Editing Astrebla Downs National Park

{{Use Australian English|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type                   = protected
| name                   = Astrebla Downs National Park
| state                  = qld
| iucn_category          = II
| image                  = Diamantina National Park 0316.svg
| caption                = Astrebla Downs National Park
| nearest_town_or_city   = [[Birdsville, Queensland|Birdsville]]
| area                   = 1740
| area_footnotes         = 
| established            = 1996
| established_footnotes  = 
| visitation_num         = 
| visitation_year        = 
| visitation_footnotes   = 
| managing_authorities   = [[Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service]]
| url                    = 
}}
'''Astrebla Downs''' is a national park in [[Shire of Diamantina]], [[Queensland]], Australia.<ref>{{Cite QPN|41422|Astrebla Downs National Park |access-date=24 June 2017}}</ref>

== Geography ==
Astrebla Downs is located in the [[Channel Country]] of [[outback]] Queensland, 1298&nbsp;km west of [[Brisbane]]. The landscape is flat and barren with few trees.<ref name="mhe">{{cite web |url=http://www.nature.com/news/2009/090105/full/news.2008.1344.html |title='Mini-hibernation' essential for winter survival |author=Asher Mullard  |date=5 January 2009 |work=Nature News |publisher=Nature Publishing Group |access-date=15 March 2011 }}</ref> The average elevation of the terrain is 108 metres.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Astrebla Downs National Park topographic map, elevation, relief|url=https://en-us.topographic-map.com/maps/dkst/Astrebla-Downs-National-Park/|access-date=2022-01-27|website=topographic-map.com|language=en}}</ref>

== Animals ==
The park received an award in March 2007 by the [[World Wildlife Fund|WWF]] for being among the top 10 reserves of the decade. Recognition was given for the successful efforts to protect the [[bilby]], an endangered mammal native to Australia.<ref>[http://statements.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=51146 Queensland parks recognised as among best in Australia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205043719/http://statements.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=51146 |date=5 February 2012 }}. 28 March 2007. Retrieved 31 March 2007.</ref> By 2008 it was estimated the park contained a bilby population of around 300.<ref name="pob">{{Cite news |url=http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2008/03/24/plight-bilby/ |title=Plight of the bilby |author=Shirley Sinclair |access-date=15 March 2011 |date=24 March 2008 |newspaper=Sunshine Coast Daily |publisher=Sunshine Coast Newspaper Company }}</ref> In 2009, a plague of [[long-haired rat]]s descended on the park.<ref name="rph">{{Cite news |url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/rat-plague-hits-western-queensland/story-e6freoof-1225809537780 |title=Rat plague hits western Queensland |author=Brian Williams |access-date=15 March 2011 |date=12 December 2009 |newspaper=The Courier-Mail |publisher=Queensland Newspapers }}</ref> The large numbers of rats attract [[feral cats in Australia|feral cats]] to the area, which pose a threat to the bilby. Between 2011 and 2021, control measures have got rid of more than 3,000 cats, and
471 bilbies were spotted on a survey in June 2021.<ref name="Grounds 2021"/>

The park is home to the [[kowari]], a tiny carnivorous [[marsupial]] which is a [[vulnerable species]] in Queensland, also threatened by feral cats. The animal had not been photographed anywhere in around ten years before June 2021, when photographs were taken during a survey covering nearly {{cvt|100|km}} of tracks, in which a record number – 14 – were spotted in the park. None have been spotted at the nearby [[Diamantina National Park]] since 2012.<ref name="Grounds 2021">{{cite web | last=Grounds | first=Ellie | title=Rare footage of endangered marsupial kowari captured in outback Queensland | website=ABC News| publisher =Australian Broadcasting Corporation | date=18 June 2021 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-19/rare-footage-of-endangered-marsupial-kowari/100225508 | access-date=16 July 2021}}</ref>

Astrebla Downs is also home to the [[stripe-faced dunnart]].<ref name="mhe"/>

==Birds==
With [[Diamantina National Park]], Astrebla Downs National Park forms part of the 7,627&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> Diamantina and Astrebla Grasslands [[Important Bird Area]], identified by [[BirdLife International]] as such because it is one of few sites known for the [[critically endangered]] [[night parrot]].  It also supports globally important populations of the [[plains-wanderer]], [[Australian bustard]], [[straw-necked ibis]], [[white-necked heron]], [[inland dotterel]], [[Bourke's parrot]], [[black honeyeater|black]] and [[pied honeyeater]]s, [[gibberbird]], [[Hall's babbler]], [[chestnut-breasted quail-thrush]], [[cinnamon quail-thrush]] and [[spinifexbird]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.birdata.com.au/iba.vm |title=IBA: Diamantina and Astrebla Grasslands |access-date=2011-06-18 |work=Birdata |publisher=Birds Australia |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706102341/http://www.birdata.com.au/iba.vm |archive-date=6 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Queensland}}
* [[Davenport Downs Station]]
* [[Protected areas of Queensland]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{National Parks of Queensland}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:National parks of Queensland]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1996]]
[[Category:1996 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Important Bird Areas of Queensland]]
[[Category:Shire of Diamantina]]