Since early April a team of around eight to ten people employed under the Wimmera Catchment Management Authority’s Drought Employment Program have been assisting Parks Victoria staff. They have undertaken a variety of tasks in the last three months.
Their first assignment was to cut and paint Sallow Wattle seedlings along Roses Gap Road, near Smiths Road, in the area burnt in the 2006 fires. Sallow Wattle (Acacia Longifolia var. longifolia) was declared a weed in the Grampians National Park based on historical research. It is thought that it was brought to the Grampians around the early to mid 1800s. It has invaded a significant area of open box woodland and heathlands to the detriment of other indigenous species, and Roses Gap is the site of a major infestation. It was important to remove the seedlings that emerged after the 2006 fires before they could also produce seed, but the team have also removed a large number of mature plants including one that was around 40 years old.
The team have also assisted with campground and walking track maintenance. They have carried out walking track assessments, re-strained fences, stained or sealed fence posts, lookouts and boardwalks. They have also cleared walking tracks, carted away rubbish, spread mulch, removed outgrown tree guards and pulled out weeds. The team have provided welcome assistance at a time when other park staff were working hard on finishing the last of the fire recovery works, and we hope they have enjoyed their work here in the Park.