Wildlife of Australia's Great Dividing Range: A Biodiversity Hotspot

Eastern Australia's Living Spine

The Great Dividing Range stretches 3,500+ km from Queensland through NSW to Victoria. Its varied elevations, climates, and habitats support extraordinary diversity.

Mammals

• Koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, wombats
• Tasmanian devils (southern end), echidnas, platypuses
• Quolls, possums, gliders, microbats

Birds

• Parrots (cockatoos, lorikeets, rosellas)
• Kookaburras, lyrebirds, bowerbirds
• Honeyeaters, whipbirds, thornbills
• Raptors: wedge-tailed eagle, powerful owl

Reptiles & Amphibians

• Snakes (brown, tiger, death adder)
• Lizards (goannas, water dragons, skinks)
• Frogs (green tree frog, corroboree frog)
• Crocodiles (estuarine, far north only)

Fish & Invertebrates

• Trout, bass, cod (upland streams)
• Butterflies, beetles, spiders, crayfish

Conservation Note

Habitat fragmentation, invasive species (foxes, cats, cane toads), and climate change threaten many endemics. The Range is a national priority for corridor protection.