- Jun 25, 2018
Updated: Jan 22
My 121 Ha property, “The Granites” at Carapooee, consists of a granite outcrop with sloping granitic sand terraces at the foot. There is about 7 km of erosion gullies on the property, which represents a serious loss of habitat, resulting in a significant sediment load in the Carapooee Creek and ultimately the Avoca River.
The sandy soil of the terraces has very little clay to bind it and so erodes readily. There is an underlying soft sandstone layer which is eroded slowly by the process of falling water.
The photo below shows typical erosion.
The Project
The Kara Kara Conservation Management Network secured a grant for some erosion control work on this property. The grant paid for 60 tonnes of rock, gravel/sand mix, filter cloth and seeds for regeneration.
Half of these materials have been used to control the erosion in a 400 m section of one gully, where about ten leaky weirs have been placed using the rocks across the eroding sections and a further five areas of undercut have been stabilised.
The objective of the work is to
• stop the spread of drops from propagating upstream
• stop widening of the gully floor
• stop further undercutting
• Slow the water speed in the bottom of the gully
The slope of the steep sections and drops were jack hammered until the slope was about one in five. Filter cloth was laid across the gully floor and covered with the sand/gravel mixture. Rocks were the placed over the filter cloth to form a water race and leaky weir to slow the water flow and collect sediment.
This has effectively stopped all erosion in the bottom of the gully. Any further erosion of the sides of the gully results in reducing the slope of the wall. Eventually the walls will become revegetated. The sediment from this erosion is collected by the leaky weirs and does not leave the erosion area.
Other leaky weirs were placed across the gully floor to slow down the water flow.
A typical undercut is shown below. By placing a rock wall beside the undercut, eroding water flow is kept away from the undercut. The undercut will eventually collapse, but will not widen further.
The work requires at least annual inspections and minor repairs. As the sediment builds up at each wall, additional rock will be added to raise the height.
Natural Healing of some gullies
Some of the gullies have self-healed just by removal of stock (in 1995) and reducing rabbit numbers. The slope of the sides of these gullies has become less steep and grasses (mainly weeds) and trees are regenerating there, thus stopping further erosion.
The photo below illustrates this effect.
- Jun 11, 2018
Updated: Feb 9
Meet some of the inhabitants at Ned's. We carried out some bird surveys as we were going around and put 27 or 28 species on the list- the most exciting being both Butcherbirds- Grey and Pied, a Whistling Kite pair with a nest right opposite the pumphouse and a flock of Black-faced Woodswallows at the pine sandridge. These were the only birds I captured on camera- the plants were easier. On the inlet, late afternoon- Crimson Rosella- yellow form
On the big inlet- Black Swans
Pterostylis biseta -Mallee Rustyhood, close relative to our Lowly Greenhood. Rosettes just emerging.
Early morning on the river- Darter drying off.
Early morning on the river- Pelican looking for breakfast.
Taken at the Inland Botanic Gardens, these are NOT gazanias! (Sturt Desert pea)
Early morning on the river again- 4 Wood Ducks
Just over the side fence for the shearers' quarters- stickybeaking Emu
Favoured food of many creatures furry and feathered- Enchylaena tomentosa, upright form- Ruby Saltbush
Under the Hill's Hoist- Mallee Ringnecks feeding on weed seeds.
Low groundocevr plant- Zygophyllum sp (Twinleaf)
In the garden- the best use for 2km of barbed wire- rolled up by the Green Army girls and endorsed by Chris and Russell!
- Jun 7, 2018
Updated: Feb 9
Ned's Corner has an ambitious program of predator-proof enclosures for the release of some regionally threatened or extinct small mammals- Mitchell's Hopping Mouse, Fat-tailed Dunnart and Gile's Planigale.
With funding from the Yulgilbar Foundation (Myer Family) an enclosure of 2000ha is being prepared for these little people.
For more information check Trust for Nature's website
Gile's is a carnivorous marsupial also known as the Paucident Planigale(Planigale gilesi).
It needs deep cracking clays- and vegetation.
Photo- Australian Wildlife Conservancy website, photographer not given.
Mitchell's (Notomys mitchellii) is in the genus Notomys(rodents) and has large back legs like a kangaroo-rat.
It needs mallee scrub with triodia grasses on sand.
Photo- Bush Heritage Australia website,photographer Steve Parish
Fat-tailed Dunnart (Sminthopsis crassicaudata) is a mouse-like marsupial which needs grassy tussocks.
Photo - Zoos Victoria website, photographer not given.
All are threatened by habitat loss and predation by foxes and cats.
Removal of stock, both sheep and cattle, and ongoing rabbit control has allowed the vegetation to recover and vigorous
replanting projects are replacing those species that were browsed right out in the past.
To provide a safe environment for these tiny Aussies, a 2m high electric fence is being built to include many different vegetation and soil types.
This is a serious fence, fellow Field Nats - double height netting with bottom skirt front and back and hot wires! Photo A Hughes
Chris and Colleen admire the excellent results of a previous revegetation project in the big enclosure-wattles, native pines, sennas, bluebushes. Photo A Hughes.
Part 3 coming soon
