Prior to this the area was tropical savanna with pockets of monsoon rainforest and melaleuca swamps, unchanged for thousands of years, except by the traditional Aboriginal owners of the land who hunted and gathered and managed the landscape with fire.

Black Jungle Conservation Reserve is a part of the Adelaide River Coastal Floodplain system which encompasses Black Jungle and Lambells Lagoon Conservation Reserves, Fogg Dam, Leaning Tree Lagoon Nature Park, Melacca Swamp and Djukbinj National Park.

These wetland habitats are important due to their high conservation value, supporting a variety of rare and threatened species; large waterbird populations, monsoon rainforests, breeding grounds for the estuarine or Saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), and the highest global recorded biomass of predator and prey species (water python and dusky rat).

Springs and permanent water sources maintain pockets of rainforest and provide a dry season refuge for waterbirds (Russell-Smith 1991; Salmon 2013).

The highest density breeding ground in the world for the magpie goose, Anseranus semipalmata, has been recorded near Black Jungle swamp; the conservation reserve being of particular importance in the wet season (Brockwell 2001; Parks & Wildlife Comm.

The Black Jungle Conservation Reserve is about 62 kilometres (39 mi) southeast of Darwin, Northern Territory, located in the Hundred of Hutchison (ILUA).

The reserve has restricted access to the public except via permit for scientific purposes, i.e. research, collection of crocodile eggs (Parks & Wildlife Commission; NTG).

Almost half of the Adelaide River floodplain is pastoral leasehold land, belonging to Woolner and Koolpinyah Station (Russell-Smith 1991; NTG – Sites of Conservation Significance).

Prior to European settlement, the region was managed traditionally by Aboriginals using fire-stick farming methods to ‘clear the land of vegetation’ (McGrath 1987).

Koolpinyah Station was created when Herbert applied for leases over the area in the names of his sons (McGrath 1987; De La Rue 2004).

Resident Herbert was instrumental in adapting land regulations for the industry believing that small mixed farming had great potential for the Territory (De La Rue 2004).

By 1990, the government had undertaken an investigation of lands suitable for horticulture with access to groundwater at Lambells Lagoon and Berry Springs (Salmon 2013; Dept.

Lambells Lagoon and lots in Acacia Hills were exchanged as land swaps for the Malacca Swamp and Black Jungle, which became conservation reserves, excised from the Koolpinyah pastoral station (Dept.

Groundwater extraction in horticultural areas on the margin of the floodplain, impacts on freshwater springs and rainforest patches such as those around Black Jungle Swamp (Liddle et al. 2006).

Public access is strictly by permit only which is usually only granted for scientific research and crocodile egg harvesting (NTG – Sites of Conservation Significance; Liddle et al. 2006).

This epiphytic orchid species grows in straggly clumps and has wiry, erect or semi-pendulous slender stems up to 30 cm long.

L. tristis is found on the margins of monsoon vine forest and rainforest in areas of relatively bright light (suggesting reliance on breaks in the canopy) and is associated with other epiphytes (Holmes et al. 2005).

Both Bankers Jungle and Black Creek are spring-fed monsoon rainforest patches on the margin of the Adelaide River Floodplain (Holmes et al. 2005; Russell-Smith 1991).

The palm is found in only eight small rainforest patches southeast of Darwin, within the Adelaide and Howard River catchments (Barrow et al. 1993; Dept.

The remaining patches occur on freehold or pastoral lease land (Dept Env & Heritage 2003; Liddle et al. 2006; Parks & Wildlife Commission).

Intense fires can also threaten regeneration by eliminating adult plants and preventing seedling establishment (Barrow et al. 1993; Dept.