Recommendations Where Necessary. Total Cattle Numbers Are Approximated by the Table at the End of Each Station Report Lists All Multiplying Cattle Units by 1.25

INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORTS

Station reports are presented alphabetically, using a the tables at the end of the station reports. A cattle unit standardised format. Reports should be read in is defined as an adult steer or dry cow with a body conjunction with the relevant 1: 100 000 station plans weight of about 340 k. Two conversion ratios, 5:1 and which show watering points, fences, major topographic 7.5: 1 are shown. The former is as currently stipulated in features, land system boundaries, traverse routes, the Lands Act, but is too low. The 7.5:1 ratio is more traverse recordings and range evaluation sites. realistic and is recommended for adoption. This ratio is Each report presents a summary description of land based on the relative feed requirements of sheep and systems on the station, including their relative areas and cattle. Daily dry matter requirements per unit of body pastoral value. Condition statements derived from weight are essentially the same for sheep and cattle, and traverse records are presented for each land system. thus the conversion ratio is directly related to relative Condition statements for component units of each land liveweights, that is the conversion ratio sheep to cattle system are not presented here, but this data is available equals on computer print out. av.body weight cattle unit 340 7.5:1 Descriptive statements of the range condition of each av. body weight sheep unit 45 land system are made together with management recommendations where necessary. Total cattle numbers are approximated by The table at the end of each station report lists all multiplying cattle units by 1.25. land systems and their component pasture lands present A summary (Table 31) of all stations is presented on the station. The areas of each pasture land in good, before the individual reports. The table includes a fair and bad range condition as determined from column showing the ratio of recommended sheep unit traverse records obtained during survey are indicated. capacity:capability sheep unit capacity. This figure gives Carrying capacities for each level of condition have an indication of how far removed the present range been established for each pasture land. (See Table 25 in condition of each station is from original condition and the section in this report dealing with pasture lands). is a measure of the degree of degradation that has Thus the carrying capacity of each pasture land and occurred. A figure of 1.0 indicates that present land system on each station can be determined. condition equals original condition. The lower the The table for each station shows the recommended fraction the greater the departure from original sheep unit capacity of the land systems for their present condition or the mOre degradation there is. The figures range condition and the capability sheep unit capacity if enable rapid comparisons of the relative condition of the systems were all in good range condition. stations. Recommended and capability sheep capacities for the Individual reports presented here are for the whole station are obtained by summation and are following stations: rounded to the nearest ten. Amelia, Ashburton Downs, Bulloo Downs, Dooley A sheep unit is defined as an adult animal, such as a Downs, Duck Creek, Giralia, Glenflorrie, Kaoline, dry ewe or wether with a body weight of about 45 kg. Koordarrie, Maroonah, Marrilla, Minderoo, Mininer, Total sheep numbers are approximated by multiplying Mt. Brockman, Mt. Minnie, Mt. Stuart, Mt. Vernon, sheep units by 1.25. Nanutarra, Nyang, Pingandy, Prairie Downs, Rocklea, In the case of cattle stations, sheep unit capacities Tangadee, Turee Creek, Uaroo. Ullawarra, Urala, have been converted to cattle units and are presented in Wanna, Wyloo, Yanrey.

TABLE 31 - CONDITION AND CARRYING CAPACITY SUMMARY OF STATIONS

Total sheep (S) or Present Range condition sq km E Ratio cattle (C) capacity recomm Siock Nos. Station (S~r~~) ------deg~~S~I~n ended: (1979) Remarks Good Fair Bad (sq km) Sheep (S) R:~~":i:- Capability capability Cattle (C) Amelia 2497 2497 1640(C) 1640(C) 1.0 Nil Rugged, poorly accessible;' good range condition; no potential for development, doubtful viability. Ashburton Downs 3006 944 1497 529 36 2240(C) 4240(C) 0.53 300(C) About 60% rough hills, plain systems in variable condition; Edward system severely degraded. Bulloo Downs 3472 1380 1622 465 4.8 1710(C) 2660(C) 0.64 3116(C) Low potential hardpan plain and hill systems, vegetation degraded, '~no erosion; overstocked. Dooley Downs 1174 1049 124 640(C) 690(C) 0.93 75(C) Rugged low productivity country, non-viable as Inde-' pendent unit. Duck Creek 1390 1352 26 12 630(C) 710(C) 0.89 450(C) Mostly rugged country unsuitable for livestock, no potential for development, non- viable unit. ' Giralia 2776 2437 272 62 5 24940(5) 27130(5) 0.92 18000(5)5pinifex country 10 good 17(C) condition, Firecracker system degraded with some erosion - needs special management.

198

199 199

degradation. degradation.

restricted restricted

Uaroo Uaroo areas areas

of of

severe severe

2470 2470

1906 1906

474 474

100(C) 100(C)

66 66 in in good good

21.7 21.7 condition, condition,

13430(5) 17240(5) 17240(5) 13430(5)

some some

0.76 0.76

10000(5) 10000(5)

5pinifex 5pinifex

plains plains and and hills hills mostly mostly

degradation. degradation.

condition, condition,

some some

serious serious

from from

good good

to to

Turee Turee

very very

Creek Creek poor poor

2777 2777

1009 1009

1501 1501

246 246 pastures pastures

19 19 on on

plain plain 1660(C) 1660(C)

systems systems

2540(C) 2540(C) vary vary

0.65 0.65

1522(C) 1522(C)

HIli HIli

areas areas in in good good condition, condition,

pastures. pastures.

restricted restricted

areas areas of of

Tangadee Tangadee degraded degraded

1664 1664

1146 1146

651 651

condition condition

65 65

fair fair 1200(C) 1350(C) 1350(C) 1200(C)

to to good, good,

0.69 0.69

700(C) 700(C)

Rougll Rougll

hills hills and and plains plains

bad bad

condition. condition.

Rocklea Rocklea

1649 1649

926 926

649 649

condition, condition, 265 265

plain plain

9 9 systems systems 1160(C) 1760(C) 1760(C) 1160(C)

fair fair to to

0.66 0.66

1200(C) 1200(C)

Mostly Mostly

rugged rugged hills hills in in good good

waters waters required. required.

Prairie Prairie

system, system,

additional additional

good, good,

some some

bad bad condition condition

Prairie Prairie on on Downs Downs

2274 2274

1176 1176

963 963 condition condition

113 113

generally generally

1260(C) 1260(C)

fair fair to to

1750(C) 1750(C)

0.73 0.73

677(C) 677(C)

Rough Rough

hill hill and and plain plain country, country,

good, good,

doubtful doubtful viability. viability.

Pingandy Pingandy

1544 1294 1294 1544

country, country, 207 207

condition condition 43 43

mostly mostly 650(C) 650(C)

990(C) 990(C)

0.65 0.65

400(C) 400(C)

Rugged Rugged low low productivity productivity

good. good.

not not

watered, watered,

condition condition Nyang Nyang

mostly mostly

1246 1246

984 984

249 249

country, country, 15 15

considerable considerable - 9360(5) 9360(5)

areas areas

10430(5) 10430(5)

0.90 0.90

6966(5) 6966(5)

Station Station

mostly mostly spinifex spinifex

degraded. degraded.

Globe Globe

system system

severely severely

mostly mostly

fair fair or or

bad bad

condition, condition,

Nanutarra Nanutarra

3690 3690

2791 2791 300(C) 300(C)

645 645 good good

condition, condition,

191 191

alluvial alluvial 62.5 62.5

24990(5) 24990(5) plains plains

32350(5) 32350(5)

0.77 0.77

15808(8) 15808(8) Hill Hill

and and

spinifex spinifex country country in in

condition condition

mostly mostly

fair fair

to to Mt. Mt. good. good.

Vernon Vernon

4047 4047

2391 2391

and and 1330 1330

stony stony

324 324

and and

alluvial alluvial 2 2

plains, plains, 2760(C) 2760(C)

3690(C) 3690(C)

0.71 0.71

1200(C) 1200(C)

Mixture Mixture

of of rugged rugged hill hill country country

severe severe degradation. degradation.

to to

bad bad

condition, condition,

Mt. Mt. patches patches Stuart Stuart

2071 2071

100(8) 100(8) 1356 1356

plain plain

476 476

systems systems

221 221

vary vary 16.5 16.5

from from 1560(C) 1560(C)

gooo gooo

2640(C) 2640(C)

0.59 0.59 694(C) 694(C)

Hilly Hilly

systems systems good good condition, condition,

not not

used used

due due

to to lack lack

of of Mt. Mt. water. water.

Minnie Minnie

1115 1115

(1978) (1978) 1050 1050 condition, condition, 656 656

considerable considerable

6590(5) 6760(5) 6760(5) 6590(5) areas areas

0.96 0.96

3000(8) 3000(8) 8pinifex 8pinifex

country country in in good good

degraded, degraded,

non-viable non-viable unit. unit.

system system

overused overused

Mt. Mt.

Brockman Brockman

and and

610 610

576 576

of of

20 20 no no pastoral pastoral

14 14

value, value,

Brockman Brockman 300(C) 390(C) 390(C) 300(C)

0.77 0.77

57(C) 57(C)

Mostly Mostly

very very rugged rugged hills hills some some

eroded. eroded.

system system

severely severely degraded degraded

and and

good good

to to bad bad

condition, condition, Mininer Mininer

EdWard EdWard

2220 2220

1116 1116

hills, hills, 764 764

plain plain

307 307 systems systems

33 33

vary vary 1360(C) 1360(C)

from from

2190(C) 2190(C)

0.63 0.63

500(C) 500(C)

About About

40 40 % % rough rough low low value value

degradation. degradation.

extensive extensive

areas areas

Minderoo Minderoo

of of

severe severe

2250 2250

1127 1127 422(C) 422(C)

varies varies

649 649

from from 430 430 good good

to to

44 44 bad, bad, 29690(5) 53260(5) 53260(5) 29690(5)

some some

26149(8) 26149(8) 0.56 0.56

All All

accessible, accessible, range range condition condition

special special management. management.

system system

partly partly degraded degraded Marrilla Marrilla

needs needs

1326 1142 1142 1326

good good

173 173 condition, condition,

12 12

Firecracker Firecracker 1.5 1.5

11940(5) 11940(5)

13110(5) 13110(5)

0.91 0.91

12000(8) 12000(8)

All All accessible, accessible,

station) station) mostly mostly fair fair or or

(part (part

fair fair

condition. condition. Maroonah Maroonah

1556 1556

1011 1011 120(C 120(C

536 536

productivity, productivity,

9 9

plain plain

6500(5) 6500(5)

systems systems

10660(5) 10660(5)

in in

0.76 0.76 2970(5l 2970(5l

About About

40% 40%

rough rough hills hills of of low low

patches patches severe severe degradation. degradation.

mostly mostly

fair fair

to to good, good,

some some

1166 1166

664 664 to to

lack lack

323 323 of of

water, water,

164 164

condition condition

15 15

16260(5) 16260(5)

24710(5) 24710(5)

0.66 0.66 7269(S) 7269(S)

About About half half

station station unused unused due due

degraded degraded and and eroded. eroded.

Edward Edward

system system

severely severely

2043 2043

systems systems

639 639

mostly mostly 499 499

bad bad 632 632 condition condition

73 73

1290(C) 1290(C)

3640(C) 3640(C)

0.35 0.35 1085(C) 1085(C)

About About

50% 50% rough rough hills; hills; plain plain

for for development. development.

1973 1973

fair fair 1417 1417

condition, condition,

421 421

limited limited

134 134

potential potential

1090(C) 1090(C)

1450(C) 1450(C)

950(C) 950(C) 0.75 0.75

Rough Rough

country country

mostly mostly good good or or

Good Good

Fair Fair

Bad Bad

(sq (sq StatIon StatIon :~~r;}:l. :~~r;}:l.

km) km)

Capability Capability

capability capability

(sq (sq km) km) A A ------de~W~~fon----'---'--'- Area Area

ended: ended:

Range Range condItion condItion Remarks Remarks recomm-

sq sq km km

J~M~ J~M~

(gr~~Jibi~Y (gr~~Jibi~Y Ratio Ratio

31 31 (Coni.) (Coni.) ~~--~~---~~---'--- TABLE 31 (cont.) Present Total sheep (8) or Ratio Stock Nos. Range condition sq km Extreme cattle (el capacity recomm- (1979) Remarks Area degradalion----~-- ended: Sheep (5) Station (sq km) (sq kmJ R~~~r:;:t· Capability capability Cattle (el Good Fair B,d 900(C) Rough hill country mostly in 860(C) 990(C) 0.87 minor 1632 1439 176 17 good range condition, Ullawarra pasture degradation in valley floors.

spinifex, perennial 6090(8) 6530(8) 0.93 3335(8) Coastal 560 507 53 grass and samphire country, Urala good condition. of low 0.93 280(C) Ro~h hilly count~ 680(C) 730(C) pro uctivity, goo range Wanna (Part 1338 1233 105 condition. station) 0.46 1500(C) Rugged hill country in good 1367 532 125 1710(C) 3690(C) condition, plain country in fair Wyloo 3280 1256 to bad condition with some extensive areas of extreme degradation. 30040(8) 47740(8) 0.63 12731(S) All accessible, spinifex country 2508 1412 720 311 65 1102(C) good condition, alluvial plain Yanrey systems vary from good to bad condition, some extensive areas of extreme degradation.

17867~Cl 61750 39453 16579 5184 534 24660~Cl 37960~Cl 1183508 Totals (63.9%)(26.8%) (8.4%) (0.9%) 18383082521208 = 368780 = 536820 =252353 sheep sheep sheep equiv. equiv. equiv.

200 AMELIA STATION - West Pilbara and Upper Gascoyne Shires

Location of the Egerton, Boolgeeda and Ethel systems (5 per Amelia station is located on the Edmund and Turee cent) and the productive valley systems, Ashburton Creek 1:250 000 map sheets. There is no homestead and River and Scoop (4 per cent). ' few other developments. A total of 17 land systems are found on the station. Access to the lease from the south is via Wanna The four largest, Augustus (44 per cent), Kaoline (23 station and from the east via Ullawarra station. The per cent), Capricorn (12 per cent), and Ullawarra (5 per lease has common boundaries with Ashburton Downs, cent), collectively occupy 84 per cent of the total area. Dooley Downs, Kooline, Pingandy, Ullawarra and The systems are briefly described and their pastoral Wanna stations. value for good range condition status indicated in Table 1. Area within survey Condition statements for land systems and for the Most of the station, 241 510 ha is within the survey station as a whole (total over all land systems) are area. The remaining 8 173 ha falls within the Gascoyne summarised in Table 2. These statements are derived River catchment and has been previously mapped. from traverse records. However, this report has considered the entire area (249 683ha) of the lease. Range evaluation sites Detailed descriptions and measurements of land Description form, vegetation, soils and range condition were made The lease consists of large areas of rugged hill country at 7 sites on 3 land systems. with narrow valleys. Rugged country comprises about 91 per cent of the area being principally large sandstone Range condition and recommendations hills and ridges of the Augustus and Capricorn land 1. Augustus land system (44.3 per cent of the total systems and low shale hills of the Kooline system. There station area) are lesser areas of Mulgul, Charley and Ullawarra systems. The overall condition of the large Augustus land system is good. The bulk of the system is composed The remainder of the lease consists of stony uplands of rugged sandstone hills supporting mulga short

Table 1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON AMELIA STATION

Pastoral value Land systems Per cent of area

Very low (>30hals.u.) :~9~~m~gta,{~~9~g'a~gsu.n.t~!~ . :~~~~~:.~i.I~~, .. r~~~~~,.. ~~~. ~~~t.e.a.u.x. with Sk~l.e~~I .. ~~I.I44.3 Capricorn - rugged hills and ridges with low shrublands or hard spinifex ...... 11.9 Mulgul- rough dolomite hills supporting low shrubs and sparse mUlga ...... 3.1 Booigeeda - stony plains with hard splnifex and mulga shrublands ...... 0.5 59.8

Low Koollne - rough shale hills, saline drainage floors and broad braided creeks, sparse shrubs. 22.7 (20 to 30hals.u.) Ullawarra - dolerite and shale hills and restricted stony plains and drainage floors with mulga and minor chenopod shrublands ...... 5.2 Ethel - cobble plains with sparse shrublands ...... , ...... 3.4 Charley - dolerite hills and ridges and restricted lower plains; tall and low shrublands ...... 3.3 Egerton - highly dissected plains and slopes with sparse mulga shrublands ...... 1.2 Collier - undulating stony uplands, low hills and ridges and stony lower plains with mulga shrublands ...... 0.2 Jamlndle - stony hardpan plains and stony rises with groved mulga shrublands ...... 0.1 36.0 Moderate Scoop - stony plains with snakewood and chenopod shrublands ...... 2.0 (10 to 20hals.u.) Table - low calcrete plateaux, mesas and lower plains with mulga and cassia shrublands . . . 0.2 Laterite - small laterite mesas and gravelly plains with mulga shrublands ...... 0.1 2.2

High River - narrow active flood plains flanking major rivers and creeks with moderately dense (5 to 10hals.u.) tall shrublands ...... 1.0 Ashburton - active floodplains flanking major rivers and creeks with moderately dense tall shrublands ...... 1.0 Edward - alluvial plains with sparse saltbush, bluebush and other shrub pastures ...... 0.1 2.0 Very high « 5hals.u.) 100.0

201 Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE RECORDS (39 recordings on 4 land systems)

Total erosion (%) Land No. of Pasture condition (%) Range condition (%) system recordings nil minor mod. severe exe. good fair poor V. poor good fair bad Augustus 3 67 33 33 33 33 67 33 Ethel 4 100 100 100 River 9 100 78 22 100 Scoop 20 100 75 25 100 Table 3 100 33 67 33 67 Total over all land systems 39 97 3 69 23 5 3 92 5 3

grass forb pastures (MSGF) of very low productivity 5. Amelia Station does not have a homestead or any and which are inherently stable. Small inclusions of operating man-made watering points. The only better quality pasture are generally in good to fair improvements on the property are a series of yards condition as there are few stock on the lease. situated adjacent to natural waters and a few broken down mills. The stock present are wild cattle. 2. Kooline land system (22.7 per cent) The overall condition of the large Kooline land system is good. The bulk of the system is composed 6. The property appears to be operated on a spasmodic of low rough shale hills supporting stony short grass opportunistic basis. Further development of the forb pastures (SSGF) of low productivity. Inclusions station with more watering points and fencing is of better quality pasture are in good to fair impractical because of the rugged and unproductive condition. nature of the country. The lease cannot be regarded [I. as a viable unit. I 3. Capricorn land system (11.9 per cent) < The overall condition of this land system is good. I It consists of sandstone hills and mountains 7. Present condition of the country on Amelia is very supporting either stony short grass forb (SSGF) or close to original or pristine and the recommended hard spinifex pastures (HSHI). cattle unit capacity for present condition (assuming that the station could be fully developed) is the same 4. The condition of the remaining 14 land systems is as the capability cattle unit capacity. The estimate of good. capacity is I 130 adults or 1 640 total cattie.

202

I:"--- INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT AMELIA STATION 249683 ha Range condition (sq. km) Sheep unit capacity Land system Area Pasture (sq. km) lands Good Fair Bad E/O' Recommended Capability Augustus 1106 MSGF 995 1990 1990 MUCR 111 1388 1388 Kaoline 567 SSGF 465 1395 1395 MUCR 57 712 712 CHAT 45 562 562 Capricorn 297 HSHI 208 416 416 SSGF 74 222 222 MUCR 15 187 187 Ullawarra 129 MSGF 99 198 198 CHMA 21 263 263 CSGF 9 45 45 Ethel 85 SSGF 68 204 204 CHAT 13 162 162 MUCR 4 50 50 Charley 83 MSGF 46 92 92 CSGF 28 140 140 TGER 9 150 150 Mulgul 76 MSGF 53 106 106 CSGF 15 75 75 MUCR 8 100 100 Scoop 50 STCH 32 266 266 CHAT 10 125 125 MUCR 8 100 100 Egerton 28 MSGF 21 84 84 SSGF 4 12 12 MUCR 3 38 38 River 26 MUCR 21 263 263 STCH 5 41 41 Ashburton 25 CHAT 13 162 162 CHMA 12 150 150 Booigeeda 13 HSHI 12 30 30 SOSP 1 12 12 Collier 5 MSGF 3 12 12 SSGF 1 3 3 STCH 1 8 8 Table 5 MSGF 2 8 8 CSGF 2 10 10 MUCR 1 13 13 Laterite SSGF 3 3 TGER MSGF Jamindie SSGF 3 3 MUCR TGER Edward 0.1 CHAT 0.1 STCH SSGF TOTALS 2497 2497 9801 9801 *Areas of extreme degradation; severe erosion and/or pasture degradation, zero carrying capacity.

At Conversion rate 5:1 At Conversion rate 7.5:1 adult total adult total Recommended cattle unit capacity ...... 1960 2450 1310 1640 Capability cattle unit capacity ...... , ...... 1960 2450 1 310 1640

Declared stock numbers (1979) ...... Nil cattle

203

204 204

100.0 100.0

11.3 11.3

1A 1A

. .

......

shrublands shrublands

tall tall

dense dense

moderately moderately with with

creeks creeks and and

rivers rivers

major major

flanking flanking plains plains flood flood

active active narrow narrow - River River

9.9 9.9

. .

......

grasslands grasslands

tussock tussock

and and

shrublands shrublands

5hals.u.) 5hals.u.)

« «

salls, salls,

clayey clayey

and and

loam loam silty silty

deep deep

with with

backplains backplains

and and

floodplains floodplains active active - Ashburton Ashburton high high Very Very

10ha/s.u.) 10ha/s.u.) 10A 10A to to

10.4 10.4

(5 (5

. .

...... ' ' .. ..

....

pastures pastures

bluebush bluebush

saltbush, saltbush,

degraded degraded

sparse sparse with with plains plains alluvial alluvial - Edward Edward High High

6.5 6.5

0.1 0.1

. .

......

spinlfex spinlfex

hard hard and and

soft soft with with

limonite limonite of of buttes buttes and and mesas mesas plateaux, plateaux,

low low - Robe Robe

0.7 0.7

. . . .

shrublands shrublands

cassia cassia

and and

mulga mulga with with

plains plains

lower lower and and mesas mesas plateaux, plateaux, calcrete calcrete low low

- Table Table

1A 1A

. .

...... ' '

......

shrubiands shrubiands

snakewood snakewood with with

basalt basalt from from

derived derived

plains plains

gllgal gllgal stony stony

Paraburdoo Paraburdoo

20hals,u.) 20hals,u.) to to (10 (10

4.3 4.3

. .

...... , ,

......

shrub/ands shrub/ands

snakewood snakewood

open open with with plains plains stony stony - Dollar Dollar Moderate Moderate

62.7 62.7

2.3 2.3

. .

...... , ,

.. ..

. , , . .

shrublands shrublands

spp. spp.

Acacia Acacia

other other

and and

mulga mulga sparse sparse

with with

plains plains cobble cobble

_ _ Ethel Ethel

30ha/s.u.) 30ha/s.u.) to to

(20 (20

60A 60A

shrubs. shrubs.

sparse sparse

creeks, creeks,

braided braided

broad broad and and

floors floors drainage

saline saline hills, hills, shale shale rough rough - Koollne Koollne Low Low

9.1 9.1

0.1 0.1

. .

......

spinifex spinifex

hard hard

with with

plains plains stony stony restricted restricted and and hills hills

basalt basalt - Rocklea Rocklea

0.2 0.2

. .

......

shrublands shrublands

mulga mulga

or or

grasslands grasslands

spinifex spinifex hard hard with with

plains plains

stony stony _ _

Booigeeda Booigeeda

(>30hals.u.) (>30hals.u.)

B.B B.B

. .

......

splnifex splnifex

hard hard

or or

shrublands shrublands low low

with with ridges ridges and and

hills hills

rugged rugged - Capricorn Capricorn low low Very Very

area area of of cent cent Per Per

systems systems Land Land

value value Pastoral Pastoral

STATION STATION

DOWNS DOWNS

ASHBURTON ASHBURTON ON ON SYSTEMS SYSTEMS LAND LAND 1 - 1 Table Table

clay. clay.

massive massive cent), cent),

per per

(lOA (lOA

Edward Edward

system, system,

plains plains

tributary tributary

overlying overlying

surface surface

sandy sandy thin thin a a

with with

types types

duplex duplex

The The

floors. floors.

drainage drainage and and

plains plains

saline saline

restricted restricted

were were

soils soils

Its Its

pastures. pastures.

(STCH) (STCH)

chenopod chenopod

stony stony

and and

strata strata

dipping dipping steeply steeply

with with hills hills

shale shale

distinctive distinctive

(CHAT) (CHAT)

saltbush saltbush

productive productive

supported supported

originally originally

of of

consists consists

and and

station station

the the

on on

largest largest the the is is

area) area)

and and

stock stock

to to

accessible accessible

and and

flat flat is is

system system

The The

system. system.

station station

the the of of

cent cent per per

(60.4 (60.4

system system

land land

Kaoline Kaoline The The

land land

Kaoline Kaoline the the below below areas areas outwash outwash on on

formed formed

plains plains tributary tributary large large

of of plain. plain.

flood flood

consists consists

system system

This This

the the

of of

side side

south south

the the on on

km km

35 35 for for runs runs

system system

land land

cent) cent)

per per

(10.4 (10.4

system system land land

Edward Edward

2. 2.

Capricorn Capricorn

the the of of range range sandstone sandstone rugged rugged

a a

where where and and

hills hills

the the

through through

break break

plains plains

tributary tributary

where where

except except

common. common. is is

erosion erosion

and and fair fair

to to

poor poor is is

Condition Condition

system) system)

land land

(Kaoline (Kaoline

hills hills shale shale

red red low low

by by

flanked flanked are are

grazed. grazed.

preferentially preferentially

are are

pastures pastures

These These

floors. floors.

plains plains

flood flood The The

homestead. homestead.

the the near near

km km

8 8 of of

maximum maximum

drainage drainage

the the

on on occur occur

(CHAT) (CHAT)

pastures pastures

saltbush saltbush

and and

a a to to

boundary boundary

western western

the the near near

km km 1 1

about about

from from

width width

creeks creeks

flat flat

large large

the the

along along

occur occur

pasture pasture

(MUCR) (MUCR)

in in

vary vary

and and

river river the the

of of

sides sides

both both

flank flank

system) system)

land land

creekline creekline

mulga mulga

quality quality

better better

of of

areas areas

Lesser Lesser

(Ashburton (Ashburton

plains plains

Flood Flood

km. km. 75 75

about about

for for

property property

condition. condition. good good

to to

fair fair

in in pastures pastures

(SSGF) (SSGF)

forb forb

the the

through through

south-west south-west

runs runs

River River

Ashburton Ashburton

The The

grass grass

short short stony stony of of mainly mainly consists consists system system This This

high. high.

very very to to low low

from from

area) area)

varying varying

value value

pastoral pastoral

with with plains plains

alluvial alluvial and and

plains plains

station station

the the

of of cent cent

per per

(6004 (6004

system system land land

Kooline Kooline 1. 1.

stony stony

of of

consists consists remainder remainder The The value. value.

pastoral pastoral

low low

very very of of

country country

hill hill is is

station station the the

of of cent cent

per per 57 57 About About

recommendations recommendations and and condition condition Range Range

Description Description

systems. systems. land land 7 7 on on

sites sites

30 30 at at

made made

were were

condition condition range range and and soils soils

vegetation, vegetation,

form, form,

ha. ha. 573 573

300 300

station, station,

Entire Entire

land land of of

measurements measurements and and descriptions descriptions

Detailed Detailed

survey survey

within within Area Area

sites sites evaluation evaluation Rangeland Rangeland

land. land. crOwn crOwn

vacant vacant

and and

2. 2.

Table Table

stations stations

Wyloo Wyloo

and and

Creek Creek Turee Turee

Rocklea, Rocklea,

Pingandy, Pingandy,

in in

presented presented

are are

and and

station station the the

on on

traversing traversing

whilst whilst

Mininer, Mininer,

Kaoline, Kaoline,

Amelia, Amelia,

with with

boundaries boundaries

common common

collected collected

data data

from from

prepared prepared

been been

have have

station station

has has whole whole

Downs Downs

Ashburton Ashburton west. west.

the the to to

Kaoline Kaoline

and and east east

the the

for for

and and

systems systems

land land for for

statements statements

Condition Condition

to to

Mininer Mininer through through road road river river old old the the

along along

available available

is is

access access

Secondary Secondary station. station. the the to to south south

heads heads and and 1. 1.

Table Table

in in Plain Plain

Cheela Cheela described described at at briefly briefly road road are are Gorge Gorge these these All All

station. station.

this this on on Nanutarra-Wittenoom Nanutarra-Wittenoom

the the found found

off off

are are

branches branches

systems systems land land station station the the twelve twelve to to of of track track total total A A access access main main

kilometres. kilometres. The The

east. east.

several several

for for

east-north

extend extend the the to to often often km km flats flats 110 110 and and about about plains plains clay clay

Paraburdoo, Paraburdoo, is is

scalded scalded

town town

bare bare

and and

nearest nearest

condition condition

The The poor poor its its sheets. sheets. for for map map 000 000 notable notable is is :250 :250 1 1 system system Creek Creek

Edward Edward Turee Turee

The The

and and

floodplain. floodplain.

Edmund Edmund the the on on Ashburton Ashburton located located the the is is fronts fronts station station and and Downs Downs system system

Kaoline Kaoline

Ashburton Ashburton

the the of of hills hills

shale shale below below immediately immediately

occurs occurs invariably invariably Location Location

Shire Shire Pilbara Pilbara West West - STATION STATION DOWNS DOWNS ASHBURTON ASHBURTON Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE RECORDS (352 recordings on 9 land systems)

Land Total erosion No. of (%) Pasture condition (%) system recordings Range condition (%) nil minor mod severe exc good fair poor v. poor good fair bad Ashburton 50 68 20 12 32 32 32 4 Capricorn 21 95 5 32 40 28 5 33 43 19 38 Dollar 33 82 12 6 57 5 18 33 46 3 18 Edward 67 13 31 31 64 18 25 6 24 25 45 Elhel 26 77 23 6 18 76 31 45 12 12 Kooline 146 67 21 31 46 23 8 4 18 34 37 Paraburdoo 2 100 10 19 55 26 50 50 River 2 50 50 100 0 100 100 Table 5 50 50 20 20 40 20 40 60 Total over all land systems 352 60 21 12 7 20 32 32 15 20 46 34

When in good condition the Edward system is inherently sensitive to grazing. Wherever the system With' the exception of some paddocks near the is found on the station it is now profoundly homestead the system is unfenced and effective degraded to broad clay flats with extremely sparse control is not possible. Fencing is essential in order vegetation or no vegetation. to improve or maintain pasture condition. Controlled stocking on two large paddocks near the A total of 35 sq. km is so badly degraded that it homestead has resulted should be completely in these areas improving to protected from grazing. Areas excellent stands of buffel grass. in this category occur near Lime bore, Black Hill bore, No.9 well and No. 17 mill on This system, unlike others (e.g. Edward) on the the Six Mile station Creek. Regeneration will not occur simply by has the ability to recover quickly after protecting these areas from grazing overuse. No special treatments for recovery are because the required hard, sealed clay surfaces have very poor water other than control of stock. infiltration and seedbed characteristics. Severel} 4. Dollar land degraded areas will need to be strip cultivated to system (4.3 per cent) improve infiltration rates and provide a seedbed. This stony plains system which They supports stony will also need to be seeded with a range of chenopod (STCH) and mulga creekline (MUCR) grasses and possibly chenopod shrubs as there are pastures is generally in fair condition. virtually no natural seed sources remaining. 5. The remaining The time period required to regenerate the eight land systems collectively occupy Edward system fully cannot be accurately predicted, 15 per cent of the station area and are mostly in fair but it is anticipated that partial recovery or good range condition. Some restricted areas of will require saltbush at least 5 years of complete protection from grazing (CHAT) and mulga creekline (MUCR) and the cultural treatments previously mentioned. pastures are degraded to poor condition, and there is occasional minor erosion. However, taken overall, 3. Ashburton land system (9.9 per cent) there are no serious problems on these systems. This flat system is an active flood plain with deep 6. Ashburton Downs was once alluvial soils and permanent well developed for water in river pools. sheep with many paddocks and watering points. Before settlement the system supported saltbush Many of the artificial (CHAT) watering points were highly pastures, relics of which can still be found. saline and were marginal for In the early days use by livestock. The of settlement large numbers of change to cattle saw the removal or abandonment stock were watered on the river and of the floodplain the sheep fences and the abandonment of some of was overgrazed. Stock numbers built up to very the saline bores. large The only large paddocks on the numbers; for example, Ashburton Downs had station at present are located 48000 sheep in 1909, on the Ashburton land most of which were run on the system near the homestead, and these frontage. Consequently, the are used for saltbush pastures were bullocks and weaners. With the exception of these degraded and stock numbers eventually fell from the paddocks the rest early high numbers. of the station is run on the open range principle. Under this system control of grazing The colonisation of the system by buffel grass in pressure on pastures is difficult and can only be the last twenty years has largely stabilised the soil attempted by manipulating the numbers of cattle on and improved carrying capacity. Pastures of the artificial watering points. system now consist of a mixture of buffel grass (TGCE) and tall saltbush (CHMA) with a small area 7. The Ashburton land system is the most productive of relic saltbush (CHAT) pasture on the Mininer on the station and carries most of the stock. For boundary. proper management it should be fenced and paddocked to allow complete At present, the majority of the system control of stock is in fair numbers and season of grazing. Pasture condition condition with limited areas in good and bad condition. could be improved and the further spread of buffel Notable areas in bad condition are the grass encouraged Ram paddock by judicious stocking and periodic west of the homestead and a patch spelling. In the along the road to Kaoline long term overall productivity of the east of the Six Mile Creek. system would be improved.

205

r r

206 206

cattle cattle 300 300

...... (1979) (1979) numbers numbers stock stock Declared Declared

~4~2~40_~ ~4~2~40_~

______

3_3~90 3_3~90

______

6_35~0 6_35~0 ______

5_08~0 5_08~0

__ __

...... capacity capacity

unit unit cattle cattle

Capability Capability

2240 2240

790 790 1 1

3360 3360

2690 2690

...... -. -.

...... capacity capacity unit unit cattle cattle

Recommended Recommended

total total

adult adult total total adult adult

7.5:1 7.5:1 rate rate

Conversion Conversion At At 5:1 5:1 rate rate Conversion Conversion At At

capacity. capacity.

carrying carrying

zero zero

degradation, degradation,

pasture pasture and/or and/or

erosion erosion severe severe

degradation; degradation;

extreme extreme of of Areas Areas

0; 0;

25411 25411

13442 13442

36 36 528 528

1497 1497 945 945

3006 3006 TOTALS TOTALS

HSHI HSHI

12 12

2 2 SOSP SOSP

2 2 Robe Robe

MUCR MUCR

STCH STCH

5 5

3 3 HSHI HSHI

3 3 Rocklea Rocklea

SOSP SOSP

18 18

17 17

5 1 1 5

SSGF SSGF

6 6

Booigeeda Booigeeda

25 25

18 18

1 1 1 1

MUCR MUCR

45 45

41 41

7 2 2 7

CSGF CSGF

44 44

41 41

8 3 3 8 MSGF MSGF

22 22 Table Table

------~--~~~--~----~--~~------~----~--

6 6 veg veg No No

66 66

53 53

4 4 4 4 .STCH .STCH

188 188 160 160

3 3

12 12

MUCR MUCR

600 600

12 12

TGCE TGCE

41 41

River River

6 6

4 4

2 2

SSGF SSGF

100 100

66 66

8 8

CHAT CHAT

274 274

191 191

25 25

8 8

STCH STCH 43 43

Paraburdoo Paraburdoo

50 50

22 22

4 4

MUCR MUCR

125 125

42 42

7 7

3 3

CHAT CHAT

165 165

126 126

9 9

26 26 20 20

SSGF SSGF

69 69

Ethel Ethel

100 100

75 75

3 3 3 3

TGER TGER

250 250

99 99

5 5

15 15

MUCR MUCR

872 872

487 487

28 28

63 63 14 14

STCH STCH

131 131

Dollar Dollar

163 163

114 114

7 7 6 6

MUCR MUCR

753 753

594 594

12 12

141 141

98 98

SSGF SSGF

264 264

Capricorn Capricorn

850 850 1 1

900 900

47 47

61 61 40 40

CHMA CHMA

7450 7450

3375 3375

47 47 61 61

40 40 TGCE TGCE

297 297

Ashburton Ashburton

18 18

12 12

6 6

SSGF SSGF

315 315

167 167

19 19

7 7 11 11

STCH STCH

3363 3363

829 829

35 35

192 192

42 42

CHAT CHAT

312 312

Edward Edward

816 816 1 1

686 686

99 99

33 33 13 13

CHAT CHAT

2275 2275

1124 1124

60 60

86 86 36 36

MUCR MUCR

4467 4467

3574 3574

893 893

596 596 SSGF SSGF

1816 1816

Kooline Kooline

Capability Capability

Recommended Recommended

EtO' EtO'

Bad Bad

Fair Fair

Good Good

lands lands

km) km) (sq. (sq.

capacity capacity

unit unit

Sheep Sheep

system system Land Land Pasture Pasture km) km) (sq. (sq. Area Area condition condition Range Range

ha ha 300573 300573

OOWNSSTATION OOWNSSTATION ASHBURTON ASHBURTON

REPORT REPORT STATION STATION INDIVIOUAL INDIVIOUAL

cattIe. cattIe.

only only

supporting supporting

of of

total total

420 420 capable capable 4 4 is is or or adults adults system system 390 390 the the 3 3

is is

condition condition condition condition

range range

good good in in

poor poor

very very

present present its its In In

was was

country country productive. productive. all all if if highly highly be be capacity capacity will will unit unit

cattle cattle

capability capability The The

10. 10.

recovered, recovered, once once system, system, Edward Edward the the that that

fact fact

the the by by

offset offset

are are

regeneration regeneration in in

involved involved costs costs high high The The cattle. cattle. total total 240 240

2 2

or or

adults adults

790 790 I I

is is

development development

full full

assuming assuming and and

condition condition

areas. areas.

problem problem

all all on on

immediately immediately

present present

for for

capacity capacity

unit unit

cattle cattle

commence commence to to recommended recommended The The 9. 9. expected expected be be not not would would and and

progressive progressive be be would would programme programme This This

system. system.

land land

good. good. Edward Edward was was the the

on on

condition condition regenration regenration

and and

fencing fencing of of

gramme gramme

if if

could could

it it

that that

livestock livestock

the the of of

pro a a

one-quarter one-quarter about about commencing commencing to to given given be be should should priority priority High High 8. 8. BULLOO DOWNS STATION - Meekatharra Shire

Location area and are of moderate pastoral value. Bulloo Downs station is located on the Collier and Tracts of low hills and rugged country occur scattered Mt. Newman 1:250 000 map sheets. The homestead is throughout the station. The most obvious of these are about 15 km west of the Great Northern Highway and the characteristic basalt hills of the Charley land system about 95 km south by road from Newman. The station and the low dissected lateritic mesas and buttes of the has common boundaries with Prairie Downs, Sylvania, Laterite system. Generally these hilly areas are still Weelarrana and Tangadee stations and vacant crown readily accessible to stock and provide some reasonable land. grazing. The most rugged country of the station occurs in the Area within survey south and south-east and consists of large sandstone Entire station 347 240 ha. hills of the Augustus land system. Pastoral value is low or very low. Description A total of 18 land systems are present on the station; About a third of Bulloo Downs station consists of the smallest 9 collectively occupy less than II per cent of broad, undissected hardpan plain country of the the area. All systems are briefly described and their Nooingin, Jamindie and Cadgie land systems. These pastoral value for good range condition status shown in plains are up to 20 km in extent and are distributed Table I. throughout the station. They support sparse mulga Condition statements for land systems and for the short grass forb (MSGF) and stony short grass forb station as a whole (total over all lands systems) are (SSGF) pastures and are of low pastoral value. Highly presented in Table 2. These statements were derived dissected hardpan plains of the Egerton land system from traverse records. which are associated with and usually peripheral to the undissected plains country occupy 14 per cent of the station. Other landforms found on the station include undulating shaley plains of the Ford land system and Range evaluation sites calcareous plains and low plateaux of the Warri and Detailed descriptions and measurements of landform, Table systems respectively. These three systems vegetation, soils and range condition were made at 32 collectively occupy about 23 per cent of the total station sites on 9 land systems.

Table 1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON BULLOO DOWNS STATION

Pastoral value Land systems Per cent of area

Very low Augustus - rugged mountain ranges, hills, ridges, and plateaux with tall shrublands ...... 8.4 (>30hals.u.) Divide - sand plain and minor dUnes with hard splnifex grasslands ...... 2.3 Mulgul - rough dolomite hills supporting low shrubs and sparse mulga and cassia shrublands ...... ',' ...... 1.4 12.1 Low Jamlndle - stony hardpan plains and stony rises with groved mulga shrublands ...... 17.1 (20 to 30hals.u.) Egerton - highly dissected plains and slopes with sparse mulga shrublands ...... 14.0 Charley - dolerite hills and ridges and restricted lower plains; tall and low shrublands ...... 7.2 Collier - undulating stony uplands, low hills and ridges and stony lower plains with mulga shrublands ...... 5.3 Ethel- cobble plains with sparse mulga shrublands ...... 1.1 Weelarrana - salt lakes, with fringing saline plains and sandy Islands. , ...... 1.1 Nlrran - undulating stony plains and low hills with mulga shrublands ...... 0.1 45.9

Moderate Ford - gently undulating stony plains with a few low hills, mulga shrublands ...... 15.5 (101020hals.u.) Noolngnln - hardpan plains and large groves with mulga shrublands ...... 14.0 Warrl- low calcrete platforms and plains with mulga and cassia shrub lands ...... 4.5 Laterite - small laterite mesas and gravelly plains with mulga shrublands...... \ ...... 3.3 Table - low calcrete plateaux, mesas and lower plains with mulga ...... 3.0 Cadgle - hardpan plains with thin sand cover and sandy banks, soft spinlfex and mulga . .. . 1.2 Tangadee - low shale hills and undulating plains with mulga woodlands ...... 0.4 41.9 High River - narrow active flood plains flanking major rivers and creeks, moderately dense tall ~Io 10hals.u.) shrublands ...... 0.1 0.1 Very high ~5hals.u.) 100.0

207 RECORDS Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE (522 recordings on 17 land systems)

Range condition (%) Total erosion (%) Pasture condition (%) Land No. of poor v. poor good fair bad system recordings nil minor mod. severe exe. good fair 33 45 22 78 22 33 45 22 Augustus 9 50 33 17 75 25 50 33 17 Cadgie 12 23 8 57 35 26 69 19 12 8 31 38 Charley 67 33 100 Collier 3 100 1 100 100 Divide 27 38 54 8 77 90 9 38 35 Egerton 25 50 50 8 88 13 50 25 Ethel 10 10 60 30 65 24 10 2 8 36 44 Ford 101 26 62 12 16 26 46 24 4 Jamindie 82 84 75 17 17 8 58 25 8 8 Laterite 12 83 50 50 50 50 50 25 25 Mulgul 4 100 2 100 100 Nirran 32 8 16 58 26 116 69 28 3 16 44 Naoingnin 33 67 100 River 3 33 67 32 42 26 32 52 16 Table 19 84 16 12 23 46 19 12 55 33 Warri 43 70 30 50 25 25 75 25 Weelarrana 4 100 ---- Total over all 20 39 32 8 21 57 22 land systems 522 75 21 4

lower plains and drainage tracts (11 per Range condition and recommendations cent) and cent). Condition of the hills is good, condition of the fair with partly degraded pastures and 1. Jamindie land system (17.1 per cent of total station footslopes is some minor rilling and condition of the lower plains area) drainage tracts is invariably very bad with range and This hardpan plain system is mostly in fair severely degraded pastures and some erosion. It is condition with little or no erosion. The small grove that the lower plains have received which obvious units and lower plain units of the system preferential overuse. An area of about 2 sq. km near support the most productive pastures receive bore is so severely degraded that it should than the Charleys preferential grazing and are more degraded be removed from use for a number of years. A small poorer pastures of the broad plains. severely degraded area also occurs near Monkey well. 2. Ford land systems (15.5 per cent) About 60 per cent of the traverse recordings made and 30 on this system indicate fair range condition 6. Warri land system (4.5 per cent) bad range condition. The per cent indicate system shows very little is considerably degraded with substantial This calcrete based vegetation but 66 per cent of the traverse records losses of desirable shrubs, especially on drainage erosion, on the indicate poor or very poor pasture condition. The noors of the system. Vegetation degradation be accompanied by minor paddocked areas around Ilgarari outcamp should drainage floors is frequently seasons to erosion in the form of thin surface spelled over a number of consecutive and moderate shrubs to regenerate. sheeting and rilling. A reduction in grazing pressure allow palatable required to encourage recovery of desirable is twelve land systems collectively shrubs. 7. The remaining occupy about 28 per cent of the area. Broadly condition (see Table 2 . land system (14 per cent) speaking they are in fair range 3. Nooingnin breakdown). Small inclusions of fair for detailed This nat hardpan system is largely in halophytic and other high quality shrub pastures are condition although substantial parts are also in bad to a greater or lesser extent. There is no of the most all degraded condition. Durable shrubby vegetation erosion. productive units of the system, such as the groves, is frequently degraded. Consequently the system has is run on the open range principle with Control 8. The station lost much of its original drought durability. very few fences for stock control. However, it is of season of use &lld intensity of use are the only well developed with regard to watering improve reasonably management tools that can be used to points for cattle and some degree of control of pasture condition. season of use could be exercised by periodically shutting off waters. Intensity of use could also be 4. Egerton land system (14 per cent) partly controlled by limiting the numbers of cattle Pastures on this large but poorly productive placed at each watering point. about evenly distributed between good, system are it is fair and poor condition. There is no erosion. 9. From the degraded condition of shrub pastures obvious that the station has carried and is still As a result 5. Charley land system (7.2 per cent) carrying excessive numbers of livestock. largely lost what drought durability it consists of basalt hills (about the station has The Charley system originally possessed. 62 per cent) footslopes of undulating plains (27 per

208 10. A reduction in overall stock numbers is required if condition is I 370 adults or I 710 total cattle. pasture recovery is to be effected. Attempting to 12. The capacity of this country to carry stock has been maintain present numbers will result in the station over-estimated in the past. Capability cattle unit becoming increasingly susceptible to large losses and capacity, if all the station was in good range fluctuations in numbers in poor seasons. condition, is estimated at 2 130 adult cattle or 2 660 II. Recommended cattle unit capacity for present total cattle.

INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT BULLOO DOWNS STATION 347240 ha Area Pasture Range condition (sq. km) Sheep unit capacity Land system km) (sq. lands Good Fair Bad EID* Recommended Capability Jamindle 593 SSGF 113 320 59 0.2 765 984 MUCR 18 35 18 477 888 TGER 30 252 501 Ford 537 MSGF 31 213 61 885 1224 SSGF 44 90 312 402 CHAT 24 73 382 1 213 Naoingn!n 488 SSGF 51 226 88 0.7 529 730 MUGR 68 374 850 TGMI 18 23 13 537 902 Egerton 486 MSGF 204 160 1296 1456 SSGF 29 49 132 156 MUCR 24 20 198 550 Augustus 290 MSGF 276 552 552 MUCR 8 4 2 129 175 Charley 249 MSGF 137 274 274 CSGF 8 43 34 237 425 TGER 9 16 2 128 451 Collier 185 MSGF 102 408 408 SSGF 40 6 132 138 STCH 22 11 4 246 307 Warri 156 MSGF 31 69 24 379 496 CHAT 5 11 90 200 MUCR 16 88 200 Laterite 113 SSGF 45 0.1 68 135 MSGF 45 135 180 TGER 12 11 137 384 Table 104 MSGF 19 26 7 168 208 CSGF 16 20 6 152 210 MUCR 5 5 44 125 Divide 80 HSSP 72 144 144 MUCR 8 50 50 Mulgul 50 MSGF 37 74 74 CSGF 4 3 3 0.3 35 52 MUCR 3 17 38 Cadgie 43 SOSP 23 6 279 363 SSGF 4 8 2 22 28 Ethel 39 SSGF 21 10 83 93 CHAT 6 50 75 MUCR 2 11 25 Weelarrana 38 SAMP 10 3 50 52 CHAT 6 2 92 100 HSSP 8 16 16 No veg 9 Tangadee 13 MSGF 5 6 38 44 CHMA 1 7 13 MUGR 1 6 13 Aiver 5 MUCR 2.5 0.5 8 38 STGH 5 8 No veg 0.5 Nirran 3 MSGF.2 8 81 113 MUCR 0.2 -:-:-::=----~~--:;;_;;;cf:---~;;;';- ~TO;:;:T~A;-:L~SC------3:-4c:7=2c---=='---:-1-::3::;79;::.-;:5----:1;-6-.;,2;;2;-- 465.5 4.8 10256 15964 ~reas of extreme degradation; severe erosion and/or pasture degradation, zero carrying capacity. At Conversion rate 5:1 At Conversion rate 7.5:1 adult total adult total Recommended cattle unit capacity...... 2050 2560 1 370 ~ ~~g Capability cattle unit capacity ...... _---.:3"--'.19"'0~ ___3~99::0~ ___2=_cl:c 30'- __--::-:-::::--:== Declared stock numbers (1979} ...... '" ...... 3116cattle

209 DOOLEY DOWNS STATION - Upper Gascoyne Sbire

or very high pastoral value occur on the station. Location high and these are station is located on tbe A total of 14 land systems are present Nearly all of Dooley Downs to their pastoral value, and Turee Creek 1:250 000 map sbeets with briefly described according Mt. Egerton and vegetation in Table 1. verv small areas extending on to tbe Edmund and Mt. landform Phillips sheets. The station has common boundaries with Condition statements for land systems and the whole Pingandy, Mts. Augustus, Wanna and Amelia stations station (total over all land systems) are presented in and vacant crown land. The station is extremely isolated Table 2. These statements were derived from data with access to the south through Mt. Augustus station recorded Whilst traversing on the station. and then west to Carnarvon or south to Meekatharra. Range evaluation sites Area witbin survey Detailed descriptions and measurements of landform, Sixty-eigbt per cent (80 270 ba) of tbe station falls vegetation, soils and range condition were made at 10 within the survey area. The remainder is in the sites on 4 land systems. Gascoyne River catchment and was mapped during the River catchment survey (1970), but no station Gascoyne recommendations report was compiled. The whole station (117 448 hal is Range condition and considered in this report. 1. Sixty-eight per cent of the 128 traverse recordings made on the station indicate good range condition, Description 30 per cent indicate fair condition and 2 per cent bad condition. This station consists of rugged hills and ranges with indicate narrow valleys and drainage floors and some extensive Pastures of the hills, hill slopes and stony plains areas of undulating stony plains and uplands. Hill and are mulga short grass forb (MSGF) and stony short mountain tracts of the Augustus, Charley and parts of grass forb (SSGF) and these are invariably in good the Collier system occupy about 75 per cent of the or very good condition. Small inclusions of better station's area. Some of this country is sufficiently quality pastures on drainage floors and lower plains rugged and inaccessible to be of no pastoral value and show some minor degradation in parts. No erosion the remainder is of very low or low value. occurs on the station. is classed as being of Only 4.2 per cent of the area on a spasmodic, value and con'.ists of stony plains and 2. The station is operated moderate pastoral Grazing is on the open range drainage flats of the Collier, Bryah, Ruby and opportunistic basis. restricted there is virtually no fencing. At the time Sugarloaf land systems. No systems classified as having principle as

Table 1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON DOOLEY DOWNS STATION

systems Per cent of area Pastoral value Land and plateaux with skeletal soils and tall Very low Augustus - rugged mountain ranges, hills, ridges, ...... 56.5 (>30hals.u.) shrublands, or hard spinlfex grasslands. low shrubs and mulga...... 3.1 George - long stony slopes beneath large hills, very sparse sparse mulga...... _1_.0___ _ Mulgul - rough dolomite hills supporting low shrubs and

and ridges and stony lower plains with mulga Low Collier - undulating stony uplands, low hills 23.4 (20 \0 30hals.u.) shrub lands ...... tall and low shrublands...... 6.2 Charley - dolerite hills and ridges and restricted lower plains; shrublands...... 3.0 Jamlndle - stony hardpan plains and rises with groved mulga shrublands...... 1.7 Ethel- cobble plains with sparse mulga and other Acacia spp. hills, restricted stony plains and drainage floors; mulga and Ullawarra - dolerite and shale 0.5 minor chenopod shrublands...... and sparse mulga shrublands. 0.3 Three Rivers - broad hardpan plains with minor sandy banks mulga shrublands...... 0.1 Egerton - highly dissected plains and slopes with sparse ----:::-;;

Moderate i~~~~~~I. ~~~i~~~.e. ~I~~~ .~i~~. ~~~~~~ ~~I.I .s.h.r~.b.I~~~~. ~~~ 2.4 (10 \0 20hals.u.) ~'Xa~h~;~~~ys~l~gra~g~ .r~~~~i~~~~. and cassia shrublands...... 1.2 Ruby - gently undulating shale plains with sparse mulga ...... " ...... 0.5 Sugarloaf - undulating dolomitic plains and drainage floors shrublands ...... , ...... _0_._1 __;; Laterite - small laterite mesas and gravelly plains with mulga

High (5 \0 10hals.u.) Very high « 5hals.u.)

210 Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE RECORDS (128 recordings on 9 land systems)

Total erosion (%) Land No. of Pasture condition (%) Range condition (%) system recordings nil mod. minor severe exe. good fair poor v. poor good fair bad Augustus 4 100 75 25 100 Bryah 11 100 55 36 9 91 9 Charley 1 100 100 100 Collier 78 99 19 51 29 1 69 31 Jamindie 3 100 67 33 100 Laterite 3 100 33 34 33 67 33 Ruby 8 100 49 38 13 87 13 Three Rivers 6 83 17 50 33 17 67 33 Ullawarra 14 93 7 64 29 7 64 29 7 Total over all land systems 128 97 2 23 44 28 4 68 30 2

of survey (1978) nearly all of the artificial waters on 5. Capability cattle unit capacity assuming all country the property were either not in use or derelict and was in good range condition is 550 adults or 690 very few cattle were seen. total cattle.

3. Most of the Augustus land system (56.5 per cent of 6. The station is not a viable pastoral unit. Any further the station area) especially in the northern third of transfer as a single entity should not be permitted. the property is of no use for pastoral purposes. Consideration could be given to amalgamation with Pingandy or else the property should revert to crown 4. Recommended cattle unit capacity for present land. condition and assuming full development is 510 adults or 640 total cattle.

211 INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT 117 448 ha DOOLEY DOWNS STATION Range condition (sq. km) Sheep unit capacity Area Pasture system Capability Land (sq. km) lands Good Fair Bad EID' Recommended 630 1260 1260 Augustus 663 MSGF 413 413 MUCR 33 565 604 Collier 274 MSGF 112 39 204 50 18 186 SSGF 404 457 STCH 39 16 80 80 Charley 73 MSGF 40 125 15 10 105 CSGF 100 134 TGER 4 4 108 108 George 36 SSGF 36 14 49 56 Jamindie 34 SSGF 14 50 2 2 36 MUCR 25 33 TGER 1 1 176 183 29 STCH 20 2 Bryah 6 43 75 CHMA 3 SSGF 1 3 48 48 Ethel 20 SSGF 16 38 2 33 CHAT 13 13 MUCR 1 50 50 Ruby 14 CSGF 10 25 1 18 MUCR 13 17 STCH 1 18 18 Mulgul 12 MSGF 9 10 2 10 CSGF 13 13 MUCR 1 10 4 1 10 Ullawarra 6 MSGF 8 13 CHAT 1 CSGF 8 8 Sugarloaf 5 MSGF 2 2 10 17 STCH 6 13 MUCR 1 8 3 6 Three Rivers 5 SSGF 8 17 TGMI 1 3 3 Laterite 2 SSGF 4 4 MSGF TGER 4 4 Egerton MSGF 3836 4114 TOTALS 1174 1049 124 pasture degradation, zero carrying capacity. * Areas of extreme degradation; severe erosion and/or At Conversion rate 5:1 At Conversion rate 7.5:1 adult total adult total 770 960 510 640 Recommended cattle unit capacity ...... 820 1030 550 690 Capability cattle unit capacity ...... 75 Cattle ...... Declared stock numbers (1979). '" ......

212 ---

DUCK CREEK STATION - West Pilbara Shire

Location Range evaluation sites Duck Creek station is found on the northern edge of Detailed descriptions and measurements of landform, the Ashburton River catchment. The major part of the vegetation, soil and condition were made at 8 sites on 4 station is located on the Wyloo 1:250 000 map sheet land systems. while a smaller area occurs on the Mt. Bruce map sheet. The property is accessible from the west via Mt. Stuart Range condition and recommendations station or from the east via a very rough mining track. The station has a boundary with Mt. Stuart station to 1. Newman land system (51.8 per cent of the station the west and elsewhere is surrounded by vacant crown area) land. This system consists of rugged ironstone hills and mountains which support very poor, hard spinifex Area within survey (HSHI) pastures with small inclusions of better Entire station 139 036 ha. quality soft spinifex (SOSP) pastures. The system is in good range condition throughout the station. It is Description of very little use for grazing. The station consists of narrow river valleys flanked by 2. Rocklea land system (18.0 per cent) massive mountains, hills and plateaux. The access tracks follow the valleys formed by the Duck and This system consists of rugged basalt hills and Serpentine Creeks and the tracks frequently follow mountains and supports mostly very poor quality along the actual creek beds for many kilometres. hard spinifex pastures (HSHI) with small inclusions of bet~r quality soft spinifex (SOSP) and tussock The station is largely made up of rugged ironstone grass pastures. The system is mostly in good range and basalt mountains and hills (71 per cent of total condition with small areas of degradation on the station area) of extremely low pastoral value. Much of better quality pastures of the lower more accessible the area is sufficiently inaccessible and unproductive as units of the system. to be of no use for pastoral purposes. Stony unproductive plains constitute 17.7 per ~ent .of the 3. Boolgeeda land system (17.1 per cent) station area and low mesas and buttes of hmomte and calcrete a further 7.4 per cent. The only area of good This system consists of broad, hard spinifex plains pastures of very high pastoral value is along Duck Creek beneath the ironstone hills and mountains of the on River land system which constitutes only 3.6 per cent Newman system. Pastures are mostly hard spinifex of the station area. (HSHI) which is unattractive to stock but there are inclusions of better quality soft spinifex (SOSP) Short descriptions of all 8 land systems found on the pastures in and along the creeklines. The system is in station are presented in Table 1. good range condition. Condition statements for land systems and for the station as a whole (total over all land systems) are 4. River land system (3.6 per cent) summarised in Table 2. These statements were derived This land system is found in the narrow valleys on from observations made whilst traversing on the station. the station. It is the most productive country on the station and supports most of the cattle. It supports

Table 1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON DUCK CREEK STATION

Pastoral value Land systems Per cent of area

Very low Newman - rugged jaspilite plateaux, ridges and mountains with hard spinifex .. .. . 51.8 1>30haJs.u.) Rocltlea - basalt hills and restricted stony plains with hard spinifex ...... 18.0 Booigeeda - stony plains with hard spinifex grasslands or mulga shrublands ...... 17.1 Capricorn - rugged hills and ridges with low shrublands or hard spinifex ...... 1.5 Platform - narrow raised plains and extensive dissected slopes with hard spinifex and shrubs ...... 0.6 89.0 Low 0 120 to 30haJs.u.)

MOderate Roba - low plateaux, mesas and buttes of limonite with soft and hard splnifex ...... 6.5 110 to 20haJs.u.) Tabla - low calcrete plateaux, mesas and lower plains with mulga and cassia shrublands. 0.9 7.4 High 0 ~to 10haJs.u.)

. Very high River _ narrow, active flood plains flanking major rivers and creeks with moderately dense ~~5h~aJ~s~.~u.~) ____~t~a~lI_s~h~r~u~b~la~n~d~s~ ..~.~.~.~.~ ..~.~.~.~.~ ..~.~.~.~ ..~.~.~.~.~ ..~.~.~.~.~ ..~.~.~.~.~ ..~.~.~.~ .. ~.~.~.~.~ ..~.~.~.~ ..~.~.~.~.~ ..~.~.~.~.~ ..~.------UUlO 3.6 3.6 100.0

213 RECORDS Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE (140 recordings on 7 land systems)

Range condition (%) Total erosion (%) Pasture condition ('Yo) Land No. of v. poor good fair bad system recordings nil minor mOd. severe exe. good fair poor 7 4 96 4 Booigeeda 71 97 3 89 33 34 33 67 33 Capricorn 3 100 11 4 96 4 Newman 28 100 85 8 27 23 12 38 43 19 River 26 73 19 8 30 60 20 20 80 20 Rocklea 5 100 100 100 Robe 1 100 33 67 33 Table 6 100 67

Total over all 9 10 5 2 83 14 4 land systems 140 94 5 0 74

tussock grass pastures including good stands of condition is 500 adults or 630 total cattle. buffel grass (TGCE) and mulga creekline introduced in (MUCR) pastures which are regularly flooded. 8. Capability cattle unit capacity if all country was These pastures are generally in fair condition with good range condition is 570 adults or 710 total small areas in good and bad condition. cattle. for pastoral 5. The remaining four land systems on the station 9. Much of the country is unsuitable up 9.6 per cent of its area. They are all in good pursuits and should revert to crown land. A small make side of range condition. area of good quality country at the western the property could be considered for inclusion in Mt. 6. This property at present is derelict. None of the mills Stuart Station. are working and the homestead has been Cattle are spasmodically mustered off 10. The station is not a viable pastoral unit and any abandoned. be the station when market conditions are good. future transfer as a single entity should not permitted. 7. Recommended cattle unit capacity for present

INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT 139036 ha DUCK CREEK STATION capacity Range condition (sq. km) Sheep unit Area Pasture system Capability Land (sq. km) lands Good Fair Bad E/D' Recommended 1224 1224 720 HSHI 720 Newman 384 384 250 HSHI 226 Rocklea 6 3 61 100 STCH 3 80 150 MUCR 3 6 3 565 226 565 Boolgeeda 238 HSHI 146 150 SOSP 11 506 506 Robe 90 SOSP 81 23 23 HSHI 9 750 2 10 3 310 River 50 TGCE 225 225 I MUCR 18 54 83 STCH 4 3 3 No veg 7 26 26 21 HSHI 15 15 I Capricorn 5 15 I SSGF 13 13 MUCR 1 ! 24 24 Table 12 MSGF 6 25 25 I CSGF 5 13 13 MUCR 1 14 I 8 14 Platform 9 HSHI 13 13 .1 SOSP 1 12 3721 4303 TOTALS 1390 1352 26 !" andlor pasture degradation, zero carrying capacity. ~ Areas of extreme degradation; severe erosion -;- 'q At Conversion rate 5:1 At Conversion rate 7.5:1 adult total adult total 630 ' 740 930 500 Recommended cattle unit capacity...... 860 1 080 570 710 Capability cattle unil capacity...... : ...... 450 cattle ~~ Declared stock numbers (1979) ......

214 GIRALIA STATION - West Pilbara Shire

Location In the western parts of the station there are a number Giralia station is located wholly on the Yanrey of distinctive land systems based on limestones of the 1:250 000 map sheet. The homestead is about 45 km Giralia anticline. These are the Donovan system (8.5 per north-west by road from the North West Coastal cent) consisting of gently sloping outwash plains, the Highway and about 36 km east from the Carnarvon Firecracker system (3.7 per cent) consisting of Exmouth road. undulating limestone plains and uplands and the Jubilee The station has common boundaries with Yanrey, system (9.6 per cent) consisting of limestone hills, Marilla and Bullara stations and also fronts Exmouth cuestas and undulating stony plains. Gulf. The Donovan system supports valuable Gascoyne bluebush and soft spinifex pastures, the Firecracker Area within survey system supports Gascoyne bluebush, and the Jubilee Entire station 277 568 ha. system supports mixed soft and hard spinifex. Pastoral value of the first two systems is high and that of the Description Jubilee system is moderate. With the exception of bare coastal mudflats of the There are small areas of other systems on the station, Littoral land system, all of Giralia station is usable but these are of little significance. grazing country. All systems on the station are summarised in Table 1. Nearly half of the station (48.8 per cent) is sand plain, Condition statements for land systems and for the sand dunes or broad swales of the Giralia land system. station as a whole (taken over all systems) have been Broad plains with thin sand cover of the Uaroo system prepared from traverse data and are presented in occupy an additional 7.2 per cent of the area. These two Table 2. systems are located in central, southern and eastern parts of the station. They support a mixture of hard and Range evaluation sites soft spinifex pastures and, provided they are correctly managed by burning, are of moderate pastoral value. Detailed descriptions and measurements of landform, vegetation, soils and range condition were made at 22 A number of other sandy spinifex systems occur on sites on 7 land systems. the station. These are Dune (4 per cent), Onslow (2.2 per cent) and Yankagee (2.1 per cent) in the north where Range condition and recommendations they often front the bare saline mudflats of the Littoral system. These systems support soft spinifex with some 1. GiraUa land system (48.8 per cent of station area) small inclusions of shrub and tussock grass pastures. This, and other spinifex-based land systems on the Their pastoral value is high. station, are all predominantly in good ranlle

Table 1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON GIRALIA STATION

Pastoral value Land systems Per cent 01 area

Very low Llttoral- extensive bare coastal mudflats flanked by mangroves and narrow sandy plains .. 13.6 13.6 ( >30hals.u.)

Low 0 (20 to 30hals.u.)

Moderate Glr8118- linear dunes and broad sandy plains supporting hard and soft splnifex ...... 48.8 (10 to 20hals.u.) Jubilee - limestone hills and undulating stony plains with hard and soft spinifex hummock grasslands ...... 9.6 Uaroo - broad sandy plains with hard and soft splnlfex grasslands ...... 7.2 65.6

High Donovan - gently sloping outwash plains and minor stony plains with alkaline loamy and (5 to 10hals.u.) clayey soils, tall snakewood and other Acacia spp. shrublands with chenopod and soft splnlfex pastures ...... 8.5 Dune - coastal dune fields with soft spinlfex and minor hard spinifex grasslands ...... 4.0 Firecracker - undulating stony uplands and plains with low shrublands of Gascoyne bluebush ...... 3.7 Onslow - sand plain, dunes and clay plains with soft splnlfex and tussock grass...... 2.2 Yankagae - plains with dunes and numerous claypans, soft spinifex and snakewood shrub lands ...... 2:1 Winning - low hills and broad lower plains with snakewood shrublands, chenopod and soft splnlfex pastures ...... 0.2 Yarcowle- gllgal plains with tussock grasses and very sparse shrubs ...... 0.1 20.8

Very high Mlndaroo - alluvial plains supporting tall shrublands and tussock grasslands and areas of ~5hais.u.) sand supporting hummock grassland ...... 01 100.0

215 Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE RECORDS (324 recordings on 7 land systems)

Range condition (%) Land No. of Total erosion (%) Pasture condition (%) system recordings nil minor mod. severe exe. good fair poor v. poor good fair bad Donovan 65 82 15 3 22 20 24 20 14 41 37 22 Firecracker 19 63 21 5 11 0 58 37 5 52 32 16 Giralia 168 98 2 69 21 8 91 8 1 Littoral 40 97 3 42 39 13 3 3 82 13 5 Uaroo 9 100 67 33 100 Yankagee 3 67 33 67 33 67 30 Total over all land systems 324 92 6 53 26 13 5 3 79 15 6

condition. Hard spinifex (HSSP) and soft spinifex the Donovan system should be spelled over a (SOSP) pastures are in good condition and there is number of consecutive growing seasons and stocked no erosion. conservatively for the rest of the year. At least 3 sq. Hard spinifex is rarely grazed, but soft spinifex km has severe pasture degradation and should not be has moderate value with good drought durability. grazed. One area of concern is in the vicinity of Old, mature spinifex stands are useless for grazing Middle Tank and another is the small holding and management must be aimed at maintaining the paddocks near Nabbawana Bore. pastures in as attractive condition to stock as possible. Spinifex should be burnt on a regular basis 5. Firecracker land system (3.7 per cent) about every 4 to 5 years, and burning should be late Much of this system has only been fully utilised in the year. Burnt areas should not be grazed for for grazing since the mid 1960s when a number of about 8 to to weeks over the growing season dams were constructed. Before this there were no following the fire in order to encourage permanent waters in the area and gazing was establishment of durable grasses, shrubs and minimal. spinifex seedlings. Such a management programme The system supports valuable Gascoyne bluebush can be readily implemented on a paddock by (CHMA) pastures and pasture condition varies from paddock basis and is, in fact, implemented on the good to poor depending on the distance from station. watering points. The spinifex land systems are generally resistant to Pasture degradation has occured in a relatively degradation, although some wind erosion may result short time and is sometimes accompanied by if a prolonged dry spell occurs after burning. moderate or severe erosion in the form of gullying, However, there is rapid re-establishment of surface sheeting and micro-terracing. As yet the vegetation and return to stability after rain. areas affected by erosion are not large, but much of the system has a very high inherent vulnerability to 2. Littoral land system (13.6 per cent) erosion due to its moderate slope and the nature of This is the second largest land system on the its soils. Ground cover provided by shrubs, annual station, but about 84 per cent of it is bare saline grasses andforbs is vital to the stability of the system mudflats or inaccessible outer margins with and control of intensity of use and season of use by mangroves which are useless for pastoral purposes. livestock is essential. The inherent fragility of the In terms of the total area of the station this means system is only now becoming apparent and, in the that 11.4 per cent has no use for grazing. The opinion of the survey group, the ability of the remainder of the system consists of narrow sandy country to support livestock has been over-estimated plains, slopes and samphire flats fronting the in the past. mudflats. Range condition is good. Special management techniques are required to enable grazing use without landscape deterioration 3. Jubilee land system (9.6 per cent) on this system, and some of these have been adopted This limestone-based system of low hills, cuestas by the present management. and stony plains supports a mixture of hard spinifex About 2 sq. km of the country adjacent to (HSHl) and soft spinifex (SOSP) pastures. Pasture Bungana dam is badly degraded with some severe condition is good and there is no erosion. active gullies forming along water courses and sheep pads. The dam should be closed to stock as a 4. Donovan land system (8.5 per cent) watering point and consideration given to further This system consists of low plains on limestone piping of water for distribution at adjacent, higher and broad, outwash alluvial plains. The vegetation is and more stable sites on the jubilee land system. In a moderately dense snakewood and other tall Acacia number of cases water is already piped for several spp. shrubs with ground pastures of soft spinifex kilometres to storage tanks and troughs on higher (SOSP) or Gascoyne bluebush (CHMA). Range more stable country, and this practice is to be condition varies from good to bad with some units commended. However, the practice of burying of the system in considerably poorer condition than polythene pipe on long slopes with soils sensitive to others. Plains supporting soft spinifex show little disturbance should not be continued as there is gully degradation, but other alluvial plains show and rill erosion in nearly every case where pipelines considerable depletion of bluebush and other have been buried in the past. desirable shrubs. A programme of spelling the Firecracker system In order to encourage pasture recovery parts of over every second or third growing season is

216 essential in order to maintain vigour and Yankagee, Dune and Onslow system are poorly productivity of the pastures. Such a programme utilised due to the lack of permanent water pomts. could be readily implemented within the existing paddock system. Pastures are useful soft spinifex with minor, but valuable, inclusions of tussock grasses and saltbush. Although bluebush pastures (CHMA) in good Parts of the Sandalwood peninsula in the north condition have been rated as having a carrying west of the station near the coast are poorly utilised capacity of I s.u.!8 ha on a yearlong basis, this rate due to the lack of permanent waters. This country is may in fact be too high for this sensitive system. capable of supporting breeding livestock. Proper grazing management must aim to preserve a reasonable plant residue as ground cover to protect 8. A development programme is required to bring the the soil surface. country outlined in 7 progressively into production. This would enable a more equitable distribution of 6. The remaining land systems Uaroo (7.2 per cent), stock over the station and facilitate spelling Dune (4 per cent), Onslow (2.2 per cent), Yankagee programmes and stock reductions required in (2.1 per cent), Winning (0.2 per cent), Yarcowie (0.1 paddocks where decline in range condition is per cent) and Minderoo (0.01 per cent) are nearly all evident. in good range condition. Most of the systems are spinifex-based and are stable under grazing. 9. In the opinion of the survey group the carrying Management involves burning coupled with grazing capacities of the Firecracker and parts of the deferment as outlined for the Giralia system (see I). Donovan systems have been over-estimated in the past. The systems have carried more stock than can 7. Parts of Giralia are well-improved in terms of be safely maintained in the long-term without paddocks and watering points but about 25 per cent causing serious pasture and landscape deterioration. of the station is poorly utilised or not utilised due to the lack of stock waters. A number of old bores and It is considered that, between 1970 and 1977, the wells in the east of the station are unserviceable or station as a whole carried stock numbers derelict and considerable areas of Giralia and Uaroo considerably in excess of its capability. systems in this vicinity and in the south are not used. Although both these systems support much poor 10. The recommended sheep unit capacity for present hard spinifex (HSSP) pasture they also support condition and assuming full development and use of useful soft spinifex (SOSP). If the systems were the property (which is not the case at present, see 7) burnt and managed as they are elsewhere on the is 19950 adults or 24 940 total sheep. property they would provide useful grazing for dry stock. II. The capability sheep unit capacity if all country was in good range condition is 21 700 adults or 27 1301 In the north of the station large areas of the total sheep.

217 INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT 277 568 ha GIRALIA STATION Range condition (sq. km) Sheep unit capacity Area Pasture system Capability Land (sq. km) lands Good Fair Bad E/O' Recommended 2031 609 68 1963 Giralia 1354 HSSP 8177 8463 SOSP 609 68 288 288 Littoral 378 SOSP 23 92 23 92 SAMP 125 125 STCH 15 No veg 317 365 365 Jubilee 266 HSHI 146 98 9 1300 1338 SOSP 121 163 MUCR 7 6 1563 22 59 41 3 796 Donovan 236 CHMA 1242 1388 SOSP 81 26 4 438 146 438 Uaroo 200 HSSP 675 675 SOSP 54 1213 97 1 213 Dune 111 SOSP 150 150 TGER 9 No veg 5 33 17 2 889 1263 Firecracker 101 CHMA 49 375 375 Onslow 62 SOSP 30 367 22 367 TGMI 450 450 TGCE 9 No veg 1 281 281 Yankagee 58.5 SOSP 22.5 429 13 429 TGCH 100 100 CHAT 8 No veg 15 50 4 50 Winning 6 CHAT 25 25 SOSP 2 HSHI 3 25 50 Yarcowie 3 TGER 17 17 Minderoo 0.5 TGCH 0.5 SOSP STCH No veg 62 5 19953 21699 TOTALS 2776 2437 272 degradation, zero carrying capacity. • Areas of extreme degradation; severe erosion andfor pasture ...... 19950 adults 24940 total Recommended sheep unit capacity ...... 21 700 adults 27130 total Capability sheep unit capacity ...... 18 000 sheep, 17 cattle Declared stock numbers (1979) ......

218 GLENFLORRIE STATION - West Pilbara Shire

Location About 9.7 per cent is of moderate pastoral value. A Glenflorrie station is located on the Wyloo and total of nine land systems on the station fall into this Edmund 1:250 000 map sheets. Access to the homestead category with the three largest systems being Stuart, is via Uaroo station about 72 km to the west and thence consisting of stony plains, Boolaloo with granite hills to the North West Coastal Highway. The station has and sandy plains and Table with low calcrete mesas and common boundaries with Nanutarra, M!,. Stuart, lower plains. Wyloo, Kooline, Ullawarra, Maroonah and Uaroo The River land system, consisting of narrow active stations and the Barlee Range Wildlife Sanctuary. flood plains and including the channels and banks of the major rivers, occupies 6 per cent of the station area. Area within survey Pastoral value is h"igh. Entire station 197268 ha. A total of 18 land systems occur on the station and the characteristics of these are further outlined in Table Description 1. Rugged country of the BarIee Range Wildlife Condition statements for land systems and for the Sanctuary effectively separates the southern part of the station as a whole (total over all land systems) are station into western and eastern sections. Two large presented in Table 2. These statements were derived tributaries of the Ashburton River, namely the Henry from observations made whilst traversing on the River and Wannery Creek run through the western and station. eastern sections respectively. About 84 per cent of the station consists of rugged Land evaluation sites mountains, ridges, hills and stony plains of low or very Detailed description and measurements of landform, low pastoral value. Some large areas are unsuitable for vegetation, soil and condition were made at 22 sites on 8 pastoral pursuits. land systems.

Table 1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON GLEN FLORRIE STATION

Pastoral value Land systems Per cent of area

Very low Augustus - rugged mountain ranges, hills ridges, and plateaux, with skeletal soils and tall (>30hals.u.) shrub lands or hard spinifex grasslands ...... 31.6 Booigeeda - stony plains with hard spinifex grasslands or mulga shrublands ...... ' .... . 4.6 Capricorn - rugged hills and ridges with low shrublands or hard splnifex ...... , ...... 4.0 40.4

Low Koollne - rough shale hills, saline drainage floors and broad braided creeks, sparse shrubs/" 27.0 (20 10 30hals.u.) Prairie - granite hills and undulating stony plains with low and tall shrublands ...... 10.3 Collier - undulating stony uplands, low hills and ridges and stony lower plains with mulga shrub lands ...... 6.0 Egerton - highly dissected plains and slopes with sparse mulga shrublands .. , ...... 0.2 43.5

Moderate Stuart - plains of low or moderate relief with snakewood shrublands and hard and soft (10 to 20hals.u.) splnifex hummock grasslands ...... , ...... , ...... 3.0 800laloo - granite hills, domes, tor fields and sandy plains, spinifex grasslands and shrubby grasslands ..... , ...... , ...... 2.5 Table - low calcrete plateaux, mesas and lower plains with mulga and cassia shrub lands .. . 2.1 Dollar - stony plains with open snakewood shrubland ...... , ..... , , ..... , ...... 0.9 Scoop - stony plains with snakewood and chenopod shrublands ...... , .... , . 0.5 Robe - low plateaux, m!3sas and buttes of limonite with soft and hard spinifex pastures ... . 0.3 Laterite - small mesas and gravelly plains with mulga shrublands ...... 0.2 Uaroo - broad sandy plains with hard and soft spinifex grasslands ...... , 0.1 Mundong - gently undulating plains with open snakewood and mulga shrublands ...... , . 0.1 9.7

High River - narrow, active flood plains flanking major rivers and creeks with moderately dense (510 10hals.u.) tall shrublands ...... 6.0 Ashburton - active flood plains and backplains with deep silty loams and clayey soils, shrub lands and tussock grasslands ...... , .. 0.4 6.4 Very high 0 ·~ha/s.u.) 100.0

219 RECORDS Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE (284 recordings on 14 land systems) Range condition (%) Total eros,ion ('Yo) Pasture condition (%) Land No. of v. poor good fair bad system recordings nil minor mod. severe exe. good fair poor 100 100 Ashburton 1 100 64 25 9 2 89 9 2 Augustus 53 94 4 2 17 49 17 17 66 17 17 Boolaloo 6 83 17 33 27 33 7 60 33 7 Booigeeda 15 87 13 56 33 7 4 89 11 Collier 27 100 45 44 11 89 11 Capricorn 9 100 8 42 25 17 8 50 25 25 Dollar 12 75 25 31 21 23 4 52 28 20 Kaoline 89 78 13 8 21 50 50 100 Mundong 2 100 50 50 50 50 100 Prairie 2 14 63 23 71 20 3 6 14 57 29 River 35 100 1 100 100 Robe 17 17 33 50 6 17 33 50 17 66 Scoop 14 43 50 7 14 79 21 36 7 43 Stuart 59 8 33 42 25 Table 12 75 25 33

Total over all 32 26 25 15 2 58 28 14 land systems 284 82 11 6

4. River land system (6.0 per cent) Range condition and recommendations This system supports productive mulga creekline 1. Augustus land system (31.8 per cent of station area) (MUCR) pastures and is favoured by livestock. The majority of the system is in fair range condition This is the largest system on the station and also mulga although both extremes of condition are consists of rugged hills and ranges supporting spelling over a Much of it is present. Parts of the system require short grass forb (MSGF) pastures. seasons to promote pasture as to be of negligible value for number of growing sufficiently rugged but such a programme could probably not Range condition is good. recovery, grazing. be implemented due to inadequate control of stock. system 2. Kooline land system (27.0 per cent) Proper management on this valuable of grazing intensity and of large areas of rough shale requires complete control This system consists only be achieved by fencing areas of saline lower plains and season of use. This can hills, restricted The existing paddocking system is drainage floors with braided channels. and paddocking. broad inadequate in that many fences are derelict. The hill units support unproductive stony short grass forb (SSG F) pastures and are poorly attractive 5. Condition of the remaining 12 land systems on the to stock. Range condition of the unit is invariably station is indicated in Table 2 and in the summary good or fair. table at the end of this report. As a generalisation all of the system units 'Jf the system support mulga the hill, footslope and stony plain units The other forb (MSGF) stony creekline (MUCR) and saltbush (CHAT) pastures supporting mulga short grass grazed by stock. Pasture short grass forb (SSGF) and hard spinifex (HSHI) which are preferentially of is fair to very poor and erosion in the form pastures are in good range condition. Inclusions condition degraded to stripping, rills aud gutters is common on better quality pastures are invariably of surface taken overall, the condition drainage floors. some extent. However, of these systems is acceptable and there are no area of the system near the A large stony plain erosion problems. aerodrome to the north west of the homestead shows protection severe pasture degradation. It requires 6. Glenflorrie is run on the open range principle. On from grazing over a number of consecutive growing such a system is acceptable as the year. much of the property seasons and very light use at other times of instability will not be induced. However, is unfenced landscape However, at the present time the area and controlled stocking is required in order be inadequate to fencing and control of stock would to maintain pasture condition and productivity on implement such a programme. the more accessible "nd productive land systems and units of systems. 3. Prairie land system (10.3 per cent) This system was not adequately sampled but its 7. The recommended cattle unit capacity for present condition is expected to be similar to that seen condition is 870 adults or 1 090 total cattle. elsewhere in the survey area. Granite hills are the largest unit of the system. These support mulga 8. The capability cattle unit capacity if all country was short grass forb (MSGF) pastures and condition is in good range condition is 1 160 adults or 1 450 total invariably good. Stony plains and creekline areas cattle. may be in good condition, but also frequently show varying degrees of pasture degradation to fair or bad condition. Erosion is not a problem.

220 INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT GLEN FLORRIE STATION 197268 ha Area Range condition Land system Pasture (sq. km) Sheep unit capacity (sq. km) lands Good Fair Sad EID' Recommended Capability Augustus 628 MSGF 555 42 1 173 1 194 MUCR 23 5 3 323 388 Kaoline 533 SSGF 280 144 13 1 148 1 311 MUCR 19 11 23 CHAT 374 663 7 36 148 538 Prairie 203 MSGF 89 SSGF 356 356 19 57 5 179 MUCR 7 243 12 14 200 413 River 119 MUCR 53 24 STCH 371 963 5 15 4 125 No Veg 18 199 Collier 118 MSGF 65 SSGF 260 260 29 87 87 STCH 21 3 189 199 Booigeeda 90 HSHI 74 12 205 sasp 1 215 2 32 50 Capricorn 78 HSHI 55 SSGF 94 94 19 57 57 MUCR 2 2 36 50 Stuart 60 STCH 8 16 HSHI 146 199 sasp 24 60 60 5 7 121 150 800laloo 50 HSHI 28 48 48 sasp 20 STCH 250 250 2 10 17 Table 41 MSGF 21 84 84 CSGF 2 12 2 MUCR 50 80 4 22 50 Dollar 18 STCH 8 6 96 116 MUCR 1 2 TGER 19 38 1 8 17 Scoop 10 STCH 2 2 3 33 58 CHAT 1 1 MUCR 11 25 1 6 13 Ashburton 7 CHAT 3 CHMA 8 50 3 21 Robe 38 6 sasp 5 HSHI 31 31 1 2 2 Laterite 5 SSGF 2 6 MSGF 2 6 TGER 8 8 8 17 Egerton 3 MSGF 2 8 SSGF 1 8 MUCR 3 3 Uaroo 2 HSSP sasp 2 6 6 Mundong 2 STCH TGER 8 8 SSGF 17 17 TOTALS 1973 1 417 421 134 6547 8679 'Areas of extreme degradation; severe erosion and/or pasture degradation, zero carrying capacity.

At Conversion rate 5:1 At Conversion rate 7.5:1 adult total adult total ReCommended caUle unit capacity ...... 1310 1640 870 1090 Capability cattle unit capacity . . , ...... 1740 2180 1160 1450 Declared stock numbers (1979) .. ... " ...... '" ...... 950 cattle

221 KOOLlNE STATION - West Pilbara Shire

Location Tributary alluvial plaius of the Edward land system of the Kooline station is located on the Wyloo and Edmund (7.1 per cent) occur at the outer margins sheets some 230 km west-south-west by Ashburton system and immediately below and adjacent 1 :250 000 map Edward the township of Tom Price. The station has to low shale hills of the Kooline system. The road from (CHAT boundaries with Wyloo, Ashburton Downs, system supports extremely degraded chenopod common value although Amelia, Ullawarra and Glenflorrie stations and vacant and STCH) pastures and its pastoral low. crown land. potentially high is now very A number of other land systems of minor importance Area within survey occur on the station. All systems are briefly described range condition status Entire station 204 322 ha. and their pastoral value for good indicated in Table I. Description Condition statements for land systems and for the systems) are Ashburton River runs through the centre of the station as a whole (total overall land The were derived station for about 90 km and is flanked by flood plains presented in Table 2. These statements varying in width from 4 km to 10 km. The flood plains from traverse records. are flanked on both sides by low rough shale hills of the Kooline land system. On the south-west and south sides Range evaluation sites accessIble of the river there are also large, very poorly Detailed descriptions and measurements of landform, sandstone hills of the Augustus and Capricorn systems. soil and range condition were made at 19 per cent vegetation, These two hill systems collectively occupy 26.3 sites on 4 land systems. of the total station area and their pastoral value is extremely low. Range condition and recommendations land system on the station is Kooline (32.5 The largest land system (32.5 per cent of total station which supports very poor stony short grass 1. Kooline per cent) area) forb (SSGF) pastures on its shale hills and more mulga creekline (MUCR) aud saltbush An examination of the detailed traverse data for productive not (CHAT) pastures on drainage floors and small saline individual units of the system (this data status plains. Overall pastoral value is low. presented here) clearly shows that condition varies from unit to tmit. Ashburton land system (29.0 per cent) with its The unit of flood plains and deep silty loams and clayey soils Hills and footslopes which are the largest active and pasture is the most productive and valuable system on the the system are little grazed by livestock It supports patchy tall shrublands mostly of condition is fair or good and there is no erosion. station. braided bardie bush (Acacia victoriae) with a prominent low Saline plains and broad drainage zones with including saltbush aud tall saltbush (CHAT creeklines support pastures attractive to stock and shrub layer of CHMA) pastures in variable condition. The ground have received preferential use. The condition and have been layer consists of patchy buffel grass (TGCE pasture these units indicates that past use levels cent and land) and dense forbs and herbs after floodmg. excessive - for example 5 per cent, 48 per

Table 1 - lAND SYSTEMS ON KOOllNE STATION

systems Per cent of area Pastoral value Land and plateaux with skeletal soils and tall low Augustus - rugged mountain ranges, hill, ridges Very .. . , .. : ...... , ...... , ...... 17.4 (>30hals.u.) sh(ublands or hard spinlfex grassla-nds spinifex ...... B.9 Capricorn - rugged hills and ridges with low shrublands or hard mulga shrublands ...... '" . 2.0 Booigeeda - stony plains with hard splnifex grasslands or 2B.3

floors and broad braided creeks, sparse shrubs. 32.5 Low Koollne - rough shale hills, saline drainage restricted lower plains; tall and low shrublands ...... 0.4 (20 to 30hals.u.) Charley _ dolerite hills and ridges and spp. shrublands ...... 0.3 Ethel - cobble plains with sparse mulga and other AcaCia mulga uplands, low hills and ridges and stony lower plains with Collier - undulating stony . 0.3 shrliblands ...... 33.5

and chenopod shrublands ...... 1.6 Moderate Scoop - stony plains with snakewood shrublands ...... 0.5 (10 to 20hals.u.) Dollar _ stony plains with open snakewood 2.1 7.1 saltbush, bluebush and other shrub pastures 7.1 High Edward - alluvial plains with sparse degraded (5 \0 10hals.u.) backplains with deep silty loam and clayey soils, Very high Ashburton - active flood plains and 29.0 29.0 ...... « 5hals.u.) shrublands and tussock grasslands 100.0

222

223 223

range range

condition condition

with with

severely severely

degraded degraded

pastures pastures

and and

for for

cattle cattle and and a a number number

of of old old

watering watering

points points

made made recordings

are are

on on

the the

Edward Edward system system

indicate indicate

bad bad

7. 7.

Except Except

in in

northern northern

areas areas

Kooline Kooline

is is poorly poorly

fenced fenced Thirty Thirty one one (74 (74 per per cent) cent) of of the the 24 24 traverse traverse

4. 4.

Edward Edward land land system system (7.1 (7.1 per per cent) cent) no no serious serious erosion. erosion.

unproductive. unproductive.

Pastures Pastures

are are

partly partly

degraded; degraded;

there there is is

are are in in

good good

range range

condition. condition.

little little

significance. significance.

They They

are are

mostly mostly

hard, hard,

stony stony

and and

These These

two two

hill hill

systems systems

6. 6. The The

receive receive

remaining remaining little little grazing grazing 6 6 land land and and systems systems on on the the station station are are of of

26.3 26.3 per per cent) cent)

erosion. erosion.

Grazing Grazing

needs needs

3. 3. to to Augustus Augustus be be controlled. controlled. and and Capricorn Capricorn

land land systems systems

(collectively (collectively

cent cent

of of recordings recordings indicate indicate moderate moderate

or or

severe severe

and and

Alexander Alexander bore bore is is required. required. badly badly degraded degraded and and

35 35 per per

Ashburton Ashburton

River River in in

the the vicir,ity vicir,ity exist exist

in in of of the the Cube Cube south south Hill Hill

and and bore bore a a fencing fencing

programme programme

is is

Vegetation Vegetation

on on

this this

small small

northern northern system which which system parts parts flanks flanks of of the the the the property, property, but but no no paddocks paddocks

This This

control control could could 5. 5. Scoop Scoop be be achieved achieved land land system system in in paddocks paddocks (1.6 (1.6

per per cent) cent) in in

control control of of stock stock numbers numbers and and season season of of grazing. grazing.

country. country. Proper Proper management management on on the the system system requires requires

management management

requirements requirements of of various various classes classes

buffel buffel of of

grass. grass.

Kooline Kooline

have have

taken taken

little little

account account

of of the the

different different

of of years years

and and

by by

actively actively

promoting promoting

the the

spread spread

of of

Unfortunately Unfortunately

the the

old old fences fences

and and paddocks paddocks

would would

on on occur occur

fairly fairly

rapidly rapidly

by by spelling spelling

for for

a a

number number

and and

have have

different different

potential potential

and and

carrying carrying

capacity. capacity. that that

it it should should

not not

be be

used used

for for grazing. grazing.

Recovery Recovery

same same

paddock paddock

as as they they react react

differently differently

and and to to

grazing grazing Gum Gum Corner Corner

paddocks paddocks

is is so so

severely severely

degraded degraded

and and

Ashburton Ashburton

systems systems

should should

not not

be be included included

in in

About About the the

12 12 sq. sq.

km km mostly mostly

in in North North 13 13

Mile, Mile,

Ram Ram

and and have have

similar similar

management management

requirements. requirements.

Edward Edward

and and this this

bore bore

should should

be be

closed closed down. down.

system system

drainage drainage

floors floors

which which are are

similarly similarly

sensitive sensitive

eroding, eroding,

Severe Severe

gullying gullying

occurs occurs

near near separate separate new new

No.4 No.4

entity entity bore bore or or with with

some some

adjoining adjoining

Kooline Kooline

land land

introduced introduced

buffel buffel

grass grass

while while

others others This This

means means are are still still

that that actively actively the the system system

must must

be be

fenced fenced

as as a a

hummocks hummocks

are are now now

partly partly

stabilised stabilised

maintenance maintenance by by shrubs shrubs

and and of of pastures pastures

and and

landscape landscape

stability. stability.

redistribution redistribution

of of

soil soil has has occurred. occurred.

grazing grazing

Some Some

is is essential essential old old

for for

rehabilitation rehabilitation

and and

for for

is is

evidence evidence

of of

past past

erosion erosion

cycles cycles

control control where where

massive massive of of stock stock

wind wind in in

terms terms of of numbers numbers

and and

length length

of of

patchy patchy

hummocking hummocking

and and scalding scalding

deficiencies deficiencies is is common. common.

of of past past There There

management management

systems. systems.

Complete Complete

Moderate Moderate

and and severe severe

wind wind

erosion erosion

matter matter in, in,

the the of of form form considerable considerable of of concern concern and and clearly clearly shows shows

the the

The The

bad bad condition condition well well below below of of the the its its Edward Edward potential. potential. system system is is a a

grass. grass.

However, However,

the the whole system system whole is is vegetative vegetative producing producing

cover cover at at

was was

removed. removed.

still still

has has

fair fair durability durability

due due to to

shrubs shrubs inherently inherently

and and buffel buffel very very

susceptible susceptible

to to erosion erosion

once once the the

quality quality

annual annual

pasture pasture

after after

flooding flooding grazing. grazing.

and, and, The The

in in original original parts, parts,

duplex duplex

soils soils

of of the the

system system

were were

the the

system system

still still

provides provides

large large pastures, pastures, quantities quantities

but but of of the the high high

system system

is is extremely extremely

sensitive sensitive

to to

Although Although

shrub shrub pastures pastures

are are considerably considerably

useful useful

degraded degraded saltbush saltbush

(CHAT) (CHAT)

and and

other other chenopod chenopod

dense dense

stands stands

of of

shrubs shrubs

alternating alternating

with with The The bare bare

Edward Edward areas. areas. system system

is is capable capable

of of supporting supporting

condition. condition.

Vegetative Vegetative

cover cover is is very very patchy patchy

with with quite quite

the the station. station.

condition condition

with with

pastures pastures

in in poor poor

or or very very

poor poor

km. km.

Other Other

large large

areas areas

occur occur

in in

the the northern northern

half half

of of

The The Ashburton Ashburton

system system is is

mostly mostly

in in

bad bad range range

where where outcamp

a a bare bare clay clay scald scald

extends extends

for for

about about

8 8

2. 2.

Ashburton Ashburton

degradation degradation

land land system system is is (29 (29 a a few few per per cent) cent) kilometres kilometres north north

of of the the

imposed. imposed.

The The largest largest single single area area

of of severe severe

showed showed

to to moderate moderate grazing grazing and and or or severe severe cultivation cultivation erosion. erosion. and and seeding seeding

treatments treatments

range range

condition. condition. recovery. recovery.

Twenty Twenty The The areas areas four four should should per per cent cent be be fenced fenced of of recordings recordings

off off

and and

closed closed

with with

special special

68 68 per per treatments treatments cent cent of of will will the the be be recordings recordings required required in in indicating indicating

order order

to to

bad bad effect effect

with with

braided braided About About

creeks creeks 61 61 sq. sq. is is worse worse km km is is than than so so the the severely severely saline saline

degraded degraded plains plains

that that

condition condition

respectively. respectively.

Condition Condition of of drainage drainage

zones zones

hummocking. hummocking.

plain plain

unit unit

indicate indicate

good, good,

fair fair

and and

bad bad

range range

show show

severe severe

erosion erosion

in in

the.form the.form

of of wind wind

scalding scalding

and and

47 47

per per

cent cent of of

the the 19 19 recordings recordings

made made

on on

the the saline saline

erosion. erosion.

Seventeen Seventeen (40 (40 per per cent) cent) of of the the recordings recordings

land land

systems systems

272 272

29 29

29 29 18 18

24 24 3 3

10 10

26 26 34 34 27 27 13 13 60 60 27 27 Total Total over over all all

Scoop Scoop

14 14

7 7

58 58

21 21

14 14

43 43 50 50

7 7

71 71

29 29

Koolin

e e

77 77

56 56

34 34

6 4 4 6

8 8

17 17

29 29

30 30

16 16 25 25 39 39 36 36

Ethel Ethel

1 1

100 100

Edward Edward

42 42

17 17

26 26 17 17

40 40

5 5

19 19 7 7

69 69 5 5 21 21 74 74

Dollar Dollar

2 2

100 100

50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50

Capricorn Capricorn

1 1 100 100

100 100

Booigeeda Booigeeda

9 9

33 33

67 67

22 22

33 33

45 45 22 22 33 33 45 45

Augustus Augustus

1 1 100 100

100 100

Ashburton Ashburton

125 125

18 18

21 21

27 27

34 34

2 2 7 7 24 24 43 43 9 9 24 24 20 20 71 71

nil nil

minor minor

system system

mod. mod. severe severe

exe. exe. good good fair fair

recordings recordings poor poor v. v. poor poor good good bad bad fair fair

Land Land

No. No. of of

Total Total

erosion erosion (%) (%)

Pasture Pasture condition condition (%) (%) Range Range condition condition (0/0) (0/0)

(272 (272 recordings recordings on on 9 9 land land systems) systems)

Table Table 2 - 2

CONDITION CONDITION

STATEMENTS STATEMENTS DERIVED DERIVED FROM FROM TRAVERSE TRAVERSE RECORDS RECORDS 9. Capability cattle unit capacity if all the station was unserviceable. Control and distribution of stock is in good range condition is 2 910 adults or 3 640 total poor. cattle. present 8. Recommended cattle unit capacity for condition is 1 030 adults or 1 290 total cattle.

INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT 204322 ha KOOLINE STATION Range condition (sq. km) Sheep unit capacity Area Pasture Land system Capability (sq. km) lands Good Fair Bad EJD' Recommended 130B 1635 665 SSGF 245 245 55 Kooline 46 323 B3B MUCR B 13 663 CHAT 3 25 25 30B 2412 10100 592 TGCE 22 43 137 Ashburton 49 134 12 742 243B CHAT 243B CHMA 53 142 731 674 674 Augustus 355 MSGF 337 225 MUCR 12 6 1B3 216 216 Capricorn 1B2 HSHI 126 13B 13B SSGF 46 113 MUCR 5 4 B5 61 244 1563 145 CHAT 2 11 51 Edward 4 73 141 STCH 13 9 SSGF 3 9 19 10 67 9B Boolgeeda 41 HSHI 10 25 SOSP 2 17 5 16 57 174 Scoop 33 STCH 23 BB CHAT 1 6 63 MUCR 3 2 23 4 4 2B 66 Dollar 10 STCH 6 13 MUCR 1 17 TGER 1 B B B Charley B MSGF 4 15 15 CSGF 3 17 TGER 1 17 15 15 Ethel 6 SSGF 5 13 CHAT B 12 --,---- 3 12 Collier 6 MSGF 6 6 SSGF 2 B STCH 1 B 73 7764 21 B29 TOTALS 2043 B39 499 632 degradation, zero carrying capacity. *Areas of extreme degradation; severe erosion andfor pasture At Conversion rate 5:1 At Conversion rate 7.5:1 adult total adult total 1550 1940 1030 1290 Recommended cattle unit capacity ...... 4370 5460 2910 3640 Capability cattle unit capacity ...... 1 OB5 cattle Declared stock numbers (1979) ...... , ......

224 KOORDARRIE STATION - West Pilbara Shire

Location Range evaluation sites Nearly all the station is located on the Yanrey Detailed descriptions and measurements of landform, 1:250 000 map sheet with a small section extending onto vegetation, soils and range condition were made at 18 the Onslow sheet. The homestead is about 79 km south sites on 6 land systems. by a road from Onslow. The station has common boundaries with Urala, Minderoo and Yanrey stations. Range condition and rt~commendations Area within survey 1. Minderoo land system (34.8 per cent of station area) Entire station 118 559 ha. Range condition of the productive Minderoo system is extremely variable as the units of the system vary markedly in their sensitivity to grazing. Description Sand plain and occasional sand dunes comprise 25 All of Koordarrie is usable grazing country consisting per cent of the system and support soft spinifex of broad coastal sandy plains with low dunes and (SOSP) pastures. These units are relatively resistant extensive alluvial clay plains. to grazing. Pasture condition is good and there is no The Minderoo land system is the largest on the station erosion. (34.8 per cent of total area) and occurs in the centre of Plains with through' drainage, gilgai plains and the property. The system consists of clayey and sandy swamps and depressions comprise about 55 per cent plains supporting tall shrubs, tussock grasses and soft of the system and support a range of tussock grass spinifex. Pastoral value is very high. pastures such as weeping grass (TGCH) and mitchell Westward towards the coast the landscape consists of grass (TGAS). Range condition is mostly fair although sand plain and sandy corridors between low parallel considerable areas are also in good and bad dunes of the Yankagee, Dune and Onslow land systems. condition. Due to the lack of slope and heavy clay The Yankagee system is characterised by numerous soils of the gilgai plains and swamps no erosion round or oval claypans, usually between 20 and 400 m in occurs even when pastures are severely depleted. diameter, but occasionally much larger. These three Plains with through drainage are inherently more systems, together with the clay plain systems Globe and susceptible and some minor erosion is evident. Cheetara in the east of the station, collectively occupy Plains supporting snakewood occupy about 15 per 63.6 per cent of the total area and are of high pastoral cent of the system and this unit is very sensitive to value. grazing. The unit supports stony chenopod (STCH) The only other land systems on the station are and saltbush (CHAT) pastures. Pasture condition is Littoral and Uaroo (collectively 1.6 per cent), and these mostly fair although both extremes of condition are are of little significance for grazing. Characteristics of also seen. There are some patches of minor erosion, all land systems on the station are briefly summarised in mostly in the form of wind hummocking and surface Table 1. stripping. Condition statements for land systems and for the An area of about 3 sq. km in South paddock is station as a whole (total over all land systems) have been severely degraded and requires protection from prepared from data collected whilst traversing on the grazing for such time as is necessary for recovery to station and are presented in Table 2. be effected.

Table 1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON KOORDARRIE STATION

Pastoral value Land systems Per cent of area

Very low Llttoral- extensive bare coastal mudflats, flanked by mangroves and narrow sandy plains .. 1,0 1.0 ()30hals.u.) Low o (20 to 30hals.u.)

Moderate Uaroo - broad sandy plains with hard and soft spinifex grasslands ...... 0.6 0,6 ~ to 20hals.u.)

High Yankagee - plains with dunes and numerous claypans, soft spinifex and snakewood (5 to 10hals.u.) shrublands ...... 33.0 Globe - degraded alluvial plains supporting snakewood shrublands and minor tussock grasslands...... 17.1 Dune - coastal dune fields with soft spinifex grasslands ...... 10.0 Cheetara - alluvial clay plains with gilgais, mixed open tussock grasslands and tall shrublands ...... 2,1 Onslow - sand plain, dunes and clay plains with soft spinifex and tussock grasses. 1.4 63,6

34,8 34.8 100.0

225 -~l

RECORDS Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE (151 recordings on 6 land systems) Range condition (%) Total erosion (%) Pasture condition (%) Land No. of v. poor good fair bad system recordings nil minor mod. severe exe. good fair poor 14 43 43 71 29 14 14 29 43 Cheetara 7 100 4 100 100 Dune 12 43 29 16 12 55 33 Globe 51 55 27 12 6 100 100 Littoral 1 100 16 33 23 21 7 49 32 19 Minderoo 57 79 12 9 52 19 16 3 10 71 16 13 Yankagee 31 77 10 3 10 Total over all 20 21 27 20 12 41 36 23 land systems 151 71 17 8 4

over all, the system is in fair 2. Yankagee land system (33.0 per cent) Although, taken there are some areas which are of concern consists of sand condition About 38 per cent of this system About 6 sq. km of country in the vicinity of Cement plain and dunes supporting soft spinifex (SOSP) degraded and eroded and should not there is no well is severely pastures. Pasture condition is good and grazed. The affected areas are in Woolly, Cement the system are plains be erosion. The remaining units of and South paddocks with the largest area in the with snakewood, plains receiving concentrated flow, which also contains some severely support latter paddock and swamps and depressions. These units country of the Minderoo system (see 1). such as degraded saltbush (CHAT) and tussock grass pastures in Generally condition is fair A regeneration programme should be initiated weeping grass (TGCH). to Cement and some considerable areas are in good and South paddock and be extended although subsequent years. South bad condition. Woolly paddocks in be closed to grazing for at least two south-west paddock should Parts of the Yankagee system in the remedial treatments involving strip to the lack of years and and elsewhere are poorly utilised due cultivation and seeding with buffel and is understandably contour stock waters. Range condition birdwood grass undertaken. Although the good and pastures include stands of saltbush severe the country still has good is degradation is beneath snakewood. This V( getation association for recovery given reasonable seasons and area as the potential rarely seen elsewhere in the survey an absence of livestock. saltbush has been almost completely depleted. The be brought unused portions of the system should 4. Cheetara land system (2.1 per cent) by constructing dams at suitable into production in fair or bad condition. The locations. This system is mostly consists of flat clay plains with and without system near No. system About 2 sq. km of the Yankagee gilgais and supports Roebourne plains grass (TGER) 4 dam in the north-west of the station is seriously as a grassland or as a ground layer beneath from grazing. pastures degr~ded and requires protection tall shrubs. In the degraded situation the grass AddltlOnal watering points are required in the area extremely sparse and, in extreme so that tussocks become so that stock can be more widely spread and are absent. In the latter case the pastures are to livestock to cases, No.4 dam can be temporarily closed degraded to annual herb fields with no durability. encourage pasture recovery. Parts of the system require spelling over a number of Fire is an important management tool on the consecutive growing seasons and this could be spinifex units of this and the Minderoo and Dune readily implemented within the existing paddock land systems. Young soft spinifex is of moderate system. grazing value and has good drought durability. However, old ~ature spinifex stands are of very 5. Range condition of the remaining land systems little use for grazmg and management must be aimed (Dune 10 per cent, Onslow 1.4 per cent, Littoral h at maintaining the pastures in as attractive condition per cent and Uaroo 0.6 per cent) on the station is.t to stock as possible. Spinifex must be burnt on a good. Pastures are predominantly spinifex and thei,. regular basis about every 4 or 5 years, and burning only special management requirement is regular/\( should be late in the year. Burnt areas should be burning (see 2). deferred from grazing for 8 to 10 weeks over the growing . season following the fire in order to 6. The station is poorly developed in terms of artificial#,;; encouage establishment of desirable grasses shrubs watering points, and only half of the station is:~· and spinifex seedlings. ' currently being utilised. Some mills are,,);: cases groundwater~~~ Spinifex country is generally resistant to unserviceable, and in many some wind erosion can occur supplies are too saline for development. However\~; degradation, although in the wes~iii dry spell occurs after burning. Re much of the unused country, particularly if a prolonged by th~ii2; of vegetative cover and stabilisation could be brought into production establishment at suitable sites. This eountrl'~ occurs rapidly after rain. construction of dams high pastoral value, and a developmenJlj? system (17.1 per cent) is of 3. Globe land programme is required. ;fif; from good to bad. Condition of the system varies the station are in very pool supports snakewood is Many of the fences on The alluvial plain unit which and an upgrading programme is require~~,~ more sensitive to grazing and erosive condition, mherently that proper pasture and animal practices can OS%~ forces than other units and is consequently more so ;\11 degraded. implemented. ,I va 226 ---

7. The recommended sheep unit capacity for present considered to be satisfactory for present condition. condition and assuming full development and use of the property (which is not the case at present, see 6) is 13 010 adults or 16 260 total sheep. The station is 8. The capability sheep unit capacity if all country was currently (1978) running about 7 300 total sheep on in good range condition is 19770 adults or 24710 about half the station area, and this number is total sheep.

INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT KOORDARRIE STATION 118559ha Range condition (sq. km) Sheep unit capacity Land system Area Pasture (sq. km) lands Good Fair Bad EID' Recommended Capability Minderoo 413 TGCH 93 93 41 4506 7491 sasp 91 12 1238 1288 STCH 15 23 20 4 280 515 No veg 21 Yankagee 391 sasp 127 21 1762 1850 TGCH 21 21 42 2 1126 2838 CHAT 22 22 11 485 688 No veg 102 Globe 203 CHAT 9 56 40 7 677 1400 TGER 20 59 830 1319 sasp 6 6 125 150 Dune 119 SOSP 103 1288 1288 TGMI 10 167 167 No veg 6 Cheetara 25 TGER 3 10 10 2 167 418 Onslow 16 sasp 8 100 100 TGMI 6 100 100 TGCE 2 100 100 Littoral 12 sasp 1 13 13 SAMP 1 4 4 No veg 10 Uaroo 7 HSSP 5 15 15 sasp 2 25 25 TOTALS 1186 684 323 164 15 13008 19769 "Areas of extreme degradation; severe erosion and/or pasture degradation, zero carrying capacity. Recommended sheep unit capacity...... 13010 adults - 16260 total Capability sheep unit capacity...... ' ...... 19770 adults - 24 710 total

Declared stock numbers (1978) ...... 7269 sheep

227 Pilbara Shire MAROONAH STATION - West

and two other minor the Charley system (4.6 per cent) Location systems. station is located on the is of moderate Nearly all of Maroonah section The most useful grazing country 1:250 000 map sheet with a small in the west along the Edmund to the station pastoral value and is located on to the Winning sheet. Access in the centre of the station. Gently extending or to the North Yannarie River and (14.6 is via Gascoyne Junction in the south stony plains of the Mundong system Nyang station in the north undulating plains and rises West Coastal Highway via cent) occur in the west and calcrete per occur in the centre. west. of the Nadarra systems {17 per cent) boundaries with Towera, high or very high The station has common There are no land systems of Gifford Creek, Edmund, surveyed area. Lyndon, Mangaroon, the Barlee pastoral value within the and Glenflorrie Stations and with the station Ullawarra of 11 land systems are present on Range Wildlife Sanctuary. A total in Table l. and summary descriptions are presented and the whole within survey Condition statements for land systems Area systems) were derived from (155 849 hal of the station falls station (total over all land About 79 per cent the traversing on the station and are area. The remainder falls within data obtained whilst within the survey mapped 2. of the Gascoyne River and was presented in Table catchment survey (1970), but during the Gascoyne River catchment was prepared. This report deals only Range evaluation sites no station report within the of landform, that part of the station falling Detailed descriptions and measurements with condition were made at 24 Ashburton River catchment. vegetation, soils and range sites on 5 land systems. Description consists of About 22.5 per cent of the area surveyed Range condition and recommendations hills and ridges of the Augustus and rugged mountains, system per cent of area land systems. The large Augustus I. Augustus land system (19.8 Capricorn mostly in the north (19.8 per cent of the area) occurs surveyed) of both systems are poorly accessible within the surveyed area. east. Some parts Pastures are This is the largest system are virtually unused by livestock. and footslopes provide some rough and (MSGF) and hard Narrow valleys is of mostly mulga short grass forb" but much of this very rugged system pastoral value is very low. grazing, condition is spinifex (HSHI) and overall negligible pastoral use. Overall range consists of land A further 45.7 per cent of the area good. These include rough systems of low pastoral value. stony plains of the Prairie system (19.7 Prairie land system (19.7 per cent) granite hills and of the 2. low hills, ridges and stony uplands consists of low, rough granite hills, per cent), hills and ridges of This system Collier system (18.2 per cent), dolerite

MAROONAH STATION Table 1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON Per cent of area Land systems Pastoral value soils and tall ridges, and plateaux with skeletal rugged mountain ranges, hUls, . 19.8 low Augustus - ...... Very or hard spinlfex grasslands . 2.7 (> 30hals.u.) shrublands or hard spinlfex ...... and ridges with low shrublands Capricorn - rugged hills ...... " ... . 0.01 hard spinifex grasslands or mulga shrublands Booigeeda - stony plains with 22.5

" .. . 19.7 with low and tall shrublands ...... hills and undulating stony plains Prairie - granite and stony lower plains with mulga Low stony uplands, low hills and ridges . 18.2 (20 to 30hals.u.) Collier _ undulating ...... shrublands and low shrublands. " .. ' 4.6 and restricted lower plains; tall Charley - dolerite hills and ridges shrubs. 1.7 and broad braided creeks, sparse shale hills, saline drainage floors Koollne - rough shrub lands ...... 1.5 and stony rises with groved mulga Jamlndle - stony hardpan plains 45.7

17.0 and hard spinifex grasslands rises with chenopod shrublands Nadarra - plains and calcrete ...... 14.6 Moderate open snakewood and mulga shrublands _ gently undulating plains with (10 to 20hals.u.) Mundong and cassia shrub lands .. . 0.2 mesas and lower plains with mulga Table - low calcrete plateaux, 31.S 0

High 0 (5 to 10hals.u.)

Very high 0 « 5hals.u.) 100.-

228 Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE RECORDS (246 recordings on 8 land systems)

Land No. of Total erosion ('Yo) Pasture condition (%) Range condition (%) system recordings nil minor mod. severe exe. good fair poor v. poor good fair bad Augustus 11 100 55 18 27 73 27 Charley 5 100 80 20 80 20 Collier 47 100 36 39 19 6 74 26 Capricorn 11 82 18 9 55 27 9 64 27 9 Kooline 9 78 22 11 67 22 11 89 Mundong 95 96 4 1 7 54 36 2 8 88 4 Nadarra 46 98 2 15 30 42 13 46 54 Prairie 22 95 5 14 40 41 5 54 41 5 Total over all land systems 246 96 4 16 23 41 19 39 59 2

footslopes and restricted rocky plains and drainage requires complete control of stock numbers and floors. Although rough the system is generally season of use. Occasional complete spelling over a accessible to stock and is utilised to some extent. The grazing season or two consecutive growing seasons is hills and stony plains support mulga short grass forb necessary to maintain or improve pasture condition (MSGF) and stony short grass forb (SSGF) pastures and this could be done using existing paddocks. which are mostly in good condition. Small inclusions of better quality pastures such as mulga creekline 5. Mundong land system (14.6 per cent) (MUCR) pastures occur along drainage floors and This accessible plain system supports useful stony creeklines. These are largely In good condItIOn chenopod (STCH) and tussock grass (TGER) although deterioration to fair and bad condition is pastures beneath snakewood and mulga. Pasture evident in parts. The overall condition of the system condition varies from good to poor with the bulk is acceptable and no special management other than showing moderate deterioration to fair condition. occasional spelling of the more accessible parts is Overall range condition is fair and there is no required. erosion. The system is well paddocked and a systematic 3. Collier land system (18.2 per cent) programme of spelling over growing seasons on a This system of low hills and stony uplands is paddock by paddock basis is required to improve largely in good range condition with smaller areas in pasture condition. In its present condition, the fair condition. The stony nature of the system means system should not be stocked in excess of about I that it is not susceptible to erosion. s.u.l18 ha on a yearlong basis.

4. Nadarra land system (17 per cent) 6. The remaining six systems on the surveyed area are all in good or fair range condition. There are no This system of plains and calcrete rises supports problems of serious pasture deterioration or erosion. useful and durable bluebush (CHMA) and stony chenopod (STCH) pastures with smaller areas of 7. All the accessible parts of the station are well poor hard spinifex (HSHI) pastures. Condition of developed in terms of waters and paddocks although the major units of the system is about equally some fences may require upgrading. Good control distributed between good and fair. There is obvious of stock is possible on much of the station, thus decline in desirable shrubs on some stony plains, but enabling sound husbandry of vegetation and animal no erosion as most units of the system have a dense resources. stony surface mantle and are inherently resistant. Exceptions to this are some drainage floors and flow 8. The recommended safe sheep unit capacity for zones (about 10 per cent of the system) which are present condition of the surveyed area is 6 800 adults susceptible to erosion once the vegetation is or 8 500 total sheep. depleted. A few floors and flow zones are seriously degraded, but the general condition of the whole 9. The capability sheep unit capacity if all of the system is acceptable. surveyed section of the station was in good range Proper pasture management on the system condition is 8 690 adults of 10 860 total sheep.

229 INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT Area surveyed 155 849 ha MAROONAH STATION Range condition (sq. km) Sheep unit capacity Area Pasture Land system Capability (sq. km) lands Good Fair Bad E/D' Recommended 588 294 588 Augustus 309 MSGF 83 188 MUCR 15 540 540 Prairie 306 MSGF 135 366 46 76 290 SSGF 483 613 MUCR 33 8 8 624 37 587 Collier 283 MSGF 119 213 71 213 SSGF 363 465 STCH 25 31 780 988 264 STCH 56 63 Nadarra 42 1098 1325 CHMA 64 61 66 HSHI 32 7 1079 130 650 Mundong 228 STCH 537 952 7 50 TGER 62 123 SSGF 41 94 47 94 Charley 71 MSGF 120 120 CSGF 24 51 51 Capricorn 43 HSHI 30 33 11 33 SSGF 11 25 MUCR 2 47 66 27 SSGF 3 19 38 Kaoline 2 14 MUCR 17 25 CHAT 2 40 10 35 Jamindie 24 SSGF 10 38 1 2 24 MUCR 8 17 TGER 1 8 8 Table 3 MSGF 2 5 5 CSGF 1 MUCR Booigeeda 0.1 HSHI SOSP 8690 538 9 6802 TOTALS 1558 1 011 degradation, zero carrying capacity . • Areas of extreme degradation; severe erosion and/or pasture ...... 6800 adults - 8500 total ...... Recommended sheep unit capacity . total ' ...... 8690 adults - 10 860 Capability sheep unit capacity ...... 2970 sheep, 120 cattie Declared stock numbers (1979) ......

230 MARRILLA STATION - Carnarvon and West Pilbara Shires

Location Pastoral value is moderate or high. The Yarcowie Marrilla station is located on the Yanrey and Winning system (1.2 per cent) consists of flat or very gently Pool 1:250 000 map sheets. The homestead is about 16 sloping gilgai plains supporting Roebourne plains grass km north-west by road from the North West Coastal (TGER) pastures and sparse shrubs. Pastoral value is Highway and about 264 km north of Carnarvon. The relatively high. station has common boundaries with Giralia, Yanrey, Characteristics of all seven land systems on the Nyang, Winning, Cardabia and Bullara stations. station are briefly summarised in Table I. Area within survey Condition statements for land systems and for the station as a whole (total over all land systems) were Entire station 132 800 ha. derived from observations made whilst traversing on the station and are presented in Table 2. Description Marilla station consists of an eastern and a western Range evaluation sites block which are almost separate entities as they abut Detailed descriptions and measurements of landform, only at a single point. vegetation, soils and range conditions were made at 19 The eastern block consists almost entirely of sand sites on 6 land systems. dunes, broad swales and sandy plains of the Giralia and Varoo land systems. If correctly managed by burning and grazing deferment, these spinifex based systems are Range conditions and recommendations of moderate pastoral value. In the south of the eastern block there is a small area of the Winning land system 1. Giralia and Uaroo land systems (collectively 80.7 per which consists of low hills and broad lower plains and cent of total station area) interfluves supporting soft spinifex (SOSP) and Both these spinifex based sandy plains systems are bluebush (CHMA) pastures. Pastoral value is high. in good range condition. Both systems support hard The western block also contains a considerable area and soft spinifex with the former type generally of Giralia and Uaroo systems and some of the Winning predominating. system. In addition, in the west and north-west of this Hard spinifex pastures are of little use for grazing, block there are four distinctive land systems based on but soft spinifex is of moderate value and has good limestone and siltstones associated with the Marilla drought durability. Old, mature spinifex stands are anticline. The largest of these is the Firecracker system almost useless for grazing and management must be (5.6 per cent of total station area) which consists of aimed at maintaining the pastures in a young and as undulating stony plains. The Jubilee system (4.5 per attractive condition to stock as possible. Spinifex cent) consists of limestone hills, cuestas and undulating pastures must be burnt on a regular basis about stony plains. The Donovan system (4.3 per cent) is every 4 or 5 years and burning should be late in the found below Jubilee and Firecracker and consists of year. Burnt areas should be deferred from grazing minor stony plains and extensive gently sloping alluvial for 8 to 10 weeks over the growing season following outwash plains. Pastures of the systems consist of soft the fire in order to allow desirable grasses, forbs, spinifex (SOSP), Gascoyne bluebush (CHMA) and hard low shrubs and spinifex seedlings to become well spinifex (HSHI) in varying proportions. established. Such a burning management

Table 1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON MARRILLA STATION

Pastoral value Land systems Per cent of area

Very low 0 (>30hals.u.)

Low 0 (20 to 30hals.u.)

Moderate Glralla- linear dunes and broad sandy plains supporting hard and soft spinlfex ...... , .. 56.5 ((a to 20hals.u.) Uaroo - broad sandy plains with hard and soft spinifex grasslands '.' ...... 24.2 Jubilee - limestone hills and undulating stony plains with hard and soft spinifex hummock grasslands ...... 4.5 85.2 High Firecracker - undulating stony uplands and plains with low shrublands of Gascoyne (5 to (Ohals.u.) bluebush ...... 5.6 Donovan - gently sloping outwash plains and minor stony plains with alkaline loamy and clayey soils, tall snakewood and other Acacia spp. shrublands with chenopod and soft spinifex pastures ...... , .. , .. , ...... 4.3 Winning - low hills and broad lower plains with snakewood shrublands, chenopod and soft spinifex pastures ...... , ...... , ...... 3.7 Yarcowle- gllgai plains with tussock grasses and very sparse shrubs ..... , ...... 1.2 14.8

Very high 0 ~haJs.u.) 100.0

231 DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE RECORDS Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS (212 recordings on 7 land systems) condition (%) condition (%) Range (%) Pasture Total erosion fair bad Land No. of fair poor v. poor good mod. severe axe. good system recordings nil minor 50 46 4 4 46 42 8 96 4 22 71 7 Donovan 24 22 63 11 4 81 19 98 2 Firecracker 27 87 11 2 100 87 13 Giralia 85 49 13 100 38 87 13 Jubilee 8 61 26 8 5 100 4 30 66 4 Uaroo 39 9 22 43 22 96 4 17 83 Winning 23 17 50 33 100 YarcQwie 6 71 27 2 all 48 22 22 7 Total over 97 3 land systems 212 by providing alternative water points by to stock and be left is regularly carried out on a paddock Wherever possible pipelines should programme pipeline. any form of basis by the present lessee. the surface and not buried as paddock on results in rill and disturbance to the soil invariably In this respect the siting of access system (5.6 per cent) gully erosion. up slopes 2. Firecracker land is also important and tracks straight utilised by tracks of this system has only been fully be avoided if possible. Most a number of should livestock since the early 1960s when the Firecracker system this there were no A programme of spelling dams were constructed. Prior to or third growing season is the area and grazing over every second permanent water supplies in to maintain pasture vigour and necessary in order be was minimal. Such a programme could bluebush productivity. paddoc k system. Condition of the valuable Gascoyne implemented by using the existing is variable and is dependent good pastures on the system bluebush pastures (CHMA) in water. Fair condition with Although carrying mainly on distance from have been rated as having a is most common, but condition this rate some pasture degradation of I s.u/S ha on a year long basis, are in both good and poor condition. capacity system. smaller areas dam in fact be too high for this sensitive I sq. km. near Boongerooda may involve leaving a An area of about poor grazing management must degraded with pastures in very Proper cover to protect is very severely reasonable plant residue as ground and active gully and rill erosion. condition vicinity of other the soil surface. Condition of the system in the Donovan's dam, is also poor with dams, especially of gutters 3. JUbilee land system (4.5 per cent) pastures and erosion in the form depleted sheep pads low limestone hills, cuestas and shallow gullies, often forming down Condition of the and plains of this system is nearly all or tracks. stony undulating of the hard and soft spinifex pastures degradation accompanied by good. The and the Partial pasture are inherently resistant to grazing has occurred in a relatively short system that there is no patchy erosion are not stony nature of the landscape means As yet the areas affected by erosion management of the time. has a very high accelerated erosion. Proper large, but much of the system periodic burning of old spinifex erosion due to its moderate system involves inherent vulnerability to stands. slopes and the nature of its soils. provided by shrubs, annual grasses land system (4.3 per cent) Ground cover and 4. Donovan vital to the stability of the system is mostly fair or and forbs is use by Overall condition of this system intensity of use and season of no pasture control of of the good, and there is no erosion. Virtually is essential. The inherent fragility supportmg soft livestock and, in the degradation is evident on areas is only now becoming apparent degrees of depletlOn of system the ability of this spinifex, but varying opinion of the survey group, found beneath snakewood shrub has been over-estimated in bluebush pastures country to support stock is evident. management techniques are communities the past. Special over every third or enable grazing without landscape A regular system of spelling required to season is required in order to deterioration on this system. fourth growing Such a pasture vigour and prodnctivity. enabled grazing on the Firecracker maintain using the Dams have Heavy could be readily implemented, problems have arisen as a result. system Condalong system, but with long existing paddock arrangement although and depletion of pastures coupled convenientlr be use and sensitive paddock is rather large and could leading down to the dams 5.5 km of fencmg· slopes instability with a subdivided by about calcareous soils have resulted in of serious erosion problems in the strong likelihood land system (3.7 per cent) shaul'! be closed to stock and water 5. Winning future. Dams adjacent soft spinifex pastures whiC~ to several distribution points on This system supports C piped on the Jubilee and bluebush pastures WhI . higher more stable sites, preferably are in good condition in faIf dam water is some loss of shrubs and are system. In the case of Condalong all show spelling. kilometres (0 additional There is no erosion. Occasional already piped several condition. to encourage, and this practice should be over a growing season is required watering points, on the system (O/~~ ..• other dams. pasture recovery. Stocking rates extended to not exceed about I s.u. .'. of Boongarooda year long basis) should Because of erosion in the vicinity to closing the dam ha. dam high priority should be given

232 6. Yarcowie land system (1.2 per cent) with only two permanent waters This almost flat gilgai plains system is in fair range to supply a very large area of the Giralia land condition. Roebourne plains grass (TGER) pastures system. Attempts have been subjected should be made to develop additional waters either to heavy use since Yarcowie by dam was constructed. drilling or by constructing small dams if suitable This grass is relatively locations can be found. resistant to grazing, but there is evidence of partial degradation and a suggestion that useful shrub Additional waters are also required in southern components of the pasture have been eliminated. In parts of the western block. Additional waters would its present fair condition the whole system can carry not mean that extra stock could be run, but rather about I s.u./IO ha or a total of 170 s.u. on a year that existing stock could be better distributed over long basis. the station and that grazing pressure on sensitive parts of the station could be reduced. 7. Although the station is well developed in terms of paddocks it is poorly equipped with permanent 8. It is considered that the station has been stocked for watering points. A great deal of effort has been some years at levels somewhat above its long term expended in attempting to locate groundwater sustainable capacity. The great majority of the supplies, but many boreholes have been duds. The station consists of spinifex country in good problem has been partly alleviated by .the condition which is expected to remain stable under future construction of dams and prOV1SlOll of water pomts grazing. supplied by pipeline from the dams. However, there However, condition of the bluebush are still considerable and grass areas of the station that are pastures in the west of the station is likely only partly utilised to decline or not utilised because of the lack further if the present grazing pressure is of permanent waters. maintained and the prospect of accelerated erosion on the The problem of insufficient waters has meant thal Firecracker system is very real. existing supplies have, in some cases, been stocked at 9. levels in excess of that which can be sustained in the The recommended safe sheep unit capacity for present long term by the surrounding pastures. This is condition and assuming full development and considered to be the case on the dams m the west of use of all of the property (which is not the case the station where partial degradation of bluebush at present, see 7) is 9 550 adults or 11 940 total sheep. pastures has occurred in a relatively short time since development and is a matter of concern. 10. The capability The northern sheep unit capacity if all the station and central parts of the eastern was in good block of the station range condition is 10 490 adults or are quite inadequately watered 13 110 total sheep.

INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT MARRILLA STATION 132800 ha Land system Area Pasture Range condition (sq. km) Sheep unit capacity (sq. km) lands GOOD Fair Bad E/D* Recommended Capability Giralia 750 HSSP 375 1125 1 125 SOSP 375 4688 Uaroo 4688 321 HSSP 204 30 SOSP 672 702 76 11 1 041 1088 Firecracker 74 CHMA 17 50 6 583 925 Jubilee 60 HSHI 33 SOSP 83 83 19 5 279 300 MUCR 2 1 Donovan 31 38 57 CHMA 4 22 SOSP 4 216 375 17 10 296 338 Winning 49 CHMA 28 2 204 375 SOSP 10 2 HSHI 142 150 7 18 18 ~arcowie 17.5 TGER ----- .- 3 14 0.5 168 284 TOTALS 1 328.5 1 142 173 12 1.5 9546 10489 *Areas of extreme degradation; severe erosion andlor pasture degradation, zero carrying capacity . Recommended sheep unit capacity ...... 9550 adults - 11 940 tolal Capability sheep unit capacity ...... 10490 adults - 13 110 total Declared stock numbers (1979) ... .. ' .. ' ... " .. ' " .' ...... 12 000 sheep

233 MINDEROO STATION - West Pilbara Sbire

Range evalulltion sites Location and measurements of landform, the northern part of Detailed descriptions Minderoo station is located on soils and range condition were made at 41 map sheet and extends onto the vegetation, the Yamey 1:250000 sites on 8 land systems. southern part of the Onslow sheet. The homestead is by road from Onslow. The station located 45 km south Range condition and recommendations has common boundaries with Peedamulla, Mt. Minnie, and Urala stations. Nanutarra, Yanrey, Koordarrie 1. Minderoo land system (36.1 per cent of total station area) Area within survey Condition of the Minderoo land system is Entire station 224 994 ha. extremely variable. Twenty-one per cent of the 104 recordings made on the system indicate bad range and moderate and Description condition with degraded pastures River severe wind erosion. A total of about 15 sq. km in The station flanks both sides of the Ashburton and 10 Mile north-north-west North Edgadee, South Edgadee, Wyloo which runs for about 80 km in a affected and require property. Landforms paddocks are very severely direction through the centre of the of years to promote plains associated with the spelling for a number consist of broad alluvial These paddocks also contain about 21 River and sandy coastal plains and dunes. regeneration. Ashburton sq. km of severely degraded country of the Nanyarra of the station is accessible and can be used for All system. grazing livestock. A programme of regeneration is essential but About 44 per cent of the station area (the Minderoo at once. In having very would not need to commence in all areas and Nanyarra land systems) is classified as may be required per cent is of high the future some additional fencing high pastoral value. A further 41 areas but the programme tussock grass and. soft to isolate specific problem pastoral value with mixed immediately without requiring new' 14 per cent of the area 15 of could start spinifex pastures. About One or two of the worst paddocks should be pastoral value and less than one per cent is of fencing. moderate selected to be completely closed to stock for an low or very low value. indefinite period and strip cultivation treatments A total of 12 land systems occur on the station. These imposed. The cultivation workings should be seeded are briefly described and their pastoral value for good with buffel and birdwood grass. It is not possible to range condition status indicated in Table l. indicate the time period necessary for full recovery in 5 years statements for land systems for the station but reasonable recovery could be expected Condition grazing could re (total over all land systems) are presented in at the end of which time controlled as a whole on other severely Table 2. These statements were derived from traverse commence and treatments paddocks commence. records. degraded

Table 1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON MINDEROO STATION

Land systems Pastoral value mangroves and narrow sandy plains . . 0.6 Very low Littoral - extensive bare coastal mudflats flanked by ( >30hals.u.) Low (20 \0 30hals.u.) ... '" '" ...... " .' .. 10.4 Moderate Uaroo - broad sandy plains with hard and soft spinifex grasslands and soft spinifex ...... 2.3 (10 to 20hals.u.) Glralla- linear dunes and broad sandy plains supporting hard and domes, tor fields and sandy plains, spinifex grasslands 600laloo - granite hills, . 1.2 shrubby grasslands ...... ' ..... ' ... '" .... . 0.1 Nanutarra -low mesas and hills with soft and hard spinifex

and minor tussock grasslands . .. 13.7 High Globe - alluvial plains supporting snakewood shrub lands (5 10hals.u.) with dunes and numerous claypans, soft spinifex and snakewood to Yankagee - plains . 15.5 shrublands ...... tussock grass ...... 5.4 Onslow - sand plain, dunes and clay plains with soft spinlfex and tall plains with gilgais, mixed open tussock grasslands and Cheetara - alluvial clay . 4.3 shrublands ...... grasslands...... 2.2 Dune - dune fields with soft spinifex and minor hard spinifex -----;

tussock grasslands and areas of Very high Mlnderoo - ~lluvlal plains supporting tall shrub lands and ...... 36.1 «5hals.u.) sand supporting hummock grassland. supporting tall shrublands and low woodlands with prominent Nanyarra - alluvial plains . B.2 tussock grasses...... ----:;

234 Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE RECORDS (445 recordings on 9 land systems)

Land No. of Total erosion ('Yo) Pasture condition (%) system recordings Range condition ('Yo) nil minor mod. severe exe. good fair poor v. poor good fair bad 800laloo 1 100 100 100 Cheetara 15 80 7 13 13 60 20 7 13 Giralia 8 100 74 13 25 75 100 Globe 72 53 25 15 7 1 13 37 32 17 14 46 40 Minderoo 104 70 15 9 6 3 37 37 20 3 40 39 21 Nanyarra 134 62 16 6 16 2 30 36 19 13 32 40 28 Onslow 15 87 13 40 47 13 87 13 Uaroo 26 100 50 50 100 Yankagee 70 76 7 10 7 34 33 17 10 6 67 14 19 Total over all land systems 445 68 14 8 8 12 31 30 18 9 43 34 23

Elsewhere on the station large areas of the 5. Cheetara land system (4.3 per cent) Minderoo land system support productive grass and Three-quarters of this clay plain soft spinifex pastures in good or fair condition and system is in fair there is no erosion. range condition with the remaining area about equally distributed between good and bad condition. The system is inherently 2. Yankagee land system (15.5 per cent) resistant to erosion but, in extreme situations, where it has been completely The large sandy plains units of the Yankagee bared of perennial grass cover, wind system supporting erosion can soft spinifex pastures are in good occur. The only area which is of concern on or excellent condition and there is no erosion. Other Minderoo is on Crow Plain in units the previously of the system support grass and shrub pastures mentioned Bar/uthan paddock (see Globe and range land condition varies from good to bad. There system). Here an area of about 4 sq. km is severely are isolated patches of moderate and severe erosion degraded with no perennial grass cover. especially The area in Wonongarra paddock. will only recover if it is spelled from grazing for some considerable time and consideration should be 3. Globe land system (13.7 per cent) given to closing off Crow Plain bore. The system is mostly in either fair or bad range 6. In condition. Shrub and grass pastures are all degraded terms of paddocks and artificial watering points, to some extent, some considerably so, and Minderoo is very well developed. The presence of minor these and moderate erosion is quite common. A system of improvements means that a systematic grazing deferment over a number of programme of grazing deferment Over growing consecutive seasons growing seasons in selected paddocks would can be readily implemented on a paddock encourage pasture recovery. Barluthan paddock at basis. the southern end of the station should be given top 7. The priority in such a programme. An area around distribution of severely degraded areas indicates Telegraph dam in 16 Mile paddock is severely that, in the past, paddocks to the north of the degraded and requires remedial treatment. homestead have received excessive use and suggests that stock distribution over the whole property may 4. Nanyarra land system (S.2 per cent) not have been equitable. Every effort should be made to distribute The condition stock throughout the property of this potentially very highly and to make maximum use productive system of the relatively stable is extremely variable. soft spinifex pasture in the west Approximately 32 per and east so that cent of the system is in good grazing pressure can be reduced on range condition with dense perennial some of the more grass pastures degraded and susceptible areas along the Ashburton including the introduced buffel grass beneath an River frontage. overstorey of bardie bush and coolibah. About 41 per cent and 27 per cent of the system is in fair and S. The recommended sheep unit capacity bad range condition respectively. for present About 21 sq. km is condition is 23 750 adults or 29 690 total sheep. degraded to the extent that it is almost devoid of perennial vegetation. It should be removed from 9. The capability sheep unit capacity, if all country grazing and given special remedial was treatments as in good range condition, is 42 610 adults or 53 260 outlined for the Minderoo land system (see I). total sheep.

235 INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT MIN DEROO STATION 224997 h. Range condition (sq. km) Sheep unit capacity Land system Area Pasture (sq. km) lands Good Fair Sad E/D' Recommended Capability Minderoo 812 TGCH 112 192 143 6856 14751 SOSP 165 30 8 2338 2538 STCH 20 38 49 15 454 1 013 No veg 40 Yankagee 349 SOSP 126 7 1633 1663 TGCH 16 33 28 1082 2541 CHAT 12 13 24 318 613 No veg 90 Globe 308 CHAT 8 83 75 4 977 2125 TGER 64 56 723 2004 SOSP 14 4 208 225 Uaroo 233 HSSP 170 510 510 SOSP 63 788 788 Nanyarra 185 TGCE 34 58 39 21 2989 7600 TGCH 17 16 785 1089 Onslow 121 SOSP 59 738 738 TGMI 42 353 701 TGCE 17 850 850 No veg 3 Cheetara 97 TGER 17 68 8 4 910 1620 Giralia 51 SOSP 26 325 325 HSSP 25 75 75 Dune 50 SOSP 44 550 550 TGER 6 100 100 Boolaloo 28 HSHI 16 27 27 SOSP 11 138 138 STCH 5 8 Littoral 14 SOSP 13 13 SAMP 4 4 STCH No veg 12 Newman 2 HSHI 2 3 3 TOTALS 2250 1 127 649 430 44 23752 42612 * Areas of extreme degradation; severe erosion and/or pasture degradation, zero carrying capacity. Recommended sheep unit capacity ...... 23750 adults - 29690 total Capability sheep unit capacity ...... 42610 adults - 53260 total Declared stock numbers (1979) ...... 26149 sheep, 422 cattle

236 MININER STATION - West Pilbara Shire Location pastoral value. Other alluviaI plain Mininer station systems of is located wholly on the Turee Creek potentially high pastoral val ue occupy about 13 per cent 1:250 000 map sheet. The homestead is located a few of the station area. kilometres north of the Ashburton River and is A total of fifteen land approximately 60 km and 216 km south systems are found on the by road from station and all are briefly characterised Paraburdoo and Tom Price, respectively. The station in Table I. has common boundaries with Turee Creek, Ashburton Condition statements for land systems and for the Downs, Mt. Vernon, and Rocklea stations and vacant whole station (total over all land systems) were derived crown land. from observations made whilst traversing on the station and are presented in Table 2. Area within survey Range evaluation Entire station 221 993 ha. sites Detailed descriptions and measurements of landform, Description vegetation, soils and range condition were made at 22 sites on 6 land systems. About 8 per cent of the station consists of rugged, poorly accessible hill and mountain country of the Range Capricorn and Newman land systems. Pastoral value is conditions and recommendations negligible. The Kaoline 1. Kooline land system (40.5 per cent of total station land system, which consists of low rough area) shale hiIls and saline drainage floors with broad braided creeks, occupies about 40.5 per cent of the station. About 80 per cent of the Kaoline system consists Pastoral value is low. An additional 17.7 per cent of of shale hills and footslopes supporting very poorly country is also of low pastoral value. This country productive stony short grass forb pastures (SSGF) consists mainly of cobble plains, dissected slopes and which are in good or fair condition and show no hardpan plains with sparse mulga shrublands. erosion. The remaining units of the system are saline plains and flow zones with braided streams. These About 11.5 per cent of the station is of moderate support pastoral value useful saltbush (CHAT) and mulga and consists of low calcrete plateaux and creek line (MUCR) mesas of the Table pastures. Range condition varies land system and stony plains of the from good to bad. Dollar and Paraburdoo systems. The broad flow zones are susceptible to erosion once the vegetative cover is In its southern part the station has about 24 km of depleted and patchy minor erosion is present. frontage to the Ashburton River. The river is flanked by Control of intensity of grazing active floodplains of the Ashburton land and season of system (7.4 per grazing is required on the sensitive units cent) which, when in good condition, is of very high of the Kooline system. In the absence of paddocks a degree Tabla 1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON MINNIER STATION Pastoral value Land systems Per cent of area Very low Capricorn - rugged hills 1>30haJs.u.) and ridges with low shrublands or hard spinifex ...... 5.6 Newman - rugged jasplJite plateaux, ridges and mountains with hard spinifex ...... , 2.2 Booigeeda - stony plains with hard spinifex and mulga shrublands., .. ' .. ' .. ' .. " .. , .. , 1.0 Rocklea - basalt hills and restricted stony plains with hard spinifex ...... , .. , ...... 0.2 9.0 Low Koollne - rough shale hills, 120 to 30haJs.u.) saline drainage floors and broad braided creeks, sparse shrubs 40.5 Ethel - cobble plains with sparse mulga shrublands ...... , .. , .... ' ...... 10.1 Egerton - highly dissected plains and slopes with sparse mulga shrublands. , ...... 7.0 Jamlndle - stony hardpan plains and stony rises with groved mulga shrublands. , .... . 0.5 Platform - narrow raised plains and extensive dissected slopes with hard spinifex shrubs ...... , ...... and , ...... , .. , .. 0.1 58.2 MOderate Table - low calcrete plateaux, mesas 110 to 20haJs.u.) and lower plains with mulga and cassia shrublands . . . 6.4 Dollar - stony plains with open snakewood shrublands, . . ' .. ' .. '" ... ' .. ' .. ' .. " ." .. . 2.9 Paraburdoo - stony gilgai plains derived from basalt with snakewood shrublands ...... , 2.2

High 11.5 Edward - alluvial plains with sparse ~o 10haJs.u.) saltbush, bluebush and other shrub pastures" . . " , .. 10.9 10.9 Very high AShburton - active 1<5haJs.u.) floodplains and backplains with deep silty loam and clayey shrublands and tussock grasslands soils, .. " . " . " . ' ..... ' . , ...... ' .. " ... , ... ' .. ' ...... , 7.4 River - narrow active flood plains flanking major rivers and creeks with shrublands ...... moderate tail , ... , ...... ' ... , , ...... 3.0 10.4 100.0

237 RECORDS Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE (232 recordings on 11 land systems) Range condition (%) Total erosion (%) Pasture condition (%) Land No. of v. poor good fair bad system recordings nil minor mod. severe exe. good fair poor 3 41 53 3 3 41 56 Ashburton 37 40 14 32 14 33 33 34 67 33 Capricorn 3 67 33 7 27 66 33 60 7 Dollar 15 66 27 7 13 29 42 16 13 20 67 Edward 45 22 29 29 20 71 29 71 29 Egerton 7 86 14 5 58 32 5 63 32 5 Ethel 22 95 5 59 25 14 2 58 31 11 Kooline 64 77 17 6 50 50 50 50 Paraburdoo 2 100 33 67 33 67 Platform 3 100 50 25 25 50 25 25 River 8 62 25 13 57 29 14 57 29 14 Table 7 71 29 Total over all 37 32 25 5 37 33 30 land systems 213 59 19 15 7

this and other stations that inadequate can be achieved by manipulating stock the survey on of control inevitability leads to severe pasture on artificial waters or by periodically stock control numbers and erosion. closing down waters. degradation fencing development programme to plain and flow zone units of the A long-term The saline the Edward system (and also adjacenL are often adjacent to the Edward bring all of Kooline system units of the Kooline system) under control system and in the future could be incorporated into a sensitive paddocking programme required for the lalter is required. system (see 2). 3. Ethel land system (10.1 per cent) 2. Edward land system (10.9 per cent) The bulk of this system supports stony short (SSGF) which are not very productive, alluvial plain system is capable of supporting forb pastures This or good condition. Smaller inclusions saltbush (CHAT) and bluebush (CHMA) but are in fair useful quality pastures such as mulga creekline but it is inherently sensitive to overuse and of better pastures, and saltbush (CHAT) vary in condition duplex soils are highly susceptible to erosion once (MUCR) ils good to bad. The cobble plains of the system Ihe vegetative cover is depleted. from are inherently resistant to erosive forces and no on Two-thirds of the 45 traverse recordings made erosion was observed. the system indicate bad range condition with badly the degraded pastures and erosion. Almost half 4. Ashburton land system (7.4 per cent) indicate moderate or severe erosion in the recordings This productive alluvial plains land system form of scalding, hummocking and surface sheeting. nearly all .in fair or bad range condition. About 27 sq. km is so severely degraded that pastures are considerably degraded, but the special remedial treatments will be required in order still provides large quantities of high quality arc to effect recovery. The three areas of concern pasture after flooding. Twenty-two of the near Beefwoodgate bore, just north of recordings made on the system (i.e. 60 per of Mt. homestead and a few kilometres north show some degree of erosion. areas should be completely closed Elephant. These km of the system is and a fencing programme to do this is At least 6 sq. to grazing and should not be grazed. required. degraded severe degradation is to the south of Co,onob1JNLfi effect Protection from grazing alone will not well and the area requires fencing so that stock in most recovery within a reasonable time period as, be excluded until reasonable recovery occurs. are no longer any natural seed sources of cases, there has proven ability to colonise on shrubs. The areas are suitable for and have Buffel grass desirable and loamy parts of this system to be rehabilitated by cultivation and more sandy potential and establishment should be seeding with a range of grasses and chenopod spread shrubs. It is not possible to stipulate the length of encouraged. recovery. However, partial time required for full the remaining land systems anticipated in five years if a 5. The condition if recovery could be occupy about 31 per cent of the programme of cultivation and seeding, collectively regeneration station, is also indicated in Table 2. with complete protection from grazing, was the coupled in good or fair range condition and The hi~h costs of such a programme they are implemented. only minor pasture degradation and little M"",On; are partially offset by the fact that the Edward has the potential to support valuable drought system Mininer station has only recently been enlarged tolerant perennial vegetation. 6. size by the acquisition of additional country to Open range grazing is not an acceptable north and east of the original block. sensitive Edward land management practice on the on the newly acquired area control of grazing intensity and Although pastures system. Complete of low or moderate pastoral value, use is essential in order to maintain pasture mostly only season of in fair or good condition and productivity and stability. It is clearly evident from are generally

238 brought into use to telieve grazing pressure on the Ashburton River frontage and its tributary plains. condition and assuming full development is 1 100 A adults or 1 380 programme to develop waters and paddocks (on !be total cattle. most sensitive systems within the new area) is required. 8. The capability cattle unit capacity if all country was in good range condition is I 750 adults or 2 190 total cattle. 7. The recommended cattle unit capacity for present

INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT MININER STATION 221 993 ha Land system Area Pasture Range condition (sq. km) Sheep unit capacity (sq. km) lands Good Fair Bad EID" Recommended Capability Kooline 953 SSGF 414 368 1978 MUCR 38 2346 29 28 727 1 CHAT 50 18 188 8 794 950 Edward 230 CHAT 12 41 118 27 STCH 785 2475 9 10 9 143 SSGF 4 232 12 12 Ethel 213 SSGF 111 51 8 CHAT 447 510 13 11 8 174 MUCR 4 400 5 2 84 138 Ashburton 157 CHAT 2 31 43 3 390 CHMA 2 988 31 42 3 350 975 Egerton 148 MSGF 79 32 SSGF 412 444 17 7 45 MUCR 9 4 48 135 163 Table 135 MSGF 39 20 9 CSGF 234 272 31 16 7 217 MUCR 7 270 4 2 116 163 Capricorn 127 HSHI 89 151 151 SSGF 21 11 MUCR 85 96 3 2 52 River 75 64 MUCR 21 11 10 STCH 356 525 7 3 3 79 No veg 9 108 Dollar 62 STCH 11 34 5 MUCR 271 415 3 3 3 64 TGER 1 113 1 1 18 50 Newman 47 HSHI 47 80 Paraburdoo 80 46 STCH 18 17 CHAT 234 291 4 4 72 SSGF 3 100 Boolgeeda 9 9 21 HSHI 20 50 50 SOSP 1 Jamindie 13 13 11 MSGF 8 MUCR 32 32 2 25 25 TGER 1 Rocklea 17 17 4 HSHI 4 7 7 Platform 2 HSHI 2 3 TOTALS 3 2220 1 116 764 307 33 8226 13101 *Areas of extreme degradation; severe erosion and/or pasture degradation, zero carrying capacity.

At Conversion rate 5:1 At Conversion rate 7.5:1 adult total adult total Recommended cattle unit capacity ...... 1650 2060 1100 1380 Capability cattle unit capacity ...... 2620 3280 1750 2190 Declared stock numbers (1979) ...... 500 total cattle

239 MT. BROCKMAN STATION - West Pilbara Shire

condition and recommendations Location Range on the Mt. Bruce Mt. Brockman station is located 1. Rocklea land system (52 per cent of station area) map sheet near the headwaters of Duck 1:250 000 hills and mountains The nearest town is Tom Price which is about 90 This system of rugged Creek. productive hard spinifex (HSHI) to the south-east. The station has a common supports poorly km are unattractive to livestock. Pasture boundary with Hamersley station in the east and pastures which good or excellent. Small inclusions of elsewhere is surrounded by rugged, mountainous vacant condition is better quality stony chenopod (STCH) and mUlga land. crown creekline (MUCR) pastures occur in some areas, and these are in good condition. Area within survey (20.4 per cent) Entire station 60 958 ha. 2. Booigeeda land system This stony plains system supports unproductive some small areas Description hard spinifex (HSHI) pastures with of soft spinifex (SOSP) along creeklines. The system station consists predominantly of rough hills, The is generally unattractive to stock. Range condition is and plateaux. Hill systems Rocklea based on mountains good. basalt and Newman based on jaspilite collectively per cent of the station area. Low stony occupy 66.4 3. Newman (14.4 per cent) and Robe (8.4 per cent) land of the Boolgeeda system (20.4 per cent) lie plains systems beneath the hill systems. Pastures of all three systems system is are mostly hard spinifex (HSHI) and pastoral value is Most of the extremely rugged Newman Spinifex very low. unsuitable for pastoral purposes. is in original condition and there is no of the area consists of low limonite vegetation About 8.4 per cent Soft spinifex pastures of the Robe system and buttes of the Robe land system. erosion. plateaux, mesas provide some useful grazing and are in good range consist of a mixture of hard (HSHI) and soft Pastures condition. spinifex (SOSP) and pastoral value is moderate. The only country of high pastoral value on the station 4. Brockman land system (4.2 per cent) occurs as Alluvial clay plains of the Brockman system along Duck Creek in the north and north-east. Pastures This readily accessible cracking clay plain system stock arc mainly tussock grasses (TGCH). is preferentially grazed by stock and nearly all station have concentrated on it in the past. Descriptions of all land systems on the station are on the Levels of use have been excessive. presented in Table 1. of supporting dense, for each land system and for The system is capable Condition statements grass (TGCH) n"."tIlfP< a whole (total over all land systems) are productive perennial the station as degraded to bad range eA,,""'"'" in Table 2. These statements were derived now mostly summarised grasses are very sparse and patchy observations made whilst traversing on the Perennial from there is much bare ground. Although there staLioJ1. occasional minor erosion the system is resistant to erosion due to its flat topography heavy clay soils. evaluation sites Range The system supplies a flush of annual but no longer has drought durat,ility, descriptions and measurements of landform, season, Detailed control of stock is essential, vegetation, soils and range condition were made at 10 Complete system needs complete spelling over two sites on 4 land systems.

labia 1 - LANtr SYSTEMS UN MT. BROCKMAN STATION

systems Pastoral value Land with hard spinifex...... 52.0 Very low Rocklea - basalt hills and restricted stony plains mulga shrublands. 20.4 ( >30hafs.u.) Booigeeda - stony plains with hard spinifex grasslands or with hard spinifex ...... '" 14.4 Newman - rugged jaspilite plateaux, ridges and mountains hard spinifex. 0.6 Table - low calcrete plateaux, mesas and lower plains with

Low (20 to 30hafs.u.) 8.4 of limonite with soft and hard spinifex. Moderate Robe - low plateaux, mesas and buttes (10 to 20hafs.u.) High (5 to 10hafs.u.) soils supporting open tussock grasslands and Very high Brockman - alluvial plains with cracking clay . 4.2 « 5hafs.u.) low woodlands ......

240 Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE RECORDS (212 recordings on 7 land systems) ----- Total Land No. of erosion (%) Pasture condition (%) system recordings Range condition (%) nil minor mOd. severe exe. good fair poor v. poor good fair bad Booigeeda 73 99 10 79 7 4 Brockman 11 89 10 1 64 36 19 36 45 Newman 8 100 45 55 25 75 100 Platform 4 100 25 75 Rocklea 39 100 100 58 36 3 3 95 Robe 7 100 5 100 100 Table 2 100 100 100 Total over all land systems 139 98 25 63 6 5 89 9 2 consecutive growing seasons and very light use for 6. Recommended catle unit capacity the remainder of the year. In for present its present condition condition is 240 adults or 300 total cattle. the whole system (25 sq. km) should not carry more than 40 cattle over nine months of the year. Provided that stocking is controlled the pastures of the system have the potential to recover quite 7. Capability cattle rapidly. unit capacity if all country was in good range condition is 310 adults Or 390 total cattle. 5. Except for the valley along Duck Creek in the north where there are some block fences and artificial watering points the station is undeveloped and does not warrant development. The only piece of useful 8. The station is not a viable pastoral unit and any grazing country (Brockman system) is seriously future transfer as a single entity should not be degraded. permitted. The area should revert to crown land. INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT MT. BROCKMAN STATION 60958 ha Land system Area Pasture Range condition (sq. km) Sheep unit (sq. km) capacity lands Good Fair Bad EID' Recommended Capability Aocklea 317 HSHI 285 STCH 485 485 15 130 133 MUCR 16 200 Booigeeda 200 125 HSHI 111 8 SOSP 291 298 5 1 71 75 Newman 88 HSHI 88 150 150 Robe 51 SOSP 46 HSHI 288 288 5 13 13 Brockman 25 TGCH 7 13 141 660 STCH 3 1 Table 25 42 4 HSHI 4 MUCR 7 7 TOTALS 610 576 20 14 1 801 2351 *Areas of extreme degradation; severe erosion and/or pasture degradation, zero carrying capacity.

At Conversion rate 5:1 At Conversion rate 7.5:1 adult total adult total Recommended cattle unit capacity ...... 360 450 240 300 Capability cattle unit capacity ...... 470 590 310 390 Declared stock numbers (1979) ... " . " .. '" '" .. '" ...... 57 cattle

241 MT. MINNIE STATION - West Pilbara

Location Range evaluation sites of landform Most of Mt. Minnie station is located on the Onslow Detailed descriptions and measurements made at 6 sites on 3 and Yanrey 1:250 000 map sheets with very small areas vegetation, soils and condition were extending on to the Wyloo and Yarraloola sheets. The land systems. homestead is situated some 68 km south-east by road from Onslow and about 23 km north-west from the North West Coastal Highway. The station has common boundaries with Peedamulla, Cane River, Nanutarra Range condition and recommendations and Minderoo stations. 1. Condition of nearly all pastures and land systems on Mt. Minnie station is good and there is no erosion. Area within survey The only exception to this is some minor Entire station 111 530 ha. degradation of stony chenopod (STCH) pastures on the Stuart land system. Description predominantly hard and is usable grazing country consisting 2. Pastures on the station are All of the station spinifex is of very little use for plains with some sand dunes and minor soft spinifex. Hard of broad sandy spinifex is of moderate value and of stony plains. graziug, but soft areas drought durability. Old, mature spinifex a has good The Uaroo and Giralia land systems which support stands are useless for grazing, and management mixture of hard and soft spinifex pastures (HSSP and be aimed at maintaining the pastures in as station must SOSP) collectively occupy 93.4 per cent of the attractive condition to stock as possible. Spinifex area. If the spinifex vegetation is properly managed the must be burnt on a regular basis about of pastures pastoral value of the systems is moderate. Small areas every 4 or 5 years and burning should be late in the the Stuart land system, which is also of moderate year. Burnt areas should be deferred from grazing pastoral value, occur in the east of the station. This for 8 to 10 weeks over the growing season following system supports snakewood shrub communities with the fire in order to encourage establishment of sparse stony chenopod (STCH), hard spinifex (HSSP) grasses, desirable shrubs and spinifex seedlings. soft spinifex (SOSP) pastures. and The land systems supporting spinifex are generally The only other land systems of importance on the resistant to degradation, although some wind' station are Minderoo (2 per cem) and Yankagee (0.9 per erosion can occur if a prolonged dry spell occurs cent) which occur at the western edge of the station. after burning. Re-establishment of vegetative cover These systems are of high or very high pastoral value and stabilisation occurs rapidly after rain. and support mixed soft spinifex and tussock grass pastures. 3. Only the eastern half of Mt. Minnie is being UUII"" " of stock The seven land systems found on the station are for grazing due to the lack the north-east includ".'/ further described in Table 1. west. The unused sections in some of the best soft spinifex country (Giralia Condition statements for land systems and for the If fully developed from data system) on the station. station as a whole have been prepared watering points the unused area on the station and are additional collected whilst traversing carry about 3 500 adult sheep. presented in Table 2.

Tabla 1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON MT. MINNIE STATION

systems Pastoral value Land hard spinifex ...... 0.1 Very low Capricorn - rugged hills and ridges with low shrublands or ( >30ha/s.u.) Low (20 to 30ha/s.u.) and soft spinifex...... 80.B Moderate Uaroo - broad sandy plains with hard plains supporting hard and soft spinifex...... 12.6 (10 to 20ha/s.u.) Giralla- linear dunes and broad sandy soft moderate relief with snakewood shrublands and hard and Stuart - plains of low or . 3.6 spinifex hummock grasslands......

numerous claypans, soft spinlfex and snakewood High Yankagee - plains with dunes and 0.9 (5 to 10ha/s.u.) shrublands ...... and tussock grass...... 01 Onslow - sand plain, dunes and clay plains with soft splnifex

shrublands and tussock grasslands and areas of Very high Mlnderoo - alluvial plains supporting tall . 2.0 « 5ha/s.u.) sand supporting hummock grasslancf......

242 Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE RECORDS (119 recordings on 3 land systems)

Total erosion Land No. of (%) Pasture condition (%) system recordings Range condition (%) nil minor mod. severe exe. good fair poor v. poor good fair bad Giralia 15 100 40 60 100 Stuart 8 100 38 37 25 38 62 Uaroo 96 99 46 48 5 1 94 6 Total over all land systems 119 99 42 48 7 3 91 9 0

4. The recommended sheep unit capacity for present capacity if all country was in good condition is only condition and assuming full development of the marginally higher station than the recommended capacity is 6 870 adults or 8 590 total sheep. (see 4) for present condition. 5. Because of the generally good condition The capability sheep unit capacity is 7 010 adults of the or 8 760 total country on Mt. Minnie the capability sheep unit sheep.

INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT MTMINNIESTATION 111530ha Land system Area Pasture Range condition (sq. km) Sheep unit capacity (sq. km) lands Good Fair Bad Em' Recommended Capability Uaroo 901 HSSP 619 39 1935 SOSP 228 1974 15 2975 3038 Giralia 140 HSSP 70 210 SOSP 70 210 875 875 Stuart 40 STCH 5 11 HSHI 97 133 16 40 SOSP 8 40 100 100 Mlnderoo 22 TGCH 12 396 SOSP 6 396 STCH 75 75 3 25 No Veg 1 25 Yankagee 10 SOSP 4 50 TGCH 2 50 CHAT 66 66 1 13 No Veg 3 13 0 Capricorn HZHI SSGF 2 2 MUCR Onslow SOSP TGMI 13 13 TGCE No Veg TOTALS 1 115 1050 65 6872 7010 *Areas of extreme degradation; severe erosion and/or pasture degradation, zero carrying capacity. Recommended sheep unit capacity . ... " ...... 6870 adults - 8 590 Capability sheep unit capacity ...... total 7010 adults - 8 760 total Declared stock numbers (1979) ...... , .... n.a.

243 ...... ------

MT. STUART STATION - West Pilbara Shire

relief of the Stuart land system, granite hills and Location system, stony plains of the 1 :250 000 sandplain of the Boolaloo Mt. Stuart station is located on the Wyloo a number of other minor systems. few kilometres Dollar system and map sheet. The homestead is situated a which is the largest (19.3 per cent) on road about 63 km The Stuart system north of the Nanutarra-Tom Price occurs in the north-west associated with hills crossing on the Ashburton the station east of the Nanutarra bridge of the Boolaloo and Capricorn systems. River. The station has common boundaries with Nanutarra, systems and unproductive stony plains and Rugged hill Cane River, Red Hill, Duck Creek, Wyloo 42.4 per cent of the station area and are of very land. occupy Glenflorrie stations and vacant crown low pastoral value. Systems in this category are Rocklea with rough basalt hills, Capricorn with hills and ridges dolomite, shale and some metamorphosed rocks and within survey of Area Newman with massive jaspilite plateaux, ridges and Entire station 207 100 ha. mountains. The hill systems are confined mostly to southern and eastern parts of the station, although hills of the Capricorn system are widely scattered throughout Description the station. of 16 land systems occur on the station with A total land systems diverse landforms and different pasture types. Further brief descriptions of all the many in Table 1. The Ashburton River runs through the south western found on the station are presented which corner of the station and is joined by Duck Creek Condition statements for land systems and for the property. flows from the east through the centre of the station as a whole have been prepared from data by broad These major water courses are flanked collected whilst traversing on the station and are floodplains of the Ashburton land system and narrower presented in Table 2. plains of the River system. These two systems which collectively occupy 14.4 per cent of the station area are the most productive on the station and are of very high Range evaluation sites pastoral value. Detailed descriptions and measurements of landform, were made at 29 sites on About 41.5 per cent of the station is of moderate vegetation, soils and condition pastoral value and consists of p! .... ins of low to moderate 8 land systems.

Tabte1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON MT. STUART STATtON of area systems Per cent Pastoral value Land spinifex .. 17.6 Very low Rocklea - basalt hills and restricted stony plains with hard spinifex ... 17.2 (>30hals.u.) Capricorn - rugged hills and ridges with low shrublands or hard shrublands. 5.5 Booigeeda - stony plains with hard spinifex grassland or mulga with hard spinifex. . 1.4 Newman - rugged jaspilite plateaux, ridges and mountains ranges, hills, ridges, and plateaux with skeletal soils and tall Augustus - rugged mountain 0.7 shrublCinds or hard spinifex grasslands...... ----,

braided creeks, sparse shrubs Low Koollne - rough shale hills, saline drainage floors and broad shrublands ...... (20 to 30hals.u.) Ethel - cobble plains with sparse mulga and other Acacia spp.

soft or moderate relief with snakewood shrublands and hard and Moderate Stuart - plains of low ' .... '" .. ' .. ' 19.3 (10 to 20hals.u.) spinifex hummock grasslands ...... tor fields and sandy plains, spinifex grasslands and 600laloo - granite hills, domes, 10.0 shrubby grasslands...... '" '" ... ' .' . '" ...... Dollar - stony plains with open snakewood shrublands ...... " '" ..... " .. . Uaroo - broad sandy plains with hard and soft spinifex grasslands and hard splnifex pastures ... ' Robe - low plateaux, mesas and buttes of limonite with soft shrub lands ...... Paraburdoo - stony gilgai plains derived from basalt with snakewood

bluebush and other shrub pastures High Edward - alluvial plains with sparse degraded saltbush, (5 to 10hals.u.) deep silty loam and clayey soils, Very high Ashburton - active floodplains and backplains with ...... « 5hals.u.) shrublands and tussock grasslands plains flanking major rivers and creeks with moderately dense River - narrow active flood . tall shrublands ......

244 Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE RECORDS (340 recordings on 12 land systems)

Land No. of Total erosion (%) system recordings Pasture condition (%) nil Range condition (%) minor mod. severe exc. good fair poor v. poor good Ashburton 61 39 fair bad 40 13 8 2 18 30 Boolgeeda 18 94 34 16 18 34 48 6 44 17 33 800laloo 21 81 6 61 33 14 5 47 29 19 6 Capricorn 32 100 5 76 19 5 38 59 3 Dollar 29 70 24 97 3 3 3 3 35 35 24 Kooline 12 92 8 4 38 38 24 50 50 Paraburdoo 11 27 46 18 9 92 8 River 13 18 55 27 36 92 8 15 62 64 Rocklea 58 8 15 77 15 84 9 5 2 31 38 8 Robe 6 12 17 2 69 21 100 50 50 10 Stuart 71 97 100 3 34 36 23 Uaroo 8 100 7 70 27 3 13 87 13 Total over all 87 land systems 340 79 14 4 3 23 33 23 17 4 55 29 16

Range condition and recommendations Some very serious degradation also Occurs in l. Stuart land system (19.3 per cent of station area) Ballajong paddock and a regeneration programme involving fencing and destocking the problem areas This system is the largest on the station and consists of gently undulating stony upper plains or destocking the whole paddock for a number of supporting hard spinifex (HSHI) pastures, broad years is also required. There are a number of other small areas of severe erosion in some other lower plains with snakewood and stony chenopod paddocks. (STCH) pastures and drainage tracts with soft spinifex (SOSP) pastures. Some pasture degradation Although parts of the Ashburton system are still has occurred but this is not severe and condition is very productive it is, at present, estimated to be mostly fair. There is no erosion. expressing only 35 per cent of its potential in terms of overall productivity or carrying capacity. Management of the spinifex plains of the system must involve burning regularly about every four or 4. Boolaloo land system (10 per cent) five years. Old spinifex stands should be burnt late in the year and deferred from grazing for 8 to 10 This system consists of granite hills and tor fields weeks over the following growing season to with adjacent sandy plains. The hills support hard encourage durable shrubs, grasses and spinifex spinifex which is of little use for grazing, but the seedlings to establish. sandy plains support useful soft spinifex (SOSP) pastures. Pasture condition is mostly good and there 2. Rocklea and Capricorn land systems (collectively is no erosion. As described for the Stuart system (sec 34.8 per cent) 1) fire is a necessary management tool for the spinifex on this system. These two rugged hill systems are the second and third largest on the station. They support poor hard spinifex (HSHI) pastures of extremely low pastoral 5. The remaining eleven land systems on the station value with very small inclusion of better quality collectively occupy only 24 per cent of the area. pastures such as mulga creekline (MUCR) and stony Condition of most of these systems is good. chenopod (STCH). Range condition is mostly good Exceptions to this are the Dollar and Paraburdoo and there are no special management requirements. systems where considerable pasture degradation has occurred and, in the case of the drainage floor unit of the Paraburdoo system, rill and gully erosion is 3. AShburton land system (12.1 per cent) common. Range condition of this flood plain system varies from good to bad with patches of moderate and 6. Mt. Stuart is quite well-developed in terms of sheep severe erosion. Eighteen per cent, 34 per cent and 48 paddocks (except in the east) and artificial waters. per cent of the 61 traverse recordings made on the However, additional watering points are required in system indicated good, fair and bad range condition the north-west of the station to make maximum use respectively. of the Stuart land system. Patches of country -- about 14 sq. km in total _ are very seriously degraded and should not be 7. Mt. Stuart has recently changed over from sheep to grazed. Duck Creek paddock contains areas of cattle and the old sheep fences will be inadequatc for concern with patches of massive wind hum mocking cattle control. It is likely that many of the old fences ~nder. snakewood shrubs. Although the paddock will not be upgraded to cattle standards and a return Ontams some areas of pasture in quite good to a more open range grazing system can be expected CondItIon the most practical way to facilitate on much of the station. Provided some degree of ~e~oJery of the very bad areas is to close the whole stock control can be exercised by manipulating a~ti ock to grazing fO'r a number of years and to numbers on waters this type of system may be . vely promote the further spread of buffel grass acceptable on the hard stony land systems. However, on the sofrer highly productIve systems,.

245 ~.... ------

or 1 560 total cattle. some of which have severe degradation problems, condition is I 250 adults stock control is essential and adequate complete if all country was in paddocking must be provided. 9. Capability cattle unit capacity good range condition is 2 110 adults or 2 640 total 8. Recommended cattle unit capacity for present cattle.

INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT 207100 ha MT STUART STATION Range condition (sq. km) Sheep unit capacity Area Pasture system Land (sq. km) lands Good Fair Bad EID' Recommended Capability 139 869 1328 Stuart 400 STCH 21 400 400 HSHI 160 1000 SOSP 29 37 14 716 89 6 493 559 Rocklea 365 HSHI 234 70 149 STCH 2 7 9 225 MUCR 13 5 179 425 425 Caprlcorn 357 HSHI 250 267 267 SSGF 89 225 MUCR 18 225 1005 4250 250 TGCE 9 21 41 14 Ashburton 33 603 1038 CHAT 25 25 1025 CHMA 25 25 32 570 194 194 800lal00 207 1038 1038 67 822 STCH 22 50 27 487 Dollar 124 13 0.5 118 238 MUCR 6 100 TGER 2 4 67 43 8 270 Booigeeda 114 HSHI 57 75 SOSP 6 75 123 Uaroo 56 HSSP 41 188 SOSP 4 11 700 TGCE 8 3 3 470 River 47 3 157 213 MUCR 10 4 75 STCH 9 75 No 7 225 225 Robe 40 SOSP 36 10 HSHI 4 10 -" 16 72 Paraburdoo 32 STCH 8 CHAT 1 3 2 16 SSGF 2 6 75 75 Kooline 31 25 38 38 MUCR 3 38 CHAT 3 17

14 MSGF 13 Augustus MUCR 1 50 5 CHAT 2 2 8 Edward STCH 1 SSGF Ethel .01

and/or pasture ~ Areas of extreme degradation; severe erosion

adult total 1 880 2350 cattle uI11t r.apacity...... Recommended 3950 2110 Capability callie unit capacity. " " . " " . " "...... " " .. " . . . . . 3160 694 callie, 100 Declared stock numbers (1979) ...... " ......

246 MT. VERNON STATION - Meekatharra and Upper Gascoyne Shires Location value. A number of distinctive Mt. Vernon station is located on landforms occur in this the Collier, Mt. category including highly dissected plains Egerton and Turee Creek 1:250 000 map and slopes of sheets. Access the Egerton system (8.6 per cent), cobble plains to the station is to the south via Mulgul station and of the thence Ethel system (7.8 per cent), shale hills and saline to Meekatharra about 360 km distant. drainage floors Paraburdoo is of the Kaoline system (7.9 per cent) and about 193 km north-west by road via dolerite hills of the Mininer station. The station Charley system (7.6 per ~ent). has common boundaries Pastures on these systems are mainly with Bulloo Downs, Tangadee, Pingandy, stony short grass Mininer and forb (SSGP) and mulga short grass forb (MSGF). Turee Creek stations and vacant crown land. About 24 per cent of the station consists of systems of moderate pastoral value which Area within survey include gently undulating shale plains of the Ruby land system and Entire station 404 686 ha. distinctive calcrete and laterite low plateaux, mesas and gravelly plains of the Table and Laterite systems. Description The Ashburton land system (11.2 per cent) is always found flanking The the Ashburton River and its major Ashburton River runs for about ISO km through tributaries. It consists the full length of active flood plains with deep of the station initially in an east to west silty loams and clayey soils direction and then extending through the full turning in a north-west direction. length of the property as a belt The Ethel River, a large averaging about 2 to 3 tributary of the Ashburton, kl11 wide although occasion'llly up to S km. runs through the south-eastern part The system of the station. supports productive saltbush and bluebush (CHAT, The plain land systems of the Ashburton River valley CHMA) pastures and pastoral value is high. Two other are flanked on both sides by rough hills and mountains. alluvial plain systems, Edward (S per cent) and River Twenty-two per cent of the station area consists of (O.S per cent) occur on the station and these are also of rugged sandstone mountain ranges, hills and ridges of high pastoral value. the Augustus land system (18.9 per cent) and rough A total of 16 land systems occur dolomite hills of the Mulgul on the station, and system (3.1 per cent). characteristics of these are summarised in Table Pastoral value is extremely low and some I. of the most Condition rugged country is in fact of no use for pastoral statements for each land system and for purposes. the whole station (total over all systems) have been derived from observations made About 37 per cent of whilst traversing on the the station is of low pastoral station and are presented in Table 2. Table 1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON MT. VERNON STATION Pastoral value Land systems Per cent of area Very low Augustus - rugged mountain ranges, hills, ridges and plateaux with skeletal soils and tall (>30hals.u.) shrublan,ds or hard spinifex grasslands ...... , ...... lB.9 Mulgul- rough dolomite Ilills supporting low shrubs and sparse mulga ...... _ .. . 3.1 Divide - sand plain and minor dunes with hard spinifex grasslands ...... 01 22.0 Low Egerton - highly dissected plains (20 to 30hals.u.) and slopes with sparse mulga shrublands, .. , .. , '" .'., 8.6 Kaoline - rough shale hills, saline drainage floors and broad braided creeks, sparse shrubs 7.9 Ethel - cobble plains with sparse mulga and other Acacia spp. shrublands . .. , .. , ... , .... 7.8 Charley - dolerite hills and ridges and restricted lower plains, tall and low shrub lands 7.6 Collier - undulating stony uplands, low hills and ridges and stony lower plains with mulga shrublands ...... , .. , ...... , ...... , ...... , ...... , ...... ' .. 5.5 37.4 Moderate Table - low calcrete plateaux, (10 to 20hals.u.) mesas and lower plains with mulga and cassia shrub lands .. . 11.0 laterite - small laterite mesas and gravelly plains with mulga shrublands, .. , ...... , 5.3 Ruby - gently undulating shale plains with sparse mulga and caSsia shrublands .. . ' .... '. 4.2 Ford - gently undulating stony plains with a few low hills; mulga shrublands . ... , ...... 1.7 Tangadee - low shale hills and undulating plains with mulga woodlands. , ... , ...... 1.7 High 23.9 Ashburton - active floodplains (5 to 10hals.u.) and backplains with deep silty loam and clayey soils, shrublands and tussock grasslands ..... '" " ." ..... " ." .. ' .. ' ..... , ...... ' .. , .. . 11.2 Edward - alluvial plains with sparse degraded saltbush, bluebush and other shrub pastures 5.0 River - narrow active flood plains flanking major rivers and creeks with moderately tall shrublands ...... " ...... dense . 0.5 -V.~:hl~g~h------~16.7 ~a/s.u.) 0

100.0

247 RECORDS Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE (560 rocordlngs on ISland systems) Range condition (%) (%) Pasture condition (%) of Total erosion Land No. bad system recor.dings exe. good fair poor v. poor good fair nil minor mod. severe --~- 15 41 30 13 16 50 34 Ashburton 99 47 39 11 2 1 61 27 10 2 88 10 2 Augustus 49 96 2 2 39 29 13 58 42 Charley 31 97 3 19 56 22 78 22 Collier 23 100 22 32 38 23 7 32 34 34 Edward 44 20 66 14 41 38 19 2 79 21 Egerton 42 100 34 37 19 3 41 49 10 Ethel 70 85 11 3 7 100 100 Ford 3 100 40 50 10 23 17 23 47 13 Kooline 30 77 36 53 11 21 36 39 25 Laterite 28 79 50 50 6 83 17 17 33 50 Mulgul 67 33 67 33 River 3 67 33 44 33 16 51 40 9 Ruby 57 88 12 7 50 29 13 57 40 3 Table 67 91 9 7 25 37 13 49 38 13 Tangadee 8 87 13 25 Total over all 14 33 33 16 4 48 39 13 land systems 560 76 19 4

the station and a long-term development Range evaluation sites programme of fencing is required otherwise future Detailed descriptions and measurements oflandform, pasture productivity and landscape stability cannot vegetation, soils and range condition were made at 47 be assured. sites on 12 land systems. 3. Table land system (11 per cent) recommendations Range condition and This system consists of extensive low calcrete mesas and plains and supports useful (18.9 per cent of station area) plateaux, 1. Augustus land system mulga short grass forb (MSGF), cassia short grass This rugged hill system supports mulga short forb (CSGF) and mulga creekline (MUCR) pastures. grass forb (MSGF) pastures with small areas of Overall range condition is good or fair. pastures along the major mulga creek line (MUCR) Most units of the system are resistant to o,r.o'o'i more rugged units of the rivers and creeklines. The if shrub pastures are seriously depleted. An grazed and the whole system is even system are little exception to this are some drainage floor and lower range condition. largely in good plain units. Occasional spelling over a season is desirable.

4. Egerton land system (8.6 per cent) 2. Ashburton land system (11.2 per cent) system consists of highly dissected system supports productive and This distinctive This flood plain plains with hardpan and supports pastures of saltbush (CHAT) and slopes and drought-resistant grass forb (MSGF), stony short (CHMA). Fifty per cent of the traverse short bluebush (SSGF) pastures and minor areas of hard

248 6. Ethel land system (7.8 per cent) stock numbers and season of use is absolute. If the This system consists of broad raised cobble plains area is brought into full use without this control it is and saline plains found along river valleys and often a certainty that it will degrade severely to the extent marginal to flood plain systems such as Ashburton. frequently seen elsewhere in the survey area. Pastures are sparse stony short grass forbs (SSGF) with minor inclusions of saltbush (CHAT) and Other smaller areas of the Edward system occur in samphire. Condition is largely good or fair although the north-west of the station and condition is fair to about a quarter of the saltbush areas have bad. A development programme to fence these areas together with adjacent sensitive units of the Kooline deteriorated to bad condition. Due to the stony system is required. nature of the system there is no erosion. 7. Charley land system (7.6 per cent) 11. Ruby land system (4.2 per cent) The hill and footslope units of this system support This system consists of broad, gently undulating mulga short grass forb (MSGF) and cassia short plains on shale with smaller areas of cobble plains grass forb (CSGF) pastures and are in good or fair and saline drainage floors. Pastures are range condition. predominantly cassia short grass forb (CSGF) with small inclusions of more productive pasture types Minor, but important units of the system are such as stony chenopod (STCH) and mUlga creekline lower plains with sluggish drainage and drainage (MUCR). Range condition is generally good or fair floors. These support useful tussock grass (TGER) although some drainage floors are in bad condition and swamp bluebush (CHMA) pastures. They with degraded pastures and minor erosion. About 1 receive preferential grazing and are about evenly sq. km of a saline drainage floor near O'Briens mill distributed between good, fair and bad range is extremely degraded. The area needs complete condition. A small area near O'Briens mill shows spelling from grazing for a number of years, but in extreme pasture degradation and some erosion. the absence of pad docking this is not possible. 8. Collier land system (5.5 per cent) 12. The remaining five land systems, Mulgul, Ford, Pastures on this stony hill and upland system are Tangadee, River and Divide collectively occupy 7 in good or fair condition and there is no erosion. per cent of the total area. Generally the condition of all systems is acceptable with pastures in good or fair 9. Laterite land system (5.3 per cent) condition and no erosion. An exception to this is some parts of the River system which show marked The laterite mesas and footslopes of this system pasture decline and moderate erosion. support mUlga short grass forb (MSGF) and stony short grass forb (SSGF) pastures. Condition is good 13. As previously mentioned the station is run on the or fair. and there is no erosion. Drainage floors of open range principle, and it is not possible to the system support more attractive and productive control stock numbers properly or season of use tussock grass (TGER) and chenopod shrub (CHMA) properly. Assuming that the station is adequately pastures. Range condition is about evenly watered (which is largely the case) this means that distributed between fair and bad. Spelling over a few stock are free to graze selectively over the station. In growing seasons, coupled with conservative lise for practice the softer, more productive land systems or the rest of the year, is required to improve pasture units of land systems with pastures attractive to condition. livestock are preferentially overgrazed. 10. Edward land system (5 per cent) On the harder stony land systems open range grazing may be acceptable in that it does not cause This alluvial plain system supports valuable serious vegetation degradation or promote erosion. drought-resistant shrub pastures such as saltbush However, on some systems it is not an acceptable and bluebush (CHAT, CHMA) and stony management practice. On these systems it is chenopods (STCH). Because of its duplex soils with incompatible with the maintenance of long-term sandy surface horizons and clay below the system is stability of the vegetation and soil resources and, as extremely sensitive to disturbance. Maintenance of is abundantly evident elsewhere in the survey area, good vegetative cover is essential for landscape ultimately results in severe degradation of the stability, and if pastures are depleted, complete landscape. degradation of the system to bare, eroded clay flats can occur. A gradual long-term development programme of fencing is required on a number of land systems. The . Range condition of the system on this station as Edward system (possibly in conjunction with parts mdlcated by 44 traverse recordings is about evenly of the Kooline system) and the Ashburton system dlstnbuted between good, fair and bad. Overall should receive top priority. Subsequent programmes conditIOn of the system is generally better than should involve other systems or parts of systems elsewhere in the survey area. such as River, Ruby, Charley, Table and Laterite. A large area of the Edward system along the Ang~lo River in the north of the station is in good 14. The recommended cattle unit capacity for present cOnditIon although some parts show rill and gutter condition and assuming full development is 2 210 ;ros!on caused by past floods. The area does not adults or 2 760 total cattle. ~celve much grazing pressure due to the general lack o permanent waters. If additional waters are 15. The capability cattle unit capacity if all the station rrovided to bring the area into full production it is was in good range condition is 3 110 adults or 3 890 mperalive that it be paddocked so that control of total cattle.

249 INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT 404 S8Sh. MT VERNON STATION Range condition (sq. km) Sheep unit capacity Area Pasture Land system Capability (sq. km) lands Good Fair Bad EID> Recommended 36 1438 1456 Augustus 766 MSGF 692 357 475 MUCR 25 13 48 114 65 1709 2838 Ashburton 453 CHAT 1 405 2825 CHMA 38 100 88 817 888 444 MSGF 151 71 Table 53 5 769 890 CSGF 120 347 550 MUCR 16 25 3 975 1040 347 MSGF 195 65 Egerton 4 110 112 SSGF 52 241 388 MUCR 10 21 789 SSGF 148 115 674 Kooline 321 3 246 400 MUCR 11 18 325 CHAT 13 13 140 620 762 317 SSGF 114 135 5 Ethel 23 12 371 588 CHAT 12 179 200 MUCR 13 3 55 315 342 Charley 310 MSGF 116 403 525 CSGF 44 61 568 TGER 11 12 10.5 0.5 319 467 Collier 151 316 210 258 214 SSGF 38 48 Laterite 46 294 340 MSGF 39 254 718 TGER 22 21 1345 2163 CHAT 57 59 57 Edward 201 18 54 199 STCH 6 12 SSGF 4 8 496 620 CSGF 68 44 12 Ruby 170 2 223 325 MUCR 12 12 166 STCH 9 9 1 122 380 380 126 MSGF 95 Mulgul 8 109 125 CSGF 17 33 75 MUCR 6 19 1 156 Ford 68 MSGF 20 51 SSGF 9 8 150 CHAT 4 4 4 194 67 MSGF 23 34 Tangadee 4 66 CHMA 3 24 MUCR 1 2 4.5 0.5 105 175 River 22 MUCR 4 5 32 42 STCH 2 3 No 3 Divide 0.2 HSSP MUCR

.. Areas of extreme degradation; severe eroSion andfor pasture

adult total 3320 4150 Recommended cattle unit capacity ...... 4660 5830 3110 Capability cattle unit capacity ...... 1200 Declared stock numbers (1979) ...... NANUTARRA STATION - West Pilbara Shire Location associated with the Boolaloo and Giralia systems Nanutarra station is located on the eastern edge of the support mixed soft and hard spinifex and are of Yanrey 1:250 000 map sheet and the western edge of the moderate pastoral value. Wyloo sheet. The homestead is situated close to the In the south of the property North West Coastal rugged hill systems of low Highway where it crosses the or very low pastoral value predominate. Ashburton River about 379 km north These include of Carnarvon. th'e Capricorn system (which is also scaltered elsewhere The station has common boundaries with Minderoo, through the station) consisting of metamorphosed Mt. Minnie, Cane River, Mt. Stuart, Glenflorrie and sedimentary rocks, Augustus, Collier and Kaoline Uaroo stations. systems and the Boolaloo system with characteristic rounded granite hills. Area within survey A distinctive, but relatively unimportant land system Entire station 369 004 ha. in the west of the station is Nanutarra which consists of low mesas and buttes formed from horizontally bedded Description sediments. A large number of different land forms and land A total of 18 land systems occur on the property and systems are present. The Parry Range (Augustus land these are briefly described and their pastoral value for system) runs from the north to the south-east through good range condition status shown in Table I. the property. The Ashburton River runs east to west and Condition statements for land systems is flanked by the potentially and for the high value flood plain station as a whole (total over all land systems) systems, Ashburton and are Globe. presented in Table 2. These statements were derived Broad sandy and clayey plains of the Uaroo and from records made whilst traversing on the station. Stuart land systems occur mostly in the north of the property and collectively occupy about 43.2 per cent of Range evaluation sites the total area. These systems together with sandy plains Detailed descriptions and measurements ofiandform,

Tabl.1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON NANUTARRA STATION Pastoral value Land systems Per cent of area Very low Augustus - rugged mountain ranges, hills, ridges and plateaux with skeletal soils and (>30ha/s.u.) shrublands or hard spinlfex grasslands ...... tall . 10.8 Capricorn - rugged hills and ridges with low shrublands or hard spinifex, ...... , ...... 8.0 18.8 Low Koollne - rough shale hills, saline (20 10 30ha/s.u.) drainage floors and broad braided creeks, sparse shrubs 2.1 Collier - undulating stony uplands, low hills and ridges and stony lower plains shrublands ...... with mulga ...... 0.7 Prairie - granite hills and undulating stony plains with low and tall shrublands ...... 0.2 3.0 MOderate Uaroo - broad sandy plains with hard (10 10 20ha/s.u.) and soft spinifex grasslands .. '" ...... 26.1 Stuart - plains of low or moderate relief with snakewood shrublands and hard and soft spinifex hummock grasslands ...... 17.1 800laloo - granite hills, domes, tor fields and sandy plains, spinifex grasslands shrubby grasslands...... and . " . '" ...... ' ...... " . 12.2 Giralia- linear dunes and broad sandy plains supporting hard and soft spinifex ...... 4.6 Nanutarra - low mesas and hills with soft and hard spinifex ...... 2.4 Dollar - stony plains with open snakewood shrublands ...... 0.3 Robe - low plateaux, mesas and buttes of limonite with soft and hard spinifex pastures .... 0.2

High 62.9 (510 10ha/s.u.) Globe - degraded alluvial plains supporting snakewood grasslands ...... shrublands and minor tussock . 12.3 Yankagee - plains with dunes and numerous claypans, soft sp!nifex and snakewood shrublands ... , .... , ..... , ...... , .. , ...... , ...... 0.2 Cheetara - alluvial clay plains with gilgais, mixed open tussock grasslands and tali shrubfands ...... ' ...... , ...... , ..... , .. .01 12.5 AShburton - active floodplains and backplains with deep silty loam and shrub lands and tussock grasslands clayey soils, .... , ...... , ..... , 1.8 River - narrow active flood plains flanking major rivers and creeks with moderately tall shrublands ...... , dense ...... , ...... 0.7 Rous - alluvial plains, sandy and duplex soils with snakewood and other shrublands ..... , 0.3 2.8 100.0

251 RECORDS Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE (596 recordings on 15 land systems) Range condition (%) Total erosion (%) Pasture condition (%) Land No. of v. poor good fair bad system recordings nil minor mod. severe exc. good fair poor 57 18 25 64 11 Ashburton 28 82 11 7 4 21 33 7 60 33 7 Augustus 15 93 7 33 27 14 85 14 Boolaloo 73 90 10 47 38 75 25 75 25 Collier 4 100 18 9 91 9 46 27 18 9 73 Capricorn 11 87 13 16 100 25 63 6 6 Giralia 18 11 37 52 156 32 31 22 15 11 31 40 Globe 100 100 67 33 Kooline 9 50 50 4 100 100 Nanutarra 100 100 100 Prairie 3 100 100 100 River 2 100 100 67 33 Rous 3 66 32 2 97 3 20 46 25 9 Stuart 87 80 18 2 182 92 7 1 38 42 16 3 Uaroo 33 67 33 Yankagee 3 67 33 67 Total over all 33 23 14 5 57 27 16 land systems 596 77 12 7 4 25 unit were inherently susceptible to soils and range condition were made at 42 duplex soils of the vegetation, once the vegetation was depleted. The on 7 land systems. erosive forces sites plains are now bare or wind hummocked with stands of snakewood and other Acacia Range condition and recommendations patchy species. Ground cover consists of poor low shrubs, grass and numerous based plains land systems on the extremely patchy buffel 1. All the spinifex The system no longer has any are in good range condition. These include ephemerals in season. station drought durability. land systems Uaroo (26.1 per cent of station area), worthwhile Giralia (4.6 per cent) and parts of Stuart and About 55 sq. km of the Globe system is so severely Boolaloo. degraded that it should not be used for grazing and of and soft spinifex requires special remedial treatments. Exclusion Pastures are a mixture of hard or the decision on a systematic basis stock will require additional fencing (HSSP and SOSP) and burning or paddocks. The can maintain the spinifex in to close up an existing paddock every four or five years are in Globe HiIl, River, attractive and useful condition for main areas of concern a reasonably and Bediada paddocks. The systems are resistant to degradation and Homestead stock. '•• erosion although some wind eJosion can occur if a A regeneration programme involving destocking prolonged dry spell occurs after burning. Re and cultivation is essential, but need not commence establishment of vegetative cover and stabilisation in all areas at once. River and Homestead paddocks occurs rapidly after rain. are recommended to receive high priority. Contour strip cultivation and seeding with h"j'M'k~i the stony hill land systems 2. The major units of grass is required in order to ensure recovery Augustus (lO.S per cent), Capricorn (S per cent), Buffel grass has cent) and reasonable time period. Nanutarra (2.4 per cent), CoUier (0.7 per this environment and is are in good ability to establish in parts of Kooline, Prairie and Boolaloo on restricted parts of short grass forb well established range condition. Pastures are mulga and elsewhere has a tenuous (HSHI) and are in good system (MSGF) or hard spinifex Cultivation and reseeding techniques are condition. In some cases restricted areas of lower the hill in various pastoral areas. It is not 0lo~;~~~,~: plains and drainage floors associated with period necessary for ,il creekline indicate the time systems have received heavy use and mulga recovery could be expected in to fair or poor but reasonable pastures (MUCR) are degraded years at the end of which controlled gra,zm,g patchy erosion. condition and there is re-commence and treatments on other areas 3. Globe and Ashburton land systems in terms of Globe (12.3 per cent) and 4. Nanutarra is well developed The flood plain systems paddocks although many per cent) associated with the watering points and Ashburton (1.8 very old and are poorly effective as River are largely in bad or fair range fences are Ashburton However, with some condition. On the Globe system 52 per cent of the barriers. indicated bad range presence of these improvements 156 traverse recordings of grazing ~eferm,:nt cent indicated fair condition and systematic programme condition, 37 per can be implemented on a cent indicated good condition. In many areas growing seasons II per basis. pastures are badly degraded and minor, moderate by paddock and severe erosion is widespread. features of Nanutarra country are and surveyors and 5. Noticeable Reports by early explorers marked extremes of range condition evidence from relic sites indicate that the alluvial of spinifex and hill country supported The large areas plain unit of the Globe system once condition. Although these classes of pastures. However, good productive saltbush (CHAT) are only of moderate or low pastoral value these pastures were very sensitive to grazing and the

252 inherently stable and resistant to grazing. On the 6. The recommended sheep other hand the sensitive river frontage country is unit capacity for present condition is 19990 adults or invariably degraded to fair or bad condition. Every 24 990 total sheep. effort should be made to distribute stock throughout the property and to make maximum use of the stable .7. The capability spinifex and hill pastures so that sheep unit capacity if all country was grazing pressure in good can be reduced on the Ashburton range condition is 25 880 adults or 32 350 River frontage. total sheep.

INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT NANUTARRA STATION 369004 ha Land system Area Pasture Range condition (sq. km) Sheep unit capacity (sq. km) lands Good Fair Sad EID' Recommended Capability uaroo 964 HSSP 704 SOSP 218 2112 2112 42 3074 3250 Stuart 630 STCH 106 134 12 1574 2092 HSHI 244 8 624 SOSP 81 630 45 1387 1575 Globe 453 CHAT 6 60 128 55 893 3113 TGER 62 83 32 SOSP 1838 2956 6 21 249 338 800laloo 449 HSHI 247 420 SOSP 162 18 420 STCH 2174 2250 22 110 183 Augustus 397 MSGF 324 53 MUCR 728 754 10 7 3 174 250 Capricorn 294 HSHI 205 349 SSGF 50 24 349 MUCR 198 222 8 3 4 130 188 Glralia 170 HSSP 70 15 SOSP 240 255 85 1063 1063 Nanutarra 88 SOSP 38 37 HSSP 393 469 13 39 39 Kooline 78 SSGF 64 192 MUCR 6 2 192 CHAT 86 100 6 50 75 Ashburton 67.5 TGCE 8 12 3 650 1 150 CHAT 5 8 2 7.5 CHMA 134 281 8 12 2 190 275 Collier 27 MSGF 15 60 SSGF 6 1 60 STCH 20 21 3 2 35 42 River 26 MUCR 3 4 2 66 113 TGCE 3 3 2 STCH 217 400 2 2 1 29 No veg 4 42 Rous 11 TGCE 2 2 140 STCH 2 2 200 SOSP 27 33 1 1 21 No veg 1 25 Dollar 10 STCH 4 4 MUCR 53 66 1 6 13 TGER 1 Yankagee 8 17 9 SOSP 2 2 42 TGCH 1 1 50 CHAT 47 66 1 8 No veg 2 13 Robe 8 SOSP 7 88 HSHI 1 88 PraIrie 6 6 8 MSGF 4 SSGF 16 16 3 9 MUCR 1 9 Ch_eetara 13 13 0.3 TGER 0.3 5 5 TOTALS 3690 2791.3 645 191 62.5 19987 25879 *Areas of -extreme degradatIon; severe erosion and/or pasture degradation, zero carrying capacity. :l"COmmended sheep unit capacity ...... 19990 ...... apablilty sheep unit capacity ...... adults - 24 990 total 25880 adults - 32 350 total . Declared stock numbers (1979) ...... " '" ... " ." ...... 15808 sheep, 300 cattle

253 NYANG STATION - West Pilbara Shire

Location these are briefly described and their pastorai vaiue for status shown in Table 1. Nyang station is located on the Yanrey and Winning good range condition Pool 1:250 000 map sheets. The homestead is situated Condition statements for land systems and for the on the Yannarie River about 23 km south-east of station as a whole (total over all land systems) are Barradale on the North West Coastal Highway. The presented in Table 2. These statements were derived station has common boundaries with Yanrey, Uaroo, from records made whilst traversing on the station. Winning and Marilla stations. Range evaluation sites Area within survey Detailed descriptions and measurements of landform, Entire station 123 847 ha. vegetation, soils and range condition were made at 15 sites on 6 land systems. Description Nyang station consists mainly of broad, sandy plains Range condition and recommendations spinifex and some soft spinifex. The supporting hard systems (collectively 77.2 per River runs from the south-east to the north t. Uaroo and Giralia land Yannarie area) west through the centre of the property. cent of station large, spinifex based, plain land systems are The two largest land systems are Uaroo (55.8 per cent These or fair range condition. Pastures are a of the station area) and Giralia (21.4 per cent) which, in good of moderate pastoral mixture of hard and soft spinifex (HSSP and SOSP). when correctly managed, are but soft south-east of the property The former is of very little use for grazing, value. In the centre and good drought stony plains of the Mundong system spinifex is of moderate value with gently undulating spinifex stands are useless occur. The system supports snakewood durability. Old, mature (7.7 per cent) management must be aimed at mulga shrublands and is of moderate pastoral for grazing and and the pastures in as attractive condition to value. maintaining stock as possible. Spinifex pastures must be burnt on The Winning system (6.4 per cent) consisting of low basis about every 4 or 5 years and burning spinifex a regular hills and lower plains with mixed shrubs and should be late in the year. Burnt areas should be pastures occurs in the south of the property. The from grazing for 8 to 10 weeks over the are not deferred productive lower plains of the Winning system growing season following the fire in order to as large on Nyang as on other properties; nevertheless establishment of grasses, desirable shrubs the present encourage the system is of moderate pastoral value. At and spinifex seedlings. time it is not being used for grazing. The systems are generally resistant to degradation, livestock, Nearly all of the station is accessible to although some wind erosion can occur if a although parts are not being used due to lack of water. dry spell occurs after burning. Re systems prolonged Rugged hills of the Augustus and Capricorn establishment of vegetative cover and stabilisation area and occur occupy only 1.9 per cent of the station occurs rapidly after rain. only in the north-east and south-east of the station. A (3.4 per cent) few low hills and ridges of the Collier 2. Mundong land system (8.7 per cent) system are also found in the same general areas. Most of the Mundong land system is in fair range A total of 10 land systems occur on the property and

Table 1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON NYANG STATION

Land sv:,tems

hills, ridges and plateaux with skeletal soils, tall Very low Augustus - rugged mountain ranges, ...... ~ ...... : ...... ( >30hals.u.) shrublands Of hara spinifex grasslan-ds spinifex ... '" ...... " Capricorn - rugged hills and ridges with shrublands or hard

and ridges and stony lower plains with mulga Low Collier - undulating stony uplands, low hills . 3.4 (20 to 30hals.u.) shrublands ...... shrublands ...... 1.5 Egerton - highly dissected plains and slopes with sparse mulga

grasslands ...... '" .. ' .... ' .. 55.8 Moderate Uarco - broad sandy plains with hard and soft spinifex and soft spinifex ...... ' .. 21.4 (10 to 20hals.u.) Giralia- linear dunes and broad sandy plains supporting hard mulga shrublands ...... 7.7 Mundong - gently undulating plains with open snakewood and and hard and soft - plains of low or moderate relief with snakewood shrublands Stuart ...... 1.5 spinifex hummock grasslands......

snakewood shrublands, chenopod and soft High Winning - low hills and broad lower plains with . 6.4 (5 to 10hals.u.) spinifex pastures ...... 0.4 and other shrublands ...... Very high Rous - alluvial plains, sandy and duplex soils with snakewQod (< 5hals.u.)

254 r

Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE RECORDS I (186 recordings on 8 land systems)

Land Total erosion No. of (%) Pasture condition (%) system recordings Range condition (%) nil minor mod. severe exe. good fair poor v. poor good fair bad Augustus 2 100 100 Collier 8 62 38 100 38 49 13 Egerton 5 38 49 13 100 20 Giralia 40 40 20 80 23 100 61 35 4 96 Mundong 35 88 9 4 3 17 29 45 Rous 1 9 17 69 14 100 100 Stuart 100 2 100 50 50 Uaroo 110 100 92 8 20 53 18 9 72 24 4 Total over all land systems 186 91 8 20 42 20 16 2 63 32 5 condition, although some restricted areas are also in good and bad condition. Pastures are moderately 4. Large areas of the Varoo and degraded Giralia systems, in the (46 per cent and 9 per cent of traverse south-west, west and to a lesser extent in records indicated the north of poor and very poor pasture the station, are poorly developed in terms of condition respectively), but there is no erosion. paddocks and stock waters and are not utilised by Most of the Mundong system occurs in Tank and livestock. A number of additional waters are Arrijool paddocks which have a history of heavy required to bring this country into production and to stocking. In order to improve pasture condition the ensure a more even- distribution of stock. paddocks require spelling over a number of consecutive growing seasons and conservative 5. The recommended sheep unit capacity for present stocking for the remainder of the year. condition and assuming full development (which is not the case) is 7 490 adults or 9 360 total sheep. 3. The remaining land systems on the station are largely in good or fair range condition. There are no 6. The capability sheep unit capacity if all country was serious problem areas of pasture degradation or in good range condition is 8 340 adults or 10 430 erosion. total sheep.

INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT NYANG STATION 124847 ha Land system Area Pasture Range condition (sq. km) Sheep unit capacity (sq. km) lands Good Fair Bad E/D' Recommended Capability UaroD 696 HSSP 411 97 SOSP 1427 1524 156 32 2216 Glralla 2350 267 HSSP 127 7 SOSP 395 402 126 7 1633 Mundong 1633 96 STGH 7 44 4 286 457 TGER 14 10 SSGF 151 401 8 9 38 51 Winning 79 GHAT 47 588 SOSP 20 588 250 250 HSHI 12 Colller 30 30 43 MSGF 23 SSGF 92 92 6 5 28 33 STGH 9 Egerton 45 75 19 MSGF 3 11 45 SSGF 1 56 2 7 9 MUGR 2 Stuart 22 25 18 STGH 3 4 HSHI 45 58 7 18 18 SOSP 2 2 Augustus 42 50 13 MSGF 12 24 24 MUGR 1 Capricorn 13 13 12 HSHI 8 SSGF 14 14 3 9 9 MUGR 1 ROUs 13 13 5 TGGE 2 40 STGH 40 1 7 17 SOSP 1 No vag 8 13 1248 984 249 15 7486 8335 of extreme degradation; severe erosion andlor pasture degradation, zero carrying capacity. \""t;iF.Pll!Pablilllitv sheep unit capacity ...... sheep unitcapacity ...... 7490 adults - 9 360 total 8340 adults - 10430 total stock numbers (1979) ...... ' .. ' " ...... ' ...... " .... 6988 sheep

255 Meekatharra Shires PiNGANDY STATION - Upper Gascoyne, West Pilbara and

Range evaluation sites Location and measurements of landform is located on the Turee Creek and Detailed descriptions Pingandy station and range condition were made at 5 1:250 000 map sheets. The nearest town is vegetation, soils Mt. Egerton sites on 5 land systems. Paraburdoo about 174 km north by road via Mininer station. There is also access to Meekatharra to the Vernon station. The station has south-east via Mt. Range condition and recommendations common boundaries with Ashburton Downs, Mininer, Downs and Amelia stations and to Mt. Vernon, Dooley I. Augustus land system (35 per cent of the total vacant crown land. station area) is Area within survey Overall range condition of this large land system It consists of rugged mountains and 154447 ha. fair to good. Entire station hills supporting stony short grass forb (SSGF) pastures of very low productivity, which are in good Description condition and are inherently resistant to erosion, About 48 per cent of this station consists of rugged Small inclusions of better quality pastures are sandstone and dolomite mountain country of negligible generally degraded. grazing value and a further 23 per cent consists of low, rough shale hills of very low value. 2. Egerton land system (17.9 per cent) About 28 per cent of Pingandy consists of dissected The range condition of this system is good. The terrain with low plateaux and mesas and their system consists of narrow, raised hardpan plains and breakaway slopes. This country consists of the Egerton, their extensive dissection zones. The bulk of pastures Ethel, Table and Laterite land systems which vary from consist of mulga short grass forbs (MSGF) and stony" low to moderate in their pastoral value. short grass forbs (SSGF) of very low productivity. there is no erosion,>,< of the station consists of narrow Pasture condition is good and About I per cent creekline pasture (MUCR) banks and channels of the productive Small inclusions of mUlga flood plains, there is occasional minor erosion. ~'<' River land system. are degraded and their pastoral The systems are briefly described and 3. Collier land system (15.5 per cent) range condition status indicated in Table value for good of this stony 1. Range condition mostly good with some minor areas m Condition statements for land systems and for the Stony short grass forb (SSGF) and are condition. station as a whole (total over all land systems) short grass forb (MSGF) pastures show derived from presented in Table 2. These statements are degradation in parts. There is no erosion. traverse records.

Table 1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON PINGANDY STATION

Land systems Pastoral value skeletal soils rugged mountain ranges, hills, ridges and plateaux with Very low Augustus - ...... 35.0 tall shrublands...... ( >30hals.u.) supporting 9.3 sparse mulga ...... Mulgul- rough dolomite hills supporting low shrubs and

17.9 with sparse mulga shrublands ...... Low Egerton - highly dissected plains and slopes and stony lower plains with mulga (20 to 30hals.u.) Collier - undulating stpny uplands, low hills and ridges 15.5 ...... shrublands 6.8 saline drainage floors and broad braided creeks, sparse shrubs Kooline - rough shale hills, 3.5 . .' ...... Ethel- cobble plains-with sparse mulga shrublands. .

3.3 lower plains; tall and low shrublands . . Moderate Charley - dolerite hills and ridges and restricted 0.7 mulga shrublands ...... (20 to 30hals.u.) Jamindie - stony hardpan plains and stony rises with groved

5.9 mulga and cassia shrublands . . . Table -- low calcrete plateaux, mesas and lower plains with 0.7 mulga shrublands ...... Laterite - small laterite mesas and gravelly plains with

creeks with moderately dense - narrow active flood plains flanking major rivers and 1.4 High River ...... (5 to 10hals.u.) tall shrublands...... Very high « 5hals. u.)

256 Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE RECORDS (84 recordings on 9 land systems)

Land No. of Total erosion (%) Pasture condition (%) system recordings Range condition ('Yo) nil minor mod. severe exe. good fair poor v. poor good fair bad Augustus 12 100 59 33 8 58 Charley 2 100 42 50 50 9 100 Collier 1 100 100 100 Egerton 35 94 6 48 37 9 6 86 Ethel 9 100 11 3 11 67 22 78 laterite 2 100 22 100 100 Mulgul 11 100 9 73 18 82 18 River 4 75 25 25 25 50 25 50 Table 8 87 25 13 37 13 37 13 50 50 Total oyer all land systems 84 95 5 27 48 18 7 75 23 2

4. Condition of the remaining eight land systems which 6. While the great bulk of pastures on Pingandy are collectively comprise thirty-two per cent of in the good or excellent condition, some of the small station area is indicated in Table 2. These are mostly inclusions of better quality mulga creek line unproductive systems and are generally in fair to (MUCR), good stony chenopod (STCH) and saltbush condition except for small pockets of better (CHAT) pastures quality pastures are partly degraded to fair along the drainage lines. These condition. However, further restricted areas receive serious deterioration is preferential use by stock and not likely to occur provided pasture condition is stock are distributed as often only fair or poor and there widely as possible over the property is occasional minor erosion. and numbers do not exceed about 800 total head. 5. Pingandy Station is a very small cattle enterprise which has only been worked actively since the 1950s. 7. Recommended cattle unit capacity Cattle are run on the open for present range principle, watering condition is 680 adults or 850 total cattle. at a few artificial watering points and permanent pools and springs. There are virtually no fences and it is economically impractical to suggest fencing a 8. Capability cattle unit capacity if all country was in property such as this which consists of rugged hills good range condition is 790 adults or 990 total and stony plains of very poor pastoral value. cattle.

257 ~.... ------

INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT 154447h. PINGANDY STATION Range condition (sq. km) Sheep unit capacity Area Pasture Land system Capability (sq. km) lands Good Fair Bad E/D' Recommended 1026 513 1026 Augustus 540 MSGF 196 338 MUCR 7 20 828 828 Egerton 276 MSGF 207 88 44 88 SSGF 230 310 MUCR 13 7 5 34 490 526 Collier 239 MSGF 97 172 179 52 a SSGF 312 397 STCH 29 14 5 216 216 Mulgul 144 108 144 13 10 6 107 7 145 90 43 3 208 Kaoline 104 SSGF 39 2 3 5 55 MUCR 65 CHAT 3 2 4 182 182 Table 91 MSGF 46 182 22 10 4 148 CSGF 75 114 MUCR 4 4 1 9 120 130 Ethel 54 SSGF 34 4 2 2 75 101 CHAT 23 34 MUCR 2 1 56 56 Charley 51 28 87 8 7 2 52 2 56 6 3 118 118 River 23 6 42 3 2 35 3 10 12 11 2 2 Laterite 3 15 30 16 2 2 12 19 11 SSGF 2 7 Jamindie 1 6 MUCR 5 TGER 1

pasture * Areas of extreme degradation; severe erosion and/or At Conversion rate 5:1 adult total 1020 1280 Recommended cattle unit capacity ...... 1180 1480 790 Capability cattle unit capacity ...... , ...... 400 Declared stock numbers (1979) ......

258 i I PRAIRIE DOWNS STATION - Meekatharra and East Pilbara Shires I Location Undulating granitic plains and low hills of Prame the Prairie Downs station is at the eastern end of the system in the east occupy about 23.5 per cent of the total Ashburton River catchment on the Newman 1:250 000 statIOn area. The stony hardpan plain system map Jamindie sheet. A small section of the station extends into occupIes about 21 per cent. Both of these systems the Fortescue River catchment. provide some useful grazing but are generally of low The station is about BO km pastoral value. A total of about 64.3 per cent of the west-southwest from the station mining town of Newman and has common area is of low pastoral value and this includes boundaries other land systems with Turee Creek, Bulloo Downs, Sylvania and Ethel such as Kunderong (6.2 per cent), Creek stations and vacant Nirran (4.0 per cent), Collier (3.9 per cent) and Egerton crown land. (5.1 per cent). Area within survey About IB.7 per cent of the station is of moderate Entire station 227 40B ha. pastoral value. This country includes hardpan plains WIth large groves of the Nooingin system (B.9 per cent), Description hardpan plains with thin sand COYer of the Cadgie system (3.5 per cent), calcrete platforms and The station is composed plains of of many different landforms the Warri system (2.4 per cent) and stony gilgai plains of induding low granite plains and hills in the east, the Turee (1.0 per cent) system. hardpan plains and sandstone hills in the centre and A total of 22 west and rough hill country in the south and north. land systems are found on the station. Al! these systems are briefly described in Table 1. About 14 per cent of the station is of very low Condition statements pastoral value and consists of rugged ranges, plateaux for land systems and for the whole station were derived and hills of the Augustus, Newman and Rocklea land from observations made systems. whilst traversing on the station and are presented in Table 2.

Table 1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON PRAIRIE DOWNS STATION

Pastoral value Land systems Per cent of area Very low Rocklea - basalt hills and restricted (>30hals.u.) stony plains with hard spinifex ...... " .' . 9.9 Augustus - rugged mountain ranges, hills, ridges and plateaux with skeletal soils and tall shrublands or hard spinifex grasslands .. " ..... , ...... '" ...... 3.7 Newman - rugged jaspilite plateaux, ridges and mountains with hard spinifex ...... ' .... . 2.1 Platform - narrow raised plains and extensive dissected slopes with hard spinifex shrubs ...... and . 0.7 Booigeeda - stony plains with hard spinifex grassland or mulga shrublands ...... " .. ' . 0.1 16.5 low Prairie - granite hills and undulating (20 to 30hals.u.) stony plains with low and tall shrublands ...... ' .. '" 23.5 Jamindie - stony hardpan plains and stony rises with groved mulga shrublands ...... 21.3 Kunderong - sandstone hills and outcrop plains covered in dwarf scrub, minor p~ns...... hardpan .. 6.2 Egerton - highly dissected plains and slopes with sparse mulga shrublands ...... 5.1 Nirran - undulating stony plains and low hills with mulga shrublands ...... '" .... ' . 4.0 Collier - undulating stony uplands, low hills and ridges and stony lower plains shrublands ...... with mulga , ...... 3.9 Charley - dolerite hills and ridges and restricted lower plains; tall and low shrublands ...... 0.3 64.3 Moderate Noolngnin - hardpan plains and large (10 to 20hals.u.) groves with mulga shrublands ...... 8.9 Cadgie - hardpan plains with thin sand cover and sandy banks, soft spinifex and mulga . .. . 3.5 Warri - low calcrete platforms and plains with mulga and cassia shrublands ...... 2.4 Spearhole - gently undulating hardpan plains with groved mulga shrublands ...... 1.2 Paraburdoo - stony gilgai plains derived from basalt with snakewood shrublands ...... " 1.0 TUree - stony plains with numerous gilgaied depressions supporting tussock grasses and very sparse low shrublands ...... " ..... ' ...... '" . " ...... '" ... . 1.0 Table - low calcrete plateaux, mesas and lower plains with mulga and cassia shrublands .. . 0.4 laterite - small laterite mesas and gravelly plains with mulga shrublands .. . " .. ' ...... 0.2 Robe - low plateaux, mesas and buttes of limonite with soft and hard spinifex pastures .. " 0.1

River - narrow active flood plains flanking major rivers and creeks with tall shrublands ...... moderately dense , ...... 0.5 0.5 o 0

100.0

259 ...... ------

RECORDS Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE (298 recordings on 10 land systems) Range condition (%) Total erosion (%) Pasture condition (%) Land No. of v. poor good fair bad system recordings nil minor mod. severe exe. good fair poor 59 32 9 59 32 9 Cadgie 22 86 14 44 100 Collier 9 100 56 23 3 74 26 Jamindie 62 100 18 56 5 50 36 9 5 81 14 Kunderong 22 86 14 100 100 Newman 1 100 17 45 21 33 63 4 Nirran 24 96 4 17 47 46 5 49 51 NODingnin 57 100 2 11 47 36 6 11 67 22 Prairie 36 78 19 3 50 50 50 50 TUree 8 100 14 43 43 43 57 Warri 7 86 14 Total over all 37 37 15 3 46 47 7 land systems 298 94 6 8

Range evaluation sites The MUCR and TGMI pastures are the most durable and attractive to stock and Detailed descriptions and measurements of landform, productive, on 30 receive preferential use. Condition of the whole I soils and range condition were made vegetation best assessed by observing the composition on 11 land systems. system is sites and vigour of the desirable shrubs of the MUCR in the groves. Maintaining the system and condition and recommendations pastures Range its pastures in their present acceptable condition will periods of spelling or reduced stocking over land system (23.5 per cent) require 1. Prairie growing seasons. grass forb This system supports stony short stock control can grass forb (MSGF) pastures In the absence of paddocking, (SSGF) and mulga short by manipulating numbers on but valuable inclusions of mulga only be partly achieved with small, periodically closing down watering (MUCR) and bluebush (CHMA) pastures. waters or by creekline points. The SSGF and MSGF pa,tures are in fair range condition, but the MUCR and bluebush pastures are Kunderong land system (6.2 per cent) mostly in bad condition. The latter two pasture types 4. are the most attractive to stock and are preferentially This system consists of rugged sandstone grazed. As well as pasture deterioration there is undulating stony plains and minor perip>heral.'c minor erosion. hardpan plains. Pastures are stony short grass mulga short grass forb (MSGF) and SOITIe:' I worst area of deterioration is near Round Hill (SSGF), The grasses (TGER). bore where bluebush pastures on an extensive tussock floor are seriously depleted. The bluebush drainage The SSGF pastures are in good conditi·:o~n:~~::i~~:t'l will be eliminated from the area if action is not taken the other two types are generally in fair soon to reduce stock numbers at this bore and to The largest stony units of the system are spell completely over a number of growing seasons. resistant to erosion, but occasional patchy occurs on drainage floors and other 2. Jamindie land system (21.3 per cent of the station Taken overall the system is acceptable. ~(:~~~~:~ area) spelling over a growing season is required to condition. This stony hardpan system is generally in fair to pasture condition. Stony short grass forb (SSGF) good Turee land system (1.0 per cent) pastures of the system are in fair to good condition 5. while better quality, more productive mulga This system consists of flat, stony creekline (MUCR) and tussock grass (TGER) flanking some major rivers and creeks. Altn(lUgn pastures are in fair condition. system is small, parts of it support tussock grass (T,""'" important pasture on this system is the moderately durable The most useful shrubs. Pasture condition creekline type found in groves on the hardpan with some mulga good and there is no erosion. plains and also along creeklines. The condition of by the number and the whole system is determined occupy the remaining 39 shrubs and perennial grasses in 6. Seventeen land systems vigour of the edible area. These are hill and a decline in the number and vigour cent of the station's the groves. When low productivity and range condition shrubs is evident the system should be systems of of desirable good. spelled over a number of growing seasons to allow mostly the important shrubs to recover. 7. The station is run on the open range principle. few fences, the only paddock being at Nooingnin land system (8.9 per cent) are 3. homestead for short-term holding purposes This flat hardpan plain system supports stony there are no permanent natural watering short grass forb (SSGF) pastures on the broad Station improvements consist of artificial plains, mulga creekline (MUCR) pastures in the points often with an adjacent set of yards. groves and some tussock grass (TGMI) large A long-term fencing programme is required pastures. Condition is fair to good.

260 that complete control of grazing can be exercised. In the absence of fencing, stock control for pasture south-east consist of mixed country of the Cadgie, maintenance purposes can only be achieved by Nooingnin, Prairie and Jamindie land systems. manipulating stock numbers on waters or by A programme of gradual development of extra periodically closing down watering points. At the water supplies in the areas outlined is essential This present time, the station is not particularly well will enable a more equitable spread of existing 'stock watered, and the evidence seen during survey over the station and allow reduction in pressure on suggests that in the past stock numbers on some degraded areas such as near Round Hill bore so that waters have been excessive. pastures can recover.

8. The station is not yet fully developed as there are 9. The .recommended ~arrying capacity for present considerable areas in the east and north which are condItIOn and assummg full development (which is poorly utilised or not utilised due to the lack of not yet the case, see 8) is I 020 adults or I 280 total permanent stock waters. Country suitable for cattle. development exists in both areas. One recommended area is directly east of the homestead and is based on 10. The capability cattle unit capacity, if all country was pastures of the Warri system. Other areas to the III good range condition and fully developed, is I 380m adults or I 730 total cattle.

261 INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT 227408 ha PRAIRIE DOWNS STATION Range condition (sq. km) Sheep unit capacity Area Pasture Land system Capability (sq. km) lands Good Fair Bad E/D' Recommended 944 198 19 708 Prairie 536 MSGF 19 642 54 143 17 474 SSGF 356 1075 MUCR 33 53 89 762 806 Jamindie 485 SSGF 314 725 29 29 522 MUCR 202 401 TGER 24 41 316 345 Rocklea 225 HSHI 162 91 6 5 75 STCH 103 138 MUCR 6 5 79 265 304 Noolngnin 202 SSGF 73 350 11 17 231 MUCR 276 367 TGMI 11 11 226 321 141 SSGF 12 95 Kunderong 11 6 112 284 TGER 49 68 MSGF 15 2 21 323 344 Egerton 115 MSGF 65 38 17 2 37 SSGF 104 125 MUCR 7 3 336 28 56 280 Ninan 91 MSGF 57 88 MUCR 3 3 196 Collier 89 49 66 22 149 18 Augustus 85

81 8 Cadgie 2

Warri 54 MSGF 43 CHAT 3 3 MUCR 2 2

Spearhole F MUCR HSHI 120 Paraburdoo 24 STCH 9 2 42 CHAT 6 SSGF 29 Turee 22 7 9 76 2 11 24 16 HSHI 14 sasp 2 25 8 100 River 12 MUCR 17 STCH 2 No 2 16 Table 9 MSGF 4 4 20 CSGF 13 MUCR 1 2 6 Charley 6 MSGF 13 CSGF 2 1 1 5 Laterite 4 SSGF 7 MSGF 1 1 TGER 2 5 Booigeeda 2 saspHSHI 25 Robe 2 sasp 2 HSHI

At Conversion rate 5:1 adult total 1 530 1 920 Recommended cattle unit capacity...... _--.-:2=-0:-7-.::0~ __~2-.::5=90 ____ ~=~ __~:::;. Capability cattle unit capacity ...... , ...... ' ... , Declared stock numbers (1979) ......

262 ROCKLEA STATION - West Pilbara Shire Location Stony plains on This the station consist of the Prairie, station is found on the Mt. Bruce and Turee Wona and Boolgeeda systems Creek 1:250000 which carry a variety of map sheets and stretches from the pastures of very low to moderate Nanutarra-Wittenoom pastoral value. The road in the north to Paraburdoo Wona system forms distinctive undulating in the south. The homestead cracking clay is about two kilometres plains on basalt plateaux and ridge tops of the Rocklea south of the Nanutarra-Wittenoom road and about 80 system. km south-west of Tom Price. Stony basalt The station plains and valley floors of the has common boundaries with Ashburton Paraburdoo system occupy Downs, Mininer, 13.3 per cent of the station Turee Creek and Wyloo stations and area. They support useful stony chenopod vacant crown land. (STCH) and some saltbush (CHAT) pastures. Pastoral value is moderate. The River land system (1.6 per cent) Area within survey consists of narrow active flood plains adjacent to major rivers Entire station 184 903 ha. and creeklines and supports mulga creekline (MUCR), stony chenopod (STCH) and some tussock grass Description (TGCE) pastures. Pastoral value is very high. These two The systems support a large proportion of the station's useful grazing country on this station is stock. effectively divided into northern and southern halves by a range of basalt hills of which Mt. Jape is part. A total of thirteen land systems occur on the station and are briefly characterised in Table 1. About 70 per cent of the station consists of rugged hills and mountains and associated footslopes and Condition statements for land systems and for the narrow valleys. The remainder consists of stony gilgai station as a whole (total over all land systems) are plains on basalt, undulating plains on granite, low stony presented in Table 2. These statements were derived plains, low mesas and buttes and restricted narrow from observations made whilst traversing on the flood plains along major rivers. station. The hills and mountains, the largest of which is Mt. Jape, are mostly composed of basalt and belong to the Rocklea land system. Smaller areas of ironstone and Range evaluation sites sandstone hills belong to the Newman and Capricorn systems respectively. Detailed descriptions and measurements of landform, Pastures on these systems consist vegetation, of stony short grass soils and range condition were made at 20 forb (SSGF) and hard spinifex sites on 5 land systems. (HSHI) and are of very low pastoral value. Dissected plains and mesas of the Table, Robe and Platform systems are found in northern parts of the Range condition and recommendations station, but collectively only occupy 2.7 per cent of the total station area. Pastures are similar to the hill land I. systems previously Rocklea land system (67.4 per cent of the station described. area)

Table 1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON ROCKLEA STATION Pastoral value Land systems Per cent of area Very low Rocklea - basalt hills and restricted C>30hals.u.) stony plains with low shrubs and hard spinifex ...... 67.4 Newman - rugged jaspilite plateaux, ridges and mountains with hard spinifex ...... 2.7 Booigeeda - stony plains with hard spinifex grassland or mulga shrublands ...... 1.5 Capricorn - rugged hills and ridges with low shrublands or hard spinlfex ...... 0.3 Platform - narrow raised plains and extensive dissected slopes with shrubs ...... hard spinifex and 4=-______. 0.3 lQW ~72.2 Prairie - granite hills and undulating 1.20 to 30hals.u.) stony plains with low and tall shrublands ...... 7.5 Ethel - cobble plains with sparse mulga and other Acacia spp. shrublands ...... 0.01 7.5 Paraburdoo - stony gilgai plains u.) derived from basalt with snakewood shrublands ...... 13.3 Wona - basalt upland plains with snakewood or very sparse low cassia shrublands ...... 2.9 Robe - low plateaux, mesas and buttes of limonite with soft and hard spinifex pastures . .. . 1.7 Table - low calcrete plateaux, mesas and lower plains with mulga and cassia shrublands . . . 0.7 Dollar - stony plains with open snakewood shrub lands ...... 0.1 18.7 0

ri~er - narrow active flood plains flanking major rivers and a shrub lands ...... creeks with moderately dense . 1.6 1.6 100.0

263 Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE RECORDS (237 recordings on 7 land systems)

Land No. of Total erosion (%) Pasture condition (%) Range condition (%) system recordings nil minor mod. severe exe. good fair v. POOf good fair bad Booigeeda 5 100 80 100 Paraburdoo 87 62 24 7 7 15 32 38 15 14 53 33 Prairie 14 36 21 7 36 29 29 42 36 64 River 8 38 49 13 75 25 62 38 Rocklea 98 81 14 5 10 36 23 29 2 45 38 17 Robe 24 92 8 13 13 53 17 4 25 67 8 Table 100 100 100 Total over all land systems 237 71 18 6 5 5 21 35 30 9 26 49 25

Massive basalt hills, ridges, plateaux and foot forb (MSGF) and stony short grass forb (<1"r.l'" slopes comprise 90 per cent of this system. Much of smaller areas of more valuable mulga this country is poorly assessible and is of limited use (MUCR) and bluebush (CHMA) oastllf<" for pastoral purposes. In northern parts the hills MSGF and SSGF pastures are generally in support hard spinifex (HSHI) pastures which are poor condition. The better quality MUCR poorly productive and generally unattractive to CHMA pastures have been heavily overused and livestock. In southern areas the hills support rather largely in very poor condition. Minor to better shrubby pastures (MSGF). Range condition is erosion is common on the drainage floor unit of mostly good or fair. system. The remaining 10 per cent of the system consists In its present condition the whole system of narrow river valleys and drainage floors. These capable of safely supporting only 50 to 80 support good quality pastures in conditions varying units on a yearlong basis which is about 58 per from good to very poor. There is occasional erosion of its potential for good condition. The on these lower units but, taken overall, the system is requires spelling over a number of growing stable. to promote pasture recovery. As there are stock control can only be attempted by mamil)ul:,tin 2. Paraburdoo land system (13.3 per cent) numbers on water. This system consists of the broader valley floors and plains between basalt hills of the Rocklea 4. Wona land system (2.9 per cent) system. The system supports productive but sensitive stony chenopod (STCH) and saltbush (CHAT) This elevated plain system on basalt has pastures beneath snakewood shrubs. Condition of clay soils and supports stony ch"D()pc)d the STCH pastures is fair with patches in good and Cassia aff. hamersieyensis (CSGF) bad condition. However, the saltbush pastures (HSHI) pastures. The former two pasture which occupy the drainage floors are considerably in fair condition while the latter is in good degraded and condition is mostly bad. The drainage floors frequently show active erosion. 5. The remaining nine land systems on the constitute 8.9 per cent of the station About 8 sq. km of the system shows extreme systems, excepting River, are stony, llnmc)duct degradation and should not be grazed. The largest types and are all in good condition. The pa,:tur,es single area of extreme degradation is near Globe well River land system are degraded in parts with in the south-east of the station. This watering point wind and water erosion while in other is no longer in use and should remain so until especially towards Kazput Pool, they are in pastures. recover. condition. The Paraburdoo system being readily accessible and supporting attractive pastures has received 6. The station changed from sheep to cattle in the preferential over-grazing by sheep and cattle in the 1960s. It then had numerous fences and about past. Considerable areas require spelling over a watering points. After the change to cattle the number of consecutive growing seasons and only were not upgraded and have fallen into light use for the remainder of the year. Control of disrepair. Many of the watering points have stock numbers is essential and, in the absence of derelict, but the present management is paddocks as is the present case, can only be some points. attempted by limiting the number of stock on watering points or periodically closing down 7. The station is run on the open range system. watering points. are mustered yearly into yards adjacent to points. This management system reduces The Paraburdoo system is the most important for for pasture management to varying grazing (apart from the small River system) on the numbers at each watering point or closing station and a development programme of fencing is point down and moving the cattle els"whlere required so that proper controlled management can some country the degree of contrOJII~~;~~:;~~~e~r be achieved. means is inadequate for proper n reason for this is that numerous springs 3. Prairie land system (7.5 per cent) holes in the hills of the station limit the This granite based system is found in the north control that can be exercised by west of the station and supports mulga short grass artificial waters.

264 8. The Paraburdoo, River and Wona land systems required on the Paraburdoo and River systems. support many of the cattle on the station although they only comprise 17.8 per cent of the station area. 9. The recommended These systems cattle unit capacity for present have been over-utilised in the past and condition and their pastures are assuming full development is 940 degraded and there are areas of adults or 1 180 total cattle. serious erosion. Regeneration and stabilisation is imperative if the station's productivity is to be 10. The capability cattle unit capacity if all country was maintained or improved. To do this complete stock in good range condition is 1 420 adults or I 780 total control is essential and a fencing programme is cattle.

INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT ROCKLEA STATION 184903 ha Range Land system Area Pasture condition (sq. km) Sheep unlt capacity (sq. km) lands Good Fair Sad EfD' Recommended Capability Rocklea 1246 MSGF 673 359 90 3949 STCH 15 4984 27 20 300 515 MUCR 24 12 25 449 775 Paraburdoo 247 STCH 30 103 55 874 CHAT 5 1560 10 21 8 186 550 SSGF 3 10 2 32 45 Prairie 138 MSGF 15 43 3 196 244 SSGF 33 22 MUCR 99 165 13 9 101 275 Wona 53 STCH 20 20 10 286 415 HSHI 3 8 8 Newman 51 HSHI 51 87 87 Robe 1 sasp 28 3 175 175 HSHI 3 5 5 River 30 TGCE 4 5 97 450 MUCR 4 5 2 84 138 STCH 2 3 1 34 50 No veg 4 Booigeeda 28 HSHI 27 sasp 68 68 1 8 13 Table 12 MSGF 4 2 22 24 CSGF 3 2 21 25 MUCR 1 13 13 Capricorn 5 HSHI 4 7 SSGF 1 7 MUCR 3 3 Platform 5 HSHI 4 7 sasp 1 7 Dollar 13 13 2 STCH 2 MUCR 10 17 TGER Ethel SSGF CHAT 2 3 MUCR TOTALS 1849 926 649 265 9 7067 10634 'Areas of extreme degradation; severe erosion and/or pasture degradation, zero carrying c~pacity.

At Conversion rate 5:1 At Conversion rate 7.5:1 adult total adult total ~ecommended cattle unit capacity ...... 1410 1760 940 apabiHty cattle unit capacity ...... 1180 ...... 2130 2660 1420 1780 DeClared stock numbers (1979) ...... 1 200 cattle

265 ~.... ------

TANGADEE STATION - Meekatharra Shire

broad hardpan plains of the lamindie (16.8 per Location property cent) and Three Rivers (11.8 per cent) systems extend Tangadee station is located on the far east of the for up to 30 km. The plains support poor stony short Ashburton River catchment on the Collier ! :250 000 grass forb (SSGF) pastures with minor areas of more map sheet and is about 320 km north by road from productive pastures on small groves and sandy banks. has common boundaries with Meekatharra. The station found on the station are briefly Vernon and Mulgu! stations and All land systems Bulloo Downs, Mt. and their pastoral value for good range crown land. described vacant condition status is indicated in Table I. Area within survey Condition statements for land systems and for the as a whole (total over all land systems) are Entire station 186362 ha. station presented in Table 2. These statements were derived from observations made whilst traversing on the Description station. of Tangadee is rugged and hilly, although there Much sites are some extensive areas of plains, especially in the east. Range evaluation The most rugged hill system is Augustus (10.3 per cent Detailed descriptions and measurements of landform of total station area) consisting of massive sandstone vegetation, soil and range condition were made at 20 ridges and hills in central and southern parts' of the sites on 10 land systems. property. Pastoral value is very low. Other hill systems of undulating with less relief and with some large areas Range condition and recommendations stony uplands and broad drainage floors are Collier (17.6 per cent), Tangadee (11.1 per cent) and Charley (17.6 per cent of total station to I. Collier land system (3.8 per cent). These systems are fairly accessible area) and support mulga short grass forb (MSGF) stock land system on the station and pastures and minor areas of stony chenopod (STCH) This is the largest pastures o~ its hills and stony and chenopod (CHMA) pastures. Pastoral value is low the. condition of the and there IS no erosion. to moderate. plam IS mostly good (14 per The dissected hardpan plain system Egerton 2. Jamindie land system (16.8 per cent) the western, central and cent) occurs scattered over fair or good. the station. It supports sparse mulga Range condition of this system is northern parts of broad plains show forb (MSGF) and stony short grass forb Some grove units and parts of the short grass shrubs, but generally this is (SSGF) pastures oflow pastoral value. In the east of the obvious loss of palatable

Table 1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON TANGADEE STATION

systems Pastoral value Land- ranges, hills, ridges and plateaux with skeletal solis and tall Very low Augustus - rugged mountain 10.3 (>30hals.u.) shrublands or hard spinifex shrublands. , ...... 6.2 Divide - sand plain and minor dunes with hard spinifex grasslands. mulga ...... " _0~.~4 __~ Mulgul - rough dolomite hills supporting low shrubs and sparse

and ridges and stony lower plains with mulga Low Collier - undulating stony uplands, low hills 17.6 (20 to 30hals.u.) shrublands ...... mUlga shrublands...... 16.8 Jamindie - stony hardpan plains and stony rises with groved shrublands...... 14.0 Egerton - highly dissected plains and slopes with sparse mulga and sparse mulga shrub lands . 11.8 Three Rivers - broad hardpan plains with minor sandy banks tall and low shrub lands ...... 3.8 Charley - dolerite hills and ridges and restricted lower plains; shrublands...... _1~.~0_--: Ethel- cobble plains with sparse mulga and other Acacia spp.

plains with mulga woodlands ...... '" ...... 11.1 Moderate Tangadee -low shale hills and undulating with mulga shrublands...... 3.1 (10 to 20hals.u.) Laterite _ small mesas and gravelly plains .... , ...... 2.3 Table - low calcrete plateaux mesas and cassia shrublands shrublands ...... , . . . . 1.2 Warri - low calcrete platforms and plains with mulga and cassia shrublands ...... ' .... 0.01 Ford - gently undulating stony plains with a few low hills, mulga

major rivers and creeks with moderately dense High River - narrow active flood plains flanking 0.4 (5 to 10hals.u.) tall shrublands......

Very high « 5hals.u.)

266 Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE RECORDS (274 recordings on 12 land systems)

Land No. of Total erOSion (%) Pasture condition (%) system recordings Range condition (%) nil minor mod. severe exe. good fair poor v. poor good fair bad Ashburton 1 100 100 4 100 Augustus 75 25 50 25 25 Charley 17 75 25 76 24 6 24 52 29 6 12 29 59 12 Collier 100 21 59 17 6 3 79 21 Divide 100 33 50 17 49 83 17 Egerton 98 2 45 51 4 Ethel 5 100 96 4 40 40 20 40 Jamindie 48 98 2 60 6 33 51 10 38 laterite 9 89 11 62 44 44 11 44 Table 8 100 56 50 50 50 Tangadee 57 89 11 50 5 26 46 21 2 32 Three Rivers 41 73 27 61 7 12 54 27 7 22 66 12 Total over all land systems 274 91 9 14 35 36 13 2 50 46 4 not severe. There is no erosion. Some parts of the system are not utilised due to the lack of stock creekline (MUCR) pastures occur on minor units waters. such as drainage floors and creeklines. These pastures are favoured by stock, and in some areas 3. Egerton land system (14.0 per cent) mostly to the west of Tangadee homestead, have received heavy use. Here pasture condition has This relatively large but poorly productive system deteriorated to fair or poor and there is occasional is in good range condifion. minor erosion. Pasture condition can only improve if grazing intensity and grazing period can be 4. Three Rivers land system (ll.S per cent) controlled. Although the area is unfenced some Most of the Three Rivers system is in fair range degree of stock control could be achieved by condition with smaller areas in good and bad manipulating numbers on watering points and by condition. There is some patchy minor erosion. periodically closing off waters. Condition of this system is best assessed by 6. Pasture condition on the remaining land systems on inspecting the sandy banks which occur on the broad the station is nearly all good or fair, and there is no plains. The banks are a minor unit, but support the erosion. most productive pastures and the abundance and vigour of desirable shrubs and grasses on the banks 7. The station has only limited potential for livestock reflects the overall condition of the system. production - 82 per cent of the property is of low or Occasional protection from grazing over a growing very low pastoral value. Parts of the property are season is required to maintain the pastures. poorly watered, and a number of additional Sections of the Three Rivers system are only partly watering points are required to make better use of utilised for grazing due to the absence of permanent existing country and to improve distribution of watering points. stock.

5. Tangadee land system (11.1 per cent) 8. The recommended cattle unit capacity for present condition and assuming full development is 960 Low hills, ridges and undulating shale interfluves adults or 1 200 total cattle. are the largest units of this system and support mulga. short grass forb (MSGF) pastures. Pasture 9. The capability cattle unit capacity assuming all conditIon is good or fair and there is no erosion. country was in good range condition is I 080 adults More productive chenopod (CHMA) and mulga or 1 350 total cattle.

267 arT

INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT TANGADEE STATION Range condition (sq. km) Land system Area Pasture (sq. km) lands Good Fair Bad EfD· Collier 327 MSGF 180 720 720 SSGF 66 16 230 246 STCH 39 20 6 436 540 Jamindie 313 SSGF 101 159 441 520 MUCR 10 27 274 463 TGER 16 134 267 Egerton 262 MSGF 196 784 784 SSGF 42 841 841 MUCR 21 3 279 300 Three Rivers 221 40 121 22 284 366 8 25 5 360 635 Tangadee 208 MSGF 60 112 5 586 708 CHMA 14 7 115 263 MUCR 3 5 2 72 1 Augustus 192 MSGF 182 364 364 MUCR 10 125 125 Divide 115 HSSP 85 18 197 206 MUCR 10 2 136 150 Charley 71 MSGF 13 26 65 CSGF 9 11 4 86 TGER 4 4 47 Laterite 58 SSGF 10 12 56 MSGF 13 10 82 TGER 12 101 Table 42 MSGF 12 9 75 CSGF 10 5 2 69 MUCR 1 2 1 27 Warri 22 3 11 4 53 1 1 11 2 11 Ethel 18 SSGF 14 42 CHAT 3 25 MUCR 1 6 River 8 MUCR 2 3 45 STCH 1 5 No Mulgul 7 MSGF CSGF MUCR

* Areas of extreme degradation; severe erosion and/or pasture , zero

At Conversion rate 5:1 adult total Recommended cattle unit capacity ...... 1440 1800 Capability cattle unit capacity ...... 1620 2030

Declared stock numbers (1979) ...... '" ...... 700

268 TUREE CREEK STATION - Meekatharra Shire

Location mountainous Capricorn and Newman land systems in Turee Creek station is found on the Turee Creek and the west and by undulating hardpan plains of the Newman 1:250 000 map sheets and is about 140 km lamindie system in the east. directly south-west from the iron are town of Newman. A total of twenty-one The station has land systems are found on the common boundaries with Mininer, Mt. station, and the five largest Vernon, Prairie Downs, (Jamindie, Kunderong, Rocklea, Juna Downs stations Turee, Nooingnin and Kaoline) collectively and vacant crown land. occupy 62 per cent of the total station area. The systems are briefly described and their pastoral value for good range Area within survey condition status indicated in Table I. Entire station 277 715 ha. Condition statements for land systems and for the station as a whole (total over all land systems) are Description summarised in Table 2. These statements are derived from the traverse data. This property is split into two blocks separated by vacant crown land. The homestead is located on the Range evaluation sites southern block which is the larger and more productive Detailed of the two. It consists of broad alluvial plains descriptions and measurements of landform, of the vegetation, soils Turee land system (12.1 per cent of the station's area) and range condition were made at 36 sites on II land systems. which are flanked by either hardpan plains of the Nooingnin and Jamindie land systems or rugged hills of the Kunderong system. Range condition and recommendations The northern block consists of a narrow river valley I. Jamindie land system (10.6 per cent of total station (River land system) which is flanked by the area)

Table 1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON TUREE CREEK STATION

Pastoral value Land systems Per cent of area Very low Divide - sand plain and minor dunes 1>30hals.u.) with hard spinifex grasslands. 4.2 Newman - rugged jaspitite plateaux, ridges and mountains with hard spinifex. 2.7 Platform - narrow raised plains and extensive dissected slopes with hard spinifex shrubs...... and . 2.7 Capricorn - rugged hills and ridges with low shrublands or hard spinifex .... 2.5 Rocklea - basalt hills and restricted stony plains with hard spinifex. 1.2 Boolgeeda - stony plains with hard spinifex grassland or mulga shrublands. 0.9 14.2 low Jamindie - stony hardpan plains and stony (20 to 30haJs.u.) rises with groved mulga shrublands ...... 19.6 Kunderong - sandstone hills and outcrop plains covered in dwarf scrub, minor hardpan plains .. ' ...... 15.3 Egerton - highly dissected plains and slopes with sparse mulga shrublands ... 4.7 Koollne· - rough shale hills, saline drainage floors and broad braided creeks, sparse shrubs 6.6 Ethel - cobble plains with sparse mulga and other Acacia spp. shrublands ... 0.5 Charley - dolerite hills and ridges and restricted lower plains; tall and low shrublands ... 0.1

::MOderate 46.8 Turee (10 to 20hals.u.) - stony plains with numerous gilgaied depressions supporting very sparse low shrublands ...... tussock grasses and . 12.1 Nooingnin - hardpan plains and large groves with mulga shrublands ...... ' .. ' .. ' ... . 9.0 Warri - low calcrete platforms and plains with mulga and cassia shrublands .. . 4.8 Table - low calcrete plateaux, mesas and lower plains with mulga and cassia shrublands. 4.0 Paraburdoo - stony gj/gai plains derived from basalt with snakewood shrublands. 1.2 Cadgle - hardpan plains with thin sand cover and sandy banks, grasslands and mulga shrublands ...... 0.5 Laterite - small laterite mesas and gravelly plains with mulga shrublands ...... 0.1

River - narrow active flood plains flanking major rivers tall shrublands...... and creeks with moderately dense 3.7 Edward - alluvial plains with sparse degraded saltbush, bluebush and other shrub pastures ----3.6 7.3 o

100.0

269 RECORDS Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE (413 recordings on 15 land systems) Range condition (%) Total erosion (%) Pasture condition (%) Land No. of v. poor good fair bad system recordings nil minor mod. severe exe. good fair poor 25 25 50 25 4 75 25 25 50 Capricorn 50 50 100 4 75 25 Divide 67 4 67 29 24 50 46 4 4 29 Edward 57 29 14 57 7 43 57 29 14 Egerton 62 38 75 25 Ethel 8 74 13 13 33 49 12 5 33 59 8 Jamindie 92 89 8 2 25 25 50 25 25 50 Kaoline 4 50 25 25 6 39 31 24 6 61 33 Kunderong 49 78 20 2 67 33 67 33 Newman 3 100 18 29 46 7 18 75 7 Nooingnin 28 96 4 78 13 9 78 22 Platform 23 83 17 67 22 11 67 22 11 River 9 67 33 46 10 38 3 48 45 7 Table 29 97 3 3 1 28 54 17 1 76 23 Turee 100 85 13 2 24 46 24 3 28 62 10 Warri 29 94 3 3 3 Total over all 22 33 34 10 22 60 18 land systems 413 82 14 4

the pasture they are a source of high quality Range condition of this stony hardpan system is during droughts. Their disappearance has fair to good; of the 92 recordings made on the pasture durability and the number of animals it system, 33 per cent, 60 per cent and 8 per cent support. showed good, fair and bad condition, respectively. forb (SSGF) pastures occur on This system is in particularly poor c~~~:~~~~~ Stony short grass No. 2 well and in the holding p of the system and are in good around about 83 per cent the homestead. These areas should whereas the other pastures of the system surrounding condition priority in a pasture recovery programme. - tussock grasses (TGER) and mulga creekline on (MUCR) - are in fair or bad condition. The latter A further large area of the system is found two pasture types are more productive and drought eastern side 0 f the station along Tunnel Creek. resistant than the SSGF pastures and are present this area is unfenced and management is preferentially grazed. the open range principle. Stock control can on each system should be exercised by manipulating numbers Condition of the Jamindie waters. A programme condition of desirable point or by closing down monitored by observing the so that grazing pressure can narrow drainage tracts. fencing is required shrubs in the groves and and pastures maintained in spelling over one or two growing seasons properly controlled Occasional condition. Fencing would also facilitate mUlStelein to maintain shrub vigour. Most of the is required and improved animal husbandry. J amindie system is unfenced and the only way be carried out is by closing down spelling could land system (9.0 per cent) watering points. 4. Nooingnin This system consists of flat hardpan plains . 2. Kunderong land system (15.3 per cent) large groves and sandy banks. Overall This system consists of rugged sandstone hills fair. which were poorly sampled on traverse and plains The hardpan plains support very nnnroduc which were well sampled. The overall range stony short grass forb (SSGF) pastures the pOllenllial condition as per traverse data is fair to poor and this good condition. The groves have reflects the condition of the accessible, more support productive mulga creekline. productive plains units. The hills and other areas pastures, but are now degraded to faIr supporting unproductive stony short grass forb condition. of the system (SSGF) pastures comprise 73 per cent An area of 12.6 sq. km between No.8, No. and are invariably in good or fair condition. The is severely degraded and and Limestone bores plain units support mulga creekline (MUCR) cannot occur unless stock are which are degraded Recovery tussock grass (TGER) pastures from the area. and sometimes eroded. A long term fencing programme is system under proper COlltr()!. 3. Turee land system (12.1 per cent) bring this grazing country present unfenced situation the n'~~:ve:itt::~;~~: This system is the most important shrubby pastures can only be on the station and is in fair to bad condition. It cattle numbers at each tussoc;, manipulating consists of stony crabhole plains supporting controlling season of use by closing down (MUCR) and stony grass (TGER), mulga creekline moving cattle. short grass forb (SSGF) pastures. The pastures have and have changed from a been preferentially grazed 5. Edward land system (3.6 per cent) edible shrubs and perennial grasses to mixture of of tributary plains stands or, in some areas, to bare ground. This system consists pure grass south-western Although the shrubs are only a minor component of sparse saltbush in the

270 property near Kennedy well. Condition is fair to bad. 7. The station is managed on the open range system, The system is productive, but is very sensitive to but has the advantage of some holding paddocks use and requires careful management if it is not to near the homestead. Although there is little erosion deteriorate further. Stock numbers need to be well on the property, the best pastures are degraded and distributed and carefully controlled and to do this an steps need to be taken to regenerate these. additional watering point is required. 8. Recommended cattle unit capacity for present 6. The remaining sixteen land systems comprise 40 per condition is I 330 adults or I 660 total cattle. cent of the station and are generally in fair to good 9. Capability cattle unit capacity if all the station were condition. The more productive areas are generally in good condition is estimated at 2 030 adult cattle in fair to poor condition while the stony unattractive or 2 540 total cattle. areas are in good condition.

271 i r,

INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT TUREE CREEK STATION 277 715 ha Range condition (sq. km) Sheep unit capacity Land system Area Pasture (sq. km) lands Good Fair Bad EIO' Recommended Capability Jamindie 546 SSGF 162 256 31 4 739 906 MUCR 7 52 7 397 825 TGER 11 16 318 451 Kunderong 425 SSGF 323 646 969 TGER 13 38 444 852 MSGF 9 31 11 151 204 Turee 334 SSGF 131 31 2 309 492 TGER 3 108 26 1043 2288 MUCR 26 7 166 413 Noolngnin 249 SSGF 34 129 14 10 276 374 MUCR 11 21 3 253 438 TGMI 13 9 5 309 451 Kooline 184 SSGF 82 68 1 384 453 MUCR 5 5 8 116 225 CHAT 3 7 5 108 186 Wa;-ri 133 MSGF 35 53 18 299 CHAT 4 7 2 113 163 MUCR 7 7 126 175 Egerton 130 MSGF 74 24 368 392 SSGF 9 12 51 63 MUCR 7 4 109 138 Divide 115 HSSP 104 208 208 MUCR 5 6 96 138 Table 111 MSGF 38 18 206 224 CSGF 18 18 8 160 220 MUCR 5 6 96 138 River 103 MUCR 50 17 719 838 STCH 21 105 174 No 15 Edward 99 CHAT 5 54 26 576 1063 STCH 12 60 100 SSGF 1 1 5 6 Platform 76 HSHI 65 SOSP 10

Capricorn 70 HSHI 49 SSGF 12 6 MUCR 2 1 Rocklea 34 HSHI 31 STCH 2 MUCR 1 Paraburdoo 34 STCH 4 14 8 119 CHAT 6 50 SSGF 2 6 800lgeeda 25 HSHI 18 6 55 SOSP 1 13 Ethel 15 SSGF 7 5 31 CHAT 2 25 MUCR 6 Cadgie 14 SOSP 4 4 2 90 SSGF 3 1 11 Laterite 3 SSGF 3 MSGF 4 TGER 8 Charley MSGF 4 CSGF TGER

adult total Recommended cattle unit capacity. 2000 2500 Capability cattle unit capacity . . 3050 3810

Declared stock numbers (1979).

272 VAROO STATION - West Pilbara Shire Location Condition statements for land systems The bulk of Uaroo and for the station is located on the Yanrey station as. a whole (total Over 11 land systems) 1:250 000 map sheet with are smaller areas on the Wyloo, presented III Table 2. These statements were derived Edmund and Winning Pool sheets. The North West from traverse records. Coastal Highway runs through the property, and the homestead is located about 130 km south-southeast of Range evaluation sites Onslow. The station has common boundaries 1. Varoo land system (34.3 per cent of total stalion with Nanutarra, area) olenflorrie, Winning, Nyang and Yanrey stations. Seventy-five per cent of the traverse recordings Area within survey made on this spinifex based system indicated good Entire station 246 997 ha. range condition. Fifteen per cent and IO per cent of the recordings indicated fair and bad range condition respectively. Description Generally the broad plains of the Many different landforms are Uaroo system present on the station. are resistant to grazing and show In the far north and north-west low plains no erosion. of the Uaroo However, some of the smaller units of the system land system predominate (34.3 per cent of total station such as tracts receiving sheet flow have received area), and there are also numerous prominent hills and excessive ridges use in the past and are now severely of the Augustus (9.0 per cent), Capricorn (22.1 degraded and eroded. per cent) and Boolaloo (1.5 per cent) systems. The centre of the property consists of a series of broad A total of about 12 sq. km is very severely sandy degraded or stony valleys flanked by massive ridges and hills. In and should not be grazed. One area of the south rugged hills of the very low pastoral concern is in Racecourse paddock about 2 km to the value west Capricorn land system predominate and there are of the homestead. Other areas are near also McCarty's low stony plains of the Mundong system (7.7 per cent) bore, Mulvie bore and in Yalgetty which is of moderate pastoral value. paddock. The area in Racecourse paddock could bc protected from grazing by a few kilometres Rous Creek runs south to north through the of property fencing; it is suitable for treatment and requires strip for about 60 km and for some of this distance is flanked cultivation by and seeding with buffel grass. The other the high pastoral value alluvial plains system Rous areas may (4.3 per cent). be more difficult to cultivate but are capable of supporting buffel grass. A total of 13 land systems are present on the station. The Uaroo system supports a mixture These are briefly described and their of hard and pastoral value for soft spinifex. The former is of very little use good range condition status indicated in for Table I. grazing, but soft spinifex is of moderate value with

Table 1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON UAROO STATION Pastoral value Land systems Per cent of area Very low Capricorn - rugged hills and ridges ( >30hals.u.) with low shrublands or hard spinifex. 22.1 Augustus - rugged mountain ranges, hills, ridges and plateaux, with skeletal SoilS and tall shrublands or hard spinifex grasslands...... 8.9 Booigeeda - stony plains with hard spinifex grassland or mulga shrublands ...... 0.2 low 31.2 Koollne - rough shale hills, saline drainage (20 to 30hals.u,) floors and broad braided creeks, sparse shrubs 13.7 Collier - undulating stony uplands, low hills and ridges and stony lower plains shrublands ...... with mulga . 2.6 Prairie - granite hills and undulating stony plains with low and taJl shrublands. 0.2

MOderate 16.5 Uaroo - broad sandy plains with (10 to 20hals.u.) hard and soft spinifex grasslands...... 34.3 Mundong - gently undulating plains with open snakewood and mulga shrublands .. .. . 7.7 Giralia- linear dunes and broad sandy plains supporting hard and soft spinifex . ... " .' ... 2.1 Stuart - plains of low or moderate relief with snakewood shrublands and hard spinifex hummock and soft grasslands ...... '" ...... ' ...... " '" .. ' . 2.1 800laloo - granite hills, domes, tor fields and sandy plains, spinifex grasslands shrubby grasslands ...... and . 1.5 Nanutarra - low mesas and hills with soft and hard spinifex ...... 0.1 47.8 Rous - alluvial plains, sandy and duplex soils with snakewood and other shrublands . .... 4.5 4.5

100.0

273 RECORDS Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE (255 recordings on 10 land systems) condition (%) Total erosion (%) Pasture condition (%) Range Land No. of v. poor good fair bad system recordings nil minor mod. severe exe. good fair poor 55 27 18 82 9 9 37 18 36 9 Augustus 11 100 100 100 Boolaloo 2 100 Capricorn 10 100 70 30 100 100 Collier 1 100 25 8 8 83 17 Giralia 12 100 59 53 31 8 3 59 33 8 Kaoline 39 87 5 5 3 5 60 32 8 58 38 4 Mundong 26 85 15 53 27 20 53 27 Rous 15 40 53 7 20 45 44 56 44 Stuart 9 100 11 14 5 6 75 15 10 Uaroo 130 85 8 2 5 41 34 Total over all 22 7 4 67 24 9 land systems 255 86 9 2 3 30 37

can be made of this piece mature spinifex so that full utilisation good drought durability. Old, and to assist with an overall programme and management must country stands are useless for grazing better stock distribution on the station. be aimed at maintaining the pastures in as attractive to stock as possible. Spinifex pastures condition 4. RODS land system (4.5 per cent) burnt on a regular basis about every 4 or 5 must be system is years and burning should be late in the year. Burnt Condition of this alluvial plain deferred from grazing for 8 to 10 variable. Of fifteen traverse recordings made areas should be 27 over the growing season following the fire in system 20 per cent, 53 per cent and weeks range conditiO! order to allow desirable grasses, forbs and low indicated good, fair and bad shrubs to become established. respectively. degraded Some sections of the Uaroo system in the north About 9 sq. km is very severely and elsewhere on the property are poorly eroded and should not be grazed. The largest west paddock not utilised du~ to the lack of stock area of degradation is in Racecourse utilised or degraded A number of additional waters are required continuous with a piece of severely waters. from to ensure a more even distribution of stock. land system. Complete protection treatments involving mechanical works and as outlined for the Uaroo system (see I) are 2. Capricorn (22.1 per cent), Kooline (13.7 per cent) land systems and Augustus (8.9 per cent) 5. The remaining seven land systems which collective Nearly all parts of these hill systems are in good occupy 8.8 per cent of the station area are in range condition with pastures in excellent or good fair condition with no erosion. condition and no erosion. Pasture degradation and patchy erosion is present on some minor units such 6. In terms of paddocks Uaroo is reasonably as narrow drainage floors and lower plains. developed, although some fences are in Although the latter units are relatively small in size condition - elsewhere fences have been they are attractive to stock and carry useful shrubby upgraded. However, the station is not narticulaJ mulga creekline pastures (MUCR) and, on the well-watered and has a number of Kooline system, saltbush (CHAT) pastures. These corners and unserviceable mills. !~~:j:ti~:';~:i~~ areas can only be maintained by conservative and better distribution of stock are stocking and occasional spelling over a growing enable grazing pressure to be reduced season. traditionally heavily grazed areas. 3. Mundong land system (7.7 per cent) 7. The recommended sheep unit capacity fo: and assuming full development IS stony plains system is located in the south of condition This adults or 13430 total sheep. the station and supports useful stony chenopod some sparse tussock grass pastures (STCH) and sheep unit capacity if all count:~ pastures. Its condition is fair or good and it 8. The capability (TGER) in good range condition is 13 790 adults or not received much grazing in the past. has sheep. Additional stock water supplies should be developed total

274 INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT UAROO STATION 246997 ha Range Land system Area Pasture condition (sq. km) Sheep (sq. km) lands unit capacity Good Fair Bad EID' Recommended Capability Uaroo 847 HSSP 538 80 1484 SOSP 163 33 1854 21 12 2381 2863 Capricorn 545 HSHI 382 SSGF 649 649 136 408 MUCR 14 6 408 7 231 338 Kaoline 339.4 SSGF 217 61 MUCR 773 834 27 7 0.4 361 CHAT 5 19 424 3 228 338 Augustus 220.3 MSGF 148 61 388 MUCR 3 418 3 5 0.3 71 138 Mundong 190 STCH 41 67 TGER 675 896 6 42 453 SSGF 24 802 10 92 102 Raus 110 TGCE 8 26 8 946 STCH 8 2100 14 8 9 152 324 SOSP 7 8 7 177 No veg. 7 275 ColHer 64 MSGF 30 5 SSGF 135 140 12 4 44 STCH 8 48 4 88 108 Glralia 53 HSSP 21 5 73 SOSP 26 78 1 333 338 Stuart 51 STCH 7 14 128 174 HSHI 13 7 SOSP 44 50 6 3 103 125 800laloo 37 HSHI 20 SOSP 34 34 14 183 STCH 2 188 17 17 Prairie 6 MSGF 3 SSGF 38 38 2 6 MUCR 1 6 13 13 Boolgeeda 5 HSHI 4 10 SOSP 1 10 13 13 Nanutarra 2 SOSP 2 HSSP 13 13 TOTALS 2470 1906 474 68 21.7 10744 13786 ·Areas of extreme degradation; severe erosion andler pasture degradation, zero carrying capacity. Recommended sheep unit capacity ...... Capability . 10740 adults - 13430 total sheep unit capacity ...... ,' . . ' " . '" . '" " . '" ...... 13790 adults - 17240 total Ceclared stock numbers (1979) ...... 10000 sheep, 100 cattle

275 ULLAWARRA STATION - West Pilbara Shire

landform and vegetation type in Table I. Location Condition statements for land systems and the whale Ullawarra station is located on the Edmund 1:250 000 station (total over all land systems) are presented in map sheet on the southern boundary of the Ashburton Table 2. These statements were derived from data River catchment. It neighbours Amelia, Edmund, recorded whilst traversing on the station. Glenflorrie, Kaoline, Maroonah and Wanna stations and the Barlee Range Wildlife Sanctuary. Range evaluation sites Detailed description and measurements of landforms Area within survey vegetation, soils and range condition were made at 13 Eighty-five per cent (139 272 hal of the station falls sites on 5 land systems. within the survey area. The remainder is in the Gascoyne River catchment and was mapped during the Range condition and recommendations Gascoyne River survey (1970) but no station report was prepared. The whole station (163 177 hal is considered 1. Augustus land system (52 per cent in this report. area) This system consists of low hills and mountains Description which support poor hard spinifex (HSHI) and mUlga This station consists of rugged hills, mountains and short grass forb (MSGF) pastures. Small inclusions ridges with associated footslopes, narrow valleys, of mulga creekline pasture (MUCR) are found along drainage floors and restricted stony plains. Hill land the narrow drainage lines and these are in good to systems Augustus, Ullawarra, Charley and Collier fair condition. Access to this land system is . comprise 89 per cent of the station area. The remaining even on foot, and it offers little attractive country consists of stony plain of the Boolgeeda, and is of very low pastoral value. Egerton, Jamindie, Scoop and a few other minor systems and narrow floodplains of the River system. 2. Ullawarra land system (26.6 per cent) About 94 per cent of the station is of very low or low This system consists of shale and dolerite hills pastoral value and some parts of this are sufficiently supports varied pastures of mulga short grass rugged and inaccessible to be of no value. Only 3.5 per (MSGF), cassia short grass forb (CSGF) cent and 2.4 per cent are of moderate and high value bluebush (CHMA) pastures. These pastures respectively. generally in good or fair condition. However, A total of 13 land systems are present on the station, some areas CSGF pastures have been ave"·,.,,,d: and these are briefly described according to their and now support only annuals in season. This

Table 1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON ULLAWARRA STATION

Pastoral value Land systems Per cent

Very low Augustus _ rugged mountain ranges, hills, ridges and plateaux, with skeletal soils and tall (>30hals.u.) shrublands or hard spinifex grasslands. . 52.0 Booigeeda - stony plains with hard spinifex grassland or mulga shrublands. . ----;1.0

Low Ullawarra _ dolerite and shale hills and restricted stony plains and drainage floors with (20 to 30hals.u.) mulga and minor chenopod shrublands...... 26.8 Charley _ dolerite hills and ridges and restricted lower plains; tall and low shrublands. 6.7 Collier _ undulating stony uplands, low hills and ridges and stony lower plains with mulga sh,ublands ...... 3.8 Egerton - highly dissected plains and slopes with sparse mulga shrublands. . . 2.1 Jamindie _ stony hardpan plains and stony rises with groved mulga shrublands. 1.3 Ethel _ cobble plains with sparse mulga and other Acacia spp. shrublands. . . . _0_._4_~

Moderate Scoop - stony plains with snakewood and chenopod shrublands...... 2.5 (10 to 20hals.u.) Table _ low calcrete plateaux, mesas and lower plains with mulga and cassia shrub lands . . . 0.9

Nadarra _ plains and calcrete rises with chenopod shrublands and hard spinifex grasslands --~0.1

High River _ narrow active flood plains flanking major rivers and creeks with moderately dense (5 to 10ha/s.u.) tall shrublands. Bibbingunna - clay flats with crabholes and sluggish drainage; chenopod and tussock 0.7 grass pastures......

o Very high « 5ha/s.u.)

276 Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE RECORDS (198 recordings on 8 land systems)

~ ------" "---- Land No. of Total erosion (%) Pasture condition ("!o) "---"" ~<:tnge con~ition (o/~ system recordings nil minor mod. severe exe. good fair poor v. poor good fair bad "-----~-----" "--""------Augustus 21 100 52 38 10 90 10 Booigeeda 3 100 67 33 100 Charley 7 100 71 29 100 Collier 13 77 23 23 46 23 8 69 23 8 River 18 94 6 17 55 28 72 28 Scoop 16 100 31 56 13 31 69 Table 3 100 33 34 33 67 33 Ullawarra 117 91 9 38 27 26 9 65 31 4 Total over all land systems 198 92 8 35 33 25 7 68 29 3 ---"'------,

pasture (Cassia afr. hamersleyensis) is very sensitive 6. Very few cattle were seen and total numbers were to grazing. estimated at only about 500 head. The station appeared not to have been effectively stocked for 3. Chariey land system (6.7 per cent) some years. As a result of the lack of grazing, most This system is composed of massive dolerite ridges of the pastures are in good condition, except for which support mulga short grass forb (MSGF), some small areas of badly degraded drainage floors cassia short grass forb (CSGF - Cassia oligophylla) and upland basalt plains. and minor tussock grass (TGER) pastures, all of which are in good or fair condition. 7. Recommended cattle unit capacity for present condition and assuming full development is 690 4. The remaining 14.5 per cent of the station's area is adults or 860 total. made up of 10 land systems. Condition of these systems is fair or good. 8. Capability cattle unit capacity assuming all country was in good range condition is 790 adults or 990 5. This station carried sheep in the recent past and total. many miles of fencing were erected over rugged hills to provide paddocks. Numerous watering points 9. This station is not a viable pastoral unit. Any future were also installed. transfer as a single entity should not be permitted Since the property changed to cattle, the fences and efforts should be made to amalgamate all or have fallen into disrepair and most of the 'waters are part of Ullawarra with the adjoining property no longer working. Grazing is on the uncontrolled Edmund. Failing this, it is recommended that the open range principle. property revert to crown land or become part of the Barlee Range Wildlife Sanctuary.

277 (~~I i

INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT ULLAWARRA STATION 163177 ha Range condition (sq, km) Sheep unit capacity Land system Area Pasture (sq. km) lands Good Fair Bad E/O' Recommended Capability Augustus 849 MSGF 807 1614 1 614 MUCR 38 4 497 525 Ullawarra 437 MSGF 292 44 650 672 CHMA 23 42 5 598 875 CSGF 22 9 137 155 Charley 109 MSGF 60 120 120 CSGF 37 185 185 TGER 6 6 151 200 Collier 62 MSGF 26 8 128 136 SSGF 12 4 44 48 STCH 8 4 86 100 Scoop 40 STCH 12 4 10 140 216 CHAT 6 1 1 86 100 MUCR 5 1 31 75 Egerton 34 MSGF 20 6 96 104 SSGF 4 1 14 15 MUCR 2 1 33 38 River 28 14 4 197 225 4 2 43 50 4 Jamindie 21 5 12 28 34 1 2 23 38 1 8 17 Booigeeda 17 HSHI 16 40 40 SOSP 1 13 13 Table 14 MSGF 5 2 26 CSGF 4 2 26 ~ MUCR 1 13 13 Bibbingunna 12 CHMA 6 50 75 TGER 6 50 100 Elhel 7 SSGF 6 18 18 CHAT 1 13 13 MUCR Nadarra 2 STCH 8 8 CHMA 13 13 HSHI

At Conversion rate 5:1 At Conversion rate 7.5:1 adult total adult total Recommended cattle unit capacity...... 1 040 1 300 690 860 Capabllily cattle unil capacily ...... __~1 ~18::.0=--___~1-,4::.80=-- ___~7-,9c:0 _____ 9,-9_0~

Declared stock numbers (1979) ...... , ......

278 URALA STATION - West Pilbara Shire

Location Range condition and recommendations Urala station is located on the Onslow 1 :250 000 map sheet with a very small area extending on to the Yanrey 1. Littoral land system (52.4 per cent of station area) sheet. The station fronts the coast and the mouth of the Condition of the small areas of samphire Ashburton River is located in the. north-west. of and soft the spinifex pastures on this system is good and there is station near the old Onslow townshIp. The statIOn has no erosion. common boundaries with Minderoo and Koordarrie stations. 2. Onslow land system (41 per cent) Area within survey Overall range condition of this mixed spinifex and tussock grass Entire station 55 988 ha. system is good. There are occasional areas where pasture deterioration is evident and condition status is fair. No areas in bad condition Description were seen. The station consists of broad, gently undulating sand Buffel grass has established well on parts of the plain, low lying sand plain, sand dunes, clay plains and bare Onslow system and, in some cases, now dominates saline mud flats and tidal creeks with dense over the soft spinifex. fringing mangrove communities. The largest land system on the station is Littoral. About 70 per cent of this system consists of saline mud 3. Yankagee (3.5 per cent) and Dune (3.1 per cent) land flats with no vegetation. The remaining smaller units of systems the system support soft spinifex (SOSP) and samphire pastures. Overall pastoral value is very low. Overall range condition of these soft spinifex systems is good. Only three other systems, namely Onslow, Yankagee and Dune, are present on the station and these Fire is an important management tool on these collectively occupy 47.6 per cent of the total area. These systems and on the Onslow system. Old, mature systems support soft spinifex and tussock grass pastures spinifex stands are of no use for grazing and management (including introduced buffel grass) and pastoral value is must be aimed at maintaining the high. pastures in as attractive condition as possible to stock. Further To do this the spinifex must be burnt on a brief descriptions of the systems are provided regular basis in Table 1. about every 4 or 5 years and burning should be late in the year. Burnt areas should be Condition statements for land systems and for the deferred from grazing for 8 to 10 weeks over the station as a whole (total over all land systems) are growing season following the burn in order to allow presented in Table 2. These statements were derived desirable grasses and low shrubs to become from observations made whilst traversing on the established. station. 4. The station is well-paddocked, but not particularly Range evaluation sites well-watered due to high salinity of much of the ground water. Additional Detailed descriptions and measurements of waters probably in the landform, form of dams are required vegetation, soil and condition status were made at 6 sites in the south and south on I land system. east if maximum use of available pastures is to be made.

Table 1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON URALA STATION Pastoral value Land systems Per cent of area Very low Littoral - extensive bare coastal mudflats ~OhaJs.U.I flanked by mangroves and harrow sandy plains .. 52.4 52.4

U·I 0

Onslow - sand plain, dunes and clay plains with soft spinifex and tussock grasses ..... " , 41.0 Yankagee - plains with dunes and numerous claypans, soft spinlfex shrublands ...... and snakewood ' ...... 3.5 Dune - dune fields with soft spinifex and minor hard spinifex grasslands ...... " ...... 3.1 47.6 0

100.0·

279 -c-" --T~'--' ...... I ------

RECORDS Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE (60 recordings on 2 land systems) ~ Range condition (%) Total erosion (%) Pasture condition (%) Land No. of v. poor good fair bad system recordings nil minor mod. severe exe, good fair poor 100 100 Littoral 3 100 21 58 19 2 79 21 Onslow 57 95 5

18 2 80 20 60 95 5 20 60

for present area on the eastern side of the Ashburton 5. The recommended sheep unit capacity An development is 4 River in the vicinity of the old Onslow township does condition and assuming full not appear to be used to any great extent. Despite adults or 6 090 total sheep. of access at certain times of the year this difficulty all country should be brought into production so that stock 6. The capability sheep unit capacity if area adults or 6 530 can be better distributed over the property. in good range condition is 5 220 sheep.

INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT 55988 URALA STATION Range condition (sq. km) Area Pasture Land system (sq. km) lands Good Fair Bad EID· 225 225 Littoral 293 SOSP 18 72 18 72 SAMP 86 100 STCH 8 4 No 245 15 1350 1 413 Onslow 230 SOSP 98 1 336 49 31 1079 TGMI 1600 1600 TGCE 32 No 5 100 100 Yankagee 20 SOSP 8 132 4 132 TGCH 25 38 CHAT 3 No 5 188 Dune 17 17

pasture degradation, zero carrying capacity. * Areas of extreme degradation; severe erosion and/or .4870 adults - 6 090 unit capacity ...... Recommended sheep .5220 adults - 6 Capability sheep unit capacity...... 3 335 Declared stock numbers (1979) .....

280 WANNA STATION - Upper Gascoyne Shire

Location (collectively occupying 0.8 per cent of the station area) Wanna station lies on the divide between the which support mixed pastures including stony chenopod catchments of the Ashburton and Gascoyne Rivers and (STCH), mulga creekline (MUCR) and saltbush is wholly located on the Edmund 1:250 000 map sheet. (CHAT). The River system (2.6 per cent) is of high The homestead is about 440 km north-east by road from value and consists of narrow active floodplains flanking Carnarvon with access via Gascoyne Junction and major rivers and creeks and supports productive mUlga Gifford Creek station. There is also access to creekline (MUCR) pastures. Meekatharra via Mt. Augustus station. A total of 10 land systems occur on the area surveyed The station has common boundaries with Amelia, and all are briefly descri bed in Table 1. Dooley Downs, Mt. Augustus, Gifford Creek, Edmund Condition statements for land systems and Ullawarra stations. and for the station as a whole (total over all land systems) are presented in Table 2. These Area within survey statements were derived from observations made whilst traversing on the About 51 per cent of the station (133 847 hal falls station. within the survey area. The remainder is in the Gascoyne River catchment and was mapped during the Range evaluation sites Gascoyne River catchment survey (1970). As a result of Detailed descriptions and measurements of landform, the 1970 survey a report was prepared for that portion vegetation, soil and range condition were made at 8 sites of the station falling within the Gascoyne catchment. on 3 land systems. This report refers mainly to that part of the station falling within the catchment of the Ashburton River Range condition and recommendations although some comments about the southern portion within the Gascoyne River catchment are also made. I. Range condition of all the land systems on the Description portion of Wanna surveyed is either good or fair. Seventy-three per cent and 27 per cent of The northern the 108 half of the station which was subject to recordings made whilst traversing indicated good detailed survey consists of massive ranges and hills with and fair range condition respectively (see Table 2). some narrow valleys and stony plains. There are no problems of pasture degradation or erosion. About 72 per cent of the area is of low pastoral value and consists of rough hills of the Ullawarra, Chariey 2. Although and Collier land systems and stony plains of the Ethel the southern half of the station was not and Egerton systems. subject to detailed survey, parts of it, including most of the watering points, were briefly inspected. At Only 3.4 per cent of the surveyed area the is of moderate time of survey (June 1978) the station was or high pastoral value. Country of moderate not value occupied and most of the mills were either not consists of the Scoop and Table land systems operating or were derelict. Cattle carcasses (up to 20)

Table 1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON WANNA STATION

Pastoral value Land systems Per cent of area Very low Augustus - 1>30hals.u.) rugged mountain ranges, hills, ridges and plateaux, with skeletal shrub lands or hard spinifex grasslands soils and tall ...... 69.9 Mulgul - rough dolomite hills supporting low shrubs and sparse mulga .. . 2.5

Low 72.4 Ullawa.rra (20 10 30hals.u.) - dolerite and Shale hills, restricted stony plains and drainage and mmor chenopod shrublands floors, with mulga .. " ...... 9.6 Ethel - cobble plains with sparse mulga and other Acacia spp. shrublands. 6.1 Charley - dolerite hills and ridges and restricted lower plains with tall and low shrublands. 5.1 Collier - undulating stony uplands, low hills and ridges and stony lower plains shrublands ...... with mulga . 1.9 Egerton - highly dissected plains and slopes with sparse mulga shrublands .. 1.5 24.2 Scoop - stony plains with snakewood and chenopod shrublands .. 0.6 Table - low calcrete plateaux, mesas and lower plains with mulga and cassia shrublands .. 0.2 0.8 River - narrow active flood plains flanking major rivers and creeks with tall shrublands ...... moderately dense . 2.6 2.6

100.0

281 'T!~r~' , , ,

Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE RECORDS (108 recordings on 8 land systems)

Total erosion (%) Pasture condition (%) Range condition (%) Land No. of system recordings nil minor mod. severe exe. good fair poor v. poor good fair bad Augustus 30 97 3 70 30 97 3 Collier 2 100 50 50 100 Ethel 33 97 3 36 40 18 6 76 24 Mulgul 6 100 34 33 33 33 67 River 4 100 100 100 Scoop 4 100 25 25 50 25 75 Table 100 100 100 Ullawarra 27 96 4 52 26 22 52 48 Total over all land systems 108 97 2 37 37 15 11 73 27

perhaps 6 months to I year old were common controlled. The rugged and unproductive nature around non-operative watering points. The total the area makes fencing and further number of live cattle on the whole station was impractical and uneconomic. estimated to be less than 400. 4. The recommended cattle unit capacity for 3. The station appears to be operated on a spasmodic condition of the northern surveyed part of opportunistic basis. The northern surveyed part of station is 540 adults or 680 total cattle. the station is operated on the open range principle which is acceptable for this class of country provided 5. The capability cattle unit capacity of the sUl've'ved that the number of stock on watering points are area if all country was in good range condition is adults or 720 total cattle.

282 INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT WANNA STATION Area surveyed 133 847 ha Range Land system Area Pasture condition (sq. km) Sheep (sq. km) lands unit capacity Good Fair Bad EID' Recommended Capability Augustus 936 MSGF 889 1778 MUCR 31 16 1778 476 588 UJlawarra 129 MSGF 58 41 178 CHMA 11 10 198 CSGF 9 209 263 45 45 Ethel 81 SSGF 57 8 187 CHAT 9 3 195 MUCR 2 137 150 2 36 50 Charley 69 MSGF 38 CSGF 23 76 76 TGER 4 115 115 4 100 134 River 34 MUCR 22 STCH 7 275 275 No veg 5 58 58 Mulgul 33 MSGF 17 8 45 CSGF 7 50 MUCR 21 35 1 6 13 Collier 26 MSGF 14 SSGF 7 56 56 STCH 21 21 5 42 42 Egerton 20 MSGF 15 SSGF 3 60 60 MUCR 9 9 2 25 25 Scoop 8 STCH 3 2 35 CHAT 2 42 MUCR 17 25 1 6 13 Table 2 MSGF 1 4 CSGF 1 4 MUCR 5 5 TOTALS 1 3:i8 1233 105 4022 4325 "Areas of extreme degradation; severe erosion andlor pasture degradation, zero carrying capacity.

At Conversion rate 5:1 At Conversion rate 7.5:1 adult total adult total Recommended cattle unit capacity (part station) ...... 800 1000 540 680 Capability cattle unit capacity (part station) ...... 870 1090 580 730 Declared stock numbers (1979) ...... 280 cattle

283 T !

WYLOO STATION - West Pilbara Shire

Location south and occupies 30.8 per cent of the total area Pastoral value is low. High sandstone, dolomite and Most of Wyloo station is located on the Wyloo jaspilite ranges and plateaux of the Capricorn and 1:250 000 map sheet, but parts of the station also extend Newman systems and basalt hills of the Rocklea system into the Edmund, Mt. Bruce and Turee Creek sheets. occur in the centre and north of the property. Pastoral The homestead is situated about 200 km west by road value is very low. from the township of Tom Price. The station has common boundaries with Rocklea, Ashburton Downs, A number of stony plains systems such as Kooline, Glenflorrie and Mt. Stuart stations and vacant Paraburdoo, Dollar and Boolgeeda are associated with crown land. the hill systems. A total of 16 land systems occur on the property and Area within survey these are briefly described and their pastoral value for Entire station 328 037 ha. good range condition indicated in Table 1. Condition statements for land systems and for the Description station as a whole (total over all land systems) are At its western end Wyloo station has about 30 km of presented in Table 2. These statements are derived from frontage to the Ashburton River which runs in a north traverse data. west direction through the property. The Hardy River runs from the east through the full length of the Range evaluation sites property and joins the Ashburton River about 10 km Detailed descriptions and measurements of landform, south-west of the homestead. The important alluvial vegetation, soils and range condition were made at 42 plain land systems, Ashburton and River, are closely sites on to land systems. associated with the rivers and collectively occupy 6.6 per cent of the total station area. Pastoral value is Range condition and recommendations potentially very high. Tributary plain systems, Edward and Cheela, occupy 8.4 per cent of the station area and I. Kooline land system (30.8 per cent pastoral value is potentially high. area) Rugged hill land systems flank the river plains in the Some rugged hilly sections of the Kooline system west, north and south of the property. The Kooline in the west and elsewhere on the property have not system consisting of rough shale hills, saline drainage been developed for pastoral purposes and are too floors and broad braided creeL occurs in the west and poor for development. Elsewhere on the property

Table 1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON WYLOO STATION ------_._------_.__ ._-_._-- .. Pastoral value Land systems

Very low Capricorn - rugged hills and ridges with low shrublands or hard spinifex. 16.9 ( >30ha/s.u.) Rocklea - basalt hills and restricted stony plains with hard spinifex. 13.6 Booigeeda - stony plains with hard spinifex grassland or mulga shrublands. 6.5 Newman - rugged jaspilite plateaux, ridges and mountains with hard spinifex. . . . 3.6 Augustus - rugged mountain ranges, hills, ridges and plateaux with skeletal soils and tall shrubl:mds or hard spinifex grasslands.. ._---1.1

Low Koollne - rough shale hills, saline drainage floors and broad braided creeks, sparse shrubs 30.8 (20 to 30hals.u.) Prairie _ granite hills and undulating stony plains with low and tall shrublands. __1.::.:....-2 __ -

Moderate Paraburdoo - stony gilgal plains derived from basalt with snakewood shrublands. .. 6.0 (10 to 20hals.u.) Dollar _ stony plains with open snakewood shrublands. 3.6 Stuart - plains of low or moderate relief with snakewood shrublands and hard or soft spinifex hummock grasslands. . . 0.8 Robe - low plateaux, mesas and buttes of limonite with soft and hard spinifex pastures. 0.6 600laloo - granite hills, domes, tor fields and sandy plains, spinifex grasslands and shrubby grasslands...... 0.3 -----:

High Cheela - degraded alluvial plains with very sparse shrublands...... 6.1 (5 to 10hals.u.) Edward _ alluvial plains with sparse degraded saltbush, bluebush and other shrub pastures ----'2=-.3__ -;;

Very high Ashburton - active floodplains and backplains with deep silty loam and clayey soils, (< 5hals.u.) shrublands and tussock grasslands...... 4.9 River - narrow active flood plains flanking major rivers and creeks with moderately dense tall shrublands...... _1:-.7__ -=

284 Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE RECORDS (479 recordings on 11 land systems)

Total Land No. of erosion ('Yo) Pasture condition ('Yo) system recordings ~ange ~ondition ('Yo) nil minor mod. severe exc. good fair poor v. poor good fair bad Ashburton 41 68 27 5 10 32 29 29 Booigeeda 38 68 29 10 51 39 3 21 58 18 3 Cheela 74 11 43 21 61 18 27 19 15 47 38 Capricorn 94 79 15 14 86 6 3 40 31 24 2 Dollar 66 54 43 39 18 29 14 3 6 21 52 21 Edward 9 11 11 6 49 45 11 67 11 45 44 Kooline 51 67 11 89 25 6 2 6 22 35 27 Paraburdoo 43 44 45 10 27 46 27 9 2 28 51 21 Prairie 2 100 51 49 100 100 River 18 33 45 22 11 44 39 6 11 56 33 Rocklea 43 85 10 5 24 26 38 5 7 50 38 12 Total over all land systems 479 56 28 11 5 3 16 30 35 16 20 41 39

low shale hills and footslopes (the largest units of the system) are occasionally utilised by livestock. presently assessed as producing at only 13 per cent of Pastures are poor quality stony short grass forb its capacity. (SSGF) and range condition is good or fair. A regeneration project on the severely degraded Other units such as saline lower plains and area is required as a matter of urgency. Recovery of drainage floors with braided streams receive perennial vegetation and consequent stabilisation of preferential use. These units have the potential to the landscape can only be achieved if the area is support valuable chenopod (CHAT) and mulga closed to grazing for a number of years. To do this creekline (MUCR) pastures. Past levels of use have and for future management it is imperative that the been excessive and have resulted in serious pasture area be fenced. deterioration and widespread erosion. In order to The area is suitable for strip cultivation improve condition many and areas require spelling over seeding treatments to hasten the recovery process. a number of consecutive growing periods and Buffel and birdwood conservative grass and possibly some stocking for the rest of the year. Such a chenopod shrubs should be seeded management programme in test areas. automatically presupposes Because of the vagaries of the climate it is impossible adequate fencing and paddocks. to accurately predict the length of time required for recovery, but it is anticipated that the minimum time 2. Capricorn, Rocklea, Booigeeda and Newman land for closure to grazing would systems be five years. These four land systems are the second, third, 4. Paraburdoo land system (6 per cent) fourth and eighth largest on the station and The major units of the system are stony collectively occupy 40.6 per cent of the basalt total station plains and slopes supporting snakewood shrubs. All area. They are of very low pastoral value. Condition the stony chenopod of the (STCH) pastures beneath the large hilly parts is invariably good but snakewood show condition some degradation, but generally of the more attractive pastures on the this is not severe. smaller units Overall condition of this unit is is sometimes poor or very poor. fair and there is no erosion. However, taken overalI, there are no serious problems of degradation or landscape instability on Small, but important units of the system are these systems. drainage floors supporting attractive chenopod (CHAT) pastures. Pasture condition is 3. Cheela land system (6.1 per cent) predominantly poor or very poor and erosion is common. Eighty-six per cent of the traverse This alluvial plains system occurs as a single area observations in the made on drainage floors indicated bad east of the property. The original shrub and range condition. perennial grass pastures on the system arc seriously degraded and considerable wind and water erosion 5. Ashburton land system (4.9 per cent) has occurred in the past and is still occurring. The traverse data presented in Table 2 details the severity Ten per cent, 51 per cent and 39 per cent of the of degradation on the system. traverse recordings made on the system respectively indicated good, About 96 sq. km fair and bad range condition. Some is degraded to the extent that minor wind and water pastures are short-lived ephemerals erosicn in the form of patchy after rain or scalds, hummocks and surface episodic flooding. Very few palatable stripping occurs, but shrubs generally is not serious. Shrub and remam, and the pasture has no drought grass vegetation durability. varies from very sparse to quite For much of the year the ground surface dense. The is bare and introduced buffel grass has established completely exposed to the action of wind and water. well on banks, levees and parts of the floodplain. It has also The area is well-equipped with artificial waters stabilised or partly stabilised areas of past wind (but is entirely unfenced) to make opportunistic use hummocking. of the flush of annual growth in season. However, Despite the fact that pastures are degraded :~e area has far higher potential for and grazing livestock producing well below their potential the system an It can realise in its present condition is - it is reasonably productive and stable. Condition could

285 be improved by spellng over a number of growing In many areas sandy surface layers of the original seasons and actively promoting the spread of buffel duplex soils have been stripped leaving hard bare grass. Control of grazing pressure and season of use clay plains. Rilling, guttering and sheeting is is possible at the present time as the system is already widespread on broad drainage zones. paddocked, but pasture and stock management Rehabilitation can be achieved, but only if the could be further improved by additional areas are fenced to enable complete stock control. subdivision. Strip cultivation treatments to promote water penetration and provide a seedbed on hard scalded 6. Dollar land system (3.6 per cent) surfaces will be necessary on the worst sections. The majority of the system is in fair condition, but Seeding with bird wood and buffel grasses and a there are also some substantial areas in bad range of chenopod shrubs should be undertaken. condition. Degradation consists of considerable loss of desirable perennial shrubs in stony chenopod 8. The remaining six land systems on the station (STCH) and mulga creekline (MUCR) pastures. occupy 5.7 per cent of the area. With the exception Little erosion is present on the former pasture type of the River land system they are of little significance as it is confined to inherently resistant gibber plains, in terms of carrying capacity. Condition is mostly but moderate and severe sheeting, rilling and good or fair. gullying is common on drainage floors supporting MUCR pastures. 9. The condition of the plains country on Wyloo clearly indicates that past levels of use have been An area of about 2 sq. km about 8 km south-west excessive and that past management systems have from Wyloo homestead near Turner bore is very been deficient. Very large numbers of sheep were severely degraded and should be withdrawn from run almost exclusively on the river frontages and use. Elsewhere the system needs spelling over a adjacent plains. The capacity of the country to carry number of growing seasons and conservative stock without damage to the vegetation and stocking for the remainder of the year. landscape was considerably overestimated. 7. Edward land system (2.3 per cent) In attempting to assess a safe carrying capacity for the station as a whole it must be remembered that Wherever this system occurs on the station it is about 45 per cent of the area is undeveloped and profoundly degraded. Thirty-two per cent (24 sq. consists of rocky hills and ranges of negligible km) of the system is severely damaged with very pastoral value. poor pasture condition and active erosion. This area should be closed to grazing. The remainder of the 10. Recommended cattle unit capacity for present system is in bad range condition and requires special condition is 1 370 adults or 1 710 total cattle. mapagement. The Edward system once supported productive 11. Capability cattle unit capacity if all country was in chenopod (CHAT) and stony chenopod (STCH) good range condition is 2 950 adults or 3 690 total pastures, but it is extremely sensitive under grazing. cattle.

286 INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT WYLOO STATION 328037 ha Range Land system Area Pasture condition (sq. km) Sheep (sq. km) lands unit capacity Good Fair Bad EID' Recommended Capability Kaoline 1009 SSGF 331 438 58 MUCR 1956 2481 13 34 54 528 CHAT 27 1263 54 359 1013 capricorn 553 HSHI 290 Ii 97 590 SSGF 64 63 658 11 335 414 MUCR 7 6 i 15 170 350 Rocklea 446 HSHI 233 145 24 I" STCH 565 683 3 8 11 87 MUCR 15 4 183 3 219 275 Booigeeda 214 SSGF 55 130 18 452 609 SOSP 3 5 3 89 138 Cheel a 203 TGER 3 48 51 CHAT 184 1703 3 43 45 132 1 138 TGCE 5 5 117 500 Paraburdoo 196 STCH 142 7 CHAT 724 1237 4 28 3 SSGF 103 438 12 24 36 Ashburton 160 TGCE 7 47 26 1376 4000 CHMA 7 47 26 496 1000 Newman 120 HSHI 120 204 204 Dollar 118 STCH 3 61 30 MUCR 390 780 8 8 2 58 TGER 2 188 4 47 100 Edward 76 CHAT 41 24 103 813 STCH 7 2 SSGF 39 75 2 4 6 RIver 56 MUCR 20 110 250 TGCE 11 6 STCH 240 850 2 6 3 53 No veg. 8 91 Prairie 39 MSGF 17 SSGF 68 68 4 11 1 36 MUCR 1 48 2 3 33 75 Augustus 35 MSGF 33 66 MUCR 1 66 1 18 25 Stuart 26 STCH 4 7 68 HSHI 10 91 25 25 SOSP 3 2 54 63 Robe 18 SOSP 8 8 84 HSHI 2 100 3 3 Boolaloo 11 HSHI 6 10 SOSP 4 10 STCH 50 50 TOTALS 5 8 3280 1256 1367 532 125 10264 22108 ·Areas of extrerne degradation; severe erosion andlor pasture degradation, zero carrying capacity.

At Conversion rate 5:1 At COflVersion rate 7.5:1 adult total adult total :,~commended cattle unit capacity ... , ...... 2050 2560 1370 1 710 pability cattle unit capacity ...... 4420 5530 2950 3690 aeclared stock numbers (1979) ...... '" ...... 1 500 cattle

287 YANREY STATION - West Pilbara Shire

Location cent) is of moderate pastoral value and consists of sandy Yanrey station is located on the Yanrey 1:250000 plains and dunes of the Giralia system and plains with map sheet and the homestead is about 50 km north by thin sand COver of the Uaroo system. road from Barradale roadhouse which is on the North A number of other systems occur on the station but West Coastal Highway. The station has common because of their very small area they are of little boundaries with Giralia, Koordarrie. Minderoo, significance. All of the systems (15) on the station are Nanutarra, Uaroo and Nyang stations. briefly described and their pastoral value for good range condition shown in Table l. Area within survey Condition statements for land systems and for the Entire station 250 782 ha. station as a whole (total over all systems) have been prepared from data collected whilst traversing on the station and are presented in Table 2. Description All of Yanrey is usable grazing country consisting of Range evaluation sites broad sandy plains with dunes, and extensive alluvial Detailed descriptions and measurements of landform clay plains. vegetation, soils and range condition were made at 34: The Yannarie River flows from the south and floods sites on 8 land systems. out and dissipates over a broad, low lying plain area to the west of the station homestead. The low lying area Range condition and recommendations constitutes the Yanrey land system (4.5 per cent of the station area). This system supports a coolibah woodland l. Giralia land system (24.4 per cent of station area) with a dense tussock grass ground layer and is of very This large sandy system which supports a mixt",. high pastoral value. Two other alluvial plain systems, of hard and soft spinifex (HSSP and SOSP) Rous and Minderoo, are also classified as being of very mostly in good range condition. high pastoral value giving a collective total of 30.4 per cent of the station's area in this category. Hard spinifex is of very little use for grazing soft spinifex is of moderate value and has Just under 34 per cent of the station is of high drought durability. Old, mature spinifex pastoral value. These areas are the alluvial clay plain useless for grazing and management must be systems Cheetara and Globe in the centre and east of the at maintaining the pastures in as attractive C011diition property and the sandy plains and dunes of the to stock as possible. To do this the spinifex Yankagee, and Dune systems in the north-west. burnt on a regular basis about every 4 or 5 Nearly all of the remainder of the station (35.8 per burning should be late in the year. Burnt

Table 1 - LAND SYSTEMS ON YANREY STATION

Pastoral value Land systems

Very low Littoral- extensive bare coastal mudflats flanked by mangroves and narrow sandy plains.. 0.1 (>30hals.u.)

Low Egerton - highly dissected plains and slopes with sparse mulga shrub lands . . 0.1 (20 to 30hals.u.)

Moderate Giralia- linear dunes and broad sandy plains supporting hard and soft spinifex. 24.4 (10 to 20ha/s.u.) Uaroo _ broad sandy plains with hard and soft spinifex grasslands. 10.3 Boolaloo - granite hills, domes, tor fields and sandy plains, spinifex grasslands and shrubby grasslands... 0.7 Robe - low plateaux, mesas and buttes of limonite with soft and hard spinifex pastures. ... 0.1 Nanutarra - low mesas and hills with soft and hard spinifex. . . _:...0._1 __

High Cheetara - alluvial clay plains with gilgais, mixed open tussock grasslands and tall (5 to 10hals.u.) shrublands ...... 11.4 Globe - degraded alluvial plains supporting snakewood shrublands and minor tussock grasslands...... 10.9 Yankagee - plains with dunes and numerous clay pans, soft spinifex and snakewood shrublands ...... 10.6 Dune - dune fields with soft spinifex and minor hard spinifex grasslands. . . 0.8 Onslow - sand plain, dunes and clay plains with soft spinifex and tussock grass. . . _0_.1_-:

Very high « 5hals.u.) ~~~~e;~~p~rtr~l~v~~hf~b~~ ~~~~~~~~. ~~I.I.~~r.u.~I~~~~. ~~~ .t.u.s.s.o.~~ ~~~~~I.a.n.~~ ~~~. ~~~~~ ~~ 15.9 Rous - alluvial plains, sandy and duplex soils with snakewood and other shrublands ...... 10.0 Yanrey - active flood plains with grassy woodlands .. 4.5

288 Table 2 - CONDITION STATEMENTS DERIVED FROM TRAVERSE RECORDS (422 recordings on 12 land systems)

Total Land No. of erosion (%) Pasture condition (%) system recordings Range condition (%) nil minor mod. severe exe. good fair poor v. poor good fair bad Boolaloo 1 100 100 Cheetara 45 100 96 4 11 49 31 Dune 5 100 9 11 78 11 100 100 Giralia 95 97 3 64 23 12 87 13 Globe 52 19 39 25 17 6 34 33 Minderoo 75 75 27 6 31 63 12 4 9 25 27 27 8 13 52 Onslow 2 100 29 19 50 50 100 Robe 1 100 100 100 Raus 49 50 24 12 24 31 31 24 14 31 Uaroo 62 100 33 36 65 32 3 97 Yankagee 24 100 3 70 13 13 4 83 Yanrey 11 100 17 9 18 55 18 27 73 Total over all land systems 422 79 11 5 5 34 22 23 13 8 56 27 17

should be deferred from grazing for 8 to 10 weeks contour cultivation and over the growing season seeding with buffel and following the fire in order bird wood grass should be undertaken. to encourage establishment of desirable grasses and shrubs. 3. Cheetara land system (11.4 per cent) The system is generally resistant to degradation, This system although consists of flat clay plains with and some wind erosion can occur if a without giIgais prolonged and supports Roebourne plains grass dry spell occurs after burning. Re (TGER) pastures and establishment of vegetative shrubs. Pasture condition is cover and stabilisation predominantly fair and there occurs rapidly after rain. is no erosion. A systematic system of spelling paddocks over one or two growing seasons is required to improve pasture 2. Minderoo land system (15.9 per cent) condition. Range condition of the Minderoo system is extremely variable as the units of the system vary 4. Globe land system (10.9 per cent) markedly in their sensitivity to grazing. Condition of this system varies from good to Sand dunes and sand plains comprise 25 per cent severely degraded. Some units of the system are far of the system and support soft spinifex (SOSP) more sensitive to grazing use than others and pastures. These units are relatively resistant to condition varies accordingly. The most sensitive unit grazing and pasture condition is good and there is no is the alluvial plain unit supporting snakewood. erosion. Thirty of the 47 recordings (64 per cent) made on this unit indicated bad range Plains with through drainage, gilgai plains and condition. Shrub swamps and depressions pastures are badly depleted and erosion in the form comprise about 55 per cent of hummocking, of the system and support scalding and thin surface sheeting a range of tussock grass is widespread. pastures such as weeping grass (TGCH) and mitchell grass (TGAS). Range condition is mostly fair About 31 sq. km of the Globe system is so although considerable areas are also in good and bad degraded and unstable that it should be closed to condition. Due to the lack of slope and heavy clay grazing. soils of the gilgai plains and swamps no erosion The main problem Occurs even when pastures areas are in North are severely depleted. On Goonagarrie, Lower MyaIlie and the other hand, plains with Paddy's paddocks. through drainage often North Goonagarrie paddock is relatively show moderate wind and water erosion. small and should be completely closed to grazing for such time Plains supporting snakewood occupy about 15 per as is necessary for reasonable recovery to be cent of the system and this unit is inherently very effected. Remedial treatments to hasten recovery sensitive to grazing. Stony chenopod (STCH) and should be undertaken and these will involve strip chenopod (CHAT) pastures are now severely cultivation and seeding with buffel and bird wood de!¥,aded and the duplex soils of the unit have been grass. aclively eroded. The soil surface is often bare and Parts of Lower MyaIlie scalded and wind and Paddy's paddocks hummocking under the also require complete spelling for snakewood shrubs is widespread. a number of years. Additional fencing would be required to do this or About 18 sq. km mostly of the snakewood plains alternatively the whole paddock could be closed to UllIt of the Minderoo system are sO severely grazing. Regeneration programmes in these two degraded that they should not be grazed. The major paddocks need not commence concurrently with the ~~eas .of concern are east of Cronks bore in Lower programme in North Goonagarrie paddock. "lyalhe paddock and in northern parts of Two Mile The time period for full paddock. A large regeneration cannot be area of severely degraded Globe accurately predicted, but it is anticipated aand s~stem also occurs in Lower that partial MyalJie paddock recovery will require about five years of complete nOd thIS paddock should be closed to grazing for a protection Umber from grazing and the cultural treatments of years. In order to hasten recovery strip previously mentioned.

289 5. Rous land system (10 per cent) 8. A feature of Yanrey is the sharp contrast in This alluvial plain system flanks the Yannarie condition encountered between land systems and River and supports mixed pastures of buffel grass also between units of the one land system. As a (TGCE), stony chenopods (STCH) and soft spinifex generalisation all the spinifex-based systems are in (SOSP). Overall condition as indicated by traverse good condition. The regularly flooded tussock grass data is about evenly distributed between good, fair plain systems (e.g. Yanrey) are in good or fair and bad. Soils of the system are frequently duplex condition frequently with dense and highly with coarse sandy surface horizons overlying clay. productive vegetation. Other alluvial plain systems Some areas show moderate and severe erosion and have land units and pasture types which are sensitive vegetation is very sparse; elsewhere the system is to grazing and, from the evidence of severe stable with a good cover of shrubs, soft spinifex and degradation seen during survey, it is obvious that introduced buffel grass. past levels of use on these particular units have been excessive. Sixteen sq. km of the system, mostly near Paddy's 9. A total of about 65 sq. km of country is of particular· bore and 2 Mile Well, are very seriously degraded concern because of the severely degraded condition and require special treatment including exclusion of of the vegetation and soils. As outlined elsewhere in stock and strip cultivation and seeding. this report these areas require drastic remedial treatments including destocking and cultivation and 6. The remaining 10 land systems which collectively seeding. Paddocks containing country requiring occupy 27.4 per cent of the total station area are in treatment are listed approximately in order of good or fair range condition. There are no serious decreasing urgency. problems of pasture degradation or erosion. I. North Goonagarrie 7. About 85 per cent of Yanrey is well-developed in 2. Lower Mya\lie terms of paddocks and watering points. However, 3. Paddy's considerable areas of the Yankagee and Minderoo 4. Two Mile systems in the north-west and north of the property 5. Five Mile are very poorly utilised due to the lack of stock waters. Ground water is usually very saline but the 10. The recommended sheep unit capacity for present area should be brought into production by condition and assuming full development and use of constructing dams at suitable locations. the property (which is not the case at present, see 7) is 24 030 adults or 30 040 total sheep. Pastoral value of this country is high and it is vital that it is brought into use so that grazing pressure II. The capability sheep unit capacity if all country was can be reduced on areas that are currently receiving in good range condition is 38 190 adults or 47 140 excessive use and so that regeneration work total sheep. involving des tacking on problem areas can commence.

290 INDIVIDUAL STATION REPORT YANREY STATION 250782 ha Area Range condition Land system Pasture (sq. km) Sheep unit capacity (sq. km) lands Good Fair L Bad E/D' Recommended Capability Giralia 612 HSSP 275 31 887 SOSP 266 40 918 3657 3825 Minderoo 400 TGCH 62 110 48 3744 7260 SOSP 94 6 STCH 1225 1250 3 14 25 18 145 No veg. 20 498 Cheetara 285 TGER 31 223 31 2484 4760 Globe 273 CHAT 5 38 76 31 TGER 568 1875 10 54 43 763 SOSP 6 10 1787 158 200 Yankagee 266 SOSP 101 1263 1263 TGCH 40 19 CHAT 1586 1947 19 18 387 No veg. 69 463 Uaroo 259 HSSP 189 567 SOSP 70 567 875 875 Rous 251 TGCE 27 28 40 STCH 2032 4750 24 48 16 216 SOSP 730 29 21 537 No veg. 18 625 Yanrey 112 TGCH 9 77 1375 TGCE 20 2838 6 1 120 1300 Dune 21 SOSP 18 TGER 225 225 2 33 No veg, 1 33 800laloo 18 HSHI --- 10 17 SOSP 7 17 STCH 88 88 5 8 Nanutarra 3 SOSP 3 HSSP 19 19 Robe 2 SOSP 2 HSHI 13 13 Onslow 2 SOSP TGMI 13 13 TGCE 17 17 No veg. Egerton 2 MSGF 2 SSGF 8 8 MUCR littoral 2 SOSP SAMP 13 13 STCH 4 4 No veg. TOTALS 2508 1 412 720 311 65 24027 38189 'Areas of extreme degradation; severe erosion and/or pasture degradation, zero carrying capacity. Recommended sheep unit capacity .... , ..... , ...... 24030 adults - 30 040 totals Capability sheep uni1 capacity ... '" '" '" '" '" '" ... '" '" ... ' ...... ' ...... " .38 190 adults - 47 740 totals Declared stock numbers (1979) .. '" '" '" ...... ' ...... ' " .12 731 sheep, 1102 cattle

291 +

292 PHOTO PLATES The following photographs show some of the many different types of country found within the ill ustrate the variable condition of the pastures and soils. survey area and

Plate 1 - Much of the area, particularly in the north and east, consists of rough hills and pastoral value. Some sections are sufficiently ranges of low or very low rugged 8S to be unsuitable for pastoral purposes. Pastures hard splnlfex or mulga short grass forb. Pasture Bre either condition Is good or very good and the shallow stony soils Inherently resistant to erosion. Platform land system with are hills of the Newman system In the background, Q. 374.

293 Plate 2 - Sandy plains supporting hard spinifex (Triodia lanigera, T. basedowiiJ or mixtures of hard spinifex and soft spinifex (Triodia pungens, Piectrachne schinzi;) are extensive in coastal areas and also occur in eastern parts. Pastoral value varies from very low to moderate depending on the proportion of soft splnifex In the stand. Spinifex pastures are relatively stable under Qrazing and their condition is usually fair to very good. Wind erosion can occur If a prolonged dry period follows burmng but stabilisation occurs rapidly after rain. Divide land system, 067.

294 Plate 3 - Many plain land systems in the east of the survey area are underlain at shallow depth by a red brown hard pan layer cemented by silica. Pastures consist of very sparse Acacia and other shrubs with annual grasses and forbs In season. Overall pastoral value is very low as there are few durable shrubs for times of drought. In some cases the exposedfew usefuf at shrubsthe surface, have been066. lost due to overgrazing. Generally there is no erosion. Egerton land system with hardpan

Plate 4 - Another hardpan plain land system showing sparse stony short grass forb pastures. Some of the few sYstem,perennial Q73. shrubs are moribund or dead. Range condition Is fair and carrying capacity Is very low. Three Rivers land

295 ..

Plate 5 - Although, taken overall, the stony hills, stony plains and hardpan plains of the catchment are poorly productive they do support small, dense areas of useful pastures. These are In parts of the landscape, such as along creeklines, drainage foci and groves, which are favoured by extra water running on from adjacent areas. The range condition of the country can be judged by the abundance and vigour of desirable shrubs and grasses in thase locations. Condition throughout the catchment Is variable ranging from extremely degraded with active erosion to very good. Narrow drainage floor in very good condition, Kaoline land system. Desirable low shrubs include cotton bush (Ptilotus obovafus), ruby saltbush (Enchylaena tomentosa), tall saltbush (Rhagodla eremaea) and Wilcox bush (Eremophila /eucophylla) 0365.

296 Plate 6 - This site has a similar potential to that shown In Plate 5. Pasture condition is poor as the important low shrub layer and sparse perennial grasses have been eliminated by overgrazing. ASJe. there Is little erosion on this site but water flow through the area has accelerated due to the lack of groun cover and channel incision and redistribution of soil is Increasing. Narrow drainage floor, Mundong land system, 0524.

297 ..

Plate 7 _ A number of valuable alluvial plain land systems flank the Ashburton River. Parts of these are in good condition with highly productive pastures, but other parts are profoundly degraded with extensive stripped, scalded surfaces devoid of perennial vegetation. Severely degraded flood plain Ashburton land system, 0255.

298 Plate 8 - Introduced buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliarisj has established well and stabilised some parts of flood plains flanking the Ashburton River and its major tributaries. Flood plain in good condition, Ashburton land system, 0342.

299 t

Plate 9 _ The Cheela Plains area of about 200 sq km near the confluence of the Beasley and Hardey Rivers is nearly all in bad r8nge condition. Desirable perennial shrubs and grasses are absent over extensive areas and erosion in the form of thin sheeting, shallow filling and guttering is common. After rain the plains produce a profusion of annual forbs and grasses which provide "utriaus but short-term feed. The annuals are rapidly grazed out leaving the soil surface exposed to wind and water. There are no reserves of feed for poor or drought seasons. The area has the potential to support hiQhly productive perennial based pastures and a regeneration programme is urgently required. Such a programme will Involve strip cultivation and seeding and complete control of stock. Cheela land system, 0329.

300 Plate 10 - Alluvial plains of the Edward land system often Occur below low shale hills in central parts of the survey area. More than 60 per cent of the system is in bad range condition with seriously depleted pastures and active erosion. About 14 per cent (147 sq km) shows extreme degradation, with no perennial vegetation and bare, sealed clay surfaces. Sandy surface horizons of the original duplex soils have been completely removed by wind deflation and water action. Rehabilitation of these areas is possible but will require special cultivation and seeding techniques and complete protection from grazing for up to 10 years. Severely degraded plain Edward land system.

301 If,

i i

Plate 11 _ Alluvial plain in good range condition, Edward land system. This site is one of the few of the Edward system seen in this condition during the survey. Excellent stands of saltbush (Atrip/ex bunburyana) and bluebush (Maireana pyramidata) indicate the high production potential of the system. Unfortunately the duplex soils of the system are highly susceptible to erosion once the vegetative cover Is reduced.The system can only be safely used for pastoral purposes where control of intensity of grazing 'and season of use is complete.

302 Plate 12 - Many land systems in the survey area support snakewood (Acacia xiphophylla) shrublands with, when in good condition, a range of palatable low shrubs growing beneath the snakewood. In many cases over use has led to almost complete loss of the low shrubs, wind and water erosion and death of the snakewood. This plate shows a snakewood community in good condition with numerous saltbush (Atriplex bunburyana) and ruby saltbush (Enchylaena tomentosa) low shrubs. Yankagee land system.

- Seriously degraded and eroded snakewood shrubland. Desirable low shrubs have been lost completely and r~ate13e whole site is Subject to wind erosion. Globe land system.

303 -

Plate 14 - Extreme degradation of a snakewood shrubland. Overgrazing over many years has reduced the ground cover, increased the adverse effects of drou~ht seasons and hastened erosion processes. The net effect is total destruction of the perennial vegetation leavmg a bare, windswept, hummocky plain. Recovery CQuid be readily effected by complete removal from grazing use and cultivation works and seeding with buffel (Cenchrus ciUaris) and other grasses. Globe land system, 0611.

304 Plate 15 - Badly degraded snakewOOd shrubland with many of the mature shrubs dying. The small plants in the foreground are snakewoods which have adopted a "bonsai" growth habit as a result of heavy grazing as young plants. Excessive grazing has elminated any other useful low shrubs and the soil surface is partly stripped and sealed. The siteDonovan is producing land system. at far below its potential and requires complete protection from grazing for a number of years.

305 Plate 16 _ In western parts of the survey area perennial grass pastures as well as shrub pastures occur on broad clay plains associated with the Ashburton River. Range condition varies from good to bad. This plate shows a tussock grassland of Roebourne Plains grass (Eragrostis xerophila) in good condition. Gilgai plain, Globe land system, 0489.

306 ..

Plate 17 - Overgrazing has changed this Roebourne Plains grass (Eragrostis xerophiJa) site from a perennial tussock grassland to an annual herbfield. The pasture has no durability. The site has the potential to carry a grass stand similar to that shown in Plate 16. Gilgai plain, Cheetara land system, Q499.

Plate 18 - Total degradation of an alluvial plain close to the Ashburton River. Globe land system, Q472.

307 --

Plate 19 - Alluvial plains flanking the lower reaches of the Ashburton River show extremes of condition sometimes in close proximity. There Is evidence that profound changes In terms of vegetation and soli mo!ement have occurred since settlement. Much of the original vegetation has been lost but the introduced buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) is well established in parts and has formed a stable disclimax. This plate shows severe erosion with barely surviving remnants of large coolibah trees (Eucalyptus coolabah) perched on exposed roots. The area is recoverable by strip cultivation, seeding and complete stock control. Nanyarra land system.

308 ~Iate 20 - Flood plain in fair to good condition, Nanyarra land system. The introduced buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) 0568.IS well established as a ground layer beneath bardie bush (Acacia vicforiae) and coolibah trees (Eucalyptus coolabah)

309 ....

Plate 21 _ Evidence of recent, massive redistribution of soil by wind. These sheep yards are buried by sandy soil to almost 1 m deep. Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliarisj has a tenuous foothold. Nanyarra land system.

310 311 Plate 22 - Some of the most valuable pastures in the survey area are the bluebush (Maireana pyramidata, M. polypterY[Jia) and salt bush (A triplex bunburyana) types. These are favoured by livestock and have frequently received preferential over use especially where they occur as small inclusions surrounded by poorer quality, less attractive pastures. Control of intensity of grazing and season of grazing is necessary to promote recovery. Degraded drainage floor, Prairie land system, Q167.

312 Plate 23 - This plale shows a saltbush pasture in good condition and indicates its potential for high production. The site is a favoured one for vegetation in that it receives additional water shed from adjacent slightly higher units of the land system. As well as saltbush (Atriplex bunburyanaj there are many other valuable shrubs such as tall saltbush 0667.(Rhagodla eremaea), Wilcox bush (Eremophila leucophylla) and ruallia (Reul/ia primulacea). Nadarra land system.

313 Plate 24 - This plate shows a Gascoyne bluebush (Maireana polypterygia) r,asture on the Firecracker land system. The bluebush forms a distinctive low shrubland and there are also a ew tall shrubs of snakewood (Acacia xiphophylla). Pasture condition is fair to good and there is no erosion on this site. However, parts of the Firecracker land system are extremely sensitive under grazing and severe erosion can occur. Q643.

314 Plate 25 - Active gully erosion on the Firecracker land system. Despite a reasonable cover of bluebush shrubs the site Is rapidly degradlng.IGullJes often commenc-e along sheep pads or tracks where these travel down long slopes. Very careful control of grazing intensity, season of use and the positioning of watering points and access tracks is essential if the resource base is to be maintained. Near 0635.

315 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors wish to thank Messrs. J. Stone, R. Hetherington, G.J. Eliot, L. Merritt and R. Poole for their assistance with field work; Mr M. D' Antuono of the Biometrics Section of the Department of Agriculture for his assistance with analysis of the mass of data obtained during the survey, and members of the staff of the Western Australian Herbarium for identification of botanical specimens. Many station managers supplied details of local tracks and conditions and helped the survey team in other ways during the field work and this co operation is gratefully acknowledged.

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317 APPENDIX LAND SYSTEM MAPS 1:250 000 scale Onslow Yanrey Wyloo Monnt Bruce Winning Pool Edmnnd Turee Creek Newman Mount Egerton Collier

GARRY L. DUFFIELD, Government Printer, Western Australia aWestern Australian Department Of Agriculture