The Barron River catchment has an area of approximately 2300 km² and is located in northern Queensland. At more than 165 km in length, the Barron River is one of the region's largest easterly-flowing waterways. Over time, the Barron River 'captured' some of the headwaters of the Mitchell River, which formerly flowed in a north-westerly direction to the Gulf of Carpentaria, such as the Clohesy River. These new contributions strengthened the Barron River, causing it to cut back into its valley, producing the steep, narrow Barron Gorge. The river was named in 1875 by police sub-inspectors, Johnstone and Douglas, but the explorer, James Venture Mulligan (1837-1907) discovered the Barron River a year before. It was named after T.H. Barron chief clerk of police in Brisbane.
The Barron River rises in the Crater National Park near Mt Hypipamee, at an altitude of approximately 1200 m. It then flows north for 65 km to Mareeba before turning east across the Atherton Tablelands and the Kuranda Range and dropping some 260 metres at the Barron Falls to the coastal lowlands. Downstream of the Barron Gorge, the river has constructed a delta that forms part of the coastal plain. The river divides into three distributaries at times of low flow: the main river channel, Thomatis/Richters Creek and Redden Creek. Two other distributaries, Barr Creek and Half Moon Creek, operate at times of high flow. Two sizeable water impoundments, Lakes Tinaroo and Morris capture a sizeable proportion of the catchment's mean annual runoff. Lake Tinaroo is situated behind Tinaroo Falls Dam on the upper Barron River north-east of Atherton, and Lake Morris is impounded by the Copperlode Falls Dam across the headwaters of Freshwater Creek south-west of Cairns City.
Its catchment takes in the major tributaries flowing into Lake Tinaroo including Kauri, Mazlin, McLean, Maroobi, Peterson and Severin Creeks. It is fed by several major tributaries on the Atherton Tableland, the largest of which are Granite Creek and the Clohesy River. It also takes in those downstream of the dam including Thomatis Creek, that has only been connected to the Barron since 1932, but which has since diverted more and more flow from the river. Other tributaries include Freshwater, Flaggy and Emerald Creeks. Freshwater Creek joins the Barron River below the Gorge and drains the Lamb and Whitfield Ranges.
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| Melanotaenia splendida [Clohesy River] - photo© Günther Schmida |
Freshwater Fishes
The Barron River freshwater fish fauna is highly distinctive, differing in composition from that occurring to the south in the Burdekin or Fitzroy catchments, or to the north on the Cape York Peninsula. Moreover, the fauna is highly speciose, containing 40% of the entire continent's freshwater fishes and well over half of the freshwater fish fauna of northern Australia. This high diversity is also evident at the scale of individual river basins; the Mulgrave River contains, for its size, more species than any other river in Australia, and 48 species of freshwater fish have been recorded from the Johnstone River.
The natural freshwater fish fauna of the Barron catchment upstream of the Barron Falls has low diversity because of the barrier effect of the falls while the fish fauna downstream of the falls have high natural diversity. However, the number of fish species now found in the Barron River has been increased by stocking and accidental releases.
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| Melanotaenia splendida (eachamensis?) [Barron River] - photo© Neil Armstrong |
The Barron River contains no freshwater fish species restricted solely to this river basin. However, it contains species endemic to the wet tropics region, including Melanotaenia eachamensis*, Tandanus cf. tandanus and an undescribed species or subspecific form of hardyhead allied to Craterocephalus stercusmuscarum. The only known location for this taxon is upstream of the Barron Falls and the upper reaches of the Johnstone River. However, it is known that hardyheads were translocated into the Barron River by the Tableland Anglers and Acclimation Society and it seems that the Johnstone River is the most probable source given their abundance in this river in the vicinity of Malanda. Distinct genetic stocks of Melanotaenia utcheensis, otherwise restricted to the Johnstone River, have also been recorded from two locations in the upper Barron River. Whether this taxon is native to the Barron River is debatable.
The Lake Eacham rainbowfish (Melanotaenia eachamensis) were thought extinct from their type locality, Lake Eacham (Barlow et. al., 1987). These authors suggested that translocated species, in particular Glossamia aprion, were strongly implicated in the disappearance of Melanotaenia eachamensis from Lake Eacham. It now appears that Melanotaenia eachamensis species is still present in the Barron River, as well as the Tully, Herbert and Johnstone Rivers. Although many specimens of rainbowfish were retained from many sites in a study, and examined using the meristic characters described by Pusey et. al. (1997) and Allen (1989), no positive identifications of Melanotaenia eachamensis could be made. Furthermore, extra samples were sent to the Queensland Museum and all were classified as Melanotaenia splendida splendida. It appears that Melanotaenia eachamensis was present in a few tributaries of the upper Barron River, but formed only a minor proportion of the total rainbow fish population in the entire Barron River catchment. The unusual distribution of "Melanotaenia eachamensis" demonstrated by Zhu et al. (1998) may also suggest that this fish has been translocated, and raises the possibility that even the crater lakes themselves may not be their original habitat.
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| Schismatogobius sp. - photo© Günther Schmida |
Uncommon Freshwater Species
The gobies Sicyopterus sp. and Schismatogobius sp. were recorded in Stoney Creek and Freshwater Creek respectively, and have only been documented from specimens caught in a few rivers on the wet tropics region. These two species have also been recorded in the Daintree River. Both species were found in clear water rapids or glides with cobble-gravel substrate and in the lower freshwater reaches of the creeks. Another goby, Stenogobius sp. was collected from the same location as Schismatogobius sp. and appeared to be either a geographic variant of Stenogobius psilosinionus or an undescribed species.
Ambassis miops was another species that was found resident in the lower sections of Freshwater Creek and the Barron River. A large number of mainly juveniles were collected with adults at the brackish interface on the Barron River. It would appear that this species requires access to marine areas for part of its lifecycle. Specimens of Ambassis macleayi and Porochilus rendahli were found at sites in the Barron River above the falls. Both these species were previously thought to be endemic to western drainages including the Gulf of Carpentaria but not eastern drainages. Their presence in the Barron River catchment may be the result of translocation by stocking programs or through natural inter-catchment connections. It was thought that during heavy flow events that the Barron River and Mitchell River catchments become connected, thus providing a mechanism for inter-catchment fish movements.
Oxyeleotris selheimi were found in the main Barron River in this section of the catchment. This species may have been deliberately stocked or may have moved naturally from the Mitchell system via the inter-catchment connection discussed previously. Anodontiglanis dahli, have been recorded in the Tinaroo Irrigation Channel north of Mareeba and may have migrated from the Mitchell catchment via the irrigation channel system.
The inter-basin transfer of water from the Barron catchment also has ramifications on the genetic integrity of other native species within the upper Mitchell River, such as Melanotaenia splendida inornata and Mogurnda species. The Mitchell River rainbowfish (Melanotaenia splendida inornata) are a separate strain from the sub-species found in the Barron River (Melanotaenia splendida splendida). If introductions of the Barron River strains were to occur in the upper Mitchell and Walsh Rivers, hybridisation may result, leading to a loss of genetic integrity of the existing population.
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| Ophiocara porocephala - photo© Günther Schmida |
Ambassis agassizii - Agassiz's Glassfish
Ambassis agrammus - Sailfin Glassfish
Ambassis cf. agrammus - Glassfish
Ambassis gymnocephalus - Bald Glassfish
Ambassis interruptus - Longspine Glassfish
Ambassis macleayi - Macleay's Glassfish
Ambassis miops - Flagtail Glassfish
Ambassis nalua - Scalloped Glassfish
Ambassis vachellii - Vachelli's Glassfish
Amniataba percoides - Banded/Barred Grunter
Anguilla obscura - Pacific Shortfin Eel
Anguilla reinhardtii - Longfin Eel
Anodontiglanis dahli - Toothless Catfish
Apogon hyalosoma - Mangrove Cardinalfish
Arrhamphus sclerolepis sclerolepis - Northern Snubnose Garfish
Awaous acritosus - Roman-nosed Goby
Bunaka gyrinoides - Greenback Gudgeon
Butis butis - Crimsontip Gudgeon
Carcharhinus leucas - Bull Shark
Chanos chanos - Milkfish
Craterocephalus stercusmuscarum - Flyspecked Hardyhead
Eleotris fusca - Brown Gudgeon
Eleotris melanosoma - Ebony Gudgeon
Exyrias puntang - Goby
Favonigobius sp. - Goby
Giurus margaritacea - Snakehead Gudgeon
Glossamia aprion - Mouth Almighty
Glossogobius bicirrhosus - Bearded Goby
Glossogobius circumspectus - Circumspect Goby
Glossogobius giurus - Flathead Goby
Glossogobius sp.1 - False Celebes Goby
Glossogobius sp.4 - Mulgrave Goby
Hephaestus fuliginosus - Sooty Grunter
Hephaestus tulliensis - Khaki Bream
Hypseleotris compressa - Empire Gudgeon
Hypseleotris galii - Firetail Gudgeon (translocated)
Kuhlia rupestris - Jungle Perch
Lates calcarifer - Barramundi
Leiopotherapon unicolor - Spangled Perch
Lutjanus argentimaculatus - Mangrove Jack
Marilyna meraukensis - Merauke Toadfish
Megalops cyprinoides - Tarpon
Melanotaenia eachamensis - Lake Eacham Rainbowfish?
Melanotaenia maccullochi - MacCulloch's Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia splendida splendida - Eastern Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia utcheensis - Utchee Creek Rainbowfish?
Mesopristes argenteus - Silver Grunter
Mogurnda adspersa - Southern Purplespotted Gudgeon
Mogurnda cf. mogurnda - Gudgeon
Monodactylus argenteus - Butterfish
Mugil cephalus - Sea Mullet
Nematalosa erebi - Bony Bream
Neoarius graeffei (Arius graeffei) - Blue Catfish
Neosilurus ater - Black Catfish
Neosilurus hyrtlii - Hyrtl's Catfish
Notesthes robusta - Bullrout
Ophiocara porocephala - Spangled Gudgeon
Ophisternon cf. bengalense - Swamp Eel
Ophisternon gutturale - Swamp Eel
Ophisternon sp. - Swamp Eel
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| Oxyeleotris lineolata (front) and Oxyeleotris selheimi (back) - photo© Dave Wilson |
Oxyeleotris lineolata - Sleepy Cod
Oxyeleotris selheimi - Giant Gudgeon
Plicofollis argyropleuron (Arius macrocephalus) - Flathead Catfish
Porochilus rendahli - Rendahl's Catfish
Psammogobius biocellatus - Sleepy Goby
Pseudomugil gertrudae - Gertrude's Blue Eye
Pseudomugil signifer - Pacific Blue Eye
Redigobius bikolanus - Speckled Goby
Scatophagus argus - Spotted Scat
Schismatogobius sp. - Scaleless Goby
Scleropages jardinii - Northern Saratoga
Selenotoca multifasciata - Striped Scat
Sicyopterus lagocephalus - Blue Stream Goby
Soleidae sp. - Sole
Stenogobius psilosinionus - Goby
Tandanus tandanus - Freshwater Catfish
Tandanus cf. tandanus - Freshwater Catfish
Thryssa sp. - Anchovy
Toxotes chatareus - Sevenspot Archerfish
Toxotes jaculatrix - Banded Archerfish
Yongeichthys nebulosus - Shadow Goby
Zenarchopterus cf buffonis - Northern River Garfish
Introduced
Astronotus ocellatus - Oscar
Gambusia holbrooki - Mosquito fish
Oreochromis mossambicus - Tilapia
Poecilia reticulata - Guppy
Tilapia mariae - Tilapia
Xiphophorus helleri - Swordtail
Xiphophorus maculatus - Platy
Translocated fish
The Queensland Fisheries Management Authority controls all fish stocking activities in Queensland. Community based stocking dates back to 1949 with the establishment of Tableland Anglers' and Acclimatisation Society on the Atherton Tablelands. Originally, relocation of native species from Tableland waterways into Lake Tinaroo was conducted by the society to primarily improve the angling for the club members and locals. Species that survived relocation and subsequently adapted to Lake Tinaroo conditions included Toxotes chatareus, Oxyeleotris lineolatus, Amniataba percoides and Nematalosa erebi.
There is disagreement on the status of several species. Some species do occur naturally in some parts of the catchment above Barron Falls, but have also been translocated to other sections of the upper catchment. The number of native Australian fish species translocated into, or within, the Barron catchment above Barron Falls, is estimated to be 26-34, though not all have become established. This makes the fish fauna of the upper Barron River one of the most modified in Australia, if not the most modified. Many of the stocked fish have come from the Mitchell River, thus giving fish from the Gulf catchments access to other east coast streams.
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| Caridina zebra [male] - photo© Glynn Aland |
Cherax quadricarinatus, which is a native of the Gulf of Carpentaria drainage and a popular aquaculture species, is found throughout the catchment. The establishment of this species in the Barron River catchment was probably the result of deliberate, unauthorised introductions or escapees from aquaculture farms. Cherax quadricarinatus have been stocked into Lake Tinaroo where a self sustaining population has become established. Other freshwater crayfish occurring within the catchment include Cherax wasselli, Euastacus balanensis and Euastacus fleckeri.
Freshwater river prawns include Macrobrachium australiense, Macrobrachium equidens, Macrobrachium idae, Macrobrachium lar, Macrobrachium latidactylus, Macrobrachium novaehollandiae and Macrobrachium tolmerum.
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| Caridina zebra [female] - photo© Glynn Aland |
A number of species of Aytiid shrimp are found in streams throughout the catchment. The distribution of Caridina zebra and Caridina confusa is restricted to cooler, upper tableland, feeder streams while Caridina indistincta were observed to be widespread in the mid-catchment section of the Barron River and the associated feeder streams. Other shrimp species include Caridina gracilirostris, Caridina longirostris, Caridina cf nilotica and Caridina typus.
Two species of freshwater crabs, Austrothelphusa wasselli and Austrothelphusa agassizi, have been found in small streams and gullies above the Barron Falls. A marine vagrant, Varuna literata occurs in the lower freshwater sections of the catchment.
At least four species of freshwater turtle are known to occur in the Barron River: Chelodina canni, Emydura krefftii, Elseya latisternum and Elseya aff. dentata.
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| Aponogeton vanbruggenii - photo© Dave Wilson |
The status of knowledge regarding the distribution, conservation status and requirements of aquatic plants in the Barron River catchment is highly deficient. However, five important species are known to be endemic to the region and several of these provide important habitats for fish and aquatic invertebrates. Unlike the terrestrial plants, comparatively few aquatic plant species are endemic to the region. This is because many of northern Australia's waterplants are widespread and readily transported about the landscape by waterbirds and, in low relief areas, by overland flow.
The following species have been reported:
Aponogeton bullosus
Aponogeton lancesmithii
Aponogeton prolifera
Aponogeton queenslandicus
Aponogeton vanbruggenii
Azolla pinnata
Blyxa spp.
Brasenia schreberi
Caldesia oligococca
Crinum pedunculatum
Cyperus difformis
Cyperus exaltatus
Cyperus involucrata
Cyperus sphacelatus
Eleocharis retroflexa
Fimbristylis adjuncta
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Hydrilla verticillata
Lemna aequinoctialis
Limnophila brownii
Ludwigia octovalvis
Marsilea mutica
Myriophyllum verrucosum
Najas tenuifolia
Nelumbo nucifera
Nymphaea gigantea
Nymphaea nouchali
Nymphaea violacea
Nymphoides indica
Persicaria decipiens
Potamogeton javanicus
Torrenticola queenslandica
Vallisneria nana
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The introduced species Salvinia molesta and Eichhornia crassipes have been observed in some minor streams.
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| Barron River habitat - photo© Jennifer Palmer |
Barlow, C.G., Hogan, A.E. and Rodgers L.J. (1987). Implication of translocated fishes in the apparent extinction in the wild of Lake Eacham Rainbowfish, Melanotaenia eachamensis. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 38: 897-902.
Burrows, D. W. (2002) Fish Stocking and the Distribution and Potential Impact of Translocated Fishes in Streams of the Wet Tropics Region, Northern Queensland. Report to the Wet Tropics Management Authority - ACTFR Report No. 02/04.
Burrows, D. W. (2004) Translocated Fishes in Streams of the Wet Tropics Region, North Queensland: Distribution and Potential Impact. Cooperative Research Centre for Tropical Rainforest Ecology and Management. Rainforest CRC, Cairns (83pp).
Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2001). Barron water resource plan: Environmental investigations report, Queensland. Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Brisbane.
Erskine, P. (2000) Barron River Management Action Plan. Natural Resource Assessments Pty Ltd.
GHD Pty Ltd (2006). Botanic Gardens Redevelopment - Environmental Assessment. GHD Pty Ltd Spence Street Cairns QLD.
Granger, K., Jones, T., Leiba, M. and Scott, G. (1999). Community Risk in Cairns - A Multi-hazard Risk Assessment. Australian Geological Survey Organisation, Canberra.
Herbert, B. & Peeters, J. (1995). 'Freshwater fishes of Far North Queensland' (Queensland Department of Primary Industries: Brisbane). 74 pp.
Marceniuk, A.P & Menezes, N.A. (2007). Systematics of the family Ariidae (Ostariophysi, Siluriformes), with a redefinition of the genera. Zootaxa 1416: 1-126.
Pusey, B., Bird, J., Kennard, M., Arthington, A. (1997) Distribution of the Lake Eacham Rainbowfish in the Wet Tropics, North Queensland. Australian Journal of Zoology 45: 75-84.
Pusey, B.J., Kennard, M.J. and Arthington, A.H. (2004). Freshwater Fishes of North-Eastern Australia. CSIRO Publishing, Victoria.
Russell, D.J., McDougall, A.J., Kistle, S.E, Ryan, T.J., Aland, G., Cogle, A.L. and Langford, P.A.
(2000). Natural resources of the Barron River Catchment: 1. Stream Habitat, Fisheries Resources and Biological Indicators. Report No. QI00032. (Queensland Department of Primary Industries: Brisbane).
Ryan, T.J., Aland, G. and Cogle, A.L. (2002) Environmental Conditions of the Upper Mitchell River System: Water Quality and Ecology. A report prepared for the Natural Heritage Trust (Ref No.96-2005), Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines and the Queensland Department of Primary Industries.
Wilmott, W.F. and Stephenson, P.J. (1989). Rocks and Landscapes of the Cairns District. Queensland Department of Mines.
Zhu, D., S. Degnan and C. Moritz (1998) Evolutionary Distinctiveness and Status of the Endangered Lake Eacham Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia eachamensis). Conservation Biology 12 (1) : 80-93.
© Copyright Adrian R. Tappin
Created April, 2007.
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