Eaglehawk Waterhole update and completion of 20 Million Trees grant
Saturday July 29th saw the last of our plants from our 3-year 20 Million Trees grant (from the Federal Government, National Landcare programme) put in the ground. This funding has enabled NGT to establish over 15,000 trees, shrubs and grasses over 70ha, to help species like the Red-tailed Black cockatoo which frequently feed on the property. We aimed to consolidate a corridor across the eastern side of the property linking a large patch on Eaglehawk to an even larger patch on the neighbouring Tallegiera property.
12 brave volunteers made the trek out to Eaglehawk with the knowledge that the weather was potentially going to be very nasty. This perhaps spurred them on, as by lunchtime 85% was already in the ground, and the dark clouds were approaching but not too menacing… yet.
Open areas planted with Stringybarks and understorey
Peter and Dianne, our campfire chefs cooked up a beaut BBQ lunch and after being entertained by the four-legged friends (five in all), we set off again to finish the final batch of plants.
Nicole with her new friends (Banjo and Winnie)
The seedlings we planted were grown in the NGT Community nursery and ranged from Stringybarks for the Red-tails to muntries for emus and insects, to tea-tree, bottlebrushes and other shrubs to provide thickets of cover for a range of fauna species.
Fauna species like the Chestnut-rumped Heathwren, Southern White-face, Diamond Firetail, Western Pygmy-possum and Sugar Glider will all be better off in the future, after this planting effort. The Southern White-face (which has been seen in this corridor) prefers gum woodlands with open grassy areas for foraging.
Southern White-face, rare open woodland bird
Overall, a big thanks to everyone who volunteered on the day and a special thankyou to Sam and Andy for gathering all the guards in preparation for the planting trips.
Anyone interested to be involved at Eaglehawk Waterhole in the future is urged to contact us at the Mt Gambier NGT office on (08) 8797 8596.
This project was supported by Australian Government and the National Landcare programme
