Mitta Valley Landcare (MVL) recently received a grant under the ‘Healthy Rivers Program, through The Department of Agriculture, Water, and the Environment. The program aims to support community-led, on the ground projects, to improve the health and ecological condition of rivers and wetlands in the Murray-Darling Basin whilst supporting economic development and jobs. The MVL project will cover 9 properties with 12 sites over 32 hectares and involves planting 2510 local native species. Two Project Officers have been employed to implement the Project, Audrey beard and Libbe Paton.
On Sunday 17th July, the first of the planting days was held at Faith and Clem Wallace’s property on Tabor Creek at Dartmouth. Tabor Creek is a tributary of the Mitta River and is a known habitat of the Barking Owl.Nine local volunteers planted over 450 native plants The plant list was a mix of trees, large and small shrubs, grasses and rushes, and consisted of Acacia melanoxylon (Blackwood), Eucalyptus globulus (Blue Gum), Eucalyptus radiata (Narrow Leaf Peppermint), Eucalyptus viminalis (Manna Gum), Bursaria spinosa (Sweet Bursaria), Callistemon sieberi (River Bottlebrush), Grevillea rosmarinifolia (Rosemary Grevillea), Gynatrix pulchella (Native hemp bush), Kunzea ericoides (Burgan), Leptospermum brevipes (Slender tea tree), Mirbelia oxylyobioides (Mountain mirbelia), Brachyscome multifida (Rock Daisy), Poa labillardieri (Common Tussock Grass), Lomandra longifolia (Spiny headed mat rush), and Carex sp. (Common Sedge). These plants were hand-picked to thrive in a local wetland area and will complement the native plants already established.
The catering on the day was provided by the GREEN GALAH Tallangatta, who supplied a delicious spread of roast pumpkin and sweet potato soup with fresh bread, and a mixed grazing platter board; lunch went down well with a cosy fire and a hot cuppa. GREEN GALAH is a support service focused on employment preparation and skill building with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). As a not-for-profit community group, we were delighted to support this amazing local social enterprise.
Lastly, thank you to Project Officer Audrey Beard for ordering and coordinating the plantings and to the volunteers who braced the wet weather to improve a local water system
This project is supported by Mitta Valley Landcare, through funding from the Australian Government’s Murray–Darling Healthy Rivers Program.
Murray–Darling Healthy Rivers – an Australian Government initiative.
