NORTH FLINDERS RANGES DISTRICT PROFILE: Characteristics4 and challenges1,2 South Australian ABOUT THE NORTH Arid Lands NRM region FLINDERS RANGES DISTRICT Marla Oodnadatta The North Flinders Marree-Innamincka Ranges district covers Algebuckina Innamincka an area of more Moomba Marla-Oodnadatta than 35,000 square Anna Creek kilometres (3% of Coober Pedy South Australia) and is Coward Springs Curdimurka bounded by the dog Marree fence to the north and east, with Lake Torrens Arkaroola Village Kingoonya Andamooka Tarcoola Roxby Downs to the west. Leigh Creek Kingoonya Glendambo Woomera North COMMUNITIES Flinders The population of the district is Ranges approximately 900 people. Townships Hawker include Leigh Creek, Parachilna, Gawler Ranges Legend North East Olary Nepabunna, Copley, Beltana and Blinman. Port Augusta Iron Knob Waterways and Lakes Yunta Iron Baron CLIMATE National Parks and Reserves Whyalla The climate is arid with hot, very dry Dog Fence summers and cool to mild winters. Average annual rainfall is low and highly variable, ranging from 200 mm on the plains to 300 mm in elevated areas. There is no VEGETATION seasonality of rainfall in the north-west of Major vegetation types include: the district but in the south there is a weak Dunes: Mulga, cypress pine, black oak, winter maximum. Evaporation rates are copper burr, grasses. high, ranging from 2500 mm per annum in WATER the south to 3000 mm in the north. Alluvial Plains: Wattles, Mitchell grass, A number of natural springs provide near- bluebush, fuchsia, copperburr, saltbush, permanent waterholes which are important LAND FORMS black oak. for domestic and stock use, tourism and Drainage Lines: Samphires, nitre bush, native animals. Dams are a significant part The district is characterised by land forms canegrass, forbs, grasses. of the water supply network but pumped such as alluvial plains, drainage systems, groundwater is the primary water source of Plains: Mitchell grass, poverty bush, plains, dunefields, hills and mountains. the pastoral industry. samphire, cottonbush, dead finish, saltbush, canegrass, prickly wattle, fuchsia, bluebush, black oak, wallaby grass, cypress LAND USE AND INDUSTRY pine, mallee box, barley grass. The most extensive land use is sheep and Rises: Twin-leaves, annual grasses, prickly cattle production. Other land use includes GET INVOLVED wattle, bladder saltbush, mulga, bluebush, coal, uranium, magnesite and barite For more information about natural black bush, nitre bush. mining, parks and reserves, tourism, small resources management activities in the SA Arid Lands, visit: Hills: Prickly wattle, dead finish, red scale cropping and Aboriginal managed The Natural Resources Centre mallee, cypress pine, mulga, hop bush, lands. There are a number of landholding Level 1, 9 Mackay St, Port Augusta rock fuchsia, black oak, samphires, cassia, areas in the North Flinders District that www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/aridlands are managed for conservation purposes or phone 8648 5300 daisies, wild hops, copper burr, bullock bush, native cherry, spinifex, emu bush. including Arkaroola, Warraweena and the Bunkers Conservation Reserve. Mountains: Red gums, cypress pine, red mallee, red box, spinifex, grasses, yacca, broombush, Scotia bush, mallee bluebush. Priority issues identified by the NORTH FLINDERS RANGES DISTRICT COMMUNITY 1,2 water & wind erosion1,2 increasing labour costs2 1,2 mining & exploration impacts 2 tourism impacts 1 feral animals1,2 particularly wild dog, fox and cat2 grazing pressure and concerns about the impact of new breeds such as Dorper sheep2 weeds ISSUESyouth leaving the area2 Activities delivered in the SA Arid Lands NORTH FLINDERS RANGES activities 2010-133 NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS OVERALL DISTRICT 3 7001 people % OF PROPERTIES (PUBLIC AND PRIVATE) PARTICIPATING IN AT LEAST ONE ACTIVITY • 85% properties participated in at least one natural resources management activity3 84% • 84% properties participated in pest animal management across 3,600,335 hectares 3 NUMBER OF TRAINING/AWARENESS (including wild dog, goat, pig, rabbit, fox, cat) RAISING EVENTS • 29% properties participated in weed management across 359,688 hectares (including 324 athel pine, opuntia, mesquite, thistle, boneseed, African rue, pepper tree, Jerusalem 3 NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER HOURS thorn and Bathurst burr) 22,426 • 4% properties participated in landscape-scale integrated property planning3 NUMBER OF ACROSS THE OUTBACK • Small incentive grants to subsidise the • Tourism information products developed SUBSCRIBERS cost of pest, weed and soil management • District-scale strategic weed 1,400 • Incentives available for young people management planning NUMBER OF WEBSITE VISITORS for natural resources management • Biteback participation 14,184 • Bounceback • Water affecting activities permit policy • Advice on mining and exploration issues • Aquatic ecosystem condition monitoring 1 Reported through SA Arid Lands NRM Board- • Improved road condition management sponsored surveys: Strategic Planning for District • Biophysical, cultural and social NRM Groups (surveys undertaken mid to late 2012). assessment of rockholes 2 Ehrenberg-Bass Natural Resource Management • Flora and fauna monitoring Participation, Knowledge & Skills in the SAAL Region (interviews with pastoral landholders undertaken in mid to late 2012). • Visitor management infrastructure 3 Extracted from activities database held by SA installed Arid Lands Natural Resources Management Board, 2010-2013. 4 Extracted from North Flinders Soil Conservation Board District Plan, revised edition 2004..