MARLA- DISTRICT PROFILE: Characteristics4 and challenges1,2

South Australian Arid Lands NRM region

Marla ABOUT THE MARLA- Oodnadatta OODNADATTA DISTRICT Algebuckina Innamincka Moomba The Marla-Oodnadatta Marla-Oodnadatta Marree-Innamincka district covers an area of Anna Creek approximately 132,000 square kilometres (12% of South in Curdimurka the north-west pastoral Marree region and is bounded Arkaroola Village by the Andamooka Tarcoola Roxby Downs Leigh Creek and to the Kingoonya Glendambo North Flinders Ranges east, the Great Victoria Woomera Desert to the west and Parachilna the border to the north. Hawker

Gawler Ranges Legend North East Olary Waterways and Lakes Yunta Iron Baron National Parks and Reserves

Dog Fence

COMMUNITIES VEGETATION WATER The permanent population of the district Major vegetation types include: The Great Artesian Basin provides an is approximately 2,000 people. Townships Plains: Mitchell grass, glassworts, poverty important source of water within the include Coober Pedy, Marla, Oodnadatta bush, saltbush, cannonball, neverfail, district. Natural venting occurs in the form and William Creek. bluebush, sea heath, samphire, twiggy sida, of mound springs, found predominately cottonbush, copper burr, pigface, prickly near the . Waterholes CLIMATE wattle, mulga, lignum, cane grass. are found along major and minor drainage lines, some with the capacity to hold water The climate of the district is very arid Sandplains: Mulga, senna, marpoo, emu for over 12 months. with hot to extremely hot summers and bush, woollybutt, sandhill canegrass, mild, dry winters. Average annual rainfall copper burr, corkwood, dead finish, ranges between 120mm to 210mm across bluebush, saltbush. LAND USE AND INDUSTRY the district, but is highly variable and Creeks & Floodouts: Gidgee, coolibah & The dominant land use within the district unpredictable. Occasional summer storms river red gums, native myrtle, nitre bush, is beef cattle production. Other land use occur in the north, but no seasonality of samphires, mulga, marpoo, needlebush, includes opal and copper-gold , rainfall is observed in the south. Evaporation senna, hopbush, emu bush, Mitchell grass, tourism, parks and reserves and Aboriginal rates are extremely high, ranging from native millet, neverfail, whitewood, lignum, managed lands. 3,300mm to 3,800mm per annum. canegrass, verbine, cottonbush. LAND FORMS Mound Springs: Common reed, bulrush, inland paperbark. Land forms in the district are quite Sand dunes: Mulga, sandhill canegrass, GET INVOLVED variable, with the most dominant type flat wattle, desert lanternbush, woollybutt, For more information about natural gibber tablelands. In the north-east large resources management activities wanderrie, kerosene grass, witchetty bush, intermittent creeks flowing into Lake Eyre in the SA Arid Lands, visit: marpoo, senna, dead finish, desert poplar, traverse extensive flood-out plains on the The Natural Resources Centre copperburr. Level 1, 9 Mackay St, Port Augusta edge of the Simpson Desert. Extensive www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/aridlands Hills & Uplands: Red mallee, mulga, dune systems occur in the northwest, with or phone 8648 5300 ‘Breakaway’ country present in the south northern Myall, emu bush, dead finish, and central areas. bluebush, silver mulla mulla, sennas, saltbush. Priority issues identified by the MARLA-OODNADATTA COMMUNITY 1,2 1,2 youth leaving the area2 woody shrub increase1 mining & exploration impacts1,2 1,2

1soil erosion total grazing pressure weeds pest animals1,2 particularly dingo, fox and cat2 water management1 increasing labour costs2 ISSUEStourism impacts1,2

Activities delivered in the SA Arid Lands MARLA-OODNADATTA activities 2010-133 NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS OVERALL DISTRICT 7001 people % OF PROPERTIES (PUBLIC AND PRIVATE) PARTICIPATING IN AT LEAST ONE ACTIVITY • 86% of properties participated in at least one natural resources management activity3 84% • 59% properties participated in pest animal management across 2,100 hectares (including 3 NUMBER OF TRAINING/AWARENESS donkey, horse, rabbit, camel, wild dog, Gambusia) RAISING EVENTS • 44% properties participated in weed management covering 202,743 hectares 324 (including buffel grass, mimosa bush, date palm, athel pine, opuntia, date palm)3 NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER HOURS • 26% properties participated in landscape-scale integrated property planning3 22,426 • Landscape scale management plan for • Biophysical, cultural and social NUMBER OF ACROSS THE woody weeds (mimosa bush) assessment of Neales catchment SUBSCRIBERS

• Small incentive grants to subsidise the • Visitor management infrastructure 1,400 cost of pest, weed and soil management installed NUMBER OF WEBSITE VISITORS • Incentives available for young people • Firewood harvesting restriction (Parks) 14,184 for natural resources management • Wild dog management participation TM • EMU (Ecosystem Management 1  • Water Allocation Plan implemented Reported through SA Arid Lands NRM Board- Understanding project) sponsored surveys: Strategic Planning for District • Water affecting activities permit policy NRM Groups (surveys undertaken mid to late • District-scale strategic weed 2012). implemented 2  management planning Ehrenberg-Bass Natural Resource Management Participation, Knowledge & Skills in the SAAL • Groundwater research • Portable weed spray unit supplied for Region (interviews with pastoral landholders undertaken in mid to late 2012). • Aquatic ecosystem condition monitoring district land managers 3 Extracted from activities database held by SA Arid Lands Natural Resources Management • Fauna monitoring Board, 2010-2013. 4 Extracted from Marla-Oodnadatta Soil Conservation Board District Plan, 2002.