Following the large inundation event Flow-MER scientists Jared Reid and Emeritus Professor Nick Reid undertook a waterbird survey. Many parts of the floodplain were still wet, providing great habitat for waterbirds.
The composition of inland floodplain vegetation communities, such as those on the Western Floodplain of the Warrego River, fluctuates as the floodplain alternates between wet and dry periods. Water loving species dominate wet periods, but as the floodplain dries these species die off, creating space for terrestrial species to move in.
Whilst common to northern and central Australia, in the Murray-Darling Basin Hyrtl’s tandan is only present in the Warrego, Paroo (PaaRu) and Condamine Rivers. The preservation of Hyrtl’s tandan in the Warrego River is aided greatly by the contribution of Commonwealth water for the environment.
We are lucky to work in special places like the Toorale State Conservation Area. Here are some of our favourite photographs we’ve taken over the eight years of the Long Term Intervention Monitoring (LTIM) and Flow-MER programs in the Warrego Selected Area. We hope you enjoy!
Kevin, our Warrego-Baaka (Darling) Cultural Advisor, shared with us this song by Leroy Johnson. It delivers a powerful message from Leroy about the Baaka – the lifeblood of the Baakandji people.
Toorale State Conservation Area provides for many significant bird species which rely on water flows through the system, and over the past 8 years of monitoring we have had the pleasure of capturing images and records of many threatened species.
A few months ago Jason Wilson from the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office (CEWO) and Paul Frazier from 2rog jumped onto Radio 2WEB to discuss the Warrego River’s Western Floodplain in Toorale National Park, near Bourke. Click play to hear about flood events on the floodplain in recent years, cultural uses of the wetland plant, lignum (Wirnta in Kurnu-Baakandji) and much more.
Kevin Knight is our newly appointed Gurnu-Baakandji (Warrego-Darling) Selected Area Cultural Advisor. This role is a pilot program to help to guide communication and engagement with Traditional Owners in the country of the Gurnu-Baakandji People. Kevin will help us to listen and learn from First Nation communities.
The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment is preparing for the construction of new and upgraded water infrastructure at Homestead and Boera dams. Following extensive studies and consultation, both Boera and Homestead dams will be retained and modified to provide improved flow management in the Warrego and Darling rivers, while protecting important cultural and environmental values on the Toorale National Park and State Conservation Area (Toorale).
Last year we shared an art series produced by Gamilaroi artist, Lakkari Pitt, that beautifully captured the Flow-MER program ecological indicators shown in the image above.
This time we want to share a little more about the artist herself. Lakkari discusses family, connection to Country and traditional knowledge in our feature Q&A that we’re excited to share for NAIDOC week, 2021.
