Keeping track of the Kowari

Monitoring cameras placed in the State’s stony desert country as part of the Board’s Discovery4Recovery project have snapped some images of the endangered Kowari.

The nocturnal predator is a shy but feisty hunter and has an estimated population of just 1200 individuals, living in a range of just 350 square kilometres.

Find out more >>

Hunt for rare orchid

Indigenous Rangers from the Flinders Ranges, Gawler Ranges and Far West Coast are well-placed to survey and identify a vulnerable native orchid, following surveys in the Gawler Ranges and Flinders Ranges in May.

The Desert Greenhood (Pterostylis xerophila) is part of the ‘rusty hood’ group of Greenhood orchids and is considered vulnerable due to its very limited distribution.

Very little is known about the ecology of this species and none of its seed pods are held in the State’s seed bank. Surveys and conservation efforts are incredibly important to ensure the future of this species, which is classed as Vulnerable under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

Find out more >>

Goat removal saves nearly seven tonnes of native vegetation daily

The Gawler Ranges landscape is in better condition thanks to control programs that have removed more than 7000 goats in the past financial year and saved more than 6750kg of native vegetaion a day from being eaten by goats.

Aerial control programs completed with the support of marksmen from the Department for Environment and Water have controlled 1769 goats since February and 5043 in the 2024/25 financial year.
In addition, a program that takes unfit to load goats to feed animals at Monarto Safari Park has removed 2388 goats from the Gawler Ranges since February.

Find out how involvement in these programs has helped one landholder save time and water >>

Quolls doing well at Arkaba

The capture of 12 Idnya (Western quolls) at Arkaba Conservancy in April is further proof the vulnerable species has grown its population outside of its original translocation site at the neighbouring Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park.

It was the board’s second trapping event at Arkaba, on Adnyamathanha Country, undertaken as part of the Discovery4Recovery program.

Staff members from the SAAL Landscape Board, Nantawarrina Rangers, Arkaba Conservancy and National Parks and Wildlife SA set 119 traps, 300m apart across trap lines near Red Range and Moralana Drive, Elder Range and on a third line closer to Wilpena Pound in Ikara each night

Read more >>

Grazing research in the Arid Zone

The effects of wind direction, wind speed, temperature and water placement on grazing patterns in paddocks is the focus of a research project by Charles Darwin University student Samantha Connor, which is supported by the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI). 

Her research will build on understanding of livestock behaviour in low rainfall regions, while trialling technology and devices in the pastoral zone. An SA Arid Lands (SAAL) Landscape Board Grassroots Grant contributed funds in 2024/25 to supply the technology being trialled to support her research.

Read more >>

Board meets in Kingoonya district

Hosting one meeting in the region annually provides the board with an opportunity to connect with community, visit sites supported by the board and gain first-hand experience in the region they visit.

While in the region, the board and staff visited Arid Recovery to discuss shared goals with the vulnerable Idnya (Western Quoll), visited properties run by Kokatha Pastoral, toured Andamooka and hosted a community barbecue for 45 people.

Read about what was discussed >>

Do you need a permit?

If you are planning to complete earthworks on your property or undertake this work for someone else, a series of new fact sheets available on the SAAL website will help explain where advice needs to be sought before you turn the key.

These works may affect a watercourse, which makes them a Water Affecting Activity.

Read more >>

SAAL region in the world spotlight

The South Australian rangelands were showcased on world stage at the recent International Rangelands Congress (IRC) in Adelaide in June.

This included a strong attendance from land managers and NRM practitioners in the region, tours through the region, presentations and networking

Twenty land managers and community members from the SA Arid Lands region were supported to attend the event by the SAAL Landscape Board, the Pastoral Board and the SA Drought Hub. Several staff and board members also attended and presented papers and conference sessions, and presentations.

Find out how the region was showcased >>

Kokatha field day

Kokatha Aboriginal Corporation is working on two key plans to incorporate cultural knowledge with sustainable management of its pastoral properties.

Members of the Kokatha Aboriginal Corporation Board’s Culture and Heritage Committee and Kokatha Pastoral staff came together for a field day to focus on ecologically sustainable rangeland management (ESRM) as part of a newly developed plan, and to discuss recommended works.

Read abou the sustainable processes that were the highlight of the field day >>

Preparing the landscape for rehydration

Landholders from the Kingoonya, North Flinders and North East Pastoral districts are more confident in principles of landscape rehydration and their connection to healthy soil following workshops held at Kingoonya and Mt Victor Station in May.

The workshops were delivered by Lance Mudgeway from the Mulloon Institute, who last year ran a similar workshop at Boolcoomatta in the North East Pastoral district.

Read more >>

Mine tour for Landscape Group members

Members of the Gawler Ranges and Port Augusta-Quorn Landscape Groups enjoyed a tour of OneSteel’s Southern Middleback mining area late in May.

Group members heard about day-to-day operations at the site, pest management, visited lookouts and saw drilling cores that had been extracted. The tour followed a joint group meeting held at the site, which is also the workplace of new members of both groups.

Read more >>

Regenerative grazing popular despite the dust

Delivered on the dustiest of days, a regenerative Grazing workshop held at Matt and Charmayne Clark’s property Pine Grove on Monday 26 May attracted high attendance from local farmers.

Delivered by the SA Arid Lands Landscape Board and the Second Nature Conservancy, the workshop with Mexican rancher Alejandro Carrillo and Australian farmer Colin Seis focused on re-establishing and rebuilding native pastures, reviving the small water cycle and creating healthier soils for a more resilient future.

Read more  >>

Six kangaroo partnerships projects funded

Innovative new projects will investigate methods of sustainably managing overabundant kangaroo populations as part of a grants round offered through the Kangaroo Partnerships Project.

The six projects include three that are adopting new technologies, a PhD project, incorporating macropods into Kangaroo Island food tourism and assisting landholders with a management program.

Read more about the projects >>

Next Ranger Gathering on Arabana Country

Indigenous Rangers from across the SA Arid Lands region will come together for the third Ranger Gathering on Arabana Country in early August.

Arabana Aboriginal Corporation and the Arabana rangers will co-host the event on Finniss Springs, supported by SAAL and Indigenous Desert Alliance, with sponsorship from BHP.

Ranger teams from across the region will attend a three-day gathering which will include animal and plant monitoring activities, knowledge sharing, a cultural tour and visits to significant mound springs sites. 

Watch the video from the last event here >> 

Dung beetles and soil testing feature in APY trip

Dung beetles, soil and vegetation testing and workshops featured in a trip to the APY lands in late April.

The week-long trip visited Umuwa and Balfour’s Well in the APY Lands of the Alinytjara Wilurara (AW) region, and nearby Mount Willoughby.

While few dung beetles were found in the dry conditions, there were signs of their work, including holes on cow pats, and buried bits of dung in the soil. Workshop discussions included which soil types hold more carbon, and ways of increasing carbon storage of soils.

Read more >>

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