SA Murray-Darling Basin Regional Action Plan – Central Ranges subregion 1

SA Murray-Darling Basin Regional Action Plan – Central Ranges subregion 2

March 2017

This document should be cited as:

South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board, 2017. Regional Action Plan: A guide to natural

resource management priorities in the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin, Central Ranges subregion summary.

URL: www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/samurraydarlingbasin-rap

For more information about this plan please contact:

South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board

PO Box 2343

Murray Bridge SA 5253

Phone: (08) 8532 9100

Email: SAMDBEnquiries@sa.gov.au

Website: www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/samurraydarlingbasin-rap

The South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board and the Government of South Australia, their

employees and their servants do not warrant, or make any representation, regarding the use or results of the information

contain herein as to its correctness, accuracy, currency or otherwise. The South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Natural

Resources Management Board and the Government of South Australia, their employees and their servants expressly disclaim all

liability or responsibility to any person using the information or advice herein.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

SA Murray-Darling Basin Regional Action Plan – Central Ranges subregion 3

The diverse soils, water resources, biodiversity and landscapes of the SA Murray-

Darling Basin (SAMDB) are the foundation of many of the things we value; our

livelihoods, lifestyles and our wellbeing.

We all play a role in managing these natural resources.

About this document

This document is a summary of the Central Ranges subregion of the Regional Action Plan for the South

Australian Murray Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Region. The document contains a general

overview of the subregion and what’s valued about it, a detailed profile of the subregion, a list of the natural

resources management issues, their impacts and their priority status. For more detail on specific issues or to find

out the suggested actions to address them please follow the links in this document or visit the Regional Action

Plan online at www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/samurraydarlingbasin-rap

Figure 1: Location of the Central Ranges subregion

SA Murray-Darling Basin Regional Action Plan – Central Ranges subregion 4

Socio-economic drivers of change

Proximity to city and aesthetic values, driving property values

and land use change (including urban growth)

Growth in eco-and agri-tourism

Increase in trail bike use and 4WD recreation

Climate change.

Central Ranges subregion Overview

The Central Ranges subregion is defined as much by the social connection of its community to the farming

traditions of the Barossa Valley, particularly viticulture, as it is by its landscape characteristics. This subregion runs

along the spine of the Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges and overlaps with the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges NRM

region. The Central Ranges subregion is largely the traditional land of the Peramangk125, with a section of the

Ngadjuri Nation #2 Native Title Claim area in the north.114

The Barossa is an internationally recognised wine grape growing region that attracts tourists to its viticulture

areas. It has a strong food and wine culture and supports numerous cottage and niche businesses. Its European

history, particularly German settlement, is also a feature of the region. There are a high proportion of commuters

from rural properties and towns to and from Adelaide40 but there are also strong transport linkages to regional

centres such as Gawler.

The area supports a diverse mix of land uses -

including viticulture, horticulture, livestock grazing,

horse agistment and biodiversity conservation with a

growing number of lifestyle properties. This diversity

of land use contributes to its cultural, aesthetic,

tourism and development values. The landscape is

characterised by hills, valleys and rocky outcrops of

the Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges.

Native vegetation in this area has been extensively

cleared for agricultural and urban development,

however, remnant grassy woodlands and temperate

grassland ecosystems provide important habitat for

native plants and animals, including a number of threatened species. Streams flow intermittently from the hills

into the River Murray. Surface water resources have been extensively developed with dams and watercourse

diversions.

What do we value about this area?

Economic benefits associated with wine and food tourism40, 78 - The Barossa is a “food bowl” of South

Australia

Cultural, social and economic values of the Traditional Owners124

Strong ties to German heritage and farming traditions, particularly viticulture, but also mixed farming. A

diversity of farming uses40

‘Lifestyle’ values; scenic landscape and semi-rural living with a high level of services, within commuting

distance of Adelaide.40,78

SA Murray-Darling Basin Regional Action Plan – Central Ranges subregion 5

Profile of the Central Ranges subregion

Landscapes The Central Ranges subregion covers the central

section of the Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges (EMLR),

an area considered a biodiversity hotspot for the

nation. It contains habitat important to a suite of

native species, including a number of declining

woodland birds. Socially the community identifies

with the Barossa region to the west, while the

section of this subregion within the SA Murray-

Darling Basin comprises catchments that drain

eastwards to the River Murray. The area is a highly

modified production landscape, with soils and

climate well suited to viticulture and mixed farming.

Rainfall is moderate on the plains (350 mm) and

higher in the hills (up to 800 mm), thus there is a

strong gradient declining with elevation from west

to east.40,93 Rainfall generally follows a seasonal

pattern with the highest falls in winter and early

spring, although high intensity rainfall in summer

thunderstorms can create flash flooding.93

Aboriginal creation ancestor stories (sometimes

called Dreamtime or Dreaming Stories) explain how

natural elements in the landscape were formed or

how certain species came to be. The stories describe

how creation ancestors shaped and shifted the

landscape, how they crafted its beauty and natural

resources and then gifted these places to specific

groups of people across South Australia.116

Prior to European settlement, the native vegetation

of the area was dominated by grassy woodlands

and natural temperate grasslands. These are still

present in places, now mostly as small, fragmented

patches, as native vegetation cover is around 15 per

cent of its former extent. Conservation assets in this

subregion include grassy woodlands (drooping

sheoak, red gum, blue gum, pink gum, mallee box)

and the nationally threatened ecological

communities - Peppermint Box Grassy Woodland of

South Australia and Iron Grass Natural Temperate

grassland of South Australia.40,88,90,91 The Central

Ranges subregion provides habitat for 47 state

listed threatened flora species and 20 state listed

threatened fauna species. Seven flora and two fauna

species are also listed nationally under the

Environment Protection and Biodiversity

Conservation Act 1999. A full list of threatened

species found in this subregion can be downloaded

here.40,90

Aboriginal culture and heritage is an important part

of the landscape. Many plants, animals and sites are

culturally significant and these are affected by a

range of NRM issues. The Aboriginal Heritage Act

1988 protects Aboriginal sites, objects and remains

in all areas of South Australia.117 Protecting

Aboriginal Heritage and natural resources, and

playing an active role in their management are key

priorities for the Traditional Owners of this area.124

The water resources on the eastern side of the

Mount Lofty Ranges spine are managed under the

water allocation plans for the Marne Saunders

Prescribed Water Resources (covering the Marne

River and Saunders Creek catchments) and the

Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges Prescribed Water

Resources (covering catchments south of the

Saunders Creek catchment: Milendella, Long Gully,

Bees Knees, Reedy, Salt, Preamimma and Rocky

Gully Creeks).50,93 The water resources on the

western side of the spine drain towards the Gulf of

St Vincent and are managed under the Water

Allocation Plan for the Western Mount Lofty Ranges

Prescribed Water Resources by Natural Resources

Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges.

The water allocation plans aim to encourage

sustainable use, maintain the quality and quantity of

water, maintain and improve water-dependent

ecosystems and minimise impacts of taking and

using water. The watercourses gain water from run-

off in the hills and groundwater discharge where

the groundwater level is higher than the stream bed

for at least some of the time. These streams also

lose water to groundwater in the foothills and on

the plains. The hills zone of the Marne-Saunders

catchments consist of undulating to steep hills

formed of Kanmantoo Group rock, that has been

extensively folded and faulted by heat and

pressure.93 The Palmer Fault at the eastern edge of

the ranges marks the transition to the plains, which

contain unconsolidated sedimentary deposits lying

over the same basement rocks as the hills (Note the

plains are in the Lower Murray and Plains

subregion). The hills of the EMLR are underlain by

SA Murray-Darling Basin Regional Action Plan – Central Ranges subregion 6

consolidated basement rock, which form fractured

rock aquifers.50 Stream water is lost to the

groundwater on the plains on its way to the River

Murray, which is the receiving body for intermittent

flows in these streams.93 The surface water and

groundwater resources are strongly interconnected.

The water resources of the Marne River and

Saunders Creek catchments support a range of flora

and fauna species including nine native fish species

still found in the area (including river blackfish,

protected under the state Fisheries Management Act

2007), a range of aquatic macroinvertebrates

considered rare or uncommon in South Australian

streams, and several species of aquatic (instream)

and riparian (stream side) vegetation considered of

conservation significance in the Murray region.

These species are supported by surface water

runoff, stream flow and input from groundwater

into streams from springs and baseflow.93

Farm dam development is significant, particularly in

the hills, resulting in less water for watercourses.

There are approximately 960 dams in the Marne

Saunders Prescribed Water Resources Area,

capturing an estimated volume of 3,970 ML.93 The

Milendella to Rocky Gully Creek catchments

collectively contain 615 dams holding

approximately 1070 ML.50 Groundwater resource

development is centered around the sedimentary

aquifers (e.g. near Cambrai in the Lower Murray and

Plains subregion), with the patchy nature of

fractured rock aquifers limiting groundwater

resource development in other areas. Water is used

mostly for viticulture, horticulture, stock and

domestic purposes.50, 93

Groundwater resources are mostly low yielding with

moderate salinity, although there are pockets of

better quality water.93

Soils of the region are variable, but are typically

shallow to moderate soils on rock, which have a

relative high inherent fertility. These soils are often

associated with acidic sandy loams over clay on rock

which can readily acidify and are susceptible to

water and wind erosion.40,69 Combined with the

hilly topography, this limits cropping in this

subregion.

Livelihoods The Central Ranges subregion (114,600 ha) supports

highly productive agricultural industries, and a

diversity of land uses. Tourism (wine, food and

heritage) are also a significant contributor to the

local economy, particularly in the Barossa.133

Like other parts of the Mount Lofty Ranges, land

value is high relative to more remote parts of the SA

Murray-Darling Basin region, reflecting its proximity

to Adelaide and competition for land from

residential developers and lifestyle property owners.

The dominant land use is grazing of modified

pastures (90,600 ha). Irrigation of crops, pasture

and perennial and seasonal horticulture in total

covers only 1900 ha but most of it is high value

wine grapes. Land prices and the hilly and rocky

terrain limit cropping to 10,200 ha in this subregion.

Many of the agricultural and horticultural land uses

in the area rely on supplementary water from dams,

watercourse diversions and bores.50,93 In general,

property sizes are small compared to more remote

subregions with small-farm animal husbandry, horse

properties and substantial residential areas (2700

ha). Areas set aside for nature conservation are

minimal (745 ha).81 Small rural and residential

properties are centered around the main townships

of Woodside, Nuriootpa, Williamstown and

Kersbrook (outside of the SA Murray-Darling Basin

region).

The Central Ranges subregion has a higher socio-

economic status than more remote parts of SAMDB

and a high proportion of city commuters40. Due to

its large commuting population, high levels of ‘off-

farm’ income and high property turnover, many

residents of lifestyle properties are likely to have

less connection to the local environment and thus

lower knowledge of NRM issues relative to more

rural subregions.40

The Traditional Owners of this subregion have used

and actively managed the natural resources of the

area for many thousands of years. Today a number

of Aboriginal people are employed in natural

resources management roles within the SAMDB

NRM region although most of this work has focused

on the River Murray, Lower Lakes and Coorong area.

Significant capacity has been built within the

community to continue playing a key role in natural

resources management into the future and

employment in natural resources management has

significant economic and social outcomes for the

Aboriginal community.126

SA Murray-Darling Basin Regional Action Plan – Central Ranges subregion 7

Lifestyles The Central Ranges subregion had a population of

23,684 in 2011, which is around the state average.

The area experienced a substantial population

growth (24 per cent in the decade from 2001 to

2011).61, 78 This subregion has comparatively lower

numbers of elderly people in the population

compared to other areas of the state. It also has

fewer lone person households than the state

average.61

Local government responsibilities are primarily held

by the Barossa Council with the District Council of

Mount Barker, Mid Murray Council and Adelaide

Hills Council covering smaller parts of this

subregion. The local governments are represented

through the Murray Mallee and Central Local

Government Association regions.

Aboriginal culture is intrinsically linked to natural

resources and a healthy environment underpins

traditional owners’ ability to continue undertaking

cultural practices, exercising cultural rights and

meeting cultural responsibilities and obligations.

This ability is essential for protecting and passing

down culture between generations, maintaining and

building community wellbeing, and educating the

broader community124. There is a strong interest in

natural and cultural resource based opportunities in

this subregion, including management, monitoring

and tourism for the purpose of increasing

Aboriginal participation and increasing awareness

of non-Aboriginal people.124

The area has a high level of services and

recreational opportunities due to its close proximity

to Adelaide.61 This accessibility, both to Adelaide

and regional centres, together with above average

Internet access (83 per cent of household in 2011)

also places the community in good stead to be able

to adapt to changing conditions and circumstances,

as a result of climate change for example.61

The diversity of its industries, the aesthetic values of

the scenic hills landscape and its international food

and wine reputation, enable a wide range of cottage

and niche industries to complement its country

lifestyle.78 Farming and viticulture traditions,

especially those of German settlers, are promoted

and strongly identified with.40 The Central Ranges

has a comparatively higher economic diversity than

others in the region, which provides flexibility and

the ability to adapt, should any particular industry

experience prolonged decline.

Other factors positively influencing the community’s

resilience and ability to withstand a variety of social,

economic or environmental pressures include a

comparatively high median household income, a

relatively low unemployment rate, average numbers

of people who have completed high school, and

higher numbers of graduates and women in

managerial or technical occupations. All of these

elements contribute to opportunities for the

community to innovate and diversify in order to

adapt to change together.

The level of volunteering in the area is above

average, which is an indication of a highly

connected and socially cohesive community.61 An

example of this volunteering effort and cohesion, is

seen in the large number of ‘NRM volunteer groups,

which are actively involved in management of

watercourses (e.g. Marne River Catchment Group),

local bushland reserves and revegetation.40 The

NRM groups are serviced by the Eastern Hills and

Murray Plains Catchment Group, based in Murray

Bridge. The Mount Pleasant Natural Resources

Centre also has an active network of NRM

volunteers and runs numerous capacity building

workshops suited to the local community.

SA Murray-Darling Basin Regional Action Plan – Central Ranges subregion 8

What do we need to work on? The following table describes the natural resources management issues and their impacts on the values of the

Central Ranges subregion, presented in order of decreasing priority.

Key to values

NRM issue What impacts are these having on our natural resources?

Priority Values affected

Working together Community awareness, knowledge and participation in natural resource management Foundational

Climate change adaptation

Building resilience to a changing climate Foundational

Managing risks to biodiversity from wildfire

Catastrophic loss of biodiversity due to wildfire.

Loss of significant populations of plants and animals and potentially species due to a wildfire burning through large or particularly significant areas.

High

Sustainable water resource management

Increasing pressure on water resources and change in hydrology affecting aquatic habitats.

Decrease in environmental flows, resulting in decline in condition of aquatic habitat and loss of aquatic species.

High

Containing new environmental weeds

New and emerging weeds (e.g. Buffel grass)

Competition with native flora; resulting in declines in biodiversity and production values; reduction in quality of appropriate habitat for native species.

High

Containing new aquatic pests

Emerging aquatic pests i.e. Trout, Redfin, Gambusia and released pets affecting aquatic habitat.

Impacts regarding competition with native species.

High

Addressing soil acidity Increase in soil acidity. Decline in production; Increased risk of soil erosion associated with areas of low cover. High

Water quality for consumption

Decline in water quality (for human use) and quality due to capture by large dams and groundwater extraction for domestic and production purposes.

Very limited water available for production purposes or stock and domestic supplies, therefore limited potential for expansion without additional sources of water imported to the area. Insufficient environmental flows to sustain already impacted aquatic ecosystems.

High

Containing new aquatic weeds

New and emerging weeds (such as spiny rush, Rhodes grass) affecting aquatic habitat.

Competition with native flora; decline in the condition of remnant habitat, including threatened species habitat.

High

Threatened species recovery

Threatened species habitat decline and species-specific threats resulting in the decline of threatened fauna and flora.

Risk of extinction to threatened fauna and flora.

High

Natural regeneration of trees

Lack of tree recruitment due to high grazing pressures.

Loss of habitat for woodland birds and other fauna species; decline in connectivity of existing patches of remnant vegetation. Also affects production values due to the loss of shelter for livestock.

Med

Controlling environmental weeds

Environmental weeds (particularly blackberry, willows and ash trees) affecting aquatic habitat.

Competition with native flora; decline in the condition of remnant habitat, including threatened species habitat.

Med

Reducing the impacts of pest animals

Overgrazing/damage by kangaroos, rabbits and goats (un-managed).

Pests reduce pasture available for stock and increase management costs. Med

Water Sustainable Production

Biodiversity People Atmosphere

SA Murray-Darling Basin Regional Action Plan – Central Ranges subregion 9

(cont.) NRM issue What impacts are these having on our natural resources?

Priority Values affected

Controlling environmental weeds

Environmental weeds (such as boxthorn, gorse, grass weeds, ash trees).

Competition with native flora; resulting in declines in biodiversity and production values; reduction in quality of appropriate habitat for native species.

Med

Sustainable livestock grazing

Overgrazing - by livestock including horses (managed grazing)

Increased total grazing pressure; decline in habitat condition due to loss of palatable native plants; poor recruitment of native species; increased erosion risk.

Med

Reducing the impacts of pest animals

Over-grazing / damage by kangaroos, rabbits and/or deer (unmanaged).

Increased total grazing pressure; decline in habitat condition due to loss of palatable native plants; poor recruitment of native species; increased erosion risk.

Med

Managing fire regimes for biodiversity

Inappropriate fire regime. Lack of recruitment of fire-dependent species; decline in condition of native vegetation if fires too frequent or absent, and risk of bushfire in patches

Med

Protecting and restoring habitat

Loss and fragmentation of habitat, and isolation of pools due to structural impediments to flow, affecting aquatic habitat.

Decline in the extent, condition and connectivity of habitat; reduction in size and isolation of plant and animal populations; increased vulnerability to other threats (such as climate change, pests, weeds).

Med

Sustainable livestock grazing

Over-grazing and pugging - by livestock (managed grazing) affecting aquatic habitat.

Decline and loss of palatable and grazing-sensitive species; increased risk of erosion and weed invasion. Decline in condition of native vegetation and suitability of habitat for native species.

Med

Protecting and restoring habitat

Loss and fragmentation of habitat -from past and current clearing, associated with development and land use change, including increase in motorbike recreation and horse keeping.

Loss of habitat for native species; reduction in size and isolation of plant and animal populations; increased vulnerability to other threats (such as climate change, pests, weeds).

Med

Controlling agricultural weeds

Agricultural weeds Reduced profitability due to costs of control and direct competition with pasture species. Med

Soil health for sustainable production

Management of soil health (i.e. nutrition, fertility, biology) affecting production capacity and susceptibility to additional soil degradation processes.

Affects the profitability and sustainability of production. Poor soil health can lead to on site degradative processes such as soil acidity, erosion, compaction, and sodicity as well as off-site impacts on adjacent lands, watercourses and groundwater systems.

Med

Managing new pest animal and disease risk

New and emerging pests and diseases

Decline in ecosystem health or potential loss of significant populations of native species due to competition or disease.

Med

Managing new pest animal and disease risk

New and emerging pest animals and diseases

Potential threat to crop/stock health, affecting the productivity and profitability of primary industries.

Med

Managing native pastures

Decline in extent of resilient native pastures on marginal grazing land in the face of climate change.

Reduction in production from grazing and long-term productive viability of land (due to difficulty in re-establishing native pastures).

Low

Sustainable water resource management

Decline in water quantity (for productive uses) due to capture by large dams and groundwater extraction for domestic and production purposes.

Very limited water available for production purposes or stock and domestic supplies, therefore limited potential for expansion without additional sources of water imported to the area. Insufficient environmental flows to sustain already impacted aquatic ecosystems.

Low

Protecting and managing native grasslands

Loss of native grasslands/pastures due to land use change (pasture improvement in places where previously not possible).

Loss of native groundlayer species.

Low

SA Murray-Darling Basin Regional Action Plan – Central Ranges subregion 10

(cont.) NRM issue What impacts are these having on our natural resources?

Priority Values affected

Reducing predation of native fauna

Predation of native fauna (by foxes, cats.

Predation of native animals by pest species result in population declines, particularly of small-weight range species. In urban areas, feral and domesticated cats and foxes have a significant impact on birds and small mammals.

Low

Preventing the spread of Phytophthora

Phytophthora. Loss or decline in condition of native vegetation. Low

Land use planning Loss of productive land due to development, sub-division of properties and change in land use.

Reduced area for productive agriculture.

Low

Reducing the impacts of pest animals

Over-grazing and pugging - by other animals (unmanaged grazing - by pigs, deer and goats) affecting aquatic habitat.

Decline and loss of palatable and grazing-sensitive species; increased risk of erosion and weed invasion. Decline in condition of native vegetation and suitability of habitat for native species.

Low

Water quality for production

Decline in water quality (for productive uses)

Decline in production. Low

Managing over-abundant native fauna

Over-abundant native fauna (corellas, koalas; current and potential impacts) due to natural increases, immigration and paucity of control options.

Over-grazing (impacts as per over-grazing issue above); decline in condition of native vegetation (including decline in tree health due to Corellas and koalas) where populations increase to unsustainable levels.

Low

Managing impacts of windfarms

Impacts of windfarm construction on biodiversity.

Clearing of and disturbance to vegetation within construction sites; potential impacts of turbines on raptors.

Low

SA Murray-Darling Basin Regional Action Plan – Central Ranges subregion 11

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Resources Area.

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South Australia.

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Summary.

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