Land
‘Land’ is a natural asset that consists of a diversity of geological forms, topsoil availability and soil health. Land resources are used for a variety of purposes which may include agriculture, forestry, natural and cultural heritage conservation, carbon sequestration, mining and the built environment.
| Dubbo Natural Resource Snapshot |
| Temperature |
33ºC average summer; 2.6ºC average winter minimum |
| Rainfall |
584mm annually, with a dominant summer pattern |
| Waterways |
Major waterways include Macquarie and Talbragar rivers |
| Vegetation |
Open forest and woodland, with 7 endangered ecological communities |
| Plants |
11 threatened flora species |
| Animals |
58 threatened fauna species |
| Soil types |
Euchrozems, Red Earths, Red Brown Earths, Red Podzolic soils, alluvial soils |
| Geology |
Flat lying sediments, intrusive units, tertiary basalts, quaternary alluvium |
Dubbo today is one of the State’s largest inland cities servicing a catchment area of more than 130,000 people. The main industries or land uses include traditional rural industries, extensive educational, professional, government and retail services, a growing IT sector, boutique enterprises and services associated with road, rail and air transport.
Dubbo faces many land management challenges such as inappropriate land use practices, invasive plants and animals, soil degradation (eg erosion, salinity or land contamination), litter or illegal dumping and climate change, all of which continue to threaten the environmental, agricultural and social values in the area. How we respond and effectively deal with these threats and challenges is a continually evolving process.
Council undertakes a number of activities to minimise the current and future impacts on land within the Dubbo Local Government Area:
- Strategic land use planning
- Development control
- Open space management
- Biodiversity management (eg weeds, pests, native plants & animals)
- Stormwater management (eg sediment & erosion control)
- Illegal dumping
- Contaminated Land
- Salinity
- Flooding management
- Bushfire management
- Community group support
- Heritage conservation
SALINITY
Salinity refers to the amount of salts in soil and water. This is a natural occurrence but problems arise when human intervention disturbs the natural environment, causing changes to the movement of water through the landscape. This can lead to increased mobilisation and accumulation of salt. In the Dubbo region, and other areas across the Central West, salinity is a serious issue and is costing the community. Solving it is a shared responsibility involving residents, land managers, conservationists, Aboriginal communities, scientists, businesses and all levels of government.
The NSW Government has established a framework for salinity management, with a long-term commitment that empowers all sections of the community to work together, using the best available science, innovative ideas and strategic investments. The Central West Local Land Services and the Department of Primary Industries work closely with landholders to tackle dry-land and irrigation salinity within the rural areas. Dubbo Regional Council has conducted numerous initiatives to minimise the impacts of salinity within the 'urban area', particularly within the landscapes most at risk.
Dubbo Regional Council initiatives include
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the Urban Salinity Monitoring Network (PDF 422.9KB) which was developed in 2004 and consists of 129 bores across the urban area, including Firgrove and Richmond Estates. Groundwater level and conductivity data is collected from the bore network on a bi-monthly basis and is available (at cost) by contacting Council's Sustainability Coordinator on 02 6801 4000.
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Dubbo Salinity Management Strategy and Implementation Plan were developed to provide ongoing monitoring and management of salinity, and to provide guidance for planning and development within at-risk landscapes.
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Education resources
Last Edited: 10 Jan 2022