The Limestone Coast Landscape Board in partnership with Burrandies Aboriginal Corporation, South Eastern Water Conservation and Drainage Board and other organisations in the region is rejuvenating and restoring a critically endangered wetland. The project will be undertaken on the property purchased by the Limestone Coast Landscape Board in 2023 at Eight Mile Creek, in the coastal area near Port MacDonnell.
The project will focus on:
Water monitoring is an essential part of the restoration of the Karst Springs wetland site in Eight Mile Creek.
Each quarter the team measures water flow and tests water quality. This information is helping to guide the restoration works.
After the restoration is completed, the site will have real-time monitoring technology, this means the team will be able to see what’s happening with water and proactively manage the site.
Investigations to inform engineering design are in full swing at the karst restoration property.
Using data from the project's extensive water monitoring program, a numerical surface water and groundwater model is currently being developed. This will simulate water interactions at the site. This model will help to inform the final engineering design that will maximise ecological outcomes while preventing impacts on neighbouring properties.
The recent rain has seen an increase of water lying in the paddocks at the karst spring property, bringing with it some water birds such as the black swan, white-faced heron and the Australian white ibis.
A pair of Brolgas were also seen enjoying the landscape. Brolgas are a threatened species in South Australia.
We hope this is just a glimpse of what's to come after restoration and the wetland becomes a more permanent home for the water birds.
The karst restoration team have been establishing photo points to monitor the landscape changes over time. The fixed vantage points allow for consistent, accurate and wide-angle views of the property, documenting changes in vegetation, erosion, biodiversity and water levels.
This effective technique allows the team to assess restoration efforts and guide future land management decisions.
The team have undertaken the first bird survey and have started recording the birds that are visiting the property. These early observations highlight the importance of the restoration efforts, offering a glimpse into the potential for a thriving biodiverse wetland ecosystem.
Engagement with the local community is a key focus of this project. Project Coordinator Dr Emma Maxwell and former landowner representative Simone Smith shared the vision for the wetland restoration in and ABC radio interview. A drop-in session at the Port MacDonnell Community complex offered locals a chance to learn more, ask questions and discuss the project timelines, outcomes and engineering design. The project team looks forward to reconnecting with the community as the project progresses.
Initial investigations, monitoring and planning will be undertaken over the next two years. This will be important to ensure that the works are designed appropriately to protect neighbours from off-site impacts.
They will also establish a benchmark for changes to the site over time.
The SA Herbarium has visited the property. Sixty five different plant species were identified, including eight rare or vulnerable species in South Australia.
From terrestrial to aquatic plants, our property will be catalogued and monitored giving us valuable insights into the ecological dynamics.
Auricht Projects, CSIRO and Adelaide University are tracking changes in peat depth from the 1940s.
Peat, formed by decay in waterlogged conditions, holds vital clues into water security and carbon storage. As peat dries out, it sinks and lets out carbon dioxide.
Early signs of transformation are emerging at the karst spring property in Eight Mile Creek.
The Limestone Coast Landscape Board's community drop-in information session on the karst spring restoration project was met with enthusiastic participation.
The karst springs and alkaline fens restoration project in the Eight Mile Creek area is underway.
The karst springs and alkaline fens restoration project in Eight Mile Creek is now underway.
The recent purchase of an Eight Mile Creek property in the Limestone Coast is a bold move by the Limestone Coast Landscape Board.
Limestone Coast Landscape Board has successfully been appointed as Regional Delivery Partner for the Australian Government. With an initial investment of approx. 2.5 million into the Limestone Coast region until June 2028.
The Limestone Coast Landscape Board will partner with the Burrandies Aboriginal Corporation in all aspects of restoration of the site. This will ensure First Nations cultural values, heritage, future aspirations and opportunities will be incorporated into the design and delivery of the restoration and long term management of the site.
We will be walking together with First Nations on this project in a collaborative approach towards sustainable land management.
The Limestone Coast Landscape Board acknowledges and respects the traditional owners of the ancestral lands and waters of the Limestone Coast. We acknowledge the elders past, present and future and we respect the deep feelings of attachment and relationships of Aboriginal Peoples to Country including the language groups: Meintangk, Potaruwutij, Bunganditj, Tatiara/Ngarkat, Tanganekald (Southern Clans) and Ngarrindjeri.
Artwork by: Marie Clarke
11 Helen Street, Mount Gambier SA 5290
Phone: 08 8429 7550
