The reserve is characterised by treeless grassland plains punctuated by occasional strips of Black Box or Eumong (Acacia stenophylla) dominated woodland along ephemeral watercourses. The grasslands typically occur on ‘red’ and ‘grey’ soils.
On Wanderers Plain (Lower Avoca River plains), west of the Kerang Lakes some 20 kms west, north-west of Kerang and 262 kms north, north-west of Melbourne
Call Parks Victoria on 13 1963 or visit www.parks.vic.gov.au
The BBGNCR was created in 2009 when the Victorian government purchased 1,770 ha of remnant chenopod grasslands at Bael Bael with financial support from the Commonwealth government to contribute to National Reserve System targets . This is the largest intact and continuous grassland in the district, with a history of sheep grazing. In the years prior to its purchase, paddocks were used for grazing in combination with adjoining paddock stubbles; there has been no grazing in the reserve since its purchase.
Twenty-six rare or threatened plant species are known to occur within the grasslands, and it is home to over 100 species of birds including the endangered Plains Wanderer. The Grey-crowned Babbler and the Bush stone curlew. Native mammals and reptiles include the Fat tailed Dunnart, Striped Legless Lizard and Hooded Scaly-foot, a large legless lizard that is considered critically endangered in Victoria
Alternanthera denticulata, Alternanthera sp., Atriplex leptocarpa, Atriplex lindleyi subsp. inflate, Atriplex semibaccata, Austrostipa aristiglumis, Austrostipa nodosa, Austrostipa scabra subsp. scabra, Calocephalus sonderi, Carex inversa, Carthamus lanatus, Centaurea melitensis, Euphorbia drummondii, Cressa australis, Dittrichia graveolens, Eclipta platyglossa, Einadia nutans subsp. nutans, Enteropogon acicularis, Eriochlamys squamata, Erodium crinitum, Goodenia fascicularis, Goodenia heteromera, Goodenia pusilliflora, Juncus radula, Lawrencia squamata, Leiocarpa leptolepis, Lolium rigidum, Lycium australe, Lycium ferocissimum, Maireana aphylla, Maireana brevifolia, Maireana decalvans, Maireana pentagona, Maireana rohrlachii, Medicago minima, Medicago truncatula, Muehlenbeckia florulenta, Nitraria billardierei, Oxalis perennans, Panicum laevinode, Rytidosperma caespitosum, Salsola tragus, Sclerolaena diacantha, Sclerolaena muricata, Senecio quadridentatus, Senecio runcinifolius, Sida corrugate, Sida trichopoda, Solanum esuriale, Sonchus oleraceus, Sporobolus caroli, Teucrium racemosum, Vittadinia gracilis, Vittadinia pterochaeta, Walwhalleya proluta
Stubble Quail, Little Button-quail, Plains wanderer, Crested Pigeon, Double-banded Plover, Swamp Harrier, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Black Kite, Brown Falcon, Nankeen Kestrel, Galah, Welcome Swallow, Willie Wagtail, White-fronted Chat, Orange Chat, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Brown Songlark, White-winged Fairy-wren, White-browed Woodswallow, White-plumed Honeyeater, Richard's Pipit, Singing Bushlark, Zebra Finch, Australian Magpie, House Sparrow, Common Starling, Dunnart sp., House Mouse, European Rabbit, European Hare, Tessellated Gecko, Marbled Gecko, Hooded Scaly-foot, Eastern Bearded Dragon, Boulenger's Skink, Eastern Brown Snake, Curl Snake, Common Spadefoot Toad
Geoff W. Brown 2010 A survey for the threatened hooded scaly-foot Pygopus schraderi at Bael Bael grassland nature conservation reserve and Korrak Korrak nature conservation reserve, north-western Victoria, with notes on other vertebrates in these reserve. Report to the Department of Sustainability and Environment, Statewide Services, Biodiversity Services. http://www.northernplainscmn.com.au/documents/20-Bael-Bael-Final-Report-...