e-Across the Outback July 2022

e-Bulletin | Issue 96 | July 2022

Caring for country is a shared goal

A gathering of Aboriginal representatives and board staff working on caring for country came together during NAIDOC week.

As part of the board’s Statement of Commitment to better partner with Aboriginal groups in caring for country signed by all landscape boards acorss the state, the board hosted the second meeting with representatives from local ranger programs, landscape groups and local organisations.

Find out the key topics the group agreed on in relation to caring for country.

Nineteen projects receive Grassroot Grants

Nineteen projects have been awarded almost $200,000 in the latest round of Grassroot Grants.

The projects will address weed and erosion issues, community capacity building, protection of threatened and at-risk species, soil conservation and pest management. One of the projects involves 12 properties working together to control noogoora burr at a landscape scale. Funding was directed to all districts of the SA Arid Lands and work will begin on these projects shortly.

Half the funding was directed to pest plant and animal control or soil erosion work resulting from the heavy rainfall that fell earlier this year. The remaining was directed to projects that were in line with the board’s priorities.

Landscape-scale control of Noogoora Burr

Control of the declared weed Noogoora Burr in the North East Pastoral district has been given a boost through Grassroots Grants, funded by the SA Arid Lands Landscape Board.

Twelve properties in the district will share in more than $37,000 towards the cost of an aerial spray program.

Board plans for the next 12 months

The SA Arid Lands Landscape Board has released its Business Plan for 2022-23.

The plan outlines the board’s budget and highlights the programs and activities it will be undertaking in the next 12 months.

Find out which areas the board will focus on in the coming year

Canines sniff out Kowari

Record numbers of Kowari were detected during a trapping event at Clifton Hills Station in the Far North East in May.

In a unique trial to track the endangered marsupial, conservation dogs were used to sniff out Kowaris during the event, which formed part of a PhD project for a University of Sydney student.

GAB infrastructure co-funding ends soon

Do you own a Great Artesian Basin (GAB) well?

The Improving Great Artesian Basin Drought Resilience (IGABDR) program has been operating since 2019 with nearly 30 projects completed reducing uncontrolled flow of GAB water by more than 1440 ML per year. That’s equivalent to over one and a half Olympic size pools every day.

Owners of GAB wells should act now to secure co-funding to improve GAB infrastructure from the IGABDR program for eligible projects.

Find out how to get involved

Protection for rare outback daisy

The endangered Arckaringa Daisy (Olearia arckaringensis) will receive long-term protection in a new SA Arid Lands Landscape Board project.

The pale-purple and sometimes white-flowering daisy is known to exist in a very small area north of Coober Pedy with the board receiving $183,326 from the Environment Restoration Fund to protect it.

The project, Implementing Short and Long-term Safeguards for Arckaringa Daisy in SA, will see the board working in partnership with Antakarintja traditional owners, pastoralists, and non-Government organisations to protect the daisy where it is known to exist.

From the Ground Up wins funding

Properties across the region will host a range of demonstration sites and trials which will be established as part of a new program aimed at managing and improving ground cover and pasture condition.

From the Ground Up will begin this month following the receipt of a $560,000 grant from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.

Find out more about this new project

Funding opportunity from Kangaroo partnership

The Kangaroo Partnership Project has completed its fundamental first stage with the creation of a formal partnership model equipped to tackle the issues of kangaroo overabundance across SA.

The formal partnership was achieved through a series of stakeholder engagement workshops in April which will also see grants available to trial ideas to manage overabundance of roos.

Find out how you can get involved

Stickybeak Days prove popular

Sustainable grazing and land management have been the focus of two Stickybeak Days held in the SA Arid Lands.

More than 120 people attended the events held at Buckleboo Station and Wintinna Swamp in May and June and good crowds are expected at this month's Wirrealpa event.

Encouraging signs for flying Flinders fish

Signs of population growth have been recorded for the endangered Flinders Ranges Purple-spotted Gudgeon (Wirti Udla Varri) at their new homes in the Ikara Flinders Ranges National Park (IFRNP) and at their original location in the northern Flinders Ranges.

Visits to the translocation sites in March found that the fish had not just survived the summer, they had also bred.

Find out how well the fish are doing now

Board to partner with Native Vegetation Council

Members of the Native Vegetation Council (NVC) met with the SA Arid Lands Lanscscape Board at its June Board meeting to explore opportunities for furthering a partnership where the work of the two bodies can connect.

It was identified that both the board and the council have a focus on building a natural environment that can withstand climate extremes; to protect and enhance biodiversity and to engage and collaborate with First Nations people.

Discover how the organisations will work together

Regenerative grazing new group's focus

A group of interested pastoral and grazing businesses in the SAAL region have formed a small grazing group to share ideas and information relating to managing and promoting rest-based grazing in a semi-arid climate.

Rest-based grazing allows pasture regeneration during growth periods, when soil moisture conditions allow the growth and development of tillers or leaf mass in pasture species.

The Southern Rangelands Regenerative Grazing Group has shown interest in participating in dung beetle release trials, soil testing and sharing information about grazing management, including how to apply rest-based grazing strategies in rangelands regions.

To be involved in the group or to seek further information, contact Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitator Andrea Tschirner on 0438 720 469.

Taking Neville Bonney on tour

More than 120 people from across the SA Arid Lands were able to hear from widely respected Australian bush food specialist Neville Bonney when he visited the region during a popular roadshow in April and May.

The roadshow visited Marree, Copley, Hawker, Yunta, Coober Pedy, Andamooka and Iron Knob and was funded by teh region's Landscape Groups. School of the Air students were able to learn from and chat with Neville during their on-air school lessons.

Find out what Neville spoke about and some of the ingredients used to create bush food treats

The Innamincka Pastoral Bootcamp will provide all the details on managing cattle from space and pastoral land managers from the State’s Far North East and beyond are invited to attend and hear from experts about satellite monitoring and Ag Tech at the 11 August event. It will also include a raImage

Manage cows from space

The Innamincka Pastoral Bootcamp will provide all the details on managing cattle from space. Pastoral land managers from the State’s Far North East and beyond are invited to attend and hear from experts about satellite monitoring and Ag Tech at the 11 August event.

It will also include a rare opportunity to participate in activities from the Eromanga Natural History Museum.

Find out more and register here

Maintaining water course low-flows

The term ‘low-flows’ can be thought of as the flows our watercourses and wetlands need to function and thrive. They are naturally occurring, small flow or ‘run-off’ events

All water dependent species rely on low-flows as they maintain refuges like permanent waterholes that support the lifecycle of plants and animals. During the drier times they help species to survive until flows return.

Activities such as constructing a dam or bank, digging in a watercourse or lake, installing a structure or placing material in watercourse are all activities that have the potential to interfere with low flows.

Find out what you need to do first