GAWLER RANGES DISTRICT PROFILE: Characteristics4 and challenges1,2 South Australian ABOUT THE GAWLER Arid Lands NRM region RANGES DISTRICT Marla Oodnadatta The Gawler Ranges Algebuckina Innamincka Moomba District covers an area Marla-Oodnadatta Marree-Innamincka of approximately Anna Creek 50,000 square Coober Pedy kilometres (5% of Coward Springs Curdimurka South Australia) north Marree of Eyre Peninsula and Arkaroola Village Kingoonya Andamooka west of Port Augusta. Tarcoola Roxby Downs Leigh Creek Kingoonya Glendambo North Flinders Ranges Woomera Parachilna Hawker GAWLER RANGES Legend North East Olary Port Augusta COMMUNITIES Waterways and Lakes Iron Knob Yunta National Parks and Reserves Iron Baron The population of the district is Whyalla approximately 200. There are no major Dog Fence towns, but a settlement exists at Iron Knob. LAND FORMS WATER LAND USE AND INDUSTRY The district is characterised by sand The water resources of the district are The major land use within the district is dunes and flats with mulga woodlands, limited, with only a small number of sheep production, with some properties calcareous plains with mulga, western reliable wells and springs available. The running small numbers of cattle. Other myall, black oak and chenopods, pastoral industry use a combination land uses include parks and reserves, gibber tablelands with chenopod/ of surface water catchments and bore mining/exploration, defence industry samphire shrubland and granitic hills water, with some stations accessing operations, private conservation with mallee woodland. water from the Morgan-Whyalla reserves and some tourism. pipeline. VEGETATION CLIMATE Major vegetation types include: The climate of the district is Sand Dunes & Flats: red mallee, gilja, characterised by hot, very dry summers mallee cypress pine, mulga, black oak, and cool to mild winters. Rainfall northern cypress pine, tussock grasses. GET INVOLVED variability is moderate to high, with Plains: western myall, mulga, red For more information about natural resources management activities average annual rainfall ranging from mallee, sugarwood, bluebush, tussock in the SA Arid Lands, visit: less than 200mm in the north-east grasses, annual grasses, medic, black The Natural Resources Centre Level 1, 9 Mackay St, Port Augusta to 300mm in the south-west of the oak, hop bush, copperburr, speargrass. www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/aridlands district. Evaporation ranges from Hills & Rises: Tarcoola wattle, pointed or phone 8648 5300 2300mm to 2700mm per annum. mallee, white mallee, mulga, emu bush, senna, saltbush, bluebush, cassia. Priority issues identified by the GAWLER RANGES COMMUNITY 1,2 2 impacts from neighbours properties2 total grazing pressure1 1 water & wind erosion1 2 weeds mining & exploration impacts 1 2 tourismsalinity impacts increasing labour costs water management1 wildfire feral animals1,2 particularly wild dog, fox and cat2 ISSUESgrazing pressure when new breeds introduced 2 1 Activities delivered in the SA Arid Lands GAWLER RANGES DISTRICT activities 2010-133 NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS OVERALL • 76% properties participated in at least one natural resources 7001 people management activity3 % OF PROPERTIES (PUBLIC AND PRIVATE) PARTICIPATING IN AT LEAST ONE ACTIVITY • 67% properties participated in feral animal control across 1,267,556 hectares 84% 3 (including wild dog, fox, goat and camel) NUMBER OF TRAINING/AWARENESS RAISING EVENTS • 12% properties participated in weed management activities covering 567,105 hectares (including opuntia, boxthorn, pepper tree and onion weed)3 324 NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER HOURS • 6% properties participated in • Flora and fauna monitoring 22,426 landscape-scale integrated property • Biteback 3 NUMBER OF ACROSS THE OUTBACK planning SUBSCRIBERS • EMUTM (Ecosystem Management • District-scale strategic weed Understanding project) 1,400 management planning NUMBER OF WEBSITE VISITORS • Bounceback • Property information packs 14,184 • Saltbush pasture revegetation trial • Investigations currently underway into impacts of new breeds (eg • Mining impact monitoring 1 Reported through SA Arid Lands NRM Board- sponsored surveys: Strategic Planning for District Dorper sheep) • Visitor management NRM Groups (surveys undertaken mid to late 2012). infrastructure installed • Rockhole assessment and cleaning 2 Ehrenberg-Bass Natural Resource Management Participation, Knowledge & Skills in the SAAL • Water affecting activities permit • Assistance with mining and Region (interviews with pastoral landholders undertaken in mid to late 2012). policy implemented exploration issues 3 Extracted from activities database held by SA Arid Lands Natural Resources Management • Small incentive grants to subsidise • Improved road condition Board, 2010-2013. the cost of pest, weed and soil management 4 Extracted from Gawler Ranges Soil Conservation Board District Plan, revised edition 2004. management.