June 2015 Issue 74

ACROSS THE 01 BOARD NEWS 02 Changing your pastoral lease conditions 03 Pastoral Board retained – and now seeks your input 05 : EMUTM in Warren’s words 06 LAND MANAGEMENT 06 Pastoral stewardship trial attracts healthy interest 07 Pursuing profit in the pastoral zone 08 THREATENED SPECIES 08 Fresh Idnya population arrives at Wilpena 09 Nature Foundation Forum at Hiltaba 10 COMMUNITY EVENTS

11 KANGAROO MANAGEMENT

12 WILD DOG MANAGEMENT Participants in the first EMUTM field day on Todmorden Station 14 VOLUNTEERS

15 ANIMAL HEALTH Celebrating EMU™ 16 OUTBACK COMMUNITY achievements After six years of investment, the Ecosystem Management value in bringing EMU™ to the region and put up an application to the Board to co- Understanding (EMU)™ program has been finalised in the fund a pilot study with Douglas Lillecrapp SA Arid Lands region. This unique property management on Todmorden Station with the Centralian Land Management Association. process now operates on 26 properties across the region In the six years that have followed, the (a geographic area equivalent to 11 per cent of the region) SAAL NRM Board has directed Australian and its benefit for sustainable land management in the Government funding to expanding EMU™ so that it now operates on 26 working region will continue to expand and live on. The Presiding properties across the region, including Member of the SAAL NRM Board, Janet Brook reflects here seven in the Marla-Oodnadatta district, four in the Kingoonya district, six in the on its achievements and legacy. North Flinders district, six in the Gawler EMU™ commenced in the region after sought her out to talk about his method Ranges, two in the North East Pastoral a chance encounter between Coober for working with land managers to review district and one in the Marree-Innamincka Pedy-based NRM Officer Janet Walton landscape function, condition and trend. district. and EMU™ Director Hugh Pringle at The following year Hugh was invited to continued on p 04 the Australian Rangelands Conference speak about the EMU™ process at the in Charters Towers in 2008. Janet had Marla-Oodnadatta NRM Groups’ “Grass presented on the Kingoonya NRM Group’s with Class” workshop. efforts at raising awareness about Western At the same time, the Board’s Water Myall dieback – noting her passion for Projects Officer Henry Mancini also saw working with land managers, Hugh

www.nrm.sa.gov.au BOARD NEWS

PASTORAL BOARD AND UNIT CONTACTS

THE PASTORAL BOARD OF SA Level 1, 1 Richmond Road KESWICK SA 5035 (GPO Box 1047, SA 5001) GENERAL ENQUIRIES Phone 8124 4837 Fax 8463 4828 Changing your pastoral Freecall 1800 678 447 PASTORAL BOARD 2015 lease conditions MEETING 149 19 August Jeff Stringer and Lynette Taylor MEETING 150 Transfers of ownership and changes to land use are 22 October carried out by the Pastoral Unit and, with four pastoral MEETING 151 properties changing hands in the last 12 months – Parcoola, 10 December Coondambo, Wintinna and Mabel Creek – it’s timely to remind land managers of this process and other lease conditions. SNAPSHOT OF CURRENT LAND USE Pastoral leases in are owned Changes to land use by many different organisations, from the Changes to land use (or tenure) are also In August 2010 we reported that traditional pastoral company or family run possible – for example, a lessee may apply there are a total of 328 pastoral pastoral enterprise (eg S Kidman & Co) to to change the land use from pastoralism leases in SA’s rangelands and conservation bodies (eg Bush Heritage, to a cultural, tourism or conservation use – 220 of these operate as pastoral Nature Foundation, Australian Wildlife but only after formal application and with stations. Today, there are 320 Conservancy), and mining and petroleum consent from the Pastoral Board. pastoral leases and 216 of these companies (eg BHP). The latter generally operate as pastoral stations. sub-lease the runs for pastoral purposes. Land managers may also apply to change land use on only part of a lease; however, While a growing number of lessees Every year the Pastoral Unit deals with any portion of the lease retained for now undertake tourism operations various changes to pastoral leases including pastoral purposes must be suitable for to supplement and support their transfers of ownership, sub-leases (where running livestock. pastoral enterprise, only one lease one lessee sub-lets to another), the creation ( in the north Flinders) of easements (eg for a water pipeline or Regardless of land use, the lease remains power line), and consent to mortgage. a pastoral lease and the land must be well has been formally changed from managed and its resources maintained. pastoral use to tourism purposes. In the last 12 months, the Pastoral Unit processed 28 applications of this nature. The rate of annual rental payable for the Seventeen leases have been lease is dependent on the purpose of the purchased with the intention These activities are carried out under lease and whether it is used for pastoral, of using them for conservation delegation of the Minister for Sustainability, conservation or tourism purposes or subject purposes, an increase of two since Environment and Conservation under to a Heritage Agreement. the Pastoral Land Management and we last reported in August 2010. Conservation Act 1989 which provides Further information Some pastoral lessees have for the management and conservation of If you are contemplating changes to placed a Heritage Agreement pastoral land in South Australia. your pastoral lease or need further on a specific part of their lease, information, contact Lynette Taylor, usually small areas ranging from a Pastoral Lease Operations and Tenure few square kilometres to tens of Officer 8463 3281 square kilometres.

Pastoral Board, Natural Resources SA Arid Lands

02 | Natural Resources SA Arid Lands BOARD NEWS

Moolooloo Station RAINFALL ROUNDUP

Jeff Stringer Since January’s above average rainfall – up to 200mm on some properties – falls have been scattered in the region. Some outback roads – including the Oodnadatta Track – were closed for 4-5 days in the Marla Oodnadatta and North Flinders districts as storms moved across the state from the north-west of South Australia during late May. Recordings were variable but the highest rainfall appeared to be Marla 40mm, Mount Barry Station 36mm, Leigh Creek 34mm, Arkaroola Reserve 40mm, Commonwealth Hill Station 32mm and Coober Pedy 25mm. This quick dump of heavy rain will primarily benefit stock water reserves, but will also provide an annual response from winter grasses and forbs. Meanwhile, the North East and Eastern districts were the only Pastoral Board retained – parts of South Australia to receive a significant rain in mid April from a southerly change, with Gluepot and now seeks your input Reserve receiving 65mm, Sturt Vale Station 100mm, Yarramba Chris Turner Station 27mm and Mooleulooloo Pastoralists, industry organisations and other interested Station 25mm. This was a welcome addition to the average 50-75mm parties are being asked how they can improve the Pastoral these districts received in January. Board’s communication, policy making and operations. The response of vegetation to this steady, soaking rain will be of The call comes after the Parliament of It is hoped that all comments and opinions South Australia debated and passed can be gathered and collated by September a short term nature and annual an amendment to the Boards and 2015 with the Pastoral Board discussing based but an excellent boost for Committees—Abolition and Reform Bill these suggestions at its October 2015 stock feed reserves. 2014 on 4 June meaning the Pastoral Board meeting. The outcomes will be reported in Unfortunately it appears that the will be retained. future editions of Across the Outback. and Kingoonya The move ends nine months of negotiations Have your say districts missed out again after between major parties and industry groups. Opportunities to have your say will receiving only patchy rain in Pastoral Board members are now looking be promoted through a variety of January. to move forward and will be seeking to means including surveys, regional This data on significant rainfall broadly canvas anyone with an interest public meetings and direct contact events in the region is obtained in the pastoral areas of South Australia from the Pastoral Board. For further using Bureau of Meteorology inviting them to offer their opinions on how information contact Chris Turner, data, from key pastoral station the Board should carry out its functions. Pastoral Unit Leader on 8124 4957 or records and from annual stock It is hoped that all comments and opinions 0418 812 484 or keep an eye on www. return data and assists the can be gathered and collated by September naturalresources.sa.gov.au/aridlands Pastoral Board in monitoring land 2015 with the Pastoral Board discussing condition throughout the region. these suggestions at its bimonthly October Pastoral Board, Natural Resources SA Arid Lands 2015 meeting. Natural Resources SA Arid Lands, Pastoral The Pastoral Board met at Wilpena in mid- Board June where Livestock SA representatives will provide their input while a public forum that evening will involve discussion with pastoralists and other interested people.

Natural Resources SA Arid Lands | 03 BOARD NEWS

Gordon and Peter Litchfield (Mundowdna Station) with Mapping exercise with Alastair McTaggart and Hugh Pringle investigating a gully system Catherine Hollingsworth ( Station), Hugh Pringle and Lisa Taylor

Geoff Mills and Lisa Stevens undertaking a EMU™ mapping workshop on Secret Rocks in the Middleback Ranges Legacy Feedback Participating land managers have reported One of the best advertisements for EMU™ EMU™ has been very successful in building a variety of benefits in their involvement in is that it has spread across the SA Arid relationships, improving landholder EMU™ noting its usefulness in improving Lands region in a few short years, with very knowledge and investing in on-ground their skills in landscape scale management, little marketing and principally relying on works to increase long term sustainability property mapping, prioritising issues, word of mouth. and productivity for pastoralists in the planning grazing to positively use landscape Here’s some of the feedback participating region. diversity, identifying erosion, and overall land managers have provided over the This leaves the program well positioned improvements in understanding how years: to take advantage of future resource to manage some very complex land • Through EMU™, I have become more opportunities, whether these be through management issues. aware of how land functions as whole the Australian Government or elsewhere. EMU™ participants state that they are ecosystems The Board places a high priority on deriving better productivity from their land • It’s been quite amazing – looking at the investing in programs that support land – which means money in the bank – while whole property rather than paddock by managers with property management also improving the natural resource base paddock planning and we will continue to look at and ecological values of their properties, as options to build on the EMU™ legacy. they work to restore the landscape’s natural • Since we’ve been involved we’re already For pastoralists across the region, our function – particularly water infiltration and seeing impacts and it’s only been 12 programs will continue to maintain a positive soil moisture balances. months focus on supporting improved productivity • ‘[I have] increased confidence planning All the land managers have devised and are through sustainable land management. interventions’ actioning their own property management These programs include best practice plans, with time frames linked to resource • Some of the erosion processes are so grazing management, pest plant and availability and ranging from a few months obvious I’ve never seen them – I was animal control, enterprise diversification to 10 years or more. shocked when they were pointed out. and carbon market opportunities. Seeing even broader opportunity, many And here’s a sample of some of the On behalf of the SA Arid Lands NRM Board of the land managers have started to look comments land managers made when I thank Hugh Pringle, Janet Walton, and the beyond their own property boundaries to asked to describe what has been most various contractors and Natural Resources work with their neighbours to manage their useful about EMU™: SA Arid Lands staff who have been involved land at a catchment scale. • Identifying our most valued portion of in EMU™. For example, the Marla-Oodnadatta the property and ways of managing Further information NRM Group has been working with four • Opportunity to consider additional For further information about EMU™ properties (The Peake, Allandale, Evelyn expertise to help with priority area of contact the Sustainable Industries Downs and Mount Barry) to contain most significance for sustainability team, Natural Resources SA Arid Lands the spread of Mimosa Bush (Vachellia 8648 300. farnesiana) in the Peake Creek and lower • Stops one from becoming complacent Neales River catchment. and ignoring problems with the environment especially when our lives SAAL NRM Board, Natural Resources SA Arid In the North Flinders, Willow Springs, are so busy Lands, Australian Government Wirrealpa and Martin’s Well are working on complementary projects that deliver • Learning landscape knowledge including catchment scale benefits. water drainage and catchment • Managing monitoring points for management purposes for the future to protect threatened fauna species • Documentation of many years of accrued information.

04 | Natural Resources SA Arid Lands Warren and Barbara Fargher discuss property maps with Janet Walton, Natural Resources SA Arid Lands BOARD NEWS

EMUTM LAND MANAGERS HEAD TO NAMIBIA

Nine of the region’s land managers will be jetting off to Namibia in south-west Africa in April next year to experience different perspectives on whole of property management. TM Planning is well underway and it is Wirrealpa: EMU in anticipated the land managers will be hosted on Namibian properties where they may share with their Warren’s words hosts key aspects of station life and the opportunities and challenges. Warren and Barbara Fargher own Wirrealpa Station, a Led by Hugh Pringle, the itinerary 1500 square kilometre property on the eastern edge of the will include a visit to communal which produces wool, lamb and beef and lands to see herding and the restoration work that the villagers provides accommodation for tourists. Warren was the star have been doing there with their of a video in 2012 where he talked about his experience EMU™ partners, Conservation running EMU™ on his property. He kindly allowed Across Agriculture Namibia and the Polytechnic of Namibia. The Outback to share his words here. So committed are they to the We’ve been doing a lot of rehabilitation roads are running east-west. EMU™ process, the land managers works for a number of years – since about The water concentrates down these roads are travelling at their own cost. 1968 – and Barbara…did a…rangelands so we’re putting banks (whoa boys) in to Across The Outback hopes to share management course through Queensland try and slow the water down, spread it news of the trip and perspectives University. When the offer came up for out and stop the water erosion along the from the participating land expressions of interest [in EMU™] we tracks and the roads. [We’re also] spelling managers this time next year. thought that we might as well see what more paddocks for longer periods if we happens. It’s just an extension of what can and…we’ve got a massive Prickly Pear we’ve been doing for a lot of years. problem down the Wirrealpa Creek so It’s been quite amazing looking at the we’re trying to control those as well. bad parts, some of those are too far gone and cost a lot of money so it’s better to whole property rather than just paddock All the information’s up in my head. I by paddock or area by area and learning look after the better country first and then know where every rare tree is and where go to the more deteriorated areas. It’s a a lot more about how it’s been running the heritage sites are and to have it put and how it should be run. We had the wish list and we’re looking at priorities all on a piece of paper or a map is really an the time: where will we go next? What satellite images for a start which was a bit advantage. If I dropped off the perch of a shock because I’d never looked at the will we do next? But it all comes down to tomorrow everyone would know exactly finance. No money, no progress because place via a satellite before, and then from where the old watering points are, where an aircraft looking at the same sort of areas you just can’t afford to do it off your own the new ones are, where fences have been bat. We’ve put in monitoring areas so it’s on a…smaller scale…and then [we went] put and shouldn’t have been put and out in the vehicle and had a look from the a matter of just watching it over the years whether you changed them in a later year. to make sure we’re doing the right thing ground…[T]hose three processes are as So it’s just a process of [documenting] all important as one another. and the program’s working properly – yeah the information, the historical information monitoring’s an important factor. Probably [one] of the most important things and modern history. [Would I recommend EMU™?] My word. is the erosion process that has been going Part of the process was documenting the on…some of them are so obvious that I’ve You learn so much about the place. I’ve water sheds which was pretty tough going been here 50 years and I think I’ve learnt just never seen them from the air. I’ve been because you had to work out which way flying around for a lot of years and never more in the past two years than in the past water was going. I found out that we’ve 48 years because you learn about what’s noticed it until it was pointed out. That’s… got five different water sheds here so you the biggest shock. happening with the land and the water and try to concentrate on one…water system yeah it’s quite amazing. Incredible. At the moment we’re concentrating on at a time, find out where the best country trying to hold the water back, trying to is and look after that. [I]n our case, we’ve Further information spread it so we’re building a series of banks tried to keep it in the same water system, If you’d like to see Warren in action that slow it down… [A]part from that, trying to do it one at a time rather than you can check out the video online. we’re working on our road system…[With] going from here to there and chopping While you’re there check out Michelle the hills…in the west and Lake Frome…in around [without] any plans so we planned Reynolds’ video where she gets out the east, the water [is] obviously running to control the water in one of the systems. the maps to explain Willow Springs from the hills to the lake and a lot of our I always thought you had to fix up the experience with EMU™. Natural Resources SA Arid Lands | 05 LAND MANAGEMENT

Pastoral stewardship trial attracts healthy interest Moro Gorge

Andrew Willson

Expressions of interest were sought in October 2014 HAVE YOUR SAY from pastoralists in the SA Arid Lands region interested FLINDERS RANGES, in incorporating conservation land use in their pastoral BREAKAWAYS AND enterprise for a financial incentive. Natural Resources ARKAROOLA PLANS SA Arid Lands staff have been kept busy coping with Public feedback is invited on draft the positive response, with nearly 10 per cent of eligible management plans for the Flinders Ranges National Park, Breakaways properties in the region expressing an interest. Conservation Park and Arkaroola Through this trial incentive program – the conservation values including the native Protection Area. The draft plans first of its kind in the region – pastoralists plants and animals that the area supports. set out objectives and strategies would be paid a fee to set aside areas for The SA Arid Lands team have now for the ongoing protection and conservation stewardship, to provide long- commenced visiting the higher ranking conservation of the natural and term protection for the region’s significant properties to consult with the landholders cultural values of these important plants, animals and habitats and to actively and evaluate the proposed areas looking at parks and wilderness areas. The support their survival as part of a viable various aspects including infrastructure and drafts have been developed by pastoral business. water requirements, the grazing history and the Flinders Ranges National The incentive was made available for ongoing land management needs. Park Co-Management Board and leaseholders running an active beef or Given the positive response to this the Breakaways Conservation sheep pastoral enterprise, recognising that program, additional funding is being Park Co-Management Board pastoralists are among the best placed to sought by Natural Resources SA Arid Lands with comments due by 31 July. manage these areas with their intimate so that all the pastoralists who expressed The draft plan for the Arkaroola local knowledge and presence on the land. an interest may have an opportunity to take Protected Area was developed Nearly 40 enquiries resulted in 25 part in the program. in consultation with the lessees, expression of interest packs being sent Further information Traditional Owners and scientific to pastoralists and a good number of specialists with comments due by Contact Andrew Willson, Project these returned an application proposing a 14 August. Manager, Natural Resources SA Arid stewardship area. Lands 8648 5300. Visit www.environment.sa.gov. Through a remote assessment using au/haveyoursay to view the plans, available landscape information, the Natural Resources SA Arid Lands, Native complete an online submission or stewardship area on each property was Vegetation Council for details on how to email or mail then ranked according to several criteria your submission. which assess the uniqueness of the land type as well as other biodiversity

06 | Natural Resources SA Arid Lands LAND MANAGEMENT

CARBON ECONOMY UPDATE

The SA Arid Lands NRM Board are working with the Australian Government to investigate the opportunities for regional landholders to participate in the carbon Pursuing profit in economy, and there have been many changes in this program since we last reported on carbon farming in Across the Outback (June 2013). the pastoral zone In July 2014, the Australian Government repealed the Carbon Tax, and established the Emissions Reduction Pastoralists in the SA Arid Lands region can Fund (ERF) under the Direct Action Policy. As a result the now tap into a new program designed to mechanism being used to reach Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions target has now changed. help improve their business management The Government now purchases greenhouse gas skills and bottom line. reductions from emitters, as well as carbon bio- The recently launched national Pastoral Profit program will increase sequestrated from the atmosphere by landholders, pastoral producers’ access to leading industry information, through a reverse auction process where carbon is resources and technical experts through regionally customised purchased from the lowest cost supplier. training and development activities. Each ton of carbon emissions reduced or sequestrated in The importance of business skills training was highlighted by vegetation is awarded an Australian Carbon Credit Unit Grant Maudsley (a beef producer from Mitchell in Queensland (ACCU). The Government will buy as many ACCUs as they and the current AgForce President) at the recent drought forum in require each year to meet their international emissions Longreach. reduction target. The first auction of ACCUs occurred In answer to a question about training for drought preparedness, on 15 April 2015 with over 47 million tonnes of carbon Moro Gorge his reply was startling: dioxide contracted for $660 million at an average price “Any business skills we can give people are certainly of $13.95 per tonne. Twenty-eight million tonnes were fundamental. My kids went to school last year on the purchased from landsector bio-sequestration projects. sharemarket, not from the beef market, and that was the New methods of carbon abatement are continuing to result of learning I did in the early 2000s. That’s one of the be developed, and opportunities for landholders in the best things I ever did. It’s really important that we pursue SA Arid Lands may increase with time. For example, a business skills training wherever we can.” beef cattle herd management method is currently under Pastoral Profit was launched in June with a webinar by agricultural development, which seeks to reduce emissions intensity business consultant Phil Holmes addressing “The foundations per unit of product while maintaining or increasing for creating an economically sustainable livestock business in the production by achieving faster turn-off rates. pastoral zone”. Natural Resources SA Arid Lands staff will continue Further information to monitor the progress of this method through the To learn more about the program and to view the webinar assessment process and advise regional landholders if it visit www.pastoralprofit.com.au or contact Anne Collins, is approved for use. South Australia Regional Coordinator, 0427 486 115, anne. Further information [email protected] Contact Peter Newman, Carbon Extension Officer, Meat and Livestock Australia, Australian Wool Innovation Natural Resources SA Arid Lands 8648 5300 or peter. [email protected]

Natural Resources SA Arid Lands | 07 THREATENED SPECIES

The morning after: a presumably satisified male Idnya leaves a female den site Below: A male Idnya exhibiting some risky behaviour during the breeding season Cassandra Holt

Fresh Idnya population arrives at Wilpena Dozens of donors and dignitaries were at Wilpena as 37 additional Western Quolls (Idnya) from Western Australia were released into the Flinders Ranges National Park in May.

This latest milestone in an ambitious project However, with no long term solution for to return the spotted marsupial to a region feral cat control in existence, ultimately it STOP PRESS where they’ve not been seen for nearly will be important for the quolls to live in Up to 80 Brush-tailed Possums 150 years occurred after the initial trial proximity to cats as they do in south-west will be released in late June along translocation of 41 Idnya to the Flinders Western Australia. river red gum floodplains and Ranges in April-May last year was deemed The return of the Idnya to the Flinders creek lines in the Flinders Ranges a success. Ranges is part of Australia’s first public/ National Park. The release will be “The news is a significant achievement private environmental partnership between the first time in several decades for South Australia’s 22-year Bounceback the Department of Environment, Water that possums have inhabited conservation program,” said SA and Natural Resources, the Foundation for South Australia’s arid interior Environment Minister Ian Hunter. “It is still Australia’s Most Endangered Species and and will assist with improving early days but we remain hopeful that the WA Department of Parks and Wildlife. ecosystem function in the Flinders Western Quoll might join the Yellow-footed Further information Ranges. This is the second Rock Wallaby as a species that is now Subscribe to Idnya e-News for a trial reintroduction of a locally thriving in the region under the protection more detailed email update on the endangered species as part of of a dedicated fox and goat control Idnya’s progress: send an email the partnership between FAME program.” with the subject “Quoll update” to and DEWNR with the possums The reintroduction team is optimistic that [email protected] sourced from the Australian this latest release of Idnya will help in Wildlife Conservancy’s Yookamurra the establishment of a viable population Sanctuary near Swan Reach. More and, so far, female Idnya are starting in the next edition of Across The their breeding season now with pouches Outback. becoming active and ready for pouch young. Young are expected to start being born in June with juveniles emerging in October and most Idnya have settled down and Those with an interest in the SA Arid established home ranges in the park. Lands region are urged to get behind While cats remain the main threat to the reintroduction program which is relying on public donations for ongoing individual Idnya survival, cat control is operational support over the next three years which includes monitoring and being conducted each month including cat control. Donations to the Western Quoll project can be made by visiting trapping and shooting to give the quolls fame.org.au/projects/western-quoll or contact [email protected] for more an opportunity to establish sustainable information. populations.

08 | Natural Resources SA Arid Lands THREATENED SPECIES The 2014 SEB Restoration Ecology Forum participants at Witchelina Nature Reserve Amy Slender Amy

Thick-billed Grasswrens; Nature Foundation SA and Flinders University are investigating the effects of habitat quality on nesting success and dispersal on Witchelina Natasha Harper, NFSA Harper, Natasha

Nature Foundation Forum WHAT IS A SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL at Hiltaba BENEFIT? South Australia’s Native Deb Agnew, ConnectionsNow Vegetation Act 1991 requires that if native vegetation is cleared the Following the success of its inaugural Significant environment must be compensated Environmental Benefit (SEB) Restoration Ecology Forum at by an ‘offset’, an action that results Witchelina Nature Reserve in September 2014, the Nature in a Significant Environmental Benefit (SEB). The aim of an Foundation SA will be holding its second forum at Hiltaba SEB is to produce an overall Nature Reserve 13-16 October in the Gawler Ranges district environmental gain. Open to resource industry ecologists and half a million hectares, are managed The Act provides four options for environmental consultants, the forum gives at landscape scale — which means for achieving an SEB: the resource industry a chance to learn every hectare protected in meeting SEB 1. Establishing and managing about the benefits of partnering with the obligations under the Act many more native vegetation on the land Nature Foundation to deliver SEBs with hectares are actually benefitting. 2. Protecting native vegetation native vegetation clearance offset funds. Removal of livestock and control of growing or situated on the land The two day (plus travel) Hiltaba Forum feral goat populations has significantly 3. Entering into a heritage will set aside time for workshopping reduced total grazing pressure on both agreement with respect to environmental issues specific to the reserves, resulting in increased native plant specified native vegetation on the resources industry, including discussions recruitment and improved quality of habitat regarding recent changes to the Native for native fauna. land Vegetation Act 1991. With Natural Resources SA Arid Lands 4. Payments into the Native Last year’s Witchelina Forum brought staff, the Foundation has been working to Vegetation Fund. together 21 participants from resource quantify the grazing impact of herbivores Land managers who are planning sector companies, state agency personnel, – both spatially and over time – and to to clear native vegetation and Flinders University researchers, Nature compare the impact of different herbivores. offset it through on-ground means Foundation ecologists and SEB program Detailed management plans specific to each (options 1-3 above), may choose to staff to share their ideas about SEB offsets. reserve link actions to long term outcomes do one or more of the following: The Foundation, a 33 year-old nature and ensure a scientific approach is taken to provide a new SEB area; use surplus charity, acquired Witchelina Nature Reserve producing a net environmental gain. SEB credit; have surplus SEB credits in 2010 with SEB funds from five resource The environmental gains made are assigned from another person sector companies: Santos Ltd, Beach Energy measured and reported back to the Native or body; or engage another land Ltd, Victoria Petroleum NL, Epic Energy Ltd, Vegetation Council and contributing manager as a `third party’ provider and Stuart Petroleum, and contributions companies. such as Nature Foundation SA. received from the State and Australian Further information Further information Governments. If you are interested in learning more Contact the Native Vegetation In 2012, the Foundation purchased Hiltaba about the Hiltaba Forum or the Nature Nature Reserve and has been preparing Council 8303 9777 or Foundation’s SEB program email it for delivery of SEB offsets. The two [email protected] [email protected] reserves, which together cover almost

Natural Resources SA Arid Lands | 09 COMMUNITY EVENTS

Land managers

upskill Glen Norris demonstrated some of the successful weed management programs on Boolcoomatta stations and one participant commented, “seeing what has been done here to Regional land managers control weeds gives us hope’. have shared their thoughts with us following a number REGIONAL WEEDS WORKSHOP of recent training and Land managers representing 10 properties in the North development opportunities East Pastoral District recently participated in a regional weeds workshop at Boolcoomatta Station. Presentations in the region and interstate. were given on priority regional weeds such as Opuntia, Boxthorn and Buffel Grass and demonstrations in the Col Stanton encouraged participants on Witchelina station field were undertake by Glen Norris (Boolcoomatta to “get out and walk around and get an idea of which way Station) and Merri Tothill (PIRSA). the water flows naturally across the landscape. Accelerated Merri Tothill demonstrated land condition monitoring erosion is the result of human activity, therefore we have a responsibility to improve the quality our landscape”. techniques and the participants enjoyed Merri’s knowledge of native pasture species.

North East Pastoral NRM Group, Natural Resources SA Arid Lands, Australian Government

ARS CONFERENCE

The 18th Biennial Conference of the Australian Rangeland Society was held in Alice Springs with the theme, “Innovation in the Rangelands’. Six land managers from the SA Arid Lands region were supported to attend by the SA Arid Lands NRM Board with Australian Government funding. “One of the main messages I gained from the week is that things take time, and they must be done right in GRADER WORKSHOPS order to make a difference, but a nudge in the right direction is always helpful,” said Joel Kowald, Natural Thirty four land managers Resource Officer, Breakaways Conservation Park, District attended the region-wide Grader Council of Coober Pedy. and Soil Conservation workshops delivered by soil conservation expert Col Stanton in April and May 2015. Land managers were provided with expert advice to help them understand erosion processes and the impact, how to identify and assess erosion problems and awareness of best-practice land management. Brendan Reynolds, Willow Springs Station says, “I now have to learn the new way of doing things, but my son will learn it and it will be second nature for him.”

SAAL NRM Board, Natural Resources SA Natural Resources SA Arid Lands NRM Officers Arid Lands, Australian Government Janet Walton and Louise Gavin joined land managers Caroline Thomas, Glen Norris and 10 | Natural Resources SA Arid Lands Mike Chuk at the Conference. KANGAROO MANAGEMENT

Matt Graham (Pilot, DEWNR), Christine Arnold (Wildlife Officer, Kangaroo Management Program, DEWNR) and Sarah Voumard (trainee aerial observer) Tom GerschwitzTom Operations Manager, KMP

This year’s Kangaroo Aerial Survey started on 22 June and will cover The South Australian both pastoral and agricultural areas, including the east of the state between Burra and Renmark, Kangaroo Survey moving north to around the It takes keen observation and stamina to count kangaroos Flinders Ranges and up to Coober Pedy then finishing over the The South Australian Kangaroo Survey, one of Australia’s Gawler Ranges on around 31 July (weather permitting). longest running aerial wildlife surveys, takes to the skies The survey collects information again for six weeks over June and July. The training of regarding the trends of kangaroo observers has been running alongside the survey for more populations across the landscape and informs the setting of quotas than 30 years. Sarah Voumard, a Ranger with Natural within the commercial harvest Resources Northern and Yorke, joined the survey team and area for kangaroos. Trained Across the Outback asked her about her experiences as a observers fly east/west transects counting Red Kangaroos and trainee aerial observer. Western Grey Kangaroos as well as At first thought, counting kangaroos in the “It was clear from the start that it takes recording euros, emus and goats, landscape doesn’t seem that hard to do. stamina to keep your eyes moving and see and noting other large species of But try counting kangaroos over 207,000 all the roos (sic) that are on your side of the interest, such as camels or horses. square kilometres of South Australian plane for about half an hour or so without landscape over a five week period and it’s a chance to have a rest. starting to sound like a job that requires At the end of each day I found I’d be highly tuned observations skills and a great mentally fatigued, but if I’m not also deal of stamina! physically tired there’s no guarantee of Keen to see more of South Australia and a good night’s sleep. Long days of little with the lure of participating in a survey exercise is a challenge, but I found running counting animals, Sarah put her hand up to along airstrips during our mid-day break join the survey team in 2012. could help overcome it,” said Sarah. As an aerial observer, Sarah is required to “I have enjoyed spending time seeing sit in the rear of a Cessna 206 aircraft and the State; the soil type changes, the scan the landscape at about 250 feet above topography, differing vegetation and ground level, counting kangaroos in a animals that live there. In fact, it’s been the 200m wide strip on her side of the aircraft, most memorable part of the experience for and surveying one square kilometre every me, seeing the landscape from the air, be it 97 seconds. Another observer sits next to the back of Mt Remarkable, the Bangor fire Sarah (almost back to back!) and observes scar or a mob of wild horses in the North from their side of the aircraft. The aircraft West Pastoral country.” flies low with streamers attached to its The Kangaroo Management Program wing struts to guide the observer’s survey would like to acknowledge the additional area and follows an unchanged flight path. trainees in its SA Kangaroo Survey team Sarah considers herself an observant including Pat Walsh, Michael Trebilcock, person and whilst working alongside Kevin Lintern, Dwayne Godfrey and Jared calibrated observers in training, it became Pippos. clear that she would need more than keen observation and an inquisitive nature, Department of Environment, Water and Natural she would also need to be able to count Resources animals in groups and add up fast! Natural Resources SA Arid Lands | 11 WILD DOG MANAGEMENT

IN BRIEF…

VOLUNTEER SHOOTERS The opportunity for using qualified volunteer shooters from the Sporting Shooters Association (Conservation & Wildlife Management Branch) and the Australian Deer Association to undertake wild dog control is still available to properties that Wild dog paw print are experiencing impacts from excessive dog numbers outside the Fence. The service provides a travel subsidy to the volunteers, Dogger get results Registrations can be made via the Wild Dog Management Team. With the wild dog breeding season upon us, and young LOCAL AREA PLANNING GROUPS pups moving out of their home range, properties inside Local Area Planning Groups (south of) the Dog Fence have taken advantage of recent, in the North Flinders-Maree, additional trapping services offered as part of the Biteback Kingoonya and North East Pastoral districts met during February to program for wild dog control. May to agree upon minimum Through the Biteback program, land I would like to advocate that Brian is standards for wild dog control in each district. Members of the managers inside the Dog Fence in the providing a great service to the arid SA Arid Lands region take a coordinated LAP Groups who were unable to approach and work together to maintain lands and having great success by the make the meeting are asked to wild dog control. Ground baiting is a critical sounds of things. sign the resultant local area plan tool for wild dog control but trapping and return it to the Wild Dog can also be a valuable tool, particularly to We are all time poor and often need Management Team. capture more wily and elusive breeding-age the extra help and expertise to get BAITS dogs. results. Inside the Fence, the autumn The trapper has been working across the bait injection service is complete Professional dogger region south of the Dog Fence visiting and land managers should Land managers on 15 properties inside properties for up to two weeks. now have access to fully- the Dog Fence have used the services of Take-up has largely been by properties stocked freezers. Meanwhile, professional wild dog trapper Brian Gill managed for pastoralism in the Kingoonya, subsidised manufactured baits since February – and, with 27 wild dogs Gawler Ranges, North Flinders-Marree are still available across the removed, the results (and feedback) have districts with some North East Pastoral region. Contact the Wild Dog been terrific. properties recently expressing interest. Management team for details. Jane Anderson of Cooyerdoo Station in the Several properties managed for AERIAL BAITING RESULTS Gawler Ranges was so pleased with the conservation and Aboriginal-managed The March-April baiting saw result that she was compelled to write to land have also procured Brian’s services 55,000 baits distributed along a the Wild Dog Management Team. to minimise the threat to neighbouring 10,000+ km flight path across 98 properties that run livestock. properties inside the Dog Fence. We appreciated very much Brian Gill Bookings available… but be quick! being able to fit us in to his travel up The industry-funded program The dogger is already booked to complemented Biteback ground to the Gawler Ranges and it paid off. October but there is funding to baiting by targeting inaccessible continue the service until the end …we battled away for about two areas to achieve landscape-scale of the year. Land managers inside control. A survey of landholders months trying to get this dog which the Dog Fence who are interested in participating in the aerial baiting created a lot of lost time/sleep with a visit should contact the Wild Dog showed overwhelming satisfaction Management Team, Natural Resources him lurking and us trying to get him. with the program with sheep SA Arid Lands 8648 5300. producers generally optimistic that The dingo was trapped last Friday in the aerial program would improve SAAL NRM Board, Natural Resources SA Arid one of the traps that Brian had set. their ability to run more sheep and Lands, Livestock SA, State and Australian produce more wool. Government drought assistance funding

12 | Natural Resources SA Arid Lands WILD DOG MANAGEMENT

Participants learn how to clean traps by boiling them in water with unscented wax and a local plant to remove any scent Trapping workshops Around 25 participants honed their wild dog trapping skills during workshops held in the Gawler Ranges and Flinders Ranges in May. The two-day courses facilitated by Each workshop was followed by a three Ideas for improvement included subsidised professional trainer and trapper Paul day intensive trapping program on the trappers and traps, continuing to offer Billsborough (Wildpest Management Pty host property. Participant feedback was workshops, group purchase of traps and Ltd) covered a number of theory topics overwhelmingly positive: lures (to keep costs down), more doggers, including animal welfare, trap and lure and more assistance with supply and selection, the various types of trapping I highly recommend and leave sourcing traps and lure supplies. methods, the habits and signs of wild dogs, the workshop fully confident, A communications network will now be the use of lures and calling equipment, and …informative and great to see developed to ensure all participants can the land manager’s legal responsibilities in such a fantastic attendance; share their experiences and further develop the trapping of wild dogs. their skills by relaying what techniques are Participants also gained hands on well explained, straight to the working (and not working) for them. experience in trap cleaning and adjustment point, not too long; it was very techniques, trap site selection for various informative and Paul was very SAAL NRM Board, Natural Resources SA Arid circumstances, lure selection and predator good. Lands, Livestock SA, State and Australian identification. Government drought assistance funding

Trainer Paul Billsborough demonstrating trap setting with Alex Guegan-Brown ( Station)

Natural Resources SA Arid Lands | 13 VOLUNTEERS

Volunteer survey results are in The SAAL NRM Board would like to thank the volunteers who participated in a survey in late 2013 to establish an important benchmark for understanding their skills, knowledge and needs in working in natural resources management in the SA Arid Lands region.

Members of 26 groups and organisations – from Weed control was the most common of the activities bushwalking and 4WD clubs to Friends of Parks, church that the volunteers are involved in followed by and ecological groups – were invited to participate in revegetation, fencing, building restoration, field data the online and telephone surveys. collection, tourism infrastructure development, pest The results are based on 60 completed email animal control while administrative activities including surveys and 25 telephone interviews with volunteer being a committee member and developing or coordinators completed between November and reviewing management plans also scored highly. December 2013. Additional knowledge was also sought around While it will come as no major surprise for our recruitment, barriers to continued involvement, sources volunteers, the results confirm that the SA Arid Lands of information used to build knowledge and skills, and region has a strong attraction to out-of-towners with volunteer knowledge of grants and funding assistance. 92 per cent of those surveyed largely based in Adelaide This information will be used to refine and improve and a handful from interstate. support for the region’s volunteer program. The majority (62%) of surveyed volunteers undertake Further information activities both on-park and off-park, no doubt The full report including a full list of the volunteer reflecting the cross-pollination of membership across groups that were invited to participate can be groups like Friends of Innamincka Regional Reserve, found at www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au under Friends of Flinders Ranges National Park and the various the menu ‘About Us’ and ‘Our region’s progress’. four-wheel drive clubs working on pastoral properties. For volunteer opportunities contact Brendan Demographic profiling revealed that most of our Godfrey, Community Engagement Officer, Natural volunteers (87 per cent) are over the age of 55. Resources SA Arid Lands 8648 5300. For every female there are two males and collectively they make a very loyal and dedicated bunch: most have SAAL NRM Board, Natural Resources SA Arid Lands, been associated with a volunteer group for 10 years Ehrenberg-Bass Institute (University of South Australia) and spend 10-20 or more hours volunteering each month. While most of the volunteers (82 per cent) do not have any formal education relevant to natural resources management, many (61 per cent) cite concern for the environment and/or preserving it for future generations as their principle motivation to volunteer.

14 | Natural Resources SA Arid Lands ANIMAL HEALTH

HOW CAN YOU HELP? Livestock disease For enquiries, to contribute disease surveillance information, surveillance or to organise a post mortem workshop in your area, contact Why have it and what you can do to help Trent Scholz, Animal Health Officer, PIRSA Biosecurity SA 8648 Readers of Across The Outback will be familiar with PIRSA’s 5166 or 0427 970 453. Please also contact Trent if your stock exhibit regular calls to the region’s pastoralists to look out for unusual behaviour, to report and report diseased stock. As Animal Health Officer Trent unusual native or feral animal Scholz reports here, it’s all about protecting our livestock deaths, or if you would like more information on a particular animal industries from emerging diseases, safeguarding market health issue. access and improving production. Remember there are government Collecting animal disease information can Both local and international markets funds available for many disease be a challenge in remote areas of South need to be assured that PIRSA is actively investigations; see www.pir.sa.gov. Australia where livestock may only be seen working with producers to establish our au/biosecurity/animal_health for once or twice a year. Often the first sign is health status. We can’t claim freedom more information dead animals. from disease on the basis that we haven’t However, it is just as important we collect been looking – absence of evidence is not disease surveillance information in this evidence of absence. region as in any other part of the state for And finally, monitoring locally-occurring several reasons. production-limiting conditions – such as The earlier PIRSA is able to respond to an plant poisonings, metabolic conditions emergency animal disease, the lower the and a range of endemic infectious diseases impact of the disease will be. We need to – gives PIRSA the information needed to be informed of any unusual livestock health provide adequate management advice to problems as soon as they occur. producers. Our livestock export markets also require Biosecurity SA – Animal Health evidence that there is active monitoring of the health status of our flocks and herds; monitoring and recording the health status of animals – even recording that they are healthy – is a very important part of this process.

Natural Resources SA Arid Lands | 15 OUTBACK COMMUNITY ACROSS THE OUTBACK

Across the Outback is prepared and edited by the Communications team, Natural Resources SA Arid Lands, a division of the Department of Environment, Water and Natural I miss the Resources. It is currently jointly funded by the SA Arid Lands Natural Resources smell of the Management Board; Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources; the Pastoral Board; and cattle in the Biosecurity SA (a division of Primary Industries and Regions SA). Comments and suggestions are yards… always welcome. Maree Morton and her Please contact [email protected]. au or 8463 3354 husband Graham (Pod), Content for the September edition retired to Queensland in of property planning, staff management due COB Friday 24 August 2015 January after 21 years on and administration. I developed my skills and in book-keeping, administration, payroll and staff management which was really a lifetime in the pastoral enjoyable and fulfilling. community. Maree was a Times sure have changed though, technology particularly. When I first started dedicated and long standing I had a typewriter to prepare the reports participant in community and there was a lot of manual work in based natural resources doing the books. The computer certainly helped a lot. management through her S Kidman and Co supported me in further various roles with the SA study on an Advanced Diploma in Business The Basin partnership – an Arid Lands NRM Board and and a Diploma in Natural Resource Management. This really helped me in my alliance of community, government Marree Innamincka NRM roles in supporting Graham on Innamincka. and natural resources management bodies including the SA Arid Group from 2005 until One of the biggest changes in property Lands NRM Board took out the 2015. She shared with NRM management over the years has been in Occupational Health Safety and Welfare Australian Riverprize in September Officer, Lisa Taylor, her (OHS&W) particularly in terms of duty 2014. This 20-year, cross border reflections on a working life of care and Workcover. I believe these initiative has been acknowledged are not suited to pastoral property for its community participation in in land management. management, due to the economics of protecting the natural river flows I met Graham through a local event when ensuring everyone is trained and holding and Maree made a significant my parents were working on . appropriate qualifications such as confined contribution to the partnership. Graham was working on his family’s spaces training and All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) I am really proud of the work of property at Pandie Pandie. We married tickets. When you are so far away from the the Lake Eyre Basin Committee as it when I was 19 and started our married training providers, it really adds up. was key in getting people together life on Durham Downs where I worked as Workable policies where people take more from various industries to share a governess and Graham as a stockhand. responsibility for their actions seems to me information for people to get a After working a short time on Orientos to be the sensible way forward. more balanced view. It seems so Station, we went on to spend 16 years on We also had a lot of staff on the property sensible and straightforward now, Karmona, a privately owned 630 square over the years, which presented some but it was ground-breaking for us kilometres property near Durham where we challenges but we always tried to create an as land managers to have a voice raised our two children. inclusive environment for the staff, like a and be understood as legitimate, When S Kidman and Co purchased family. Living on a remote property can be professional businesses with the Karmona in 1989, this parcel of land lonely at times and sometimes the young Australian and State Government. became an out-station to Durham Downs, stockhands needed a “second mum” to Being involved in this and which led to an opportunity for Graham help them along. I received some really kind providing different views to NRM to take up the managers position at feedback from the parents over the years Innamincka Station and so our life in the SA and I am proud of the way we treated and professionals, academics and Arid Lands began. cared for our staff. government representatives in what really happens on ground made Graham and I grew our skills and I really love the country and miss the people. me feel as though I was making a knowledge as land managers on I enjoyed being involved in natural resources real contribution, not just for me Innamincka as it was a larger cattle management and raising awareness of the personally, but for other pastoralists property than we had worked on Pastoral industry and hope I have made a previously. We could develop in the sphere difference through my efforts. as well.

16 | Natural Resources SA Arid Lands