Management Assessment Plan of Bushland Area:
Bush Regeneration Certificate Course
Katoomba TAFE college:
'A STUDENT'S ASSESSMENT' [1995]
Turon Springs.....................
Management Assessment Plan of Bushland Area:
Bush Regeneration Certificate Course
Katoomba TAFE college:
'A STUDENT'S ASSESSMENT' [1995]
This is a Land Management plan for the Golden Boomerang at Turon Springs, a 50hectare property which lies on the central tablelands of NSW: The land is set in the Palmer's Oaky Creek Valley, which was cleared in the nineteen thirties and has been predominantly used for sheep grazing as much of the land west of the Great Divide has been cleared for grazing and mono-agriculture. It is now timely that more farmers are thinking of revegetating their land and combining farming or tourist enterprises with bush regeneration:
It is intended to complete the present home, garden and orchard area- based on Permaculture ideas - with several cabins for people holidaying and they can combine, if they wish, their holiday with hands on regenerating:
The plant community is dry sclerophyll or open forest and a survey of the vegetation and site conditions indicate that the property is suitable for revegation, using native trees on site to gather seed. On the ridges and slopes, white box (eucalyptus albens) and red stringy bark (eucalyptus macroryncha) dominate, in association with kurrajong (brachychiton populeneus) and hickory wattle (acacia implexa). Whilst yellow box (eucalyptus melliodora), apple box (eucalyptus bridgesiana) and Blakley's red gum (eucalyptus blakelyi) are to be found lower down the valley on the mid slope. Fencing off stock to allow natural regeneration is possible in some areas, although the rabbits will have to be controlled - with a novel approach using ferrets.
The most obvious weed is viper's bugloss (echium vulgave) similar to Paterson's curse. Although there are several biogenetic agents in the pipeline, thanks to the CSIRO & Department of Agriculture, their use might not be necessary. A natural bush cover would deprive this particular weed of cleared space and sunlight on which it thrives. Blackberries (Rubus fructicosus) and sweet briar (Rosa ribiginosa) have been brought under control using goats. They now can be kept under control or completely eradicated by hand.
In general, there is little erosion and the present water management techniques supply adequate water for Permaculture gardens, orchards, and the proposed tourist cabins:
The property once regenerated, would act as an example for other properties in the district::
* Regenerate
bushland on up to three quarters of the property - fenced from stock:
*Corridor for flora & fauna between
Wollemi National Park & Winburndale Nature reserve:
* Halt erosion by revegetation:
* Minimise fire hazards using fire
retardant species as breaks:
* Permaculture gardens:
* Agro Forestry; natives, nuts, timberlots,
firewoodlots, with varying but slight stock used, dependant on land area given over to
regeneration:
* cabins / tourism:
* Permanent water supply:
* Centre for display and learning:
* Weeding continued
* Green house to cultivate seedlings from
seeds collected in area:
* Planting of native species in specified
areas:
* Stock fenced off from suitable areas that
can naturally regenerate, to allow natural regrowth. (change mowing regimes')
* Erosion near the 'tip'- dozing for the
dam was poorly done - needs to be planted out:
* Start replanting the creek line with
suitable species:
* Permaculture gardens near creek
commenced:
* Spring water arrangements agreed between
neighbours:
The bushland management plan covers a property in a valley on the central western slopes of the Great Divide in N.S.W., that has for many years been dominated by sheep farming. The report takes a survey of the existing vegetation - native and weeds - and considers management strategies including priorities for a revegetation program.
Site History....
The Golden boomerang, Turon Springs is 124.7 acres (49.53
hectares) property in a gold rush area of the last century -- west of Sydney & the
Blue Mountains and then north - west of Lithgow. Tony Lynch bought the property in 1984.
He has renovated a timber house sustained by solar & wind power and put in vegetable
gardens and an orchard near the house. He has cleared the property of much of the weed in
that time (although native regeneration will have to occur to prevent weed regrowth). He
has constructed a dirt road, carefully following the contours to the high point of the
property. During the 1930s much of the arable land in this valley, indeed in this area
& other areas of NSW such as Kempsey, was cleared for stock by putting unemployed to
work ring - barking trees. Turon Springs like surrounding properties - especially along
the Creek has been grazed heavily. Little tree cover is left and any under storey or
herbaceous cover also went quickly.
Tony envisages revegetating large areas of land with the local native vegetation but also having Permaculture vegetable gardens and orchards. He intends to keep only a few stock - 2 / 3 horses and a couple of cows.
He will keep the horses for staff & visitors use - as he intends to build 2 or 3 cabins to rent to people wanting to fish, pan for gold etc. Along with the tourist business venture he would like the revegetated land to be part of a wildlife corridor connecting Winburndale Nature Reserve and the Wollemi National Park - he will have to convince his neighbours in the valley to follow his example.
There are a number of points of historical interest on the property. The gold rush time left a race built by gold panners to keep the water out of the creek for ease of access. This runs 40 meters above the creek line and follows the contour at a descent of 1 in a 100 metre as the creek flows towards the Turon River. This gradient is very comfortable for walking and riding, and in the years after the gold rush the neighbouring farms used the race as a path between properties.
. 
NATIVE PLANT COMMUNITY
Description: Although the land has been heavily
cleared one can assume the properties to the north - east (i.e. higher up away from the
creek), where there has been less tree felling but still heavy grazing, that vegetative
covering would have been open forest( Specht 1970) or dry sclerophyll forest. The hight of the trees is in the lower end of the 10 - 30 m
range and the density of the foliage cover of those trees is 30 - 50%. However the area is
borderline, as clearing and grazing gives the landscape an appearance more of svannah
woodland with a natural grassy understorey. On the ridges and slopes white box (Eucalyptus
albens) and red stringy bark (E.macroryncha) dominate in association with
kurrajong (Brachychiton populneus) and hickory wattle (Acacia implexa).
Whilst yellow box (E. melliodora), apple box (E. bridgesiana) and
Blakely's red gum (E.blakelyi) are to be found lower down the valley and on the
midslope. The predominate understorey is kangaroo grass (Themada australis). Due
to heavy grazing even the neighbouring land to the east, where the canopy layer is still
largely retained, there is little indication of the makeup of a shrub understorey. On the
property boundary formed by the Palmer's Oakey Creek the dominant layer is she oak (Casuarina
cunninghamiani) a little away from the creek, candlebark (Eucalyptus ribida).
The usual factors in the development of open forest / dry sclerophyll forest are present. Rainfall is not high, lower than 800mm p.a. and periods
of drought are common. The soils are moderately to highly permeable, i.e. the shallow
skeletal soils have moderate to low water retaining capacity and the soils are nutrient
poor in nitrogen and phosphorus. However due to shifting as a result of tree clearing the
soil layer is much deeper on the down - slope at places up to 1.5 meters and quite able to
sustain a thriving plant community as evidenced by the orchard. Enough soil remains on the
higher slopes due to the weed coverage to regrow an open forest. There has not been a fire
in the last ten years of occupation and there is no evidence of a strong fire regime
normally a factor in dry scerophyll forests. The land was cleared in the 1930's and there
is little for a fire to burn, although a grass fire is a possibility. The dams hold water
quite well as the subsoil is a light to heavy clay with a moderate to strong structure:
GENERAL
weather/soil
Temperatures can be quite extreme - very low, with frosts in
winter and high in summer. This would restrict plant growth in winter. Adequate provision
has to be made for water supply in drier years.
Average annual rainfall lies within the range 640mm (Sofala) to
850mm at (Capertee) . The highest rainfall is in the summer months in
both Capertee and Sofala, however that falls over fewer days than the rain falls in the
winter. Not much further west, winters have the higher rainfall.
Soil distribution is related to climate. This is evident in the
pH, when soils under this more humid regime are acid. i.e. Red podsolic soils have
formed with the higher rainfall - where soil material allows adequate drainage - but
further west, soils from the same parent rock are non-calcic brown soils, as a result of
lower rainfall and changed drainage characteristics.
PROBLEMS &
IMPACTS
Animals
Rabbits are a major problem. Burrows dot the
property. Ten rabbits eat about as much as a sheep, a feral goat eats about the same
amount. A kangaroo eats about two-thirds as much as a sheep and a horse as much as seven
sheep. There is a herd of about forty feral goats which periodically come onto the
property.(not any more, simon's friends fixed them) There are also some kangaroos -
eastern greys and black rock wallaby (?). The stock consists 5 horses and 3 cattle.
Erosion
There is obvious erosion near the dam closest to the northern
boundary caused by the dozer during dam building. The soil there is gravelly and the
incline is so steep that the top soil has washed off. There is some slippage into
inclines particularly at the top set of dams.
The previous owner had built a dam downstream on the spring fed
creek which has filled with gravel and silt from the properties upstream that have been
continually overstocked with sheep and rabbits.
Rocks are already being positioned in creek beds and drainage
lines to deflect the flow of water, particularly in times of high run off and produce more
meandering water courses.
Weeds & causes
Viper's bugloss (Echium vulgare) by
coverage is the dominant weed, the same family as Paterson's curse (Echium
plantagineum) and is widespread throughout the central tableland from clearances. {Echium
plantagineum is an Australia wide weed} Plentiful small hard seeds ensure quick
spread. With a rosette and a large taproot both are strong competitors in pastures.
However the Department of Agriculture hopes that once the plant numbers are down using
biological control methods, broadleaf herbicide spraying will be much more effective. It
should be noted that both plants are found in open pasture and are sun loving (i.e. love
cleared space) and there has been some indication that the growing of dense scrub or
canopy cover will naturally cause the plant die off.
Scotch thistle (Onopordum acanthium)
carried by the wind is also scattered throughout the property. It's been noted it prefers
disturbed bare ground to germinate:
Sweet briar (Rosa rubiginosa) as spread
by animals and birds appears intermittently.
Blackberries (Rubus fructicosus)
and several other weeds follow to a large extent the natural water channels and in
particular the spring fed line. The creek rises two properties to the south. Where that
creek enters the property there is an attempt to contain the water in a sediment pond
which helps capture seed and vegetative matter before it continues across the property to
the Palmer's Oakey Creek. Water is released from the pond by a syphon pipe when the level
rises.
Willows (Amyema pendulum) occur on the
Palmer's Oakey Creek. Bathurst burr (Xanthium spinosum) prefers the main creek
too.
Mistletoe (Amyema pendulum) is a
problem higher up the back of the property on white box (E. albens) and red
stringbark (E. macrorhyncha) and even more so in the neighbouring property to the
east where there is a higher density of trees. Mistletoe is an indication that the trees
are under stress as is dieback, i.e. the normal ecological balance is upset. Large
amounts of mistletoe also indicate the possum population is depleted. Birds carry the
seed from tree to tree.
Drought
As the stock has been kept to a minimum the pasture level is well
above the 70% coverage recommended by the Department of Conservation and Land Management
as a sustainable ground cover should drought occur. The Department also points out that in
severe drought it is only bush that provides reasonable feed and soil cover.
CONCLUSION
In general there is little erosion, the property has a good
ground cover as the stock has been kept at a minimum during the last six years. The water
drainage channels exhibit little gully erosion.
The weeds are at a stage where the property would benefit from a)
allowing areas that have good regenerative potential to do so by excluding stock and
keeping rabbit numbers down and b) replanting large areas with indigenous species grown
from local seed.
Present water management techniques are on the right track
and need to be continued. Stock can be contained. A deal of liaison and cooperation
with neighbours might be tactfully carried out so that regeneration
can be encouraged on other farms in the valley.
PRIORITIES
& SOLUTIONS
In order of priority:...
Fencing/animals
Fencing in the lower half of the property especially the creek
lines to keep the animals out. The land on the southern and western sides of the property
will be fenced off and regenerated first, as most of the water catchment is on those
sides.
Rabbits
There has been considerable success with ferrets and the number
could be kept in check by offering tourist and ferreting enthusiasts the opportunity to
hunt. By monitoring the burrows to ascertain the number of entrances and keeping logbooks
to record dates and catch numbers the rabbit population should be able to be controlled.
This method would be far less costly ecologically and financially than other methods such
as rabbit proof fences around the property or ripping up the many burrows with dozers.
Their present harbour has been reduced by eliminating much of the blackberry (but not so
on other properties). Regrowing a shrub understorey may increase their harbour but then
the ferreting program and monitoring should be well under way.
Planting
As much of the area has had weeds reduced to a level where
planting can take place, planting is a priority to deter weed growth. The nearest centre
growing natives is in Lithgow - Lithgow Community Nursery. Tube stock sells for $1 each,
however local plant stock raised from seed is preferable.
Trees planted out will have to have a plastic/wire protective
shield which is effective against rabbits.
Natural regrowth
Where there is evidence of regrowth e.g. epacridaceae,
leptospernums, acacias - control to the rabbit population is more difficult. A series of
random quadrats in these and also in areas with little regrowth, some with rabbit proof
fencing some without, will give guidelines as to the severity of the rabbit problem and
indicate wether the ferreting program should be increased. See pictures of
natural re-growth
Greenhouse
Plants grown from seed gathered on the property or nearby would
be better suited to the site, therefore one of the first priorities is to conduct a
greenhouse to germinate seed collected from e.g. eucalypts and acacias. Plans have been
drawn up for a 5 x 8 meters greenhouse and construction is due to start soon. Hopefully
the first seeds will be ready for a spring planting. Using growing medium collected on the
property.
Weeding maintained
Already goats have been used to good effect --e.g. ring barking
sweet briar, blackberries. Hand weeding/cutting with secateurs can keep these specific
weeds in check and if absolutely necessary cut and paint with Roundup 1:100.
Biological control of viper's bugloss is not a possibility at the
moment so covering with a scrub layer such as A. implexa is the viable
alternative.
Sediment/weed/pollutant control
A further one or two ponds could be built where the spring fed
creek enters the property and some aquatic plants added to diminish the contaminants from
the grazing stock and the chicken run on the next door property.
Further strategic use of rocks to redirect water flow in the
creeks and channels.
Human Resources
Contact with Landcare co-ordinator in Rylstone suggests the
property may be used as an example for other properties in the area. This idea was also
fostered by Countrywide in its heyday - see reference list.
Another human resource possibility is the potential tourist
market - various tour packages already promote regenerating bushland as part of the
package, and although the landcare aspect the Turon Springs property is non-profit, the
cabins and holiday packages are intended to keep the property financial.
There may be possibilities of interested landcare/TAFE/Greening
groups being involved.
Education
The neighbours will need to be convinced that revegetating is
worthwhile - less weeds, the value of working towards a corridor between bush reserves,
lessening fears about perceived increases in bushfire possibilities from the introduction
of the fire retardant species.
COSTING
Greenhouse
hoops and steel are already on hand.
white solar cloth - approximately $500, although trying to get
sponsorship from Sarlon Industries P/L
wire reinforcing mesh - $800
pots and seed trays - $200
tree guards - $1,000
Total $2,500
Human resources
Voluntary or exchange for part board.
LiNKS:
Projects afoot.
WEED iDENTiFiCATiON
YAHOO Landcare groups:
Natural Sequence Farming:
Last STOP from HEAVEN:
Spatial iNformation EXCHANGE:
GOOGLE Earth locater:
SWAGiT: home & hosed accomodation!
KATOOMBA SUMMiT:
REASSESSMENT UNDERWAY: 2008
CYBER TRiBE 
ROCKS TO THE FUTURE: 
The property has been free from grazing stock for over ten years apart from a few horses. Rabbit numbers thankfully are very low since calicivirus was accidentally released prematurely. The cabin idea is scrapped. Natural regrowth and areas hand planted are thriving along with grassed land as can be seen in various pictures scattered around this website. Tuning into industrial wind back the present idea sees a scattering of tee pees and composting toilets for stray visitors. Anthropologists say throughout history we lived in small tribes and shared what what we had: ..... to be continued:
