MARREE-INNAMINCKA DISTRICT PROFILE: Characteristics4 and challenges1,2
South Australian Arid Lands NRM region ABOUT THE MARREE- INNAMINCKA DISTRICT Marla Oodnadatta Marree-Innamincka The Marree-Innamincka Algebuckina Innamincka district covers more Moomba than 200,000 square Marla-Oodnadatta Anna Creek kilometres (20% of Coober Pedy
South Australia) in the Coward Springs
north-east of the region Curdimurka Marree and is bounded by the
Simpson Desert and Arkaroola Village Kingoonya Andamooka Lake Eyre to the west, Tarcoola Roxby Downs Leigh Creek the North Flinders and Kingoonya Glendambo North Flinders Ranges Woomera North East districts to Parachilna the south, and South
Australia’s north and Hawker
east borders. Gawler Ranges Legend North East Olary Port Augusta Waterways and Lakes Iron Knob Yunta
National Parks and Reserves Iron Baron Whyalla COMMUNITIES Dog Fence The permanent population of the district is approximately 200 people. A further 300 transient workers service the petroleum industry and 45,000 tourists visit the region annually. Townships include Innamincka, LAND FORMS Ranges: mulga, red mallee, dead finish, Marree, Lyndhurst and Moomba. fuschia bush, emu bush, bluebush, bladder The district is dominated by three main saltbush, rock sida. land forms. These are stony tablelands Tablelands & Gibber Downs: bladder CLIMATE and gibber downs, the dunefields and saltbush, bluebush, cottonbush, The climate is characterised by long dry sandplains of the Simpson, Tirari and copperburr, Mitchell grass, emu bush. periods, highly unpredictable and variable Strezlecki Deserts and the floodplains, rainfall, summer storms and extreme channels and ephemeral lakes of the major summer temperatures (36-45 Celsius). river systems. Minor landforms include arid WATER Average annual rainfall is 125mm but can ranges and playa lakes. The two major water resources in the range between 0 and 500mm. Evaporation district are the Great Artesian Basin and is extremely high, exceeding 3,800mm in the river systems of the Cooper Creek and some areas. VEGETATION Diamantina/Warburton River. Irregular Major vegetation types include: flood waters terminate in an extensive Dunes: canegrass, spinifex, sandhill wattle, network of swamps and lakes such as needlebush, whitewood, narrow-leaf Goyders Lagoon, Coongie Lakes and Lake hopbush. Eyre in extreme flows. GET INVOLVED Watercourses & Floodplains: river red For more information about natural gum, coolibah, river cooba, Broughton resources management activities Willow, lignum, old man saltbush, LAND USE AND INDUSTRY in the SA Arid Lands, visit: bluebush, Mitchell grass, cottonbush, The major land use within the district is The Natural Resources Centre swamp canegrass. beef cattle production, with some sheep Level 1, 9 Mackay St, Port Augusta production south of the dog fence. Other www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/aridlands Salt Lake Surrounds: samphire, sea- land use includes oil, gas and geothermal or phone 8648 5300 heath, nitre bush, bladder saltbush, exploration/production, parks and reserves, bluebush. tourism and Aboriginal managed lands. Priority issues identified by the MARREE-INNAMINCKA COMMUNITY 1,2 2
road condition management1 1,2 mining & exploration impacts 2 weeds 1 tourism impacts increasing labour costs2 water management1 soil erosion feral animals1,2 particularly wild dog, fox and rabbit2 ISSUESyouth leaving the area2
Activities delivered in the SA Arid Lands MARREE-INNAMINCKA activities 2010-133 NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS OVERALL DISTRICT 3 7001 people % OF PROPERTIES (PUBLIC AND PRIVATE) PARTICIPATING IN AT LEAST ONE ACTIVITY • 86% properties participated in at least one natural resources management activity3 84% • 79% properties participated in pest animal management across 4,325,799 hectares 3 NUMBER OF TRAINING/AWARENESS (including wild dog, rabbit, goat, camel, donkey, horse, pig) RAISING EVENTS • 21% properties participated in weed management covering 7410 hectares (including 324 buffel grass, athel pine, mimosa bush, Noogoora burr, prickly acacia)3 NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER HOURS • Water Allocation Plan implemented • Pest monitoring (early detection) 22,426 • Water affecting activities permit policy • Wild dog management NUMBER OF ACROSS THE OUTBACK SUBSCRIBERS • Aquatic ecosystem condition monitoring • Small incentive grants to subsidise the cost of pest, weed and soil management 1,400 • Biophysical, cultural and social assessment of Channel Country (Cooper, • Incentives available for young people NUMBER OF WEBSITE VISITORS Diamantina and Georgina catchments) for natural resources management 14,184 participation • Flora and fauna monitoring • Advice on mining and exploration issues • Fish ladder option investigated 1 Reported through SA Arid Lands NRM Board- • Improved road condition management sponsored surveys: Strategic Planning for District • Visitor management infrastructure NRM Groups (surveys undertaken mid to late installed 2012). 2 Ehrenberg-Bass Natural Resource Management • Tourism information products developed Participation, Knowledge & Skills in the SAAL Region (interviews with pastoral landholders • District-scale strategic weed undertaken in mid to late 2012). management planning 3 Extracted from activities database held by SA Arid Lands Natural Resources Management • Landscape-scale, cross-border feral pig Board, 2010-2013. 4 management Extracted from Marree Soil Conservation Board District Plan, revised edition 2004.