produced for landholders in the western division of nsw ... · newsletter is available on the...

March 2009 – April 2009 1

ISSN 0314 - 5352

Number 126 www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/newsletters/wdn

Going organic out west Written by Sally Ware with information provided by Steve Cresswell

Background

Steve Cresswell’s family have owned the 24,000 ha ‘Annalara’ station, which is located on the Darling, near Wilcannia since 1921. This property has run merinos for wool production since settlement but with years of devastating drought and lambing percentages as low as 15%, the decision was made to change over to white dorpers and to concentrate on meat production. Another property ‘Dungary’ was purchased near Dubbo in 2002 and that is where the highly successful Annalara white dorper Stud was founded. Organic certification of Annalara through NASSA (National Association for Sustainable Agriculture Australia) took place in 2005.

It is out at Annalara that the Cresswells run their commercial sheep. Over 3000 ewes that are in the later stages of upgrading from merinos to white dorpers are run on the property. The last pure merino was shorn on the property in 2004 and all pure merinos sold in 2005.

Firstly, let’s review the change over from merinos to white dorpers – was it an easy decision to make the change?

The decision was relatively easy in the end, although it took a couple of years to convince ourselves that we were doing the right thing. The high cost structure and work load of a merino wool producing enterprise was not working for us. The rewards from a white dorper self replacing enterprise soon became evident. Probably the biggest shock was the loss of the yearly wool cheque that we had always received.

Continued on page 3

Older second cross white Dorper merino ewes with 6 month old lambs at Annalara, Wilcannia. These ewes required shearing every 18 months.

Mar 09 – Apr 09

Produced for landholders in the Western Division of NSW

In this issue ...

Going organic out west

More talk about Dillon bush...

The grazing value of perennial chenopods

Homebush Field Day

Have you seen a Western blue-tongued Lizard lately?

Mungo visit for world renowned archaeologist

Pooncarie Field Day

Western NSW landholders developing EMS

STIPA Conference Horsham Victoria

Roadside erosion survey

What to do about the ‘Brink’

Wetland Rehabilitation Project: Reinstating wetting and drying regimes

Managing wetlands on farms

Tourist accommodation in outback NSW

Experience Yanga National Park

Old furrowing sites key to future success

Cropping helps control scrub and restore native grasslands

Western Lands Advisory Council COMMUNIQUÉ

Western Division Newsletter

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February 2009 issue 3.7 mb

The Western Division Newsletter is produced by NSW Department of Primary Industries with funding assistance from the Department of Environment and Climate Change, the Department of Lands and the following Catchment Management Authorities.

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The Western Division Newsletter is produced by the NSW Department of Primary Industries with funding assistance from the Department of Environment and Climate Change, Department of Lands, Western Catchment Management Authority, Lachlan Catchment Management Authority and

Recent issues Lower Murray Darling Catchment Management Authority.

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Our site on the NSW DPI website has just been revamped and updated so now we have a site that not only looks great but is informative and interactive. A small portion In particular, please visit the site if you

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Western Division Newsletter 2

continued‘Going organic out west’ from page 1

But when we started receiving prices up to $130/head for lambs as young as four months, our yearly shearing became a great memory and it is one that I am not keen to repeat again.

The grazing behaviour and the ability of the white dorpers to survive and to be able to reproduce continually became very noticeable very early in the program, particularly during these drier seasons that we have had to endure over the last ten years.

You certainly have got involved with the dorper breed – 10 years ago you formed a Stud that has gone from strength to strength

The original intention of the Stud was to breed fullbloods to see exactly what they may achieve under Australian conditions, as we were listening and researching our information from South Africa. We also decided to breed our own rams for replacements due to the high cost of buying commercial white dorper rams – we had to pay up to $3000/head in the initial years of our program.

I guess we were so impressed with the few full bloods we owned originally, that we started showing and promoting them with some success. In addition, the commercial flock at Annalara was growing and we needed more rams. Plus I began to see first hand what the dorpers were achieving at Wilcannia and the benefit from the increased financial returns. I realised that this sheep breed would revitalise the Australian meat sheep industry out west. We became committed to the Stud’s success and we have continued to build it up to meet the increasing demand from commercial producers. We are also committed to providing genetic information on our rams and we use LAMBPLAN, the database used by Sheep Genetics in Armidale. In our stud breeding program we are aiming to identify parentage that produces progeny with

Above: Steve and Jack Cresswell displaying rams at the 2008 Kilfera Field Day at Ivanhoe.

Left: 4 to 6 month old organic white Dorper cross lambs killed at Junee Abattoir

above average eye muscle areas with lower fat and higher growth rates. Our ram lambs are sold with performance measurement.

Out at Wilcannia, you have gone that one step further and became organic. What’s the process for becoming and staying organic?

We went through a three year conversion period after applying to NASAA to become certified organic. The accreditation was fairly simple with an initial visit by an accredited inspector to whom we supplied property mapping, a farm plan and soil samples from cropping and sheep yard sites to detect any chemical residues. Surprisingly, one site at a sheep yard tested for DDT so we had to remove twenty centimetres of soil and replace with clean soil, burying the contaminated soil.


‘Going organic out west’ continued from page 3

We are required now to have yearly audits and inspections which generally take less than a day, where we have to supply a chemical log of any inputs and paper work on all consignments of organic sales and paddock and cropping histories. NASSA charge an annual fee plus a 1% fee of annual gross sales.

By changing sheep breeds we have limited all chemical applications and now only use an organic accredited fly control at marking around the elastrator rings. Under severe fly waves, I believe you would need to be careful with a dorper merino cross, particularly with the woolly types which are not crutched or mulesed. We have only had a handful of woolly F1 ewes struck and we crutched and/or shore them to treat them. The fly did not kill them and the sheep seemed to handle the flystrike better than other breeds. Worms have never been a problem at Annalara and to date lice has not caused problems but once again you would need to be careful with a woolly early first cross dorper merino.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of selling organic lambs?

We have achieved net premiums of up to 150 cents above traditional non organic lamb pricing however, last season’s prices have been very similar, depending on the time of selling within the season to the conventional prices. Under the organic selling system at present, producers have to pay the kill fee which equates to around 70 cents/kg dressed on average e.g. a 22 kg

2008 publication from the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation written by Viv Burnett from Vic DPI.

This 24 page document can be downloaded from the website at www.rirdc. gov.au or a copy obtained by telephoning RIRDC in Canberra on (02) 6271 4100

dressed organic lamb would gross about $108 minus a $15.40 kill fee. In addition, the closest organically certified abattoir to Wilcannia is located at Junee, so the extra trucking charges per head need to be considered as well.

Due to the limited number of organic processors there is a lack of competition for organic lamb and the supermarket chains who are the major retail customers of organic lamb are dictating the pricing and killing grids. The usual dressed weight grid for organic lamb is 18 to 23 kg which makes it hard at times to send a larger consignment that fits within this grid; there are very large discounts for lambs dressing outside the grid.

We sell our lambs when they are above 40 kg liveweight. We have been successful in selling all our lambs at this target weight before one year of age except for only a handful of tail lambs. Our ewes are joined in December and again in mid April and mid August, as we find some of the ewes start to cycle about three weeks after lambing commences.

Can you offer some advice to other landholders who may want to go down this path?

I would certainly recommend any western division producers to apply for organic accreditation, if they are running a basically chemical free operation, even if they don’t intend to sell organic lamb in the short term. I feel that demand for organic produce will increase dramatically throughout the world and the Western Division can become a major supplier of organic lamb. As the supply and demand grows we will see other processors compete for organic lamb which should guarantee a premium throughout the year.

Are you happy to talk with others about your experiences?

Yes, I am happy to talk with fellow producers. My mobile is 0407 912 006 or ah at Dungary on (02) 6887 2130 or by email at [email protected] or people can visit the website at www. annalarawhitedorper.com


Moogenilla AngusCondobolin

• Specialising in bulls for larger remote herds • Excellent growth and carcase qualities

• Proven performance in commercial western herds • Using leading AI genetics for 16 years •Fully performance recorded with the Angus Society

Call or email for detailed EBVs or brochure of available bulls. Paul Sinderberry & Sarah Wrigley

Ph: (02) 6896 2902 Fax: (02) 6896 2816 Email: [email protected]

More talk about Dillon bush... I read with interest the article in the last edition of the Newsletter quoting Ken McCrabb and his enthusiasm for Nitraria billardieri (Dillon or Nitre Bush depending on where you are…), and was keen to contribute to the discussion.

Merino sheep selectively graze the leaves and fine twigs of this perennial which are high in nutritive value (NV) which is why they do so well on it. Analysis of the species in South Australia has shown average energy levels of 9.7 (range: 5.3 – 11.9 ME) and crude protein averages of 26% (range 21.5 – 29.4%). The overall mineral content of the plant appears to be well balanced for grazing ruminants with zinc being the only deficiency detected.

Dry (non pregnant), mature ewes at 60 kg require 80 gm of crude protein and 8.2 MJ ME per day to maintain body weight and Dillon bush well and truly satisfies those requirements. However, ruminants prefer to select a range of plants to make up their diet and tend not to do as well on one species alone. Part of the reason for this is that many rangeland perennials are salt accumulators and have sodium contents high enough to limit intake.

By San Jolly, Productive Nutrition Pty Ltd, Walkerville SA www.productivenutrition. com.au

Dillon bush grazed to the maximum height by Merino sheep in northern South Australia (Source: Dawes, 2007)

Dillon bush analysed by the SGS laboratory in Toowoomba has proved to be as high in sodium as many of the saltbushes. Dr Dave Masters and his team at CSIRO in Perth have shown that increasing concentrations of sodium reduce intake, growth rate and wool growth of Merino lambs, and that this effect is accentuated if the feed on offer is also high in potassium.

Jim Franklin McEvoy has been investigating the probable causes of preferential grazing of individual bushes of Atriplex nummularia (Oldman Saltbush) during the course of his PhD at the University of Adelaide; hopefully his findings may cast some light on the reasons for apparent differences in palatability between plants of the same species.


The grazing value of perennial chenopods – looks can be deceiving By Peter Jessop, Pastures Agronomist NSW DPI Dareton

Black bluebush near Wentworth NSW

Over the last few years I have had quite a few enquires about the grazing value of blue bushes and saltbushes (chenopods) in the Western Division.

Chenopods are a diverse family of both perennial and annual generally salt tolerant shrubs or sub-shrubs which have growth features allowing them to survive in very dry conditions. They are mainly made up of saltbushes and bluebushes but also include other common plants such as goosefoots, crumbweeds, fissure-weeds, copperburrs, poverty-bushes and samphires.

The larger perennial chenopods (saltbushes and bluebushes) on paper and when viewed in isolation from other compounds appear to have reasonable to good nutritional values e.g. energy, digestibility and protein. However, looks can be deceiving!

There has been much debate over the years as to the true value of chenopods

in the diet of livestock. Even today neighbouring graziers can be divided on the palatability and nutritional value of the same species. What is known though is that soil type, water quality, salt content, secondary compounds and nutritional value all play a part.

On the whole chenopods are relatively unpalatable due to their high salt content and the presence of bitter tasting oxalates which can be toxic. The high salt content of the leaves also increases the water requirements of the grazing animal and subsequently the speed at which the feed is passed through the digestive system, reducing the amount of energy that can be extracted. Hence, quality drinking water is important. For good performance sheep diets should contain less than 5% salt but most chenopods contain well in excess of this amount.


Homebush Field Day (27 km north of Balranald on Ivanhoe Road)

Friday, April 17 2009

9.00 am – 4.00pm Great family day out

Contact: Alison Linnett (Secretary) ph: 0427 502 019

Or Site Manager Craig ph: 0427 346 412

Combined with excess salt, chenopods alone will not fatten stock because they also usually have low organic matter digestibility and high levels of non-protein nitrogen. For weight gains to occur, stock require an alternative source of energy to that provided by the shrub in the form of herbage, grass or a supplement such as grain or hay.

Chenopods do however play an important role in the Western Division by providing a maintenance diet during dry periods and as a protein supplement during better seasons. Not to mention their ability to provide soil stability and reduce the exposure of associated pasture to wind.

While nutritional value and palatability are important so is available edible biomass. This is the edible proportion of a plant that is available for livestock to consume. In the Western Division, saltbush and bluebush communities can produce over 1000 kg/ha of biomass. However, the edible proportion of this (leaves and twigs up to 3 mm diameter) only contributes about 30–35% of the total above ground biomass. So next time you look at a healthy stand of saltbush or bluebush divide what you’re seeing by three and imagine that quantity being available for grazing.

Homebush Field Day – April 17

The Committee of the Homebush Recreation Club Inc. is once again holding the Homebush Field Day on the 17th of April 2009. This is the fourth year the event will be held. The Committee is well aware of the ongoing drought in the area and is hoping the people will come together and build up their spirits and have a great day. The Club is helping raise money for local charities and run a low cost family day. The Committee were very pleased with both the public and exhibitor attendance in 2008 and planning is underway to introduce some new exhibitors for this year’s field day.

Some of the attractions that will be returning in 2009 include:

• livestock displays, machinery, tools, cars and motor bikes

• ladies marquee – craft, health, jewellery and lots more

• children’s activities

• full bar facilities and catering to suit all members of the family.

For further details about the Homebush Field Day contact Secretary Alison telephone 0427 502 019 or Site Manager Craig telephone 0427 346 412. A part of the 2008 Homebush Field Day site.


Have you seen a Western blue-tongued Lizard lately? By Melinda Fletcher Catchment Officer, Western CMA, Broken Hill

The rare Western blue-tongued Lizard found north of Broken Hill in October 2008

Recently, a Western blue-tongued Lizard, (Tiliqua occipitalis) was collected from the roadside about 20 km north of Broken Hill. Unfortunately it had been run over by a car and was deceased but nevertheless a local landholder picked up, kept it in the cool room and eventually it was sent to the Australian Museum in Sydney and lodged as a specimen. It was quite a find as the Western blue-tongued Lizard is listed as vulnerable in New South Wales. There have only been four formal recordings in the Western Catchment. Three of these are from the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Wildlife Atlas and located at Cumborah (1993), Cobar (1998) and Ivanhoe (1992). The fourth record was found just south of Broken Hill in 1995 (record from BioNet, a wildlife database that contains data from agencies such as

Below: An Eastern blue-tongued Lizard (courtesy http://www.morguefile.com/archive/?display=221227&)

the Australian Museum, National Parks, Fisheries and Forestry).

Ross Sadlier, Collection Manager, Herpetology Section with the Australian Museum in Sydney says it is possible that Western blue-tongued Lizards could occur more commonly than the records suggest. However, this is an assumption and the purpose of this article is to ask readers to telephone or email through their sightings and general comments so we can gain a greater understanding of just how often they are sighted and where.

So, how do you tell a Western blue-tongue from the Eastern blue-tongued Lizard (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides) that is also known to occur in the Western Division? Generally speaking, the Western species bears fewer and broader bands (4–6 bands) on its body and has 2 or 3 supraocular scales (large scales above its eyes). It also has three to four complete rings on its tail (Wilson & Swan 2003). The Eastern blue-tongued Lizard is more silvery grey in colour with six to nine broad, dark brown or black bands across its body and four supraocular scales (Cogger 1994; Wilson & Knowles 1988). It has seven to ten complete bands on its tail (Wilson & Swan 2003). See the photos opposite.

If you think you have seen a Western blue-tongued Lizard, please telephone Melinda Fletcher at the Broken Hill office of the Western Catchment Management Authority on (08) 8082 5206 or email her at Melinda. [email protected]. Alternatively telephone Mark Fletcher at the Broken Hill office of the Department of Climate Change on (08) 8080 3200 or email Mark. [email protected]. If you are interested in wildlife in general, visit the Department of Environment and Climate Change Nature Conservation website (http://www.environment.nsw.


gov.au/natureconservation.htm) and follow the links to native animals and plants. Factsheets and profiles on many threatened species can also be found at the Threatened Species website (http://www. threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/ index.aspx).

Any information collected as a result of this article will be passed onto Ross at the Australian Museum to help them gain a

better idea about the incidence of Western blue-tongued Lizards in the Western Division.

References

Cogger, H.G. 1994. Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, Reed Books, Singapore.

Wilson, S.K. and Knowles, D.G. 1988. Australia’s Reptiles, A Photographic reference to the Terrestrial Reptiles of Australia, Williams Collins, Hong Kong.

Wilson, S.K. and Swan G. 2003. A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, New Holland Publishers, Australia.

Mungo visit for world renowned archaeologist World renowned British archaeologist Paul Bahn took some time out during a recent trip to Australia to visit a place he considers one of the most important archaeological sites in the world – Mungo National Park, and the Willandra Lakes World Heritage Area.

It was Dr Bahn’s first trip to a site he has longed to visit since he began studying archaeology in the early 1970s.

For a man who is known internationally as an archaeologist, translator, writer and broadcaster on a range of archaeological topics and an expert in prehistoric art, the Mungo visit had a lot to live up to.

Dr Bahn said he wasn’t disappointed.

‘I was struck by the amazing landscapes – no photos or TV footage can do them justice and I found it moving to see the actual burial sites of Mungo1 and Mungo 3.

‘I have long wanted to visit, considering it is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world, let alone Australia.

‘The visit lived up to expectations thanks to the presence of Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) Archaeologist Harvey Johnston, World Heritage Area Officer Leanne Mitchell and traditional owners Patrick Lawson and Roland Smith.

‘I was impressed with the excellent visitor facilities, including the boardwalk at the

Leanne Mitchell and Paul Bahn at Mungo

By Katie Ritchie Public Affairs, Department of Environment and Climate Change

Walls of China and the instructive visitor centre.

‘I fully understand and applaud the conservation measures put in place to protect the footprints and I look forward to returning in the future,’ Dr Bahn said.

DECC Archaeologist Harvey Johnston said visitors such as Paul Bahn are not just tourists, they provide an international context for the Willandra Lakes and give inspiration and ideas for the management and conservation of the region.

‘Some of his suggestions will definitely be taken to the various management committees for consideration in 2009,’ he said.


Pooncarie Field Day Sat May 2

The Pooncarie Field Day has something for everyone and won’t cost you an-armand-a-leg. Admission is an affordable $5 for adults with children admitted free of charge. What great value for such a diverse range of attractions and events.

One of the competitions with a historic flavour is the Tri-state Blade Shearing Championship. This is a very quiet spectator sport to watch in comparison to the humming of the combs in the machine shearing competitions. The title-holder has represented Australia in the World Blade Shearing Championships over the last few years. It will be great to watch a blade shearer of this calibre in action at Pooncarie.

Sheep dogs are a tool-of-the-trade and trusty companion in the pastoral area. The sheep dog trials have been a popular event at the field day. The event is affiliated with the Australian Sheep Dog Association and gains broad coverage. Over 60 dogs competed in 2007.

The keenly contested Fleece Competition & Pastoral Wool Show has been well patronized with fleeces entered from a huge area of the Australian rangelands. A separate category is available for the higher rainfall district wool.

A Pen of 4 Lambs competition has seen some friendly rivalry between breeders of the more traditional breeds and the exotic, wool-less sheep.

Guess the weight of the lamb has shown who really knows the weight of a sheep. In 2009 the entrants will guess the weight of a Dorper ram. The new breed should really test the skills of participants.

A nail-biting event is the Goat Dog Trials. Dogs and their handlers must yard a mob of very feral goats. Like the name says, they are feral and unpredictable.

The girls match it with the best guys’ utes in the Ute Competition and is a real spectator attraction. Adult or open

A kelpie in action at the 2007 Pooncarie Field Day

categories also exist in the Boot Art, Well-Worn Akubra & Photo competitions as well.

The Pooncarie Field Day has a raft of attractions and competitions plus the Outback Toy Library to cater for children of all ages.

Leading up to the event, children can complete their entries in the Colouring, Craft or Mother’s Day competitions. An old pair of boots can be transformed into a work of art for the Boot Art competition or get snapping to have photos ready for the photo competition.

On the day, a blow-up castle is provided free of charge for the children and some lucky child will go home with a voucher for a new Akubra hat if their old or tattered hat wins the children’s section of the ‘Well-Worn’Akubra Hat competition.

A junior category of the goat dog trials will be introduced at the 2009 field day following the success of young Ruben Lush who matched it with the older blokes in 2007.

If goat dog training is not your specialty, then perhaps whip cracking is. Competitors can compete in the two age categories for the boys and girls sections and the open category. Specialist whip crackers will provide demonstrations during the day and under-lights in the evening.

If all this in not enough to see and do then there are over 100 exhibits to look at, including traditional and alternate livestock studs and associated industry exhibits,

10 Western Division Newsletter

vehicles and motor bikes, trade, machinery, arts and crafts, marketing and much, much more. Exhibitors are eligible for the best exhibit prizes with Indoor, Outdoor & Livestock categories up for grabs. This year’s focus is ‘Energy Alternatives’ with solar, wind and bio-diesel options on hand as well as the new Telemetry technologies.

Full catering is provided from Friday afternoon through to Sunday morning breakfast. Bar facilities are available on Saturday and entertainment is provided following the auction of donated goods after the field day.

Mark the date on your calendar now, Saturday 2 May 2009 from 10.00 am and the first Saturday in May every odd year following.

March 2009 – April 2009 11

Western NSW landholders developing Environmental Management Systems By Genevieve Carruthers, Environmental System Specialist, NSW DPI, and Trudie Atkinson, Sheep and Wool Officer, NSW DPI, Broken Hill

EMS workshop participants during property visit to Polpah Station in February

An environmental management system (EMS) workshop held in White Cliffs attracted 13 landholders representing nine pastoral businesses. The workshop was held on 3 and 4 February 2009. The landholders were interested to see how an EMS could be developed for their businesses. The Western CMA funded the workshop and Genevieve Carruthers (Environmental System Specialist) from NSW DPI delivered the training.

An EMS focuses on managing the impacts a business has on the environment. They help landholders to identify the cause of environmental problems on their property and assist them to minimise their impact. It is a continuous improvement process where actions plans are implemented and adapted for each business.

The environmental management system process assists landholders to;

• identify environmental impacts, compliance issues, risks and liabilities;

• develop objectives, targets and action plans to address issues;

• identify goals, methods and timeframes to address environmental impacts relevant to their property;

• organise required information and monitoring progress;

• evaluate the management performance, and identify areas for future improvement.

Environmental management systems are developed according to standards, for example ISO 14001, which is an internationally recognised standard. Businesses routinely audit their EMS once every twelve months. Landholders may choose to have their EMS certified to a standard, such as ISO 14001 which requires a series of external (third party) audits conducted by an accredited auditor. Alternatively, landholders not wanting certification can choose to do internal audits that provide a check on how well the system is working and if it is helping meet the goals and aspirations they have for environmental management.

The workshop included a visit to Barry and Annette Turner’s property Polpah station. The group discussed possible actions plans that could be implemented as part of Polpah’s EMS to enhance environmental management. This assisted the participants to understand how an EMS can be applied in practice to their own businesses.

The group all agreed that they would like to progress developing an EMS for their properties and will meet again later in the year to further progress their individual EMS.


Around the traps

Flooded country in the Bourke district and part of Bourke township (below) following the downpour that fell 13 and 14 February. Photos: Bourke SES

Bunnerungie Bridge movie night

The Kidman Way about 15 km south of Bourke following the downpour starting 13 February that delivered a record breaking 200 mm in one day – 80% of Bourke’s annual rainfall. Photo: Bourke SES

NSW DPI vet Greg Curran discussing ram health at a Wean More Lambs workshop at Cawkers Well, Wilcannia in October

Ivanhoe movie night

Lake Benanee movie night. Photo: Luke Follett

Watching the movies under the stars outback style! At the end of 2008 NSW DPI Drought Support Workers conducted a number of farm family gathering movie nights in western NSW. Using a trailer containing every thing required for a movie night including chairs, projector, screen and bbq, families were treated to a night of information, relaxation and fun. Approximately 600 people attended the movie nights.

March 2009 – April 2009 13

STIPA Conference Horsham Victoria 10 November 2008

LMD CMA 32 Enterprise Way PO Box 363 Buronga NSW 2739 Ph (03) 5021 9460 Fax (03) 5021 1308 www.lmd.cma.nsw.gov.au

By Angus Whyte Wyndham Station Via Wentworth NSW

(Angus Whyte’s attendance at the STIPA Conference was subsidised by LMD CMA Think Tank Committee’s Conference Subsidy Program.)

Rotating pastures, Graeme Hand’s farm, Branxholme, Victoria

This conference was opened by the Executive Officer of STIPA Native Grasses Association Ltd, Graeme Hand followed by a welcome to country by a local indigenous Land Council member.

The first session focused on management, with a couple of members of Carrus Land Management (they manage land in the US for conservation, using many land management tools) delivering the first talk. The important points I gained from the talk was that we need to ‘listen’ to the plants and animals more and ‘a short pencil is better than a long memory’. We need to formally monitor our land management and partner with others that have similar values and skills in a different area. They finished up by saying that ‘to create the future we need to apply the lessons of the past not the methods’.

Then Graeme Hand spoke on the importance of management. He said ‘the stock weren’t the problem only the management of them’. He also stressed the importance of litter between plants and to endeavour to have the surface actively composting. The point was made that year-round moisture enabled you to compost and ‘lock up’ country. However the drier the land, the more reliant on grazing animals and then the importance

of management comes to the fore. There was also the message of the need to find a system that was low input and low risk that will result in reasonable returns. He finished by saying that we are ‘not short on seed, just short on the management to encourage them’.

The next session consisted of two landholders that had systems of low input and risk and they spoke about grazing and pasture cropping. This was followed by a trial on pasture cropping in the upper north of SA (Jodie Reseigh) that would be pertinent to here.

Norm Smith (landholder) spoke on the need for greater density of livestock and also about ‘adding value to products rather than value adding’ i.e. attaching a story to products about land management and/ or management of animals, values etc. rather than further process a product which increases your risk. See www.instyle.com. au.

Angus Maurice spoke about pasture cropping, suggesting that currently in our cropping systems we use an enormous amount of energy to keep a mono-culture, when diversity means more ‘houses for biology’. Animals help crops by cycling nutrients, managing weeds, creating litter, opening canopies and root pruning. We need to keep investment low otherwise we are tempted to spend more to protect it. This is about companion planting rather than competition planting. Pasture cropping and the benefits can be bought undone by bad grazing management and herbicide use through the summer.

The next session was about the regeneration of grasslands. The first speaker was from Greening Australia and he has done a lot of work mechanically regenerating grasslands. This involves collecting different seeds and then


Charley Orchard (Carrus land Systems) discussing the importance of monitoring (Wyndham Nov 2008)

preparing seed beds and planting a diversity of species as it is clear that conservation on it’s own isn’t working and we are continuing to lose grasslands.

Then Andrew Mosely (Cobar) spoke about what they have done mainly through the use of animals rather than diesel (‘use the hooves to make the grooves’). They maintain that animals are critical to the health of their environment for the disturbance and the cycling of carbon. The animals aren’t the problem, it is our management of them. (Good website www. polyfacefarms.com). Andrew showed some interesting slides of a national park near his place that has excluded grazing for 50 years and it was obvious to everyone the poor soil health and the low level of plant diversity. The thinking was that land in a dry environment (brittle) will improve for about 5–10 years after exclusion before declining and after about 20–30 years being at a lower level of health than when first locked up.

The last session was a couple of very interesting landholders talking about their journeys to where they are today and what has driven them, also their thoughts for the future.

Annabel Walsh (Moorna Station) started by talking about her road she has taken and that when things are dry, like now, we need to look for defensive land management in

order to maintain ecosystem health and diversity. We also needed to make sure there was some form of succession planning done on a landscape scale and that she would like to see whole communities set a vision for the landscape.

The next speaker was Eric Harvey who has only been farming for about 4 years. However he is driven by his health, which was going backwards due to too much consumption of foods not naturally grown and lacking vital ingredients. He says that all health can be linked back to soil health. We need fungi and bacteria working in the soil. In fact he maintains that grass fed beef has the same level of omega 3 as fish (www.eatwild.com). Also he says that if you wish to kill out the annuals then you need to knock the nitrates out of the soil.

The conference was closed with a STIPA meeting at which Annabel Walsh was elected chair of the group, which gives our region great links to a very small and passionate group of people.

Also as a footnote Annabel brought the people from Carrus Land Management to her place (Moorna Station) for a few days and we had the opportunity to spend a few hours with them looking around the land. They can really help us to make connections to other people in the community that value components of the landscape.

Thank you very much to the Lower Murray Darling CMA for offering to support me to attend such an interesting conference.

Hello landholders of the Western Division My name is Roger McPhee. My great grandfather was John Zeigler Huie Macvean who in the 1870s owned a Station called KI STATION on the Murray River near Euston. The proposed comprised about 100,000 acres including the runs of Rainding, Rainding North and Balurung.

During the 1870s – 1880s, his brother Allan Macvean owned a Station called BOOTRA comprising the runs called Kootooloomondoo, Kootooloomondoo North and Bootra.

In the 1880s and 1890s another brother William Macvean owned LOWER LILA Station near Fords Bridge west of Bourke.

The family (not sure who) also owned a property called TONGO or TONGO LAKE with a Mr Tully.

I’d be interested if any of you were aware of these people and/ or the history of these properties. I’d also like to travel there sometime in the next 12 months to look at what the area is like and any historic landmarks.

If anyone has any information or is happy for me to visit at some time, could they please contact me at:

Roger McPhee 3 Rees Way Brookfield Q 4069 Email: [email protected]

March 2009 – April 2009 15

Roadside erosion survey:December 2008 results


Figure 1. Roadside Erosion Survey route

The Lower Murray Darling Catchment Management Authority (LMD CMA) has a wind erosion target ‘To achieve erosion levels of 50% less than the 1999 benchmark by 2012’ which means that 89% of observation sites (260 in total) must show negligible signs of erosion.

The target is measured via a roadside erosion survey which was established in the Lower Murray Darling Catchment of NSW in 1999 and measures the severity and extent of wind erosion through selected cropped areas along a road transect (refer to Figure 1.). Land management practices are also identified as it is necessary to determine if the erosion status is changing due to improved land management activities.

The current survey is conducted biannually in December and April. The December observations coincide with the maximum period of groundcover (i.e. after the growing season) and the April

observations coincide with when paddocks are showing maximum signs of erosion (i.e. cultivation). The assessments of each observation site along the road transect are based on wind erosion rating classes of which there are four in total. These rating classes are based solely on soil surface features.

Results from December 2008 survey reveal that 83% of observation sites showed negligible signs of erosion. The result fell just short of the 89% benchmark target.

The largest proportion of observation sites that showed signs of erosion were the fallow phase (45%) with a large proportion of the pasture phase (18%) showing signs of erosion also. Chemical fallow was the most common fallow phase with 32 paddocks showing signs of erosion. Tilled fallow was less common however 6 paddocks showed signs of erosion. Thirty percent of stubbles that were grazed also showed signs of erosion.

Over the past two summer surveys, the monitoring reveals that there has been a trend towards fewer paddocks being cropped – 147 in 2008 compared to 169 in 2006 and increase in the number of paddocks that are in the fallow and pastures phases – 113 in 2008 compared to 92 in 2006.

Groundcover levels in the December 2008 survey have declined considerably since December 2007. In December 2008, 65% of sites had high levels of groundcover compared to December 2007 when 84% of sites with high groundcover levels was recorded. Understandably, this is due to the dry spell that the catchment has been experiencing over the past few years.

Despite the dry spell, the monitoring from the roadside erosion survey shows that the majority of land managers are doing a great job of maintaining groundcover. Primarily, this is due to improved land


management practices i.e. direct drill/ no-till. Most of the erosion seems to be on tilled long fallows and/or paddocks that have been over grazed (i.e. stubble or pasture). In saying all this, the catchment is not out of the woods yet with current rainfall predictions indicating that there is a chance of lower rainfalls in the western area compared to the northeast of the state/southeast Queensland (refer to Figure 2 right).

For more information contact Kat Biesaga, LMDCMA on (03) 5021 9460.

Figure 2. Rainfall predictions January to March 2009

What to do about the ‘Brink’ ‘Back from the Brink’ and ‘Beyond the Brink’ by Peter Andrews

These two interesting books moved me enough to put something down on paper to encourage others to read them and be challenged by Peter’s ideas and interpretations of the landscape. I’m not going to give a run down on the contents of the books as you will have to read them to capture that, I’ll just give you a taste of some of the concepts that Peter deals with.

The first book (Back from the Brink) outlines the way that Peter interprets the landscape and how he has been able to re-invigorate the land on the properties that he has worked with. The second book takes these methods and shows how they can be adapted to deal with some of the biggest land management issues going on in Australia, namely the Murray-Darling system and the salinity in Western Australia. At the same time there are little gems and things that you can do on your own property no matter if you have ¼ acres or 100,000 acres.

Some of the challenges thrown to you in the books are: What is the difference between native and introduced plant species? Why do we have to use only native species when rehabilitating an area?

Why do you spray out weeds when they may be doing a very important role? Is carbon dioxide the cause of global warming or a symptom?

These are just some of the many challenges thrown out to you, speaking of ‘thrown’ sometimes these challenges were very hard for me to take on board so you do feel like throwing the book against the wall. I guarantee though, that you will go over, pick it up and keep going until the urge grabs you again. Both books are easy to read, you just have to be careful that you don’t miss some of his subtle methods so don’t be frightened to pick up a pencil and jot down ideas and page numbers to go back to them.

As someone who has met Peter Andrews, I think that he has an enormous amount to offer land management both in Australia and around the world. He is a very decent person that will happily sit and chat about his experiences for hours and I’d happily listen to him for hours.

Both of these books are available at ABC shops or online – just ask for them by name. Enjoy them and I would like to see more people read them so that we can have some really positive ideas for ways forward in land and water management in this country.

Book Review

By Angus Whyte Wyndham Station via Wentworth

March 2009 – April 2009 17

Wetland Rehabilitation Project:Reinstating wetting and drying regimes


The Lower Murray Darling Catchment Management Authority’s (LMD CMA) Wetland Rehabilitation Project is nearing completion, reinstating a wetting and drying cycle to 700 ha of freshwater ephemeral wetland systems within the Lower Murray Darling Catchment. The rehabilitation works aim to improve flow variability and fish passage to wetlands adjacent the Murray and lower Darling rivers. Additional benefits include improved water quality, enhanced ecological condition of the parent river and its floodplain, and an increase in the diversity and abundance of native flora and fauna.

Wetlands in the LMD Catchment are typically freshwater systems associated with the floodplains of the two main rivers. The hydrology varies widely from shallow ephemeral wetlands that fill only after rain or local runoff, to much deeper wetlands that are closely linked to their parent rivers and are often near permanently inundated. A number of factors have contributed to the significant decline in condition of wetlands within the LMD catchment, including:

• structures and earthworks that impede natural flow into and out of a wetland and restricts fish passage;

• river regulation which can contribute to inappropriate wetting and drying regimes and surrounding salinity issues;

• development, agricultural use and forestry practices;

• pest plants and animals; and

• a limited understanding of wetland function and hydrological requirements within the wider community.

The three year Wetland Rehabilitation Project commenced in 2005 and involved two Stages. The first completed by the NSW Murray Wetlands Working Group (MWWG), involved the initial

identification of priority wetlands along the Murray and Darling rivers and determined the appropriate on-ground rehabilitation works. Stage Two of the project was contracted to consultants, GHD Pty Ltd and involved more detailed technical investigations and the implementation of the recommendations from stage one.

Wetland fact sheets were developed which summarised the results of all technical assessments and landholder knowledge of the wetlands. Results of a simplified hydrological-hydraulic model of the wetland were also included. The model was to determine the effectiveness of removal or modification to the wetland’s inlet/outlet structure in meeting the requirements of the wetland environmental management objectives. The fact sheets were provided to the wetland landholders for their information. These factsheets assisted with landholder negotiations regarding land management activities and the development of Property Vegetation Plan (PVP) and Management Agreements for ongoing stock management, pest plant and animal control, ongoing structure maintenance and annual monitoring.

Structures, in the form of culverts and/or regulators have been constructed at eight wetlands within the Catchment to improve fish and flow passage. Other works included the removal of earthen levees which were impeding flow to a wetland, fencing, installation of stock watering points and the monitoring (by landholders and consultants) and evaluation of all works. The LMD CMA is currently finalising approvals with the Department of Water and Energy (DWE) for the installation of regulator gates to three of the wetland structures.

The Project has been successful in fostering long-term partnerships with landholders, the indigenous community,


NSW agencies and local councils through the gradual development of trust, project ownership and continual communication and engagement. Cultural heritage surveys were undertaken at the initial assessment phase, and later monitoring of all soil disturbance works which built significant bridges with the Barkindji Elders involved, landholders and contractors undertaking the on-ground works. The LMD CMA hopes to attract future funding through Caring for Our Country to undertake similar wetland rehabilitation works in the future. This would support the LMD CMA

Catchment Action Plan targets and the 10 year strategic plan for investment priorities.

The LMD CMA would like to thank the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality for funding the project and the project landholders, Barkindji Elders and indigenous community who provided valuable time, knowledge and local expertise.

For further information, contact Sarah Holmes, Catchment Officer (Water). Ph (03) 5021 9460 Email: [email protected]

Original structure at Thegema Billabong Replacement culvert at Thegema Billabong (regulator still to be installed)

Original structure at Tinghi Creek Completed works – road culvert at Tinghi Creek

Original pipe structure at Bakers Swamp Completed works – box culvert at Bakers Swamp

March 2009 – April 2009 19

Managing wetlands on farms

Lachlan Gall and NSW DPI’s Steffan Holmes assessing flora and fauna on Woolshed Lake, Langawirra Station, Broken Hill

By Sam Davis Senior Conservation Manager -Central and Far West, NSW DPI, Dubbo

Green tree frog

For more information contact: NSW DPI Dubbo Office (02) 6881 1284

Many properties have a wetland area – sometimes it’s wet, but most of the time dry. It can be a place that doesn’t really have a formal name, but may be referred to as ‘the swamp’, ‘rotten flat’ or the ‘low paddock’ and may be managed differently to other areas on the property. By definition, a wetland can be any area of land that is flooded with water either temporarily or permanently. They can include ephemeral lakes, lignum and canegrass swamps, crabhole flats, claypans, billabongs, cowals, cogis, warrambools, freshwater meadows, upland springs or mound springs. Wetlands can be fresh, brackish or saline.

Well managed wetlands can improve water quality and provide habitat for an array of unique plants and animals. They also provide an important grazing, cropping and water resource for primary producers. The Wetlands on Farms program is assisting landholders to develop plans for their wetland areas to combine farm

production with sustainable wetland use. Wetlands on Farms is delivered by the NSW Department of Primary Industries and funded by the Central West, Lachlan and Western Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs). The program assists landholders to identify the attributes, values and benefits of their wetlands and to ensure the long-term future of these valuable production systems.

The Wetlands on Farms program is a continuation of a statewide pilot project that commenced in June 2006. Wetland


Plans were developed for 24 properties across 8 inland NSW catchments. In the Western Division, the Wetlands on Farms team worked closely with 11 landholders and managers to formulate wetland plans across a combined total property area of 511,336 hectares in 2007–08. Five of those landholders then went on and successfully applied for incentive funding to carry out on ground rehabilitation and protection works around their wetlands. These works included building trap yards for feral goats, fencing to manage grazing in sensitive wetland areas, establishment of alternative watering points away from wetland areas, installation of interperative signage in places visited by the public and revegetation of native plant species.

Specific western NSW wetlands were targeted via a prioritisation process

conducted by the Western Catchment Management Authority. A consultant compiled a report for the Western CMA containing information on more than a hundred wetlands across the region. Priority sites for wetland plans were then selected on the basis on landholder willingness to participate and protecting high conservation areas as a priority, followed by areas that were generally in good condition.

The success of the initial pilot has now enabled the program to continue, with the Central West, Lachlan and Western CMAs collaborating with landholders and NSW DPI to formulate a further 27 wetland plans in 2009. Participants of the program will receive high resolution maps of their property with details of existing and planned infrastructure, a property specific wetland management plan including self determined management actions, an assessment report of the wetland condition for future monitoring and evaluation purposes and a copy of the Guidelines for Management for Wetlands on Farms in Inland NSW. Landholders will also receive advice and assistance to prepare applications for incentive funding to action their wetland plans.

Tourist accommodation in outback NSW As you may be aware the Department of The Department of Lands is now working Lands has a website for planning holidays with Outback NSW Tourism and the at over 200 caravan parks, camping Darling River Run to identify additional grounds and other tourist accommodation farm stay or other tourist accommodation on Crown lands across New South Wales: offered on Crown land and publicise it, www.caravanandcampingnsw.com.au. free of charge, on the website. Some of you

may have already been contacted in this The website is a central point of access for regard. the public to find information on tourist

accommodation around the State. By If, however, you have not been contacted simply clicking on any region of the New and you have a Western Lands Lease that South Wales map it will show you the has the purpose of Farm Tourism and you location of the facilities in that area. You are interested in being included on the can then go directly to the facility’s website website, please contact Peter Houghton, to find all the details and book your stay. Manager State Reserves Strategy, phone

(02) 8236 7066 or e-mail Peter.Houghton@ Representing about a third of the caravan lands.nsw.gov.au. parks and camping areas in the State, these

facilities are part of an extensive network If you would like your facility to be added that underpins Australia’s tourist industry. to the website, but your lease does not

accommodate Farm Tourism then you can At the time of preparing this article there contact Jeff Page, Department of Lands were only a dozen entries on the website Western Region, phone (02) 6883 5425 to for Outback NSW. Most of these are discuss altering the lease purpose. associated with caravan parks. However,

following an enquiry from Bruce Sharp, Comeroo Camel Station was included to offer an outback experience through farm stay tourism.

By Peter Houghton, Manager, State Reserves Strategy, Dept of Lands

March 2009 – April 2009 21

FarmReady Reimbursement Grants now available

Primary producers and other eligible participants such as fishers, foresters and Indigenous land managers can be reimbursed up to $1500 per financial year to complete approved training courses. Other costs covered include reasonable travel, accommodation and childcare. Courses registered with the program aim to improve the capacity of producers to adapt to climate change and increase self reliance and preparedness. For more information telephone: 1800 087 670 or visit the website www.farmready.gov.au

Experience Yanga National Park network of firebreaks and boundary fencing.

‘Since November 2005 DECC has spent in excess of $2.2 million purchasing goods and services from businesses and contractors in the local area, including over $1.1 million in Balranald Shire alone. Similarly, businesses in Hay, Mildura, Deniliquin, Swan Hill, Wagga Wagga and Griffith have also been providing goods and services to Yanga.

‘As a direct outcome of the establishment of Yanga as a national park 13 new positions were established at Yanga and 5 in Hay.

Yanga National Park is readying to launch ‘A key objective in the management of its visitor facilities. Yanga by DECC has been to acquire

and apply water to the park to restore itsDepartment of Environment and Climate ecological condition and this is beingChange (DECC) Western Area Director achieved.Mark Peacock said the launch of visitor

facilities was an exciting part of the ‘Since acquiring Yanga the DECC has Yanga story. managed four environmental flows

watering over 8,000 hectares of River‘A range of visitor opportunities will be Red Gum and supporting critical breedingavailable including 2 camping areas, picnic by the endangered Southern Bell Frog.facilities and opportunities for visitors to To better deliver environmental water experience Yanga’s natural and cultural to key wetlands, DECC is investing inwonders. water management infrastructure and‘We expect significant flow-on benefits to is undertaking important research andlocal business from the new park visitation. monitoring projects.

‘The DECC has invested substantially in ‘The establishment of Yanga as a national improved management at Yanga, including park enables the River Red Gums,a comprehensive and well maintained vegetation and native wildlife to be protected and managed for conservation.

‘Please come and visit us – take a walk andexplore, have a picnic or stay overnight fora camp at this magnificent location. ‘


Old furrowing sites key to future success

Landholders in the Western Catchment with old contour furrows on their land or who have been involved in furrowing or tyne pitting are asked to contact the Western Catchment Management Authority (CMA).

The Western CMA is conducting research into the effectiveness of tyne pitting and contour furrowing, a popular land rehabilitation technique used in the 1960s and 1970s, particularly in the Cobar and Broken Hill areas.

Furrow patterns are designed to trap runoff so erosion is controlled and desirable vegetation can germinate and establish. Furrows are often long stripes following the contour, but the name also applies to other furrow patterns: spiral, straight, or swirled like a fingerprint.

A survey has been sent to all landholders on the Western CMA mailing list who live in the Broken Hill and Cobar areas.

However, if you haven’t received a survey and would like to participate, please contact Chris Higgins on 1800 032 101 and I can have a survey sent to you or we can discuss it over the phone. Alternatively, you can visit www.western.cma.nsw.gov. au and follow the links from the homepage to complete an on-line survey.

The purpose-built contour furrower once used by the Soil Conservation Service in the Broken Hill area is now gearing up for new rehabilitation work, however we are keen to learn from the lessons of the past.

With fuel costs so high, every operation that requires turning a key has to have the best possible chance of a good result. We need to know what worked in the past.

We want to know how successful furrowing was, whether treated paddocks were more productive and where it didn’t it work, why?

Our first step is to find out where furrowing has happened in the past and some basic information about those sites. Once the list of old sites has been compiled, some comparisons can be made, which will guide any future furrowing operations.

Rangeland scientist, Dr Gresley Wakelin-King, says it can difficult to understand factors leading to the success or failure of furrowing.

‘No two sites are the same,’ she explains.

‘Even if the furrows were made by the same equipment, sites can have different slope, soil, rainfall, or grazing history.

‘Furrowing might have been done in a good year or in drought. That’s why we

Vegetation in an area treated with furrowing

By Chris Higgins, Rangeland Rehabilitation Officer, Western CMA

Continued next page

March 2009 – April 2009 23

‘Old furrowing sites key to future success’ continued from page 23

need to know about as many sites as possible.

‘So far we’ve received information from 13 landholders and also interviewed people involved in the work that was done in the 1980s. Records of furrow locations were kept from the Soil Conservation Service work in the mid-1980s to early 90s, but there are no formal records of earlier work done by landholders with their own

equipment so we’re reliant on information from the public.

‘Most of the treatments are considered successful by the landholders but we’ve also heard about instances where the works were unsuccessful.

Once we’ve collected information about the sites we will begin identifying the factors that separate success from failure,’ Dr Gresley Wakelin-King said.

By Yohannes Alemseged, Rangelands Research Officer, NSW DPI, Trangie

Rotationally grazed post-cropping paddock that contains several of the desirable perennial grasses

Cropping helps control scrub and restore native grasslands

The spread of Invasive Native Scrub The paddocks surveyed were classified (INS) is regarded as one of the major into four categories based on cropping problems threatening the pastoral lands history and grazing management. of western New South Wales. A NSW • Paddocks that were never cleared and DPI and Western CMA funded project cropped but were adjacent to croppedwas undertaken to evaluate the benefits of paddocks (‘not cleared’)opportunistic cropping in the rehabilitation

• Paddocks that were last cropped 15 of native grasslands. A survey of paddocks years or more (INS regrowth )that have been cropped in the last 20–25

years was conducted in the Western CMA • Paddocks that were set stocked when section of the Cobar pediplain. Ground not in crop. cover and botanical composition were used • Paddocks that were either rotationally to assess response to clearing and cropping. or lightly grazed.


CARBON …. what the! A little conference with a BIG carbon focus!

Friday 3 April 2009 Don’t be left in the dark any more about carbon

and its impact on your farm and future.

You might not find diamonds in your paddocks, but LMD CMA has enticed some BIG carbon experts to our catchment.

Louisa and Michael Kiely (Carbon Farmers of Australia) – looks at the carbon markets world-wide

Alan Lauder (“Carbon Grazing – the missing Link”) - takes the mystery out of carbon Kate Lorimer-Ward, Brian Murphy and John Friend

(NSW DPI) – methane liabilities, carbon benefits and the rules and lots more …..

Venue: Coomealla Memorial Club, Dareton Date: Friday 3 April 2009 Time: 10am till late

Cost: LMD residents NO CHARGE per person Cost: Others $50.00 per person

All are welcome! More details from www.lmd.cma.nsw.gov.au

Or contact Susan Walla, 03 5021 9460 or 0429 035 961

Figure 1. Total and perennial grass ground cover (%) under the Figure 2. Frequency of the major pasture components that were different land management categories. significantly affected by land management.

Ground cover and botanical composition under the four paddock categories are presented Figures 1 and 2.

Percent ground cover of the rotationally grazed post cropping paddocks was higher by over 20% compared to the other paddocks. Almost all of the increase was due to perennial grasses cover.

The presence of desirable perennial grasses that have not been observed for long time was a revelation to landholders. Species such as mulga mitchell, curly mitchell grass, woollybutt, neverfail, panicum and digitaria were found in six paddocks spread over five properties as the dominant vegetation type.

The other finding of the project is the need for producers to be actively involved in post cropping management. In other words it is not enough to clear and crop once and continue to graze paddocks as usual. As well as rotationally grazing, it might be necessary to crop paddocks every few years with minimal soil disturbance; once pasture regeneration such as that shown in the photo is achieved. This could be done using the principles of pasture cropping which is currently gaining acceptance in NSW.

The 2007/08 summer rainfall has significantly contributed to the impressive establishment of the perennial grasses when paddocks were rotationally grazed. However, paddocks that were set stocked and degraded did not exhibit any increase in perennial grass establishment despite receiving the same amount of rainfall.

The results from this project indicate that cropping is a viable tool in controlling INS

and the restoration of perennial grasslands. It has also been evident that the major desirable native perennial grasses have seeds available in the soil seed pool waiting for the right conditions (both climatic and management) to germinate even after long periods of apparent absence.

March 2009 – April 2009 25

Ken Turner Acting Chairperson, Western

Lands Advisory Council

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Western Lands Advisory Council COMMUNIQUÉ 14 January 2009

The 14th meeting of the Western Lands Advisory Council held in Bourke 14th October 2008.

It was good for the Western Lands Advisory Council to meet in Bourke and see firsthand some of the northern area of the Western Division that has benefited from rain. By far the majority of the Western Division is still suffering from severe drought. The Western Lands Advisory Council will meet in early 2009 to decide on a recommendation to the Minister for Lands in regard to the continuation of the waiver of rent, due for payment in July 2009.

The Advisory Council members had a good discussion about the Review of the Western Lands Act 1901. The members reaffirmed their original recommendation in regard to fencing, in that they believe that landholders should be responsible for their livestock and not cause their neighbours unreasonable economic loss. The cost of a standard type fence should be equally shared between neighbours and the cost of additional upgrades be borne by the landholder that requires a higher grade fence. The Review recommended an increase in the powers delegated to the Western Lands Commissioner to enable the enforcement of adequate boundary fence standards, with an appeal process to the Local Land Board.

There were a number of issues raised about mineral exploration and mining at Lightning Ridge. These issues need further discussion and cooperation between several Departments and Agencies, and agreements outlining ‘who is responsible for what’ need to be drawn up and enforceable. The Advisory Council has requested

clarification of a number of issues in relation to this matter.

The Advisory Council members discussed their concerns over the moratorium on the issuing of new trapper licenses and the review of fees and charges to be charged to the kangaroo industry. The members are concerned that the proposed changes will reduce the effectiveness of the kangaroo industry to such an extent that kangaroo harvesting will become unviable and landholders will lose their only commercial management tool for kangaroos. The Advisory Council does not believe it to be the best option to have landholders manage kangaroos non-commercially for a number of reasons, including economic and animal welfare.

The Western Lands Advisory Council received a report on the progress of the Legal Road Network which has been progressing well. It is expected that the Unincorporated Area of the Western Division should be completed in the near future.

The next meeting of the Western Lands Advisory Council is to be held in Cobar on 18th of February 2009. Hoping everyone had an enjoyable and wet Christmas and New Year.


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P O S T A G EP A I D

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Western Division Newsletter

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PO Box 865, DUBBO NSW 2830

To the Landholder

The editor of the WDN welcomes contributions

Issue No. Deadline for articles Send articles to:

127 May–Jun 6 April 2009 Sally Ware, NSW DPI

128 July–Aug 1 June 2009 PO Box 393, Hay 2711

129 Sep–Oct 3 August 2009 Fax: (02) 6993 2177

130 Nov–Feb 2 October 2009 Phone: (02) 6993 1608

131 Mar–Apr 6 February 2010 Email: [email protected]

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