on ground

The first and second rounds of incentives funding are currenty being rolled out. Stations with completed plans were eligible to apply for the first round which closed on the 13th February 2009. Six funding applications were received ranging from the installation of ponding banks, fencing sensitive areas, installing watering points and Total Grazing Management yards. All applications targeted specific ecological priorities identified in the property action plans.

The second round of funding closed on the 29th May 2009 and the steering committe reviewed project applications on the 5th June 2009. All projects have been completed and inspected by the ESRM team.

Round 1 projects

• Mooloo Downs are installing approximately 100 ponding banks. The aim of this is to halt erosion and increase the spread of grasses;
• Bullara station is relocating two waters from sensitive flood plain country and sensitive dune areas respectively. The flood plain area will then be fenced off with 2 kms of fence to enable it to regenerate.
• Gnaraloo station is constructing 2 TGM yards at existing waters along fragile dune systems and installing 10kilometres of burnt pipeline.
• Williambury station is seeking funds to fence 18km of three major creek systems and a few minor systems to utilise the area to grow out stock as well as installing 2 watering points to relieve pressure on existing water in the area.
• Lyndon and Towera stations are applying for funds to fence 62,000ha of well rested country at the top of the property to enable options to breed, fatten or agist depending on seasons. It will enable better control over the area and will also allow them to rest the country when needed.

Round 2 projects

• Middalya station are installing 10 kilometres of 2 inch pipeline to move cattle away from favouring the Barrabiddy creek system.
• Koordarrie station has applied for funds to reduce grazing impacts on stock favoured areas by re-establishing a water pipeline network in the northern end of the property. This project will decrease grazing pressure on reliable waters to the south and increase grazing utilisation in 2 additional paddocks.
• Manberry station is installing 5 kilometres of poly pipe to open up new waters and utilise the north-west corner of Manberry. This project will alleviate grazing pressure on the main source of water in the paddock.
• Yanrey station is seeking funds to develop 3 trap paddocks within historically high pressure areas so that grazing management and herd control will be more targeted.
• Dalgety Downs station is applying for funds to fence the Gascoyne River from Landor station boundary to the eastern base of Mt Puckford and install 1 new water to encourage stock to travel further from the river and decrease grazing pressure along the Gascoyne River.
• Warroora station is constructing a new fence to prevent stock from foraging into the prevailing winds on the fragile coastal strip. This will prevent further “blow outs” and allow for regeneration of current blow outs.
• Ullawarra station are upgrading an existing sheep fence to cope with cattle and prevent them grazing on heavily utilised areas north of the homestead. The fenced off area will be rested from grazing allowing regeneration of the vegetation and protection of significant cultural sites.
• Glenburgh station would like to establish 3 new water points away from the main creek system in the eastern section of the property. The new watering points aim to reduce the reliance on the creek systems and will get stock feeding away from these sensitive areas.
• Hill Springs station is applying for funds to construct a 6km pipeline spur to supply additional water. The aim of this project is to improve ground cover through greater grazing control and be able to better utilise available pasture.
• Mia Mia station is applying for funds to reinstate the existing fence line across the Marloo floodplains and down to the southern boundary to seasonably rest the flood plain in wetter months and to develop a suitable paddock for weaners.
• Yinnetharra station is constructing ponding/contour banks which will assist in the slowing of surface water leading to an increase in soil stability and vegetation growth. These banks will be constructed in historically heavy grazed areas around the Gascoyne River.
• Dairy Creek will be completing 3 water points to allow them to spread the spatial distribution of stock grazing near existing waters.
• Carbla station is fencing off the north-eastern corner of a paddock surrounding the capped artesian bore and natural lake systems. Woodleigh station is relocating a watering point in a corner of a historically degraded paddock.
• Minnie Creek is extending a pipeline to establish two new water points reducing pressure off the Lyons river which was fenced 2 years ago
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