National Forum

Gondwana Link: Reconnecting the SouthWest Forests to Uluru and beyond

Abstract for Angela Sanders
Moloch Fauna Consultants
Conservation Management Networks and Community-based Ownership/Stewardship
9-9:15am, Thursday, 22 March 2001

The Gondwana Link project aims to reconnect the southwest forests with the Stirling Range, Fitzgerald River National Parks and beyond to the arid woodlands and deserts. It was conceived and initiated by a small group of conservation minded people on the south coast in July 2000. It became incorporated in September 2001 and has a seven-member committee consisting of four from Jerramungup and three from Albany.

The project is focussing at present on rebuilding the link between the Fitzgerald River National Park and the proposed Peniup Nature Reserve. The revegetated corridor will be at least one kilometre wide, 17 kilometres long with an area of some 4000 hectares. To achieve this goal, six farms are under offer for purchase and the group is pursuing funding from a mixture of government, private and corporate sources. The land purchase totals $4.7 million and covers an area of 8700 hectares.

Revegetation will be achieved mainly by direct seeding using various seed mixes containing 200-300 species. Seedlings will be planted to augment direct seeding in heavy or poorly drained clay soils. About 4000 kilograms of seed will be required and this is the major challenge for the revegetation phase. There is approximately 1400 hectares of bushland remaining on the farms being purchased and a similar area on surrounding farms available for seed collecting. The group aims to collect seed in the adjoining Crown Land and negotiations with Conservation and Land Management are being undertaken.

The Gondwana Link Project is working hard to ensure that the corridor acts as a habitat in its own right, which is a necessity to being an effective corridor. Micro-habitat is being incorporated into the planning with examples including the use of rock and mallee root piles and spoil heaps.

It is envisaged that establishing a complimentary commercial component adjacent to the corridor will fund the ongoing maintenance and monitoring of the corridor. At this stage the group is pursuing options such as oil mallees, farm forestry, wildflower and seed production.

When finished the corridor will:

create an effective wildlife movement corridor between the historically-linked southwest forests, Fitzgerald River and Stirling Range National Parks and the inland woodland through to the rest of Australia
increase the gene flow across southern Australia through the arid interior
provide a buffer against extinctions due to climate change and restore the ability of natural communities to evolve and adapt
re-establish the diversity of plant and animal species in an area that has been largely cleared of native vegetation
help address local land degradation problems including recharge and discharge management, salinity and soil erosion
improve water quality and bio-diversity in watercourses and downstream estuaries
create a model for the efficient use of funds, 'dollars on the ground' and an innovative and functional corridor
create an example of how conservation and adjacent commercial land-use can be mutually beneficial
provide educational and research opportunities in corridor design and function
provide increased opportunities for diversified employment and business for Jerramungup and regional communities