Bendidee National Park

Bendidee National Park is a 9.3 km² reserve located on the western Darling Downs, about 60 km northeast of Goondiwindi:contentReference[oaicite:78]{index=78}. Established in 1979, it was one of the first parks dedicated to conserving the brigalow–belah plant community, a type of acacia woodland that once covered vast areas but has largely been cleared for agriculture:contentReference[oaicite:79]{index=79}. Bendidee preserves one of the few intact patches of brigalow scrub on the plains east of the Macintyre River. The terrain is flat to gently undulating, with heavy clay soils that crack in dry times and turn boggy in the wet. Characteristic vegetation includes dense stands of brigalow (Acacia) and belah (Casuarina) trees with an understory of wattles and wildflowers after rain:contentReference[oaicite:80]{index=80}.

The park’s remote location and small size mean it is inaccessible to casual visitors. There are no internal roads or walking tracks, and no amenities. Bendidee NP is basically a fenced conservation block bordered by farmland. It is visible from adjacent country roads, but public entry is not encouraged (permits are required for research purposes). Instead, its value lies in protecting wildlife. Over 30 species of amphibians and reptiles have been recorded in Bendidee:contentReference[oaicite:81]{index=81}, including the tiny Ormiston’s legless lizard and the Brigalow scaly-foot – both rare reptiles dependent on brigalow habitat. At least five rare or threatened species are found in the park:contentReference[oaicite:82]{index=82}. Birds such as the glossy ibis and speckled warbler also utilize the scrub and adjacent lagoons. The dense brigalow thickets provide shelter for echidnas, wallabies, and countless invertebrates.

Managing Bendidee NP focuses on pest and weed control to maintain the integrity of the brigalow ecosystem. Queensland Parks staff conduct controlled burns on a long rotation to mimic natural fire regimes without destroying the fire-sensitive brigalow (too frequent fire can harm this community). Because of its limited public access, Bendidee is little-known to most Queenslanders. However, it plays an outsized role in demonstrating how even small reserves can aid in conserving unique ecosystems. Bendidee’s protection of intact brigalow woodland helps ensure that this endangered ecosystem – and the unusual creatures that live in it – have a fighting chance to survive amid the surrounding sea of cleared grazing land:contentReference[oaicite:83]{index=83}.