The Friends of Mound Springs (FOMS) undertook a second field trip in August 2023 to complete works that were outstanding following the rain-shortened trip in June 2023.
FOMS participants were Colin Harris, Bruce and Sherrie Gotch, Rick Moore, Bernice Cohen, Stuart Pillman, Trent Porter, Erik Dahl, Masto Myles and Simon Lewis. The group was accompanied by Ben McCallum and Alice Smith of the SA Arid Lands Landscape Board. It was planned that the Arabana Ranger team would also accompany the FOMS group for most of the working bee but a vehicle break-down prevented the Arabana Rangers from joining the group until the latter stages of the trip.
The timing for this exercise was influenced by a field day on 10th August at Wabma Kadarbu Mound Springs Conservation Park for students of the Oodnadatta and Marree Area Schools – coordinated by BHP and the SA Arid Lands Landscape Board and also involving the Arabana Ranger team. See separate item in this newsletter.
The main objectives for the FOMS group were to check fenced springs on the Peake and Nilpinna pastoral leases (fence maintenance and vegetation photo-point monitoring); to do maintenance work on the walking trails established by FOMS at the Peake Overland Telegraph site and install another trail marker at that site; to service cameras installed at several springs; and to participate as appropriate in the school session referred to above.
The group checked five springs fenced by the State Environment agency in the 1980s (Big Perry, the Fountain, Twelve Mile, Outside and Tarlton on the Peake and Old Nilpinna Spring on Nilpinna pastoral lease). Also inspected were Levi Springs, fenced by FOMS volunteers in 2019. This work involved checking the fencing and undertaking any minor maintenance required, servicing the bayonet / spear gates at each site, and repeating vegetation photo-points. The State Environment agency did this work until 2005 but ceased its commitment at that time and FOMS volunteers have filled the breach since that time.
The fences at Big Perry, the Fountain, Twelve Mile, Outside and Old Nilpinna Springs continue to be functional and only minor maintenance was required. A section of the Twelve Mile Spring fence will require more attention within a year or two. The wetland vegetation at each spring remains dominated by reeds, Phragmites. The abundance of Phragmites is diminished in the centre of the vent at the Fountain. It is hypothesised that the proliferation of Phragmites in fenced springs is linked with the century or more of nutrient enrichment through cattle grazing and that, over time, Phragmites abundance will diminish as nutrient levels decrease. The situation at the Fountain appears to be trending in that direction although it is too early to be definitive. At Old Nilpinna Spring, the area within the fenced exclosure is relatively dry, in some contrast to the good flow from the vent just outside the fence.
Tarlton Springs have been the subject of discussion for some time. The springs – thought to be from local aquifers rather than the Great Artesian Basin – have all but dried up and the fence has collapsed at one point and is overgrown by vegetation at several other locations. The two options under consideration have been (a) dismantling the fence and (b) repairing it. The inspecting group noted that one spring is damp and retains a cover of sedges and also concluded that repair of the fence was readily achievable with much less effort than would be needed for disassembly. Repair and retention of the fence was the group’s favoured option.
At Levi Springs the relatively new fence was in good condition, although some minor re-straining of a section near the coolabah spring should be undertaken on the next visit. The spring vegetation continues to recover strongly, as illustrated in the accompanying photographs.
The walking trails at the Peake Overland Telegraph site were in reasonable condition, requiring minor maintenance only. A new trail marker was installed to guide access to the cemetery site but one more marker is thought to be needed.
At Wabma Kadarbu Mound Springs Conservation Park, Bruce and helpers serviced two motion- activated cameras at Horse and Buttercup springs in the southern section of the Park. There has been an ongoing problem of cattle from the adjoining Stuart Creek pastoral lease getting through the boundary fence and impacting on these springs. Bruce and others noted about ten cattle in the Park and it seems clear that the boundary fence across the Margaret River has weaknesses that allow access. Cattle impacts within the Park have increased since 2022. Horse Springs were showing good regeneration of vegetation in 2022 but were now heavily impacted by recent cattle activity.
As a final task on this field trip, the FOMS group inspected Bopeechee Spring and Beatrice Spring, on Finniss Springs, in company with the Arabana Ranger team. Bruce serviced the camera installed at Bopeechee. The vegetation at this spring is showing some evidence of recovery following horse impacts which, in turn, followed a trial burning exercise conducted in 2016.
This brought to a conclusion a highly successful working bee with good weather conditions throughout, atoning for the disappointments of the wet June attempt.
