2021, its official name is Judbarra National Park.[3]
The park consists of two geographically disjoint sections. The larger section lies to the southwest of the smaller northeastern section.
Indigenous peoples and culture
editThe park includes traditional lands of several Indigenous Australian groups, including Ngarinyman, Karrangpurru, Malngin, Wardaman, Ngaliwurru, Nungali, Bilinara, Gurindji, and Jaminjung, and spans the boundary between two major Australian language families, Pama Nyungan and Non-Pama-Nyungan (Northern).[2]
The rock shelters and caves in Judbarra contain an extensive amount of Aboriginal rock art, variously created by painting, stencilling, drawing, printing, and "pecking and pounding". The human figure is the most common motif; the park is "one of the most prolific sites in Australia" for composite engraved and painted human figures. The rock art of the Judbarra region is considered to represent a distinct art province.[2]
Ecology
editEcologically, the park is in the transition between tropical and semi-arid zones.[3]
The park has been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area (IBA) because it supports much of the eastern subspecies of the white-quilled rock-pigeon and small numbers of the endangered Gouldian finch, as well as populations of the chestnut-backed buttonquail, partridge pigeon, yellow-rumped mannikin and several other near-threatened or savanna-biome-restricted species.[4]
A plant that is only known to the park, Solanum scalarium, also known as Garrarnawun bush tomato, was collected near Garrarnawun Lookout in 2018 and formally described in 2022.[5][6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "CAPAD 2012 Northern Territory Summary (see 'DETAIL' tab)". CAPAD 2012. Australian Government - Department of the Environment. 7 February 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
- ^ a b c Parks and Wildlife Service of the Northern Territory (June 2011), Judbarra / Gregory National Park and Gregory's Tree Historical Reserve Joint Management Plan (PDF), Northern Territory Department of Natural Resources, Environment, The Arts and Sport, archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2012
- ^ a b NRETAS Judburra/Gregory National Park Archived 25 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Northern Territory Government
- ^ "IBA: Gregory National Park". Birdata. Birds Australia. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 29 June 2011.
- ^ "Solanum scalarium". International Plant Names Index. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ Robinson, Lee (7 January 2023). "Scientists stumble on strange bush tomato while hiking in national park". ABC News. Retrieved 13 February 2023.