Idnya expanding in the North Flinders

A recent Idnya (Western Quoll) trapping event has shown that the animals are expanding beyond their original release site in the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park.

In May, the capture of 10 Idnya (Western Quoll) in a trapping exercise at Arkaba Conservancy provided further evidence that the vulnerable species is establishing a population beyond its original translocation site at the neighbouring Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park.

The trapping event was designed to gain a better understanding of population numbers and dispersal and follows the sighting of Idnya on the property’s own monitoring cameras in recent years.

Read more

SAAL appointed as a Regional Delivery Partner

The SA Arid Lands Landscape Board has been appointed to a national panel of regional delivery partners set up by the Australian Government.

The panel will be used to deliver on-ground environmental protection, sustainable agriculture and nature resource management activities across Australia.

Find out more

Planning for healthy Country

The SAAL Board has supported a number of Aboriginal corporations in the region to begin formal plans for achieving healthy Country.

Six grants were awarded in the Planning for Healthy Country Grant round, launched in March, with work to begin shortly.

Find out who received funding

Lock in the date for the 2025 Pastoral Field Day

The SA Arid Lands Pastoral Field day will take on more of a traditional field day appearance when it returns in March next year.

To be held at the Port Augusta Racecourse, the event will focus on drought preparedness and will showcase and celebrate the pastoral industry in the SA Arid Lands.

Read more

Protection in place for Mound Springs

New fencing will restrict access to Great Artesian Basin Springs on the Strzelecki Track in a collaborative project designed to protect the culturally important and ecologically significant sites.

The fencing work was undertaken in a partnership between Brook Pastoral, The Dieri Aboriginal Corporation, Friends of Mound Springs and the SA Arid Lands Landscape Board as part of the Lake Eyre Basin Priority Riparian Vegetation and Great Artesian Basin Springs Project.

Find out where the springs are and why the work is important

Rehydrating the Rangelands

Land managers in the North East Pastoral have been supported to implement regenerative grazing practices and increase their understanding of landscape rehydration principles.

A Rangelands Reyhdration Field Day held at Boolcoomatta Station in May attracted a number of people responsible for the management of low rainfall properties or pastoral leases.

Find out more and watch the video from the field day

Boards visit the Flinders Ranges

Now a permanent event on the calendars of the SAAL Landscape Board and The Pastoral Board, last month’s combined regional meeting was held in Copley.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Climate, Environment and Water Susan Close was also present for the joint meeting,

Members visited Holowiliena Station and Copley Community Gardens, before a community barbecue was held at the Copley Hotel.

Read more

Ladies, are you ready?

An event designed to strengthen social resilience and build capacity is planned for women living in the SA Arid Lands region.

To be held in Hawker in October, the Outback Ladies Muster will offer a mix of personal and professional development sessions, speakers, creative workshops and networking activities.

Tickets are limited.

Find out who will present and register to attend.

Family fun on offer across the region

Families across the SA Arid Lands can look forward to a day or evening of entertainment as Family Fun Days begin across the region.

Events are planned for the North Flinders, Marree Innamincka, North East Pastoral, Gawler Ranges and Marla Oodnadatta districts.

What will be happening in your district?

Partnership targets unidentified cats

A partnership between the Outback Communities Authority and the SA Arid Lands Landscape Board has begun work to reduce the environmental and community impact caused by the high number of unidentified cats in Marree.

An increasing problem over the past 10 years, the initiative involved working with the Marree community and having a vet microchipping local pet cats before a trapping exercise in May.

Find out how the initiative went

Pigs no match for thermal scopes

Feral herbivores have been targeted in an aerial control program in the area surrounding the Coongie Lakes Ramsar Wetland.

The exercise involved the use of thermal binoculars that had not been used before in the far north wetland environment.

Find out how it went.

A hairy problem at Cultana

The first record of Hairspine cactus in South Australia in 15 years has come from the Gawler Ranges on land held by the Department of Defence.

The single Opuntia polyacantha bush was found growing amongst shrubs, saltbush and an infestation of Riverina pear (Opuntia elata) in April.

What makes this species different to other Opuntia species?

Workshops with a native seed focus

Attendees at native seed workshops learnt how seed collection can be used to help revegetate and regenerate the land.

Information was shared at the two workshops in March about the collection, processing and storage of native seeds, along with information on the required permissions and health and safety considerations.

Find out more about the practical demonstrations given to collect and clean seeds.

Surveying for Sandalwood

A Sandalwood survey at Bush Heritage’s Bon Bon Station Reserve has found that it is a species under threat.

Listed globally on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as Vulnerable, the species conservation status is currently being assessed by the Australian Government.

Revisiting a small number of records scattered across the property, the team found enough Sandalwood to brighten the day.

Read what was found.

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