Coleambally Irrigation is a member-owned co-operative, tasked with delivering irrigated water to landowners. The organisation is also responsible for the preservation of about 12,000ha of crown land.
Successful applicants for Healthy Rivers funding were announced during a visit to the Riverina last week by federal Water Minister Keith Pitt, accompanied by Member for Farrer Sussan Ley and Senator Perin Davey.
‘‘Enclosing the Biodiversity Reserves with wildlife friendly fencing will prevent unwanted grazing and unauthorised access,’’ said Coleambally Irrigation CEO Clifford Ashby.
‘‘The fencing will also prevent the grazing of seedlings that germinate from the direct seeding undertaken by Greening Australia.
‘‘Fencing will also allow us to observe the effect of stock exclusion on vegetation complexity and condition, and compare it to other wetlands in our area where we deliver e-water, but are exposed to livestock grazing pressure.’’
Coleambally is home to a range of environmentally significant eco-systems, including the endangered Weeping Myall Woodland, and Sandhill Pine Woodland.
‘‘The Biodiversity Reserves represent much of the mosaic of remnant native vegetation remaining after the establishment of the irrigation district in the 1960s,’’ Mr Ashby said.
A total of 14.87km of fencing will be erected by the company, and is expected to enclose 690ha of biodiversity reserves.
Since 2007 Coleambally Irrigation has maintained 1200ha of crown land, encompassing eight separate blocks.
Mr Ashby said its Plan of Management for the biodiversity reserves includes the objective to conserve and enhance native biodiversity.
As part of meeting this objective it participates in the Superb Parrot Flyway Project managed by Greening Australia and the Saving Our Species Securing Southern Bell Frog in NSW Project.
‘‘To date Greening Australia has conducted 236 kilometres of direct seeding on our reserves to provide habitat and food resources for the superb parrot and Coleambally Irrigation has delivered on average 4000 megalitres of environmental water per season since 2015 into wetlands to provide habitat for the Southern Bell Frog, including two wetlands within the biodiversity reserves,’’ Mr Ashby said.
Eleven projects in the Farrer electorate received funding from the Healthy Rivers Scheme last week, totalling $1.2 million.
