Darwin Rural
Churcher Wetlands Reserve Landcare Group
The group formed in 1997 with an aim of preserving the area in its natural state. The reserve is a significant area of public land containing a series of wetlands in the Howard River catchment. It is surrounded by rural blocks ranging in size from two hectares upwards. Fire management, weed eradication, controlling access and education are ongoing activities for the group. Churcher Wetlands is one of the groups involved in the Mitre 10 sponsored “Howard River Restoration Project”.
Coomalie Landcare Group
First formed in late 1996, the group works in the Coomalie Community Government Council area. Issues include weeds, erosion along the river systems, water quality, the rubbish dump and sewerage. The group is divided into four subgroups: Batchelor, Tortilla, Adelaide River and Camp Creek. Forming the Weeds Management Program in conjunction with Coomalie Community Government Council in September 2000, the landcare group has targeted two sites: the PAWA site in Adelaide River and Rum Jungle South Lake. Both areas have large infestations of gamba grass. This program is ongoing and strategic planning is vital to its success. The group also hosts Coomalie Waterwatch which has nine monitoring sites in the area.
Cox Peninsula Coastcare Group
This group’s main aim is to inform the local community about the environmental values of Wagait Beach and other coastal areas on Cox Peninsula. Of particular concern is the damage caused by uncontrolled vehicle access. The group carries out monitoring, creating awareness and taking action where needed. They are removing coffee bush from an area at West Point and replanting with native trees grown from locally collected seed. They work closely with the Cox Peninsula Community Government Council and NRETA and are preparing a management plan for the Cox Peninsula coast.
Durduga Tree Point Aboriginal Association
The group is working with Greening Australia and Parks and Wildlife to stabilise and rehabilitate the banks of Tree Point Creek. Emphasis is also on community awareness of erosion problems and ongoing maintenance of the area.
Knuckeys Lagoon Recreation Reserve
Local residents formed a management committee in 1990 to manage 19.4 hectares of open woodland and seasonally inundated wetland communities on the urban fringes of Darwin.
Since then the group has developed a meeting hall, walking tracks and carried out revegetation and weed control activities.
The 1st Berrimah Joey Scouts are based at the reserve and have won national awards for their Weedbuster Week activities. The group is continuing to improve the management of the reserve with assistance from the Parks and Wildlife Commission, Greening Australia and Landcare.
Livingstone Reserve Landcare Group
This group established in 1991 with a desire to conserve the natural and cultural values of section 2395. The section covers an area of some eighty hectares at the southern end of Litchfield Shire in the Elizabeth River catchment. The group fought successfully to have the land handed to the council and “in trust” to the group. Rezoning of the land to Open Conservation took place shortly after the hand over. Issues for this group include weed control, fire management, revegetation, water quality and feral animal control. The group has strong community backing to continue working on these issues.
McMinns Lagoon Reserve Landcare Group
South east of Darwin is a reserve known as McMinns Lagoon. After the encroachment of subdivision a group of local residents joined forces to clean up and improve the quality of the lagoon.
In 1992 the bulldozers were brought in to clear weeds and remove large amounts of silt which had run off from nearby roads and drains. Hundreds of trees were planted, walking tracks built and picnic tables constructed.
The lagoon is now very popular for passive recreation activities, especially bird watching. McMinns Lagoon has been involved in many national programs including the “Olympic Landcare ‘98” site, “National Tree Day” plantings, home of the “Trees with Love from Landcare” site and is also part of the Mitre 10 “Howard River Restoration Project”.
Darwin River Hills Landcare Group
Protection of a series of waterfalls and a natural spring with significant monsoon forest patches threatened by wildfire were the driving forces behind the formation of this group in September 1997. Since that time the group, in consultation with a wide range of stakeholders, has developed and implemented a fire management plan for the area. Darwin River Hills was awarded the 2001 NT Landcare Fire Management Award for excellence and innovation in using fire to maintain or enhance biodiversity.
Taminmin High School – Woodside Reserve
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| Walkway constructed in the Dry |
Taminmin High School is the custodian of Woodside Reserve, approximately 180 hectares of land in the heart of Humpty Doo.
The land is managed and utilised as a Natural Resource Study Area for students and community groups. The area covers a broad range of vegetation communities including a large section of Horns Creek.
Previous extractive mining operations, recreational four-wheel drivers and residential squats form some of the chequered history of the area.There are large areas that have been infested with weeds and trial plots using a range of controls have been set up and are being monitored. Students are involved in the planning and implementation of such activities and various Green Corps and Conservation Volunteer Teams have helped to construct walkways, install soil conservation works and undertake direct seeding projects.
Taminmin High School was awarded the 2001 NT Landcare Awards - Nature Conservation Award for excellence and innovation in implementing nature conservation activities on land outside formal parks and reserves.
