Protecting a globally significant Gulf Country landscape

Cliffdale and Westmoreland Stations form a connected conservation landscape spanning more than 255,000 hectares in north-west Queensland on the traditional Country of the Gangalidda and Garawa Peoples. Located near the Northern Territory border in the Gulf Country, the adjoining properties protect a vast mosaic of wetlands, floodplains, savanna woodlands and grasslands that support nationally important biodiversity and ecological processes. 

Together, these neighbouring stations create one of the largest protected landscapes in the Gulf Plains Bioregion, safeguarding habitat connectivity across an ecologically significant region. Their combined scale allows species to move freely across diverse habitats, while helping to maintain ecological processes that operate across large landscapes, from seasonal flooding to wildlife migration and dispersal. 

Situated within the Doomadgee Plains Subregion, Cliffdale and Westmoreland contain extensive intact ecosystems that are increasingly rare across Australia. Their protection contributes to conserving an under-represented bioregion while expanding and strengthening Queensland's protected area estate. 

Two neighbouring properties, one connected landscape

The conservation value of Cliffdale and Westmoreland lies not only in their individual ecological attributes but in their connection to each other. As adjoining properties, they create a continuous protected landscape extending across wetlands, floodplains, river systems and savanna habitats. This connectivity is critical for wildlife that depends on access to different habitats throughout the year and allows ecosystems to function at their natural scale. 

While Cliffdale is recognised for its broad biodiversity values and extensive habitat diversity, Westmoreland is particularly notable for its wetland and freshwater ecosystems. Together, they protect complementary habitats that support a rich variety of species and ecological processes across the Gulf Country. 

Large, intact landscapes such as Cliffdale and Westmoreland are increasingly rare.        Their protection helps maintain habitat for threatened species, strengthens ecological resilience and provides opportunities for future biodiversity surveys to improve understanding of the region's unique wildlife. Comments associated with the property information note that bBoth properties occur within an under-represented bioregion and remain comparatively under-surveyed, highlighting the importance of future conservation science. 

Conservation through partnership: making protection possible

The acquisition of Cliffdale Station (165,923 hectares) and Westmoreland Station (90,000 hectares), together with Kendall River Station (274,000 hectares) on Cape York Peninsula, represents one of the largest additions to Queensland's protected area estate in recent years. 

The properties were secured through a collaborative investment model between the Queensland Government, the Commonwealth Government and The Nature Conservancy, supported by philanthropic partners, the Wyss Foundation and Holdfast Collective, Patagonia's non-profit shareholder. 

Delivering large scale protection outcomes to achieve our 2030 goals

Increasing protection of under-represented ecosystems, conserving sites of high biodiversity value and strengthening connectivity between protected areas are some of the key scientific principles underpinning a successful strategy to protect Australia’s unique biodiversity, as highlighted in the Pathways to 30x30 report delivered in 2023.

Cliffdale and Westmoreland exemplify these principles by protecting a large, connected landscape within a region that has historically been under-represented in Australia's protected area network. 

By safeguarding more than 255,000 hectares of connected habitat, this conservation landscape contributes to long-term biodiversity protection, improved ecological resilience and progress towards Australia's 30x30 conservation ambitions.

Partnerships between governments, Traditional Owners, communities, conservation organisations and funders make outcomes of this scale possible and ensure these important landscapes remain protected for generations to come.