Delegate River Catchment Landcare

 

The Delegate River Catchment Landcare Group is currently in recess due to a lack of devolved project funding.  We continue to search for assistance for this area.  The membership included landholders from the upper Delegate River Catchment from both N.S.W. and Victoria. The group formed in 1999 with a common concern over the health of the Delegate River, especially in regards to the invasive hybrid, Crack Willow.

 

Tributaries include:

 

•     Delegate River

•     Riverview Creek

•     Boundary Creek

•     Church Creek

•     Hobbs Flat Creek

•     McDonalds Creek

 

Land use in the area is diverse and includes:

 

•     Merino sheep

•     Prime Lambs

•     Beef Cattle

•     Cropping – Winter cereals, canola and fodder

•     Private forest (softwood)

 

GROUP HISTORY

 

In 2003 the Delegate River Landcare Group undertook a project, “Protecting Remnant Vegetation and Establishing Linkages”, through the Envirofund Program. This involved the successful planting of over 10 000 indigenous trees and shrubs to protect and link over 75 hectares of native vegetation across 9 properties.

 

Delegate River Landcare group members shared concern that Crack Willow was changing the landscape, affecting native habitat and altering the integrity of the Delegate River channel. The upper section of the Delegate River had healthy stands of remnant vegetation which were slowly being choked out by willows. The adjacent flood plains had the potential for heavy infestation by the species, stimulating the application and successful funding of the Delegate River Rehabilitation and Willow Management Program (2004) and further in 2005.