Waratah Project update - September 2022
Since July, multiple contractors have been working hard to prepare and install over 46km of new fence lines and access tracks throughout the sites. By the end of August, earthworks contractors successfully completed line and track clearing, grading and gravel carting at all Breeza sites.
Like most landholders and contractors, Local Land Services is also dealing with the love-hate relationship between wet weather and heavy machinery. Getting bogged has been a daily occurrence for the last couple of months and credit goes to all the contractors who have persevered and continued to get the job done.
To date, over 36km of formed access tracks, easements, and new fence line clearing between neighbours and public roads has been completed to improve access and ongoing management at Breeza. By the end of August 13.2km of new fencing had been installed to stock-proof a large portion of the revegetation area where preparation works will begin soon.
Aboriginal cultural heritage surveys have recently been completed at the Tambar Springs site in preparation for line clearing and fencing commencement towards the end of 2022. Our North West Aboriginal Ranger program participants have also been helping on site spending a couple of days being mentored by our fencing contractor team.
It's a bad time of year for an African boxthorn! Woody weed control at Mount Watermark has commenced and we have a remote-controlled mulcher and drones coming onto the site from the 19th of September to help with woody weed control where terrain is unable to be accessed or unsafe to undertake with our current ground control operators.
Behind the scenes initial planning is underway to set up a process for community members to access sites for cultural activities now tracks and access from public roads have improved. We are also prepping for spring and early summer weed and pest control activities with some large-scale active management being proposed.
The Waratah Project sites have been identified as having suitable and in-demand biodiversity credits. Local Land Services is working closely with the Credit Supply Taskforce to progress a biodiversity assessment over the holdings by an accredited assessor to consider biodiversity credit supply options.
For more information or to get in contact with the project team contact Caleb Doyle, Project Coordinator on 0428 641 858 or via e-mail caleb.doyle@lls.nsw.gov.au, OR Wally Hammond, Community Engagement Officer on 0419611715 or via e-mail wally.hammond@lls.nsw.gov.au.