Welcome to the Communique from the June meeting of the SA Arid Lands Landscape Board
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SA Arid Lands Landscape Board Communique
SA Arid Lands Landscape Board Regional Meeting
The board hosted its annual regional meeting in the Kingoonya district. The board and staff visited Arid Recovery to discuss shared goals with the vulnerable Idnya (Western Quoll) and met with the Kokatha Pastoral team and looked at work the board is supporting across their three properties.
The Andamooka Progress and Opal Miners Association hosted a community barbecue for 45 community and board members.
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.
Regional Plan Review
As part of its obligations under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019, the board is required to have a five-year strategic plan. The completion date for the board’s first plan since becoming a Landscape Board is due to finish in 2026 and planning has commenced for the second plan which will be in effect from 2026 to 2031.
A planning session was held with the board members to review the priorities and the outcomes and ascertain what areas of the plan need improving. Further consultation will occur with the board’s seven Landscape Groups in coming months, and community and stakeholder consultation will commence later in 2025.
Business Plan
At its June meeting, the board approved the Annual Business Plan 2025/26. The board’s business plan sets out how the board will generate and invest its income, which includes water and landscape levies. View the Business Plan online
District Group Membership
Five new members were appointed to regionally-based Landscape Groups by the board following its June meeting. The appointments were made as part of the annual Landscape Group membership call. New members appointed to the Gawler Ranges Landscape Group are Wendy Walladge, Puck Vawser and Victoria McCarron. Kingoonya Landscape Group welcomes Sarah Simmons and Eva Kozberski and Garret Miller was appointed to the Port Augusta-Quorn Landscape Group,
Grassroots Grants 2025-26
Based on recommendations from the assessment panel, the board approved $163,000 in funding for 21 grants in the sixth year of the SA Arid Lands Grassroots Grant program.
The annual grant round was again very competitive with 27 applications received valued at almost $270,000. Successful projects will be announced in early August.
International Rangelands Congress 2-6 June 2025
A report was presented to the board on its involvement with the International Rangelands Congress (IRC) in Adelaide in June, where the South Australian rangelands were showcased on the world stage. This included a strong attendance from land managers and NRM practitioners in the region, tours through the region, presentations and networking.
The board, along with the Pastoral Board and the SA Drought Hub supported 20 land managers and community members to attend the week-long event. Several staff and board members also attended and presented papers and conference sessions, and presentations.
Across the Outback
The board's quarterly Across the Outback was released last week, with an e-publication sent to the inbox of subscribers.
This edition included updates on the board's work with the endangered Kowari and a vulnerable native orchid, removal of goats from the landscape, a research project looking at paddock grazing of sheep, recent board events, projects funded by the Kangaroo Partnerships Project and Biteback news.
You can read a copy of it at https://createsend.com/t/i-E8A6BD8744E9FA7B2540EF23F30FEDED
COMING EVENTS
27 July 2025 – HOWZAT! for a Tree Day @ Olary
1 August 2025 – Port Augusta/Quorn Landscape Group meeting 23
8 August 2025 – North East Pstoral Landscape Group meeting 55 @ Yunta
11 August 2025 – Marree Innamincka and North Flinders Landscape Groups Joint meeting 2 @ Wilpena
15 August 2025 - Gawler Ranges Landscape Group meeting 72 @Port Augusta
