June 2011 South Australian Arid Lands Natural Resources Management Board
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Government of South Australia South Australian Arid Lands Natural Resources Management Board June 2011 South Australian Arid Lands Natural Resources Management Board Partnerships in protecting rockholes: 2009-10 cultural and ecological site assessments in the Gawler Ranges PARTNERSHIPS IN PROTECTING ROCKHOLES: 2009-10 CULTURAL AND ECOLOGICAL SITE ASSESSMENTS IN THE GAWLER RANGES Melissa White1, Lynette Ackland2, Mick Starkey2, Glen Scholz1 and Tom Jenkin2 June 2011 Report to the South Australian Arid Lands Natural Resources Management Board. 1Department for Water (DFW) 2South Australian Native Title Services (SANTS) DISCLAIMER The South Australian Arid Lands Natural Resources Management Board, and its employees do not warrant or make any representation regarding the use, or results of use of the information contained herein as to its correctness, accuracy, reliability, currency or otherwise. The South Australian Arid Lands Natural Resources Management Board and its employees expressly disclaim all liability or responsibility to any person using the information or advice. This report may be cited as: Jenkin T, White M, Ackland L, Scholz G and Starkey M (2011). Partnerships in protecting rock-holes: 2009-2010 cultural and ecological site assessments in the Gawler Ranges. A report to the South Australian Arid Lands Natural Resources Management Board. Cover images: Kulkalla Rock-hole, Yardea Station. © South Australian Arid Lands Natural Resources Management Board 2011 This work is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 (Commonwealth), no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission obtained from the South Australian Arid Lands Natural Resources Management Board. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be directed to the Regional Manager, South Australian Arid Lands Natural Resources Management Board, Railway Station Building, PO Box 2227, Port Augusta, SA, 5700. 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project has been supported and funded by the South Australian Arid Lands Natural Resource Management Board. The project was delivered through a partnership between the SAAL NRM Board, the Gawler Ranges native title claim group, the South Australian Native Title Services Ltd, and the Department for Water (previously the Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation) of the State Government. The project would not have been possible without the support and participation of members of the Gawler Ranges native title management committee (GRNTMC) and their willingness to share their knowledge and their country with the project team. The project has also received valuable support from the region’s pastoral lessees and station managers. SA Arid Lands Natural Resources Management Board Henry Mancini and Jacinda Fennell SA Native Title Services Ltd Tom Jenkin, Lynette Ackland, Mick Starkey, Colin Darcy & Sam Muller Department for Water Melissa White and Glen Scholz Pastoralists Michael McBride, James and Joanna Gibson, Matt and Linley Kerin (Wilgena and North Well); David and Megan Henderson (Kokatha); Alistair and Catherine McTaggart (Moonaree); Sandy and Ian Morris (Yardea, Koweridda and Thurlga). GRNTMC (Field Trip Attendees) Brandon McNamara Snr Fred Smith Jake Burgoyne Tony Smith Robert (Bob) Starkey Glen Wingfield Keith Smith Jnr Janice Wingfield Judy Smith Edith Burgoyne Eileen Wingfield Kevin Smith Luke Mundy Sayonara Smith Martha Edwards Stanley Starkey 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS DISCLAIMER .......................................................................................................... 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................................... 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................... 4 Project Area ...................................................................................................... 11 Project Activities ................................................................................................ 11 Background ....................................................................................................... 12 Cultural Field Assessments ............................................................................... 14 Ecological Field Assessments ........................................................................... 15 Wilgena ................................................................................................................. 26 Bulpara Hill ........................................................................................................ 27 Darebin .............................................................................................................. 34 Moolkra ............................................................................................................. 39 Mullina ............................................................................................................... 44 North Well ............................................................................................................. 51 Arcoordaby ........................................................................................................ 52 Tomato Camp ................................................................................................... 57 Tunkillia ............................................................................................................. 62 Kokatha Station ..................................................................................................... 67 Pilleutta ............................................................................................................. 67 Moonaree Station .................................................................................................. 74 Yardin / Dingo Hill ............................................................................................. 74 Murnea .............................................................................................................. 79 Koweridda Station ................................................................................................. 85 Koweridda Outstation ........................................................................................ 85 Thurlga Station ...................................................................................................... 90 Thurlga Homestead ........................................................................................... 91 Hudson’s ........................................................................................................... 97 Tandaie ........................................................................................................... 102 Spring Hill ........................................................................................................ 107 Yardea Station .................................................................................................... 112 Artaming .......................................................................................................... 113 Kulkalla ............................................................................................................ 118 Yardea Homestead ......................................................................................... 124 4 CONCLUSION .................................................................................................... 130 REFERENCES .................................................................................................... 134 APPENDIX .......................................................................................................... 136 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. An example of a pit rock-hole (right), a pan rock-hole (bottom left) and an apron pool (top left) in the Gawler Ranges. .......................................................... 16 Figure 2. An example of a headwater pool within the Gawler Ranges that were assessed as part of this project. ............................................................................ 17 Figure 3. The conceptual diagram that this project developed on rock-hole form and function within the landscape. ........................................................................ 18 Figure 4. The 18 sites assessed in the Gawler Ranges during field trips in 2009 and 2010. .............................................................................................................. 25 Figure 6. The sandy slopes surrounding Bulpara Hill were dominated by Acacia aneura (Mulga). ..................................................................................................... 27 Figure 7. Ants nest, with seed husks surrounding the nest opening ..................... 33 Figure 8. Surrounding open woodland association of Acacia species at Darebin . 34 Figure 9. Itchy caterpillar nest (most likely to be Processionary Caterpillars that eventually become moths called Bag-shelter Moths, Ochrogaster lunifer), the nest is used as a bush-medicine for the treatment of burns. ........................................ 38 Figure 10. Moolkra clay-pan with a chenopod shrub-land vegetation association, dominated by Maireana pyramidata (Black Bluebush). ......................................... 39 Figure 11. A clay-pan within the vicinity of Moolkra Rock-hole, Moolkra rock-hole was not visited during this trip. .............................................................................. 43 Figure 12. Mullina granite outcrop