This week is significant for us with the start of the first stage of consultation for a review and revision of the Water Allocation Plan for the Southern Basins and Musgrave Prescribed Wells Areas. This plan is a document that sets out the rules for managing the take and use of prescribed groundwater resources.

Under the plan, there are a number of licenced users, including SA Water who use their licence to supply mains water to households, farms and businesses across Eyre Peninsula. With the latest monitoring and scientific assessments indicating that groundwater resources in these areas will no longer be able to sustainably meet the demands for water supply on Eyre Peninsula, it is expected that licence allocations will be reduced.

Water licence holders and stock and domestic groundwater users from the two areas, plus mains water users across the region, are encouraged to take part in the review via YourSAy. This can be as simple as adding a comment on our interactive map, taking a quick poll survey, or taking some more time reviewing resources and filling out a 6-question survey or sending us a written submission.

This consultation will be completed in mid-December and will inform the preparation of a draft revised plan. Another round of consultation will take place mid next year on that draft revised plan, with the revision set to be completed by the start of 2026, ready for new licences to be issued by the Department for Environment and Water by mid-2026.

This review is vitally important for the sustainability of Eyre Peninsula groundwater resources. The latest data is showing us that if we leave the allocations as they are, there is the potential for irreversible damage caused by salinisation from seawater getting into the basins or drawing saline water up from the underlying aquifer.

I encourage everyone who would be affected by this to look at the consultation on YourSAy before it closes on December 16.

Water management is one of our five priority areas. While this review is a big piece of work for us, there’s still plenty more happening including pest plant and animal control activities, annual bushland condition monitoring and a new soils project in the agriculture space.

Dry conditions update

Spring sunshine makes for some pleasant work conditions for our field staff but I’m certainly hoping there’s some more decent rain on the way before the environment and agriculture areas really start to dry out. We understand that dry conditions across Eyre Peninsula are proving to be challenging for many of our landholders.

Please have a look at our soil management page and Land Management Control Policy which provide more details on land system descriptions and land management risks; as well as setting out land management principles.

We are also currently preparing our RAPPA mobile electric fencing units for loan to assist management of stock in dry conditions. This will be promoted on our social media pages when available and you can also check in with your nearest landscape office to enquire about availability soon.

Our staff have been taking a closer look at what’s happening with the local environment as part of our annual bushland condition monitoring.

Sheoak restoration project

We’ve also started working on a new five-year project to help restore and protect areas of Sheoak Grassy Woodland on calcrete which is a threatened ecological community. It’s great to see this get underway, funded by the Australian Government Natural Heritage Trust and delivered by us as a member of the Commonwealth Regional Delivery Partners Panel. Read our story about this project further down in the newsletter.

All the best,
Jonathan Clark

General Manager,
Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board

We are looking for someone who is passionate about the environment and can lead our planning and engagement team.

The Team Leader, Planning and Engagement is a core position within the Planning and Business Support Team and will be responsible for leading the development and implementation of regional planning and policy initiatives. The role requires effective collaboration with a range of key stakeholders to provide fit for purpose advice and referral services in relation to key areas of landscape management.

The role will also position the board to participate in natural capital accounting markets and will provide leadership and line management support to a small planning and engagement team.

Tertiary qualifications in planning, environment, conservation or a related NRM science discipline is desirable.

This job is based in our Port Lincoln office. Applications are open until October 22.

Find out more or apply on I Work for SA.

Our five-year project focusing on enhancing and restoring remnants of the critically endangered ecological community of Drooping Sheoak Grassy Woodland on Calcrete, is now underway.

Our staff have begun vegetation monitoring and bird surveying at high priority sites under the project which is funded by the Australian Government Natural Heritage Trust and delivered by our organisation, a member of the Commonwealth Regional Delivery Partners panel.

Surveying existing sheoak areas.

Drooping Sheoak (Allocasuarina verticillata) occurs on shallow, calcareous soils east and south of Ceduna with high priority remnant areas around Streaky Bay, Lake Newland, Elliston and Sheringa.

Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board’s Western District Team Leader Libby Hunt says the Drooping Sheoak Grassy Woodland community not only provides an important habitat for many species but it also helps to minimise erosion problems.

“The Sheoak Grassy Woodland community is such a valuable ecosystem for many areas around western Eyre Peninsula,” Ms Hunt says.

“Today the community continues to be under further threat from invasive species such as rabbits, ongoing grazing, wildfire and the impacts of climate change.

“With now only 3% of the Drooping Sheoak Grassy Woodland community remaining, this new project will see restoration works occur at priority sites across a 700,000 hectare area on the Eyre Peninsula.

“We will work with key land managers to manage total grazing pressure including feral herbivores such as goats and deer, undertake environmental weed control and revegetation activities.

”Throughout the project we will also engage local community such as schools, community groups and landholders with workshops and on-ground works opportunities, to increase knowledge of sheoak grassy woodlands including how to undertake conservation restoration actions.”

For further information about the project please visit our project web page or contact Libby on 0437 701 810 or email: libby.hunt@sa.gov.au.

There’s a few days left to have your say on our draft Indigenous Participation Plan which aims to provide a way forward for working collaboratively with Aboriginal communities on natural resource management.

The Board’s Aboriginal Engagement Officer Monique Anderson has been reaching out to native title holders and other groups across the Eyre Peninsula to get their feedback on the plan.

“The Board recognises the invaluable wisdom and expertise that Aboriginal people bring to land management and natural resource conservation,” Ms Anderson says.

“With our Indigenous Participation Plan, the Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board wants to ensure a holistic and sustainable approach to managing natural resources for the benefit of all stakeholders involved.

“During the past few months I’ve been talking to groups across Eyre Peninsula to seek feedback on the draft plan.

“Understanding the deep bond between our Aboriginal communities and the land, sea, and water is crucial to preserving the sustainability and well-being of the Eyre Peninsula.

“By actively engaging in partnerships and working hand-in-hand with these communities, we believe we can make a meaningful impact on sustaining our region.

“If you are interested in this plan and haven’t heard from me yet, I encourage you to get in touch to have your say about it.”

To comment on the draft plan please contact Monique on email at monique.anderson@sa.gov.au or call her on 0407 484 421 by Friday, October 4.

Monique with Jeff Croft, Aunty Gail Reid, Darlene Gibson & Uncle Reg Reid.

Close to 4,000 goats were removed from an area of the Gawler Ranges near eastern Eyre Peninsula and the Middleback Ranges last month as part of a control operation. A multi-pronged approach was used that combined aerial control with on-ground mustering.

Working with an experienced on-ground musterer and his dogs, goats were rounded up following reports from landholders and the community that feral goat numbers were increasing in the area, causing damage to conservation reserves, mining sites and cropping areas.

Even before this operation begun, close to 1,000 goats had already been removed since June from eastern Eyre Peninsula by ground mustering alone.

The goat control project was undertaken as a joint operation between the Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board, the SA Arid Lands Landscape Board, National Parks and Wildlife Service SA, the Department of Primary Industries and Regions plus local landholders and expert musterers.

Even in small numbers, feral goats can expand their range and population in a short period of time, when not controlled.

Feral goat sightings can be reported via the Feral Scan website and soon there will also be a new Feral Goat Scan app.

Watch a 30 second video showing the muster dogs in action.

Our staff spend many hours working in the field including on pest plant and animal control activities and local biodiversity issues. Here's a snapshot of some of our latest field work.

It’s also time for our annual bushland condition monitoring. Every spring around 30 sites are inspected, giving us an indication of how the landscape is faring and noting changes in the environment since each site was last monitored about 10 years ago.

• The Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board region extends from Whyalla in the east, along the Gawler Ranges in the north, to the edge of the Nullarbor Plain in the west. There are eight offices within the region. Want to get in touch with us? See our contact page for your nearest office. 
   
• Need to check your stock water? We offer free salinity testing for landholders.
   
• Landholders have responsibility for controlling declared pest plants across the EP. See our pest plant page to find out more about the priority pest plants in our region and control options.
   
• Spot a feral deer, fox, rabbit, cat, goat or wild dog? Report your sighting on FeralScan. See our pest animal page for more details.
   
• Undertaking works on an existing or new water source? Our Water Affecting Activities page has permit information including application forms and factsheets. We also have a guide for siting, design, construction and management of EP dams.
   
• Find out what is happening across statewide landscape management on the Landscapes SA website. There is also a regular statewide newsletter.