Book a seat on the Regenerative Rangelands Bus Tour

If you work in SA’s pastoral region and have an interest in regenerative grazing and improved land management practices, we have an exciting opportunity for you.

As part of our From the Ground Up Project, an itinerary is being developed for a bus tour that will head over the NSW border for a regenerative journey of learning.

Find out more

Forum focussed on Rangeland goats

A rangeland Goat Management Forum hosted by the SA Arid Lands Landscape Board in Port Augusta brought together 50 representatives from industry, conservation and government in November.

The group engaged in an important conversation on the current state of play in the rangelands for management, markets and how best to tackle the current challenges, opportunities and obligations applicable to unmanaged rangeland goats.

Read more

Aboriginal Engagement Network Meeting

At the latest meeting of the Board’s Aboriginal Engagement Network (AEN) members discussed Healthy Country Planning opportunities, shared the success of the recent Indigenous Ranger Gathering and were keen to learn more about cultural burning opportunities.

Read more and watch the video produced following the Indigenous Ranger Gathering

Mound Springs protection expanded

Feral animals that threaten the sensitive mound springs and associated riparian ecosystems will be targeted as part of a board project to protect the culturally and environmentally significant landscapes.

To protect the springs and prevent erosion caused by feral animal species, aerial surveys and controls will be undertaken early in 2024, targeting donkeys, camels and pigs that pose a serious threat to the sensitive Lake Eyre Basin (LEB) environment.

Read more

Trial to focus on cattle water consumption

The first of six trials to account for water consumption on pastoral properties will begin at Todmorden Station in the State’s Far North shortly.

The trial is designed to understand stock-per-capita consumption of water using Poll Hereford and Angus cattle. It will focus on four watering points in three paddocks and will utilise water telemetry for real time water point information, supported by photopoint monitoring.

Each of the six projects will seek to understand more about water consumption by sheep and cattle and will work with pastoralists to identify suitable water accounting methods applicable to their property and requirements. 

Read more

Sign up for Community leadership training

A two-day leadership development workshop delivered by the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation for people who are passionate about playing a role in driving positive change within their local community is coming to the region in 2024.

The fully-funded training will be delivered in Port Augusta on 19-20 February, Coober Pedy on 12-13 March, Mannahill on 27-28 May and Leigh Creek on 30-31 May.

If you are someone witha strong desire to drive meaningful change within your community, have an interest in finding innovative solutions for complex challenges, a commitment to exploring new approaches for building a thriving community and an interest in driving local action to effectively prepare for drought, you won't want to miss this opportunity.

Read more

New guides to help with weed management

District Weed Management Guides have been developed as resources to help landholders in each of the board’s seven districts identify priority weeds in their local area.

The guides provide management options and include national and statewide approaches to the declared weeds known to exist in the district. Control options are also included for weeds of concern that are not declared.

Read your District Weed Management Guide here

Idnya dispersing in Northern Flinders

The movement of Idnya (Western Quolls) on Adnyamathanha country between the two northern Flinders Ranges national parks is a good sign that reintroduction programs in the area have been successful.

Work to protect the Idnya along the corridors they are expected to travel through has begun, with cameras in place and aerial pest control works undertaken.

Read more

Twelve newly-licenced for chemical works

Chemcert Training offered at Yunta has provided chemical accreditation to 12 people from seven different properties in the North East Pastoral district. 

The course was subsidised by the North East Pastoral Landscape Group, through Landscape Levy funds and on completion, participants can transport and store chemicals and prepare and apply chemicals to control pest weeds and diseases. 

Read more

Volunteers enjoy the best locations

Volunteers in the SA Arid Lands have a chance to see some of our region’s beautiful and remote locations while assisting in landscape management.

Their contribution of time, energy, expertise, equipment and resources is extremely valuable and supports the sustainable management of our region’s natural resources.

In the past year, 86 volunteers from the Overland 4WD Club, Mitsubishi 4WD Club, LandRover 4WD Club, ARPA Bushwalkers, Toyota Landcruiser Club, Friends of Mound Springs, Buckleboo volunteers, Holowiliena volunteers and Wilkatana volunteers have committed 3834 hours in our region.

They have undertaken work in the protection of Mound Springs and vegetation, cactus and pest plant control, conserving threatened plant species and land management.

See how the board can help connect landholders and volunteers and watch our video

Virtual fencing trial

A four-month virtual fencing trial run at Wintinna Station determined if the technology can be used as an effective tool to facilitate a rest-based grazing system without impacting cattle temperament.

Run by SARDI Senior Research Officer Megan Willis, the trial was supported by property owners Jake and Francesca Fennell, the SAAL Landscape Board and the SA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub.

The Fennels were keen to be involved in the trial, due to almost eliminating the costs associated with building physical fences over such a large area to expand the rest-based grazing system they had introduced on the property.

A case study for the project is being developed, including costing out the return on investment. This will be published as part of the SARDI research.

Watch the video

Roo products showcased at Kurti festival

Organic and sustainably harvested kangaroo products were showcased at the Quorn Kurti Festival.

The festival featured a range of native food options, including pepperberry, barramundi, quandongs, and wattleseed but attendees at the bush food garden sessions received a special treat when kangaroo shaslicks, yiros, burgers and sausages were offered alongside a roo tail stew to further promote the locally-processed, budget friendly and lean protein option to the community.

Read more

Teaching radio-tracking to city students

SAAL staff shared radio tracking skills and taught students about animal scats, facts and the impact of introduced predators on native wildlife during a Nature Foundation Kids on Country Camp at Witchelina in October.

The camp, on Adnyamathanha/Kuyani Country, was attended by 11 students from Norwood International High School who experienced a full program that provided Traditional ecological knowledge, stories, practices and conservation land management.

Read more

Brochure helps identify Northern Flinders birds

A brochure that provides details of the most commonly sighted birds in the Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park (VGRNP) is now available on the board’s website.

Produced to enrich the experience of park visitors, the brochure includes photographs of 59 birds that may be seen in the area, along with distinguishing features, expected size and the Adnyamathanha name. 

Read more

GAB projects wrapping up

Landholders who received grants to improve GAB infrastructure as part of the Improving Great Artesian Basin Drought Resilience (IGABDR) program have only until the end of March 2024 to complete their projects.

Funding was provided on a cost sharing basis for the installation and maintenance of wells and the associated distribution networks for landholders accessing water from the GAB.

Read about what was funded in the SA Arid Lands

Regional Feed monitoring

Pastoralists at five different sites in the SA Arid Lands have trialled forage budgeting using remote satellite monitoring as part of the Managing Rangelands for Drought Resilience project.

Using the Australian Feedbase Monitor developed by CIBO Labs and Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), the SAAL sites were among six monitoring focused projects implemented across the country to trial different monitoring technology across a variety of landscapes to help producers to make decisions less complicated, more professional, lower risk and more environmentally sustainable.

Find out how one property has found the trial

Renewed interest in local bush foods

A growing interest in bush foods and opportunities for harvesting produce was strong with hundreds of people attending workshops and presentations at Quorn’s Kurti Festival.

Quorn has a long history of commercially producing bush foods, particularly kurti (traditional Nukunu name for quandong) and the festival is reviving grower interest at a local and state level.

Read more

Got something to share?

We always love to hear from our readers. Perhaps you'd like to share what you thought of the second online edition of Across The Outback? Or maybe you have some news to share with the SA Arid Lands community?