Don't let the size fool you. This little legend has one job and it's already getting stuck in.

The brown prickly pear stemborer has landed at Wallaroo Mines and it's already making itself at home. Our Landscape Officers released the beetle, targeting the velvet tree pear and other Opuntia cactus species that degrade productive land and natural landscapes across the region.

Early signs are promising. These new residents have already chewed furrows into the cactus stems and deposited eggs. Once hatched, the larvae bore into the plant, consuming it from the inside until limbs snap and die. As the population establishes and spreads, it becomes a self-sustaining form of control.

They join the cochineal insects already doing good work across the region. Two biocontrol agents working together to protect what matters.

>> Learn more

General Manager, Tony Fox, looking ahead to what 2026 holds for our region.

It's a big year for landscape management in South Australia, and our General Manager, Tony Fox, has a clear view of what it's going to take.

We sat down with Tony to talk through the year ahead. From water security and a drying climate to biosecurity, funding and First Nations knowledge, he breaks down the seven themes he sees shaping the work ahead. It's a refreshingly honest conversation about where the pressure points are, what success actually looks like at the end of the year, and why working together across the state has never mattered more.

>> Read full interview

Sustainable Agriculture Facilitator Molly O'Dea in her element at the Urrbrae Gatehouse.

Last month, our Sustainable Agriculture Facilitator Molly O'Dea brought together farmers, industry professionals and researchers at the Waite for a day of carbon farming deep dives.

The morning session covered the fundamentals, from greenhouse gas emissions and the science behind carbon and nitrogen cycles, to on-farm practices that can reduce emissions or store carbon. The afternoon went further, with hands-on time using tools like LOOC-C to help participants understand what the carbon market could mean for their business.

Carbon farming can feel like a lot to navigate. Between the credits, the calculators and the fine print, it's easy to feel like it's not for you. These workshops are designed to cut through that.
 

>> Learn more about carbon farming 

>> Explore upcoming workshops

Sustainable Agriculture Officer, Bri Guidera, ready to get into all things water management at the Waterwise Field Day. Reserve your spot today.

This free day covers salinity management, water quality management, water point monitoring, tools and tips, industry speakers and trade stands. 

Shane Rowe from Almerta Station will be sharing their desalination journey and SARDI will break down the link between water quality and livestock productivity. Molly O'Dea will also walk through simple camera setups for monitoring water points remotely and there will be a live desal demo with Rowater that's well worth checking out.

Bring a triple-rinsed water sample bottle and get your pH and salinity tested on the spot. Morning tea and lunch will be included. We hope to see you there.

>> Secure your spot today

This little one is waiting to be counted. Head to frogwatchsa.com.au to get involved. Remember, not hearing frogs counts as data too.

Every March, 1 to 8, South Australians are invited to step outside and record frog calls from their backyard, local park or nearest waterway. No expertise required. Just download the free FrogSpotter app, hit record and let the experts do the rest.

Frogs aren't just fascinating. They're one of nature's best indicators of ecosystem health. They're sensitive to pollution and changes in water quality, so where frogs thrive, so does the landscape around them. With more than 40% of the world's amphibian species currently threatened with extinction, every recording counts.

Your data goes directly to scientists and ecologists working to understand frog populations right across SA, including in our own backyard.
 

>> Get involved

The Burra Drone Learning Workshop wrapped up with smiles all round. And yes, everyone got a turn at the controls.

Yee Von Teo flew in from the University of Tasmania, where she spent her PhD years perfecting the art of tracking kangaroos from the sky. Not just watching them, but building smart systems that can identify species, count animals and map movement patterns in real time. 

The day was a mix of theory and practice. Everyone got time in the air with a drone, learning to plan survey flights and capture aerial imagery that actually means something on the ground. Yee Von showed what this technology revealed about macropod activity on private land and how those same principles apply to water points, fencing, vegetation and more.

This workshop was part of the Kangaroo Partnership Project, supported by the SA Drought Hub through the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund.

You might remember this little face from last month. This native species is now making a comeback thanks to the Marna Bangarra rewilding project. The brush-tailed bettongs (known as yalgiri to the local Narungga people) can be found on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula. Photo: Dr R. Eisenhofer

Our corner of South Australia has some pretty incredible wildlife. Wedge-tailed eagles riding thermals over the ranges. Hairy-nosed wombats tucked into the scrub. Dolphins threading through the Spencer Gulf. Birds, lizards, frogs and marsupials doing their thing across some of the state's most diverse landscapes.

Some are thriving. Some are making remarkable comebacks after years of hard work from communities, landholders and conservation teams. All of them deserve a moment.

So we're asking this March. What's yours?

>> Learn how to get involved
 

Find the latest information and opportunities for people working in agriculture in the Northern and Yorke region, via our Sustainable Ag Update. Sustainable Agriculture Facilitator, Molly O'De,a keeps her finger on the pulse and updates this page regularly to help keep you informed.

>> Sign up to receive the Sustainable Ag Update to be the first in-the-know.

MARCH
10 | Things that Bite & Sting, 12:30pm - 3:30pm, Port Augusta
12 | Waterwise Field Day, 9am - 2pm, Melrose
18 | Carbon Farming for Women Workshop, 9:30am - 2:30pm, Kadina
25 | Carbon Farming Webinar, 12:30pm - 1:30pm, Online
26 | Soil Salinity Workshop with Chris McDonough, 1pm - 4pm, Southern YP 
27 | Soil Salinity Workhsop with Chris McDonough, 9am - 12pm, Eudunda

Bite Size Grants
The Northern and Yorke Landscape Board's Bite-sized Grants offer between $200 and $2,000 to community groups and not-for-profit organisations for small, short-term projects. The aim is to deliver positive environmental and landscape management outcomes, such as weed control, revegetation projects and pest animal management.

Algal bloom support packages
As the state battles with algal bloom along its coastlines, the South Australian and Australian governments have announced algal bloom support packages, including financial relief payments for impacted commercial fisheries, licenced aquaculture businesses and eligible marine industry businesses. Counselling and other resources are also available.

Edithburgh's most relaxed residents, spotted by our own Phoebe Helbig.

Do you have a landscape or nature photo to share? If you've taken a striking photo somewhere in the Northern and Yorke region, we'd love to share it in an upcoming edition of the Yakka.

>> Email Anna with your images