An eroded gully off Yabba Road, Tallangatta South, has been fenced off and planted out with 4oo local indigenous species, on the property of Stuart and Sue Read. 

The grant received included 471 metres of wildlife friendly fencing and the planting of native species which will help to stabilise the gully and prevent further erosion. The vegetation will also assist in filtering the runoff from Yabba Road and supports biodiversity

Species planted by the landholder include acacia melanoxylon (blackwood), bursaria spinosa, callistemon sieberi (river bottlebrush), Blakely Red Gum, rosemary grevillea, prickly tea tree, spiny headed mat rush, tree violet and poa labillardieri (common tussock)

Land care Facilitator, Simon Felliafe coordinated the plantings and delivered tube stock to the Read’s property in September 2023. Over 1.18 hectares of land has been fenced off and revegetated.

Author: Secretary Robyn Scales 0427 495 864

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.

A dairy property along the Mitta River has fenced off 2.5 ha of boggy lagoon to restore a thriving wetland. Alice describes it as a ‘farmscape’ as opposed to a landscape project, with over 1000m of fencing completed, planting 2500 native species, and the removal of willows.

This wetland project will provide a filtration mechanism preventing dairy and other farm contaminants from flowing into the Mitta River. It will also encourage habitat for the Growling Grass Frog and other wetland species.

An important issue in designing this farmscape has been ensuring that the trees planted on the property did not impede vision and road safety was maintained, especially with large vehicles coming in and out daily, and 3 small children on the farm. 

Emmaline Bowman from Stem Landscape Architecture and Design helped Alice and Justine design the Project, which has a flood overlay, drainage plans and suggested native planting lists that support biodiversity. Our Landcare facilitator, Simon Felliafe, also worked along side Alice to achieve this outcome.

The Mitta Valley Landcare group ran a planting day at the property in September 2023, where 18 land carers and family friends came to assist. Congratulations to Alice and Justin Colclough on achieving this wonderful Project, in an area which was underwater for 12 weeks following the floods of 2022 on the Mitta River.

Author: Secretary Robyn Scales 0427 495 864

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.

The ability to offer fencing and revegetation projects in the local community is thanks to Mitta Valley Landcare Inc. winning a ‘Murray Darling Basin Healthy Rivers Program Grant in 2022, offered by The Department of Agriculture, Water, and the Environment.

The program aims to support community-led, on the ground projects, and improve the health and ecological condition of rivers and wetlands in the Murray-Darling Basin, whilst supporting economic development and jobs. The current project will cover 10 properties with 12 sites over 32 hectares and involves planting over 4000 local native species.

The Project includes fencing, revegetation, remnant protection and weed control along the Mitta River, Tabor and Watchingora Creek, and protection and enhancement of various wetlands along the Mitta Mitta River.

Six sites will be protecting habitat of the Growling Grass Frog (EPBC Act Listed) A further 2 sites on the Tabor Creek have past sightings of the Barking Owl and Powerful Owl. Most of the sites fit within the Ecological Vegetation Class 186- Plains Grassy Woodland/ Floodplain Riparian Woodland Complex, which is endangered.

The Project also involves another survey of the Growling Grass Frog or the Southern Bell Frog in conjunction with Charles Sturt University Thurgoona. Anna Turner carried out 3 nightly surveys with our Project Officers in October- November 2022. A Fungi workshop and foraging walk were also funded through the Project.

We would like to thank the landholders who participated in the Healthy Rivers projects and our 3 Project Officers; Audrey Beard, Simon Felliafe and Libbe Paton, who worked with the landholders and our committee to implement the project.

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.

Over four hundred native trees and shrubs were planted by Vicki and Graham Anderson in September 2023 at their Tallandoon property. Species included Rosemary Grevillea, River Tea Tree, Prickly Tea Tree, River Shea Oaks, Blackwood, Mountain Swamp Gum, River Red Gums, Eucalyptus Viminal, Natural Hemp and Spiny Headed Rush. The Andersons also fenced off 1.05 hectares of the wetland to prevent pest and animals and domestic stock from grazing the area, completing  670 metres of wildlife friendly fencing.

This project to restore and protect their wetland was funded through the Murray Darling Basin Healthy Rivers Program. This wetland will make a difference for insects, frogs, bird life, and protecting the natural plant species that already exist at the site. “We are carefully watching the plantings grow and cannot wait for the future views of this area”, stated Vicki and Graham.
 

Thankyou to Mitta Valley Landcare Inc. for auspicing this project and Simon Felliafe for his advice and support.

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.